Spanish church services offered to show foreign workers 'they're appreciated'

A church in eastern P.E.I. has been including Spanish in some services to make newcomers feel more at home.

Some of the songs and even the sermon at Montague Church of Christ have been offered in Spanish, with the help of a translator.

Lead pastor Stephen Vessey said there are a lot of temporary foreign workers in Kings County that come from Mexico, and the church wanted to include them in the community.

"Many of them are leaving their families for weeks or months," said Vessey.

"We truly value the work that they do and we just want to make sure that they know that they're appreciated, they're loved, and there's a place that has concern for them."

Guillermo Poggio, who moved to Canada from Uruguay in 2001, helped with the translation.

He remembers how difficult it was to live in an English environment as a Spanish speaker.

"It was really hard. That was one of the hardest things, was not to speak the language," said Poggio.

He knows from that experience that hearing your native language can be a great comfort.

Vessey said the church has held a Spanish service three times in the last year and a half, and is planning to do more.

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