Merry Christmas 2025 from DBF!

Dear Friends of the Dénia Bridges Foundation,

As we enter this Christmas season, we pause with deep gratitude for the faithfulness and generosity you have shown throughout 2025. This year is especially meaningful for us because it marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Dénia Bridges Foundation. For an entire decade, you have partnered with us to strengthen Christian education and youth development across the Iberian Peninsula. Looking back, we are humbled by God’s provision and by your steadfast support that has allowed this ministry to grow and bear fruit year after year.

What Your Generosity Made Possible This Year

Thanks to your giving, Dénia Bridges Foundation was able to support a wide range of ministries and programs that are shaping hearts and equipping the next generation:

  • Colegio Alfa & Omega:

    • Kayaks and related equipment

    • Classroom furniture

    • Musical Instruments

    • Parent Programs

  • Dénia Summer Camps:

    • America Camp Scholarships

  • International Volunteer Program:

    • Common-area furniture

  • Designated Gifts:.

    • Baptist Seminary in Madrid

    • Baptist Summer Camp at Água de Madeiros in Portugal

    • Félix Ortiz and Sara Bonet, Agape (Cru) missionaries serving in Barcelona

Every one of these blessings has a story behind it—students learning to follow Jesus, volunteers experiencing community, young people encountering Christ at camp, and future pastors being trained for ministry. Thank you for being part of each of these stories.

DBF Donor Supported Projects at Colegio Alfa & Omega in 2025

Our 2025 Year-End Project

Renovating Seminary Student Apartments

As we look to the coming year, we invite you to join us in supporting an important and timely need. The student apartments at the Baptist Seminary in Madrid—Facultad de Teología - UEBE Alcobendas, home to those who are preparing for full-time Christian ministry—are in need of renovation.

Renovation Plans for Seminary Student Apartments

The renovation project is focused on improving the living conditions of the seminary's student apartments, which have become outdated after forty-six years of continuous use. The following updates are comprehensive and designed to address both functionality and comfort.

  • Replacement of doors and closets to ensure durability and provide better storage solutions.

  • Installation of new flooring throughout the apartments for a refreshed and modern look.

  • Upgrading the electrical systems in each apartment to meet current safety and efficiency standards.

  • Complete remodeling of the bathrooms to enhance hygiene and usability.

  • Installation of new kitchen tiles and cabinets for improved functionality and aesthetics.

  • General painting throughout the apartments to create a welcoming and clean environment.

Updating these living spaces will significantly improve the daily life, dignity, and well-being of students who have committed themselves to theological study and service. Our goal this Christmas season is to raise the $20,000 needed to renovate one apartment in 2026. Please click here for a detailed description of the project along with costs and more photos.

If God leads you to participate in this project, your end-of-year gift will help create a more welcoming, comfortable, and functional environment for the students who will shepherd future generations of believers. And please designate this as a gift for the seminary project if that’s your intention.

Thank You

During this season of celebrating Christ’s coming, we are reminded again of the light He brings into the world—and we are grateful that you help shine that light into the lives of so many. Thank you for walking with us, praying with us, and giving so generously over these ten remarkable years.

May the peace and joy of Christ be with you and your family this Christmas and in the New Year.

With gratitude,
The Denia Bridges Foundation Board

December 2025

www.deniabridges.org

Spain's Baptist Seminary's Student Housing Renovation Project

INTRODUCTION

The construction of the current building of the UEBE Baptist Seminary/Faculty of Theology began in 1973 on land acquired on the outskirts of the city of Alcobendas, in the north of Madrid, culminating in its inauguration in 1976. Established in Barcelona 45 years earlier, the theological institution of the Evangelical Baptist Union of Spain now had its headquarters in the center of the country.  Although its geographical location changed, its vocation and ministry have not, as it continues to train the pastors and leaders that the churches and ministries of the Baptist Evangelical Union of Spain need, as well as those of other evangelical denominations.

Since the inauguration of our current building in 1976, there have been continual reforms of the facilities, which year after year are subjected to intensive use. In the summer of 2016, one of the most important remodeling phases was undertaken, which affected the ground floor where the offices and offices of professors of the Faculty of Theology are located. In 2020, another important reform was carried out in the academic area of ​​the Faculty of Theology, where the classrooms, the library and the chapel are located.

With the determined and generous involvement of the Baptist Women´s Missionary Union of Spain, which has endorsed the project and is raising funds, there are plans to progressively remodel the student residence of the seminary as a continuation of the integral project of modernization of the installations undertaken five years ago.  After a year of fund raising, the Baptist Women´s group raised over 8,000 €, which was complimented by seminary funds to complete the remodeling of the first apartment. (See photos below)

HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST SEMINARY/UEBE FACULTY OF THEOLOGY

In 1922, promoted by the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention of the USA (FMB), a meeting of Spanish Baptist leaders took place in Madrid, with the aim of unifying the Baptist work in Spain. At this meeting it was decided, among other important agreements, to establish a Baptist seminary in Spain. In this same year, the Baptist Theological Institute (hereinafter, seminary) was inaugurated in Barcelona and began its journey with seven students and four professors: Nils Bengston, Ambrosio Celma, Everett Gill and Percy Buffard. In 1925, Vincent Leroy David, a FMB missionary, arrived in Spain as director of the seminary. Two types of studies were given: one for the preparation of pastors, and the other for the preparation of lay workers, with the objective that they attend to the mission points that arose in response to the missionary initiatives of the churches.

Evidence of the maturity that the seminary was acquiring was the appointment, in 1978 of José Borrás Cerveró as director, the first Spaniard to hold this position in fifty-six years. Since then, the successive directors have been Spanish, and its teaching staff has also been reinforced with native personnel. In 1997, the seminary changed its name, becoming the Theological Seminary, UEBE. In September 2011, the training degrees offered by the seminary received civil accreditation from the Spanish State, and the seminary became the Faculty of Theology of the Baptist Evangelical Union of Spain. Currently, it is one of the most prestigious theological institutions among Spanish evangelicals.

Strategically located next to the commuter train station of Alcobendas and well connected to other public transportation hubs, the seminary draws students from the province of Madrid and as well as other areas of Spain.  Many students come from the Baptist churches of our Union, but some from other denominations choose the FT-UEBE for pastoral and ministry training of pastors because of its commitment to conservative biblical foundations, supervised ministry practicums, and the advantage of studying in person with excellent professors. Accredited degrees are offered in undergraduate and master’s programs. In addition, the Seminary offers other non-accredited diplomas, and participates in four regional lay leadership training programs, one in Madrid, one in the Southwest, one in Canary Islands and one in South (Andalucía & Extremadura). Online study programs are also offered.   Currently there are 35 students in these programs, and seventy in the four regional lay leadership training programs, with 28 people living in the student residence apartments.   

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The project "New homes for the students of the Faculty of Theology UEBE" aims to renovate the apartments occupied by the seminary's students, which have become obsolete after forty-six years of intense use, since there are many occupants who have passed through them. This renovation will include the replacement of doors and closets, the installation of a new floor in the apartments, the adaptation of the electrical system of each apartment to current regulations, the complete remodeling of the bathrooms, the installation of new kitchen tiles and cabinets, as well as general painting, as specified in the following budget.

Budget per apartment

1.     MASONARY AND PAINTING

2.     ELECTRICITY

Summer Greetings from Dénia Bridges Foundation 2025

Warm Summer Blessings from the Dénia Bridges Foundation!

This summer, Sue and I were blessed to visit Spain and witness the incredible impact your generous support is making in furthering the good news of Christ.

In Alcobendas near Madrid, we met with Rector Julio Díaz and toured the Baptist Seminary, where we saw the new roof your donations helped fund. It was inspiring to hear Julio’s vision for the future and to see how your gifts are helping to equip leaders for ministry in Spain and in the world.

In Denia, we were joined by fellow DBF board members, JuneAn and Kevin Lanigan for a meaningful time with Jorge, Encarnita, Hugo, and DBF Board Member Eunice. We experienced the joy of seeing many of the improvements you’ve helped make possible on the beautiful Alfa & Omega campus.\

Below, you’ll find a wonderful update from Eunice, reflecting on the past year at Alfa & Omega.

As always, thank you for your faithful support of what God is accomplishing on the beautiful Costa Blanca.

With gratitude,

Scott

Colegio Alfa & Omega 2024-2025

Eunice Pastor, DBF Board Member

Dear friends of the Denia Bridges Foundation,

Receive our warmest greetings in the love of our Lord.

We want to begin this report by expressing our deepest thanks to all of you—friends, donors, and faithful intercessors—who have supported this beautiful project with your prayers, generosity, and commitment.

What began 45 years ago as a dream planted in the hearts of a few is today a flourishing reality and an educational and spiritual reference point in our city and surrounding areas. Glory to God for His faithfulness throughout all these years!

This year, 2025, we joyfully celebrated the 45th anniversary of Colegio Alfa i Omega. Families, teachers, and students came together for a series of memorable activities—experiences that will stay with them for a lifetime.

In the last trimester, we experienced many meaningful moments, including:

  • Music Week, dedicated to the music of the 1980s, full of creativity and joy

  • The celebration of Easter

  • The gift of Bibles to our 8- and 9-year-old students, a cherished tradition with deep spiritual meaning

  • And, of course, the graduations of all educational levels—culminating moments in which we prayed together with families, asking for God's blessing and guidance as they begin a new chapter.

During the summer, once again, God has been faithful. We joyfully welcomed our brothers and sisters from Cabot, Arkansas, who organized the Day Camp and shared their faith with the children at the Soccer Camp. We were also deeply blessed by the support of Columbus Baptist Church from Waco, Texas, during our in-house camp.

These summer camps are precious opportunities to be open and intentional in sharing the love of Jesus with each child. They are unique moments to plant seeds of faith, hope, and love in their hearts. Let us pray together that these seeds will grow and bear good fruit for the glory of God.

We would also like to highlight a very special blessing this summer: thanks to the generous support of the Denia Bridges Foundation, 8 children from the community received scholarships to attend the American Camp, our overnight camp experience. This opportunity made a profound impact on their lives—providing not only fun and friendship, but also meaningful time in God's presence.

In June, we had the great joy of welcoming four members of the Denia Bridges Foundation: Scott and Susan Johnson, and JuneAn and Kevin Lanigan. They visited Alfa i Omega to observe first hand the work being done and to offer encouragement. We were also able to meet together and have meaningful conversations about future projects and shared goals. Their visit was a blessing and a reminder of the strong connection and partnership we share.

We look ahead with expectation and hope as we prepare for the next school year, which will bring new changes and challenges.

Thank you for walking with us. Thank you for believing, praying, and sustaining this vision—one that lives on through the love of the Father and the faithfulness of hearts like yours.

With love in Christ,


Eunice Pastor

Words of Gratitude from Eunice - End of Year Review - 2024

Christmas 2024

Dear Friends of Dénia Bridges,

This year, we joyfully celebrate the 45th Christmas at Colegio Alfa & Omega. Founded by my parents in 1979, this educational and missionary project has been transforming lives and touching hearts along the Costa Blanca ever since.

We are thrilled to share that three new Alfa & Omega families are actively seeking the Lord, and one has made the beautiful decision to be baptized. This moment fills us with immense joy and hope, and we feel truly blessed to be part of their spiritual journey.

As we reflect upon the past year, we want to express our sincerest gratitude for your unconditional support. Each of you is a fundamental part of our DBF family, and thanks to your generosity, we have been able to carry out projects that have impacted the lives of many in our community. This year has been truly special, and we would like to share with you some of the most significant moments:

Summer Camps: Thanks to you, 15 children had the opportunity to attend summer camps where they could meet the Lord in an environment filled with love and joy. Seeing their smiles and hearing their laughter was a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do. Each child returned home with stories to tell and hearts full of hope.

2024 Summer Campers at Alfa & Omega

Volunteer Retreat: We were also blessed to organize a retreat for our wonderful volunteers. It was a weekend filled with fellowship, fun, and a deeper connection with the Lord. The bond that formed among all of us was truly special, and we are grateful for each of you who made this moment of renewal possible.

Volunteers hiking in the Valencian interior

Improvements in the Science Lab and 10th Grade Classroom: What a joy it was to purchase new stools and tables for the science lab and the 10th-grade classroom! The previous materials had been with us for over 25 years, and now our students have a renewed and motivating space to learn and explore. Your support has made a significant difference in their educational experience.

Science Lab’s New Tables and Chairs

Help for the Children of Valencia after the Flood Disaster: Since October, DBF has been gathering donations to support the recovery efforts in Valencia following the recent disaster. Our mission is to ensure that children can experience a special Christmas despite the devastation. For some families in our school, the impact has been especially severe, as they’ve lost their businesses and livelihoods. It is both a privilege and a responsibility to stand together in support of those in need during these difficult times. 

Alfa & Omega’s Campaign Announcement

 We wish that this Christmas and in the coming year, Alfa & Omega will be in your prayers, and may God bless you greatly.

Thank you very much!

Eunice Pastor Sendra
Executive Director, Colegio Alfa & Omega
Founding Board Member, Dénia Bridges Foundation

DBF Donors Respond to Roof Repair Campaign for Madrid’s Baptist Seminary!

The Baptist Seminary in north Madrid ( Facultad de Teología, UEBE, https://ftuebe.es/)  is an institution of higher learning, with its degrees recognized by the Spanish government since 2011.  The seminary is located in north Madrid in the town of Alcobendas.  It’s mission is training pastors, missionaries, church workers,  and church planters through its undergrad, masters, and online programs. 

In March of 2024, we at DBF learned that the seminary needed to replace its 40 year old roof and was looking for a way for people in the US to make tax-deductible gifts to support this project. Supporting Christian education in Spain is a primary pillar of DBF’s mission so we were happy to set up a separate campaign focused on the roof project and send any donations received in support of this project directly to the seminary. We are excited to report that the seminary’s capital campaign was successful and that DBF donors made a significant contribution to the campaign. Here are photos of the finished project and below, a letter Dr. Julio Diaz, president of the seminary wrote to thank the donors.

Dear collaborator of the Baptist Seminary/Faculty of Theology of the Evangelical Baptist Union of Spain:

I have the pleasure of informing you that the construction work of a new roof for the Baptist Seminary/Faculty of Theology UEBE has just concluded, after two months of work. I wanted to wait until this moment to inform you of the destination of your offering, so that you can see through the attached photos the final result. As I reported at the time, it was necessary to first dismantle the old roof of the building, very deteriorated by the passage of time. This was a heavy and laborious job for the workers, since we agreed that the work would be done during the summer, to disturb as little as possible the life of the faculty and those who live there, but it exposed the workers to the intense heat of the Madrid summer.

Of the different options that were considered for the new roof, a sandwich panel type roof was chosen for several reasons: its lighter weight, since another type of roofing would place a significant weight on the structure of the building, which could lead to cracks: its price, cheaper than other conventional roofs, but with a guarantee of quality; its durability, as it is very resistant to the passage of time and changes in the weather; and its thermal insulation, as this type of roof incorporates a high-performance thermal insulation at the factory, to which a second layer of insulation was added in the most sensitive areas of the roof. High-capacity drainage gutters and overflows have also been built into the side walls to drain accumulated water in the event of torrential rains, which are becoming more and more frequent in Spain.

Thank you for being part of those donors who have made this work possible. Without your collaboration and that of the Union of Baptist Churches of Spain, the UEBE School of Theology would not have a new roof today. We are very grateful for your financial contribution, but also for your appreciation for the seminary and for the work of formation of those called by God to the Christian ministry that is carried out in it. With your gesture, you have shown that the UEBE Faculty of Theology is also your seminary, and that you identify with its mission.

God bless you

Dr. Julio Díaz

Rector Facultad de Teología UEBE

Alcobendas (Madrid) - España

An Experience of a Lifetime

by JuneAn Lanigan and Kiko Peiro

We had the privilege of hosting Kiko Peiro in 2017 as part of the Alfa & Omega study abroad program. He and two other students were paired with DBF host families in the California Bay Area for 3 short months. 

Kiko and JuneAn

Kiko writes, “It was an incredible and very enriching experience.  I got to know another culture, another school (a first!), and everything was so different!  But the most important thing was having the privilege of meeting my American parents who are now my second family! I felt at home with them and trusted them in the same way I trust my parents.  I learned a lot from them and they have become one of the pillars of my life.”

Kiko, JuneAn and Kevin Lanigan

As an exchange student, Kiko attended our local high school as a freshman and was initiated into our California public education system.  Different from Alfa & Omega, our local high school is a large, secular, four year school with students from many diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds. It is safe to say that navigating the curriculum and school dynamics was a learning experience in and of itself!

Kiko and his A&O classmates were also immersed in California lifestyle and tradition.  We traveled throughout the state exploring different cities and towns, sampling local cuisine and culture.  We had a great time together (and many laughs) as we discussed our countries’ similarities and differences.  We learned as much from the students as they did from us!  Our time together was a joy.  We have since traveled to Denia twice, and were equally welcomed by Kiko’s amazing family.

In August 2023, we reunited in California for a 3 week vacation.  Kiko shares, “This last three-week trip was also an incredible experience and coming back 6 years later and feeling at home from the first day is priceless.”

Kiko with Kevin and Scott and Sue Johnson

Kiko is no longer our ‘exchange student’, he is family.  Like our own children, we are deeply supportive of his education and career (both business and kite surfing!), and the life ahead of him.  It is fair to say that we love him like a son.

If you feel a nudge to get involved in the lives of A&O students and want to learn more, please reach out to Eunice at A&O to explore the opportunities.  There are many students, like Kiko, who can grow richly with your support.

Kiko tells me that he is very grateful to Alfa & Omega, the Johnson family and our entire Lanigan family for giving him this great opportunity. It has truly been an experience of a lifetime.

Christmas 2023 at Alfa & Omega

Every December, Alfa & Omega shares the Gospel with its families through creative and innovative ways. This year, the faculty and staff will distribute Advent calendars to Alfa students to share with their families. Each day in December, families can read a daily devotion and enjoy a delicious chocolate treat. The calendar also reminds families of the wonderful events and concerts that Colegio Alfa & Omega provides during the Christmas season.

2023’s Alfa & Omega Advent Calendar

"Shine" - Alfa & Omega's 2023 Women's Retreat

Recognizing that moms need time away with other moms to be loved and cared for, Colegio Alfa & Omega provided a weekend retreat for moms of current Alfa students in November. The theme was “SHINE”.

Sixty moms attended. They were eager to have fun and open to growing personally.

The women enjoyed a wide range of enriching sessions such as emotional health and skin care.

In addition, Silvia Villares, a Christian psychologist, provided practical tools for making wise life decisions and Hugo Walthon, co-director of Alfa & Omega, gave his testimony. The women were moved by Hugo sharing that despite life's difficulties, you can shine brightly, thanks to one’s faith in God.

The atmosphere was full of laughter, learning and pure joy. It included a silent disco, where the attendees enjoyed the rhythm of the music. The group dinner on Friday night was a walk through the five continents full of coexistence and satisfaction.

The retreat left a deep spiritual impact upon each participant each of whom carried home the essence of SHINE: a reminder of who can light your path, to stand out and to keep on shining.

TESTIMONIAL FROM ONE OF THIS YEAR’S MOMS:

Eunice!! Thanks for hosting Shine! I thought it was great! I have enjoyed making new friends and getting to know my old friends better. But I wanted to tell you that Hugo’s testimony truly touched my heart. At school, Hugo is so quiet and serious and now I have a better idea of why. I would also like to tell you that thanks to Hugo, we were able to get through a very difficult time with our daughter who now is doing very well. You don’t realize how difficult a decision it is for our family every year, to keep the girls in a private school like Alfa & Omega, but I am very glad that we do. Just thank you so much. And the truth is, this retreat has made me want to go to your church because I no longer feel understood by my old church. Maybe SHINE has been the signal!! Keep it up, You guys are great!

Ms. Nike Luqman Granted the Royal Order of Queen Isabella the Catholic

His Majesty, Felipe VI, King of Spain, granted the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic to Ms. Nike Luqman (Beltran), director of relations with the consular offices of the mayor of Houston, for her continuous work in strengthening the ties of collaboration and friendship between Spain and the United States.  

Nike, honored by the Mayor of Houston and the Consulate General of Spain

Nike was raised in the Trinity Baptist Church in Dénia where her father was senior pastor and in fact, the Beltran Library of Colegio Alfa & Omega was named after her parents. She and her sister Lydia came to the US to attend Baylor University and after graduation, Nike married a Texan, became a US citizen and eventually made Texas her permanent home.

Houston’s City Hall Celebrating Nike’s Honor

The Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic is a Spanish civil order of chilvary and honor granted to persons and institutions in recognition of extraordinary services to the homeland or the promotion of international relations and cooperation with other nations. By law, its Grand Master is the King of Spain, and its Grand Chancellor is the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In the realm of services to the homeland, the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic is the highest civil honor granted by the Kingdom of Spain. Nike is a faithful supporter of Colegio Alfa & Omega and the Denia Bridges Foundation and is the first Protestant in the 200+ year history of the Order to have been awarded this honor.