SAN DIEGO — Step into the parish hall at Christ the King Church in San Diego three days a week and you will see Hispanic women in red T-shirts exercising, dancing and, most of all, smiling, to upbeat music.
The women are taking part in a program called Fe en Acción (Faith in Action), a 13-year collaboration between San Diego State University researchers and the Catholic Diocese of San Diego. The goal is to improve the health and well-being of the women by offering free exercise classes in their churches in Spanish, led by trained fellow parishioners.
Currently, eight parishes across San Diego County offer the program, from Chula Vista to San Marcos, and five plan to start this summer. The researchers are inviting more parishes to participate.
At the heart of this effort is the understanding that faith and community are essential in shaping an individual’s health and well-being.
Latinas, the pillars of their families and communities, face unique health challenges due to cultural norms, socio-economic factors, and widespread barriers.
The Faith in Action program takes a holistic approach, focusing on physical health, which can also help improve mental, emotional and spiritual well-being in a trusted environment, said Isela Martínez Sanroman. She is the program’s project manager, part of the SDSU Institute of Community and Behavioral Health.
Prayer, Then Dancing
On a recent Wednesday morning at the parish, around 15 women arrived for the 10 a.m. class carrying their mats and water bottles. The women, aged thirties to seventies, greeted each other like old friends.
Their instructor, María Pedroza, started the hour-long class with a prayer as the women held hands.
“Lord, we’re grateful for this day, and because You give us life, You give us health, You give us energy. You give us the drive to be here, Lord, to take advantage of this blessing You are giving us, so we can be well for You and for our family.”
The participants began by stretching, then moved on to doing sets of exercises, moving their arms and legs to the rhythm of music.
The classes are designed to accommodate diverse fitness levels and preferences, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for all participants, said Martínez Sanroman.
The instructors are known as promotoras, or community health workers, and are trained to lead cardio dance, strength training, and walking groups at their churches up to six times per week at a variety of times — including evenings and weekends — to accommodate busy schedules, she said.
Moreover, by integrating health education into the classes, participants gain knowledge about nutrition, preventive care and lifestyle habits, equipping them to make informed choices for themselves and their families, she added.
The promotoras are taught how faith and physical activity work hand-in-hand to improve a person’s health.
“Our Catholic values can be applied to the care of our bodies, which are temples of God,” said Pedroza, part of Emmanuel Ministry in San Ysidro, whose members can attend various parishes.
Father Tommie Jennings, pastor of Christ the King Parish, said he likes the program because it gets women involved in their health.
“In this neighborhood, we have a lot of people with heart attacks, cancer and diabetes,” he said. “I invited this program with arms wide open.”
Big Impact
Since 2011, Dr. Elva Arredondo, a researcher in the Department of Psychology at SDSU, and her team have been working on the Fe en Acción program, which has financial support from the National Institutes of Health.
The researchers follow the program participants, conducting surveys, taking measurements and doing interviews. Their findings from previous iterations of the program show that, not only does the physical fitness of participants increase, but they experience a profound, positive transformation in their life, said Martínez Sanroman.
Because of this, the researchers hope that each parish can continue the program as a health ministry sustained by promotoras.
Listen to the women of the class at Christ the King and you can hear that transformation.
“These classes have had a big impact on me,” said Mireya Ochoa, a parishioner for more than 20 years. “I feel better. I suffer from high blood pressure, and it’s improved. I didn’t know how to move. Now, I can dance.”
Leonor Navarro said that her doctor advised her to walk more, drink more water and to exercise. She saw a notice in the church bulletin promoting the program and decided to join.
“My doctor tells me that my blood pressure has dropped a lot, as has my sugar level,” Navarro said. “I’m thankful to God and the people who sent us this blessing.”
Elisa Ramos signed up for the class and liked how comfortable she felt. So, she invited one sister to join, then two other sisters, then her mother. These days, all five are participating in the same class.
“I have more energy, I feel more awake, ready to do more things,” said Mónica Vazquez, one of the sisters. “I like being empowered to do more.”
Guadalupe Herrera, another sister, said that she had tried other classes but they were too advanced for her. The one at the parish feels just right. Besides, she’s able to get to know other women, something virtually all participants mentioned as a benefit.
“We just moved to this area, and I did not have any friends,” said Margarita Gómez. “And now, I feel like part of the family.”
The classes develop a sense of community and solidarity among participants. Shared experiences of perseverance and progress create bonds that extend beyond the class, nurturing a social network that can help support individuals through life’s challenges, all within an environment that sustains their spiritual needs as well, said Martínez Sanroman.
María Pedroza, the promotora, said that some participants tell her that they suffer from depression.
“They start to come to the class and begin to feel a change because we not only do exercises, we support each other.”
Yeni Bravo, another participant, encourages women to join the program if it’s available at their parish and recommends that pastors start one if they don’t have it.
“I feel rejuvenated, joyful, with more energy, with a strong will to live,” she said.
A woman can do anything she sets out to do, she said.
“It’s a question of saying, ‘I’m going to get up today, ready to fight for my health. In God’s name, let’s do it!’ God gave us a healthy body. We have to take care of it, so it can last a long time.”
Seeking Partners
The program Fe en Acción is recruiting parishes and parishioners who may be interested in offering free health and exercise classes for Hispanic women at their parish.
More information is available by emailing ibach.faithinaction@sdsu.edu or calling (619) 594-3059. The program has a Facebook page: SDSU Faith in Action/Fe en Accion.
Parishes with Programs
These parishes currently offer free physical activity classes:
Christ the King (San Diego)
Corpus Christi (Bonita)
Holy Spirit (San Diego)
Most Precious Blood (Chula Vista)
Our Lady of Guadalupe (Chula Vista)
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (San Diego)
St. Francis of Assisi (Vista)
St. Mark (San Marcos)
These plan to open a program this summer:
St. Anthony of Padua (National City)
St. Charles (Imperial Beach)
St. Leo (Solana Beach)
St. Jude Shrine of the West (San Diego)
St. John of the Cross (Lemon Grove)
