Jack Black in Uganda

Obviously the culture and poverty situations are different between Uganda and Bolivia.  But the stories are similar.  This video really speaks to what we're trying to do down here...

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La Jornada 2015

It's been encouraging to see what God has been doing in the hearts and lives of the guys living in the house.  Watch as some of them share a bit of their stories....





Consider supporting our home here at La Jornada (The Journey) with a monthly contribution or with a one-time gift:

http://iteams.ca/programs/impact-bolivia/

Thank you! 

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Some new changes....

For those of you who haven't heard....we're now Impact Bolivia at International Teams of Canada.  That just means that we've become a site that IT CAN is focusing on.  That, along with the establishment of an Advisory Committee here in Canada, are a couple of the cool things that have happened over this past year. 

Here's a link to our page at International Team's web page....

IMPACT BOLIVIA

I'll write more about the Advisory Committee soon!  Thanks everyone!

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Andres' soccer ministry...

Lots of things to post these days, but until I get a little more organized with all of that, I thought I'd share this.  A year and a half or so ago, our church sent Andres and a couple of other church guys to Argentina to a training seminar to learn how to use soccer and coaching as a teaching tool. 

Andres came back very excited about the possibilities.  He started planning and eventually started a project at the children's home, Mision Timoteo (a children's home we help).  Last week they celebrated their one year anniversary.  The project has expanded to working with kids from the community as well.

This afternoon I did up a little video for him, to show at our church's annual Christmas/give thanks supper.  The church supports the project so this was his report to them.  It figured I'd share it here as well. 

Andres (with Sandro helping) is doing an amazing job and it's been exciting to see his teaching and leadership/mentoring gifts grow through this experience. 

I think I'm feeling that proud father thing going on....

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Roberto's Grad!

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated the gradutation of our first university graduate! Roberto graduated from law school. So I officially have a lawyer...who I will never pay...for the rest of my life. =)

It was a good night...

Roberto with his family...

Roberto with me and the guys!

 

Our table...

 

Our plate of snack food...

So funny story...even though there's a meal included with the grad, it's always the custom to have plates of snack food for the guests, provided by the family. We usually go the potato chips, peanuts, a few chocolates and some banana chips route. It's pretty standard and has been fine for all the other grads we've been involved with.

Kind of forgot this was a law school graduation. Most of the families were a little more upper crust, shall we say, than us.

As I walked in and saw the other tables, I was like..."Oops."

There were full meals spread out. Fried chicken, empanadas, little finger foods...things I didn't even recognize....

So I dumped what we had, grabbed Andres and Jose Manuel and took off for the nearest grocery store. It was too late to do much, but we bought a big block of cheese and some olives and some fancy rich people crackers.

I have some very funny pictures on my phone of us cutting up the cheese into little cubes in the cab of my truck (I had to buy a knife and a cutting board). Also turned out I was the only one there who liked olives. But they seemed like something you would put on a fancy, law school grad platter of snack foods.

I did enjoy them...

Roberto walking in with his mom.

 

With the diploma!

Many Bolivians tend not to smile in pictures or in more serious situations. They can sometimes look a little severe. That was the case with Roberto's mom (and most of his family). Roberto was pretty serious too during the prossesional.

But I got some smiles out of him once he was up on the platform...

Liking that diploma!

It was pretty classy. As I mentioned...

 

The graduating class of 2012!

Lots of congratulations!

Roberto with his Grandma.

 

Awkward hugs between brothers...

 

With his younger sister...

 

Roberto with his mom and siblings.

Yea...there's not a single picture where they're all looking the same direction.

It was a pretty cool night. We've been looking forward to this for a long time. I actually got a little weepy when I saw Roberto up at the front. Of course, weepy for me is maybe not the same as weepy for other people...but I was still kind of emotional. It was exciting moment!

Roberto's mom was emotional too. I'd only met her one other time. She lives a long ways up into the mountains and the last time I saw her was eight years ago when she came to visit Roberto and his brother at the home I used to work at and where they lived.

Everytime she was near me, she gave me a big hug and thanked me again for everything I'd done. It was nice, but I just kept thinking that this was so much bigger than anything I'd done. It was also our church family here in Santa Cruz...it was the people that support us from North America...it was the people around the world who pray for us.

And most of all it was God who protected this kid and brought him to this place. It was amazing to be one small part in the plans and purposes that God has for Roberto. I'm excited to see where he goes from here.

And a huge thanks to all of you for your part in this process. Many of you have never met Roberto and yet you faithfully give and pray so that he has the opportunity to change the direction of not only his life, but of his family as well.

So yea...thank you!

I have no doubt that is just the first graduation of many to come!

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Motorbikes and city buses and what God does...

A couple of months ago on Facebook I asked for help with the medical expenses of a young guy named Larry, a friend who’d been in a bad motorcycle accident.  For a while now, I’ve been meaning to update you all about what happened.  Here’s a bit of the story…

Larry in the middle with his brother and cousin.

I’ve known Larry since he was twelve when he lived at the boy’s home I used to work at.  If I’d had favourites (which of course I didn’t), he would definitely have been one of them.  He was just a nice kid with a smile for everybody.

He didn’t talk much about his life but  I found out eventually that his mom was in jail so he and his brother had been placed in care.  He didn’t know his dad and all of his other siblings were older and lived out of country.

I didn’t see Larry much after I left the home until about a year and a half ago.  His mom was out of jail and he’d moved into the city to live with her.  After we reconnected he started coming over to the house every week or so to see us.  It wasn’t going great with his mom so I was happy to see him spending time with us and hanging out with the guys.

Then suddenly he was gone and we weren’t sure what had happened.  Turned out that his mom was back in jail and Larry had joined the military to do his obligatory year service because he wasn’t sure what else to do.  I talked with him a few times on Facebook but that was it.

Last spring he showed up in Santa Cruz again.  We didn’t see him as much as before, but I tried to connect with him every few weeks to see how he was doing.  I was worried because he didn’t really seem like himself.  He was much more reserved and quite whenever we had lunch.

Then in September I got a call from a friend of his.  She told us that Larry had been in a serious motorcycle accident and gave us directions to the hospital.  Larry had asked her to contact his friend on Facebook and so she contacted me. 

It was a bit of a God moment because turns out I wasn’t the friend he wanted her to contact.  He was embarrassed about everything that was happening in his life and hadn’t planned to tell me.  So…you can imagine his surprise when I walked through the door of his hospital room.  =) 

As we talked and I started asking questions (which is what I do) I started to get a sense that things weren’t exactly right.  The other fellow in the accident was in the same room as Larry so there was a limit to what we could talk about.  But I could tell there were some problems.

Eventually I found out that Larry was working for what amounted to a group of loan sharks here in the city.  These guys were Columbians who were (are) here in the country illegally.  They’re using drug money from Columbia to finance (very) high interest loans to people who could never get loans from an actual bank.  Larry and his friend were going around collecting interest on the loans…which is what they were doing when they ran their motorcycle into the side of a city bus.

Larry doesn’t remember anything from the accident itself.  He was in a coma for two days and then when he woke up he couldn’t see anything for another day.  His doctor told me over and over that he couldn’t believe that Larry was still alive.  He said he’s seen lots of these types of accidents and the people nearly always die. 

Another God moment was that Larry NEVER used a helmet.  He told me he thought they were too hot.  That day, for whatever reason, he put one on and so he was wearing it when his head connected with the side of the bus.

When we spoke with his doctor we also found out that Larry’s medical bills were over $3500 US.  That’s almost two years wages for most people here.  Larry couldn’t leave until that bill was paid (and he had no money)…but he was also racking up more expenses every day he was in the hospital.  So…a bit of a no win situation. 

By now we knew that Larry was working for these guys, even though we didn’t know all the details at that point.  My fear was that they would pay for his hospital and he would end up very indebted to them.

So I asked on FB if anyone could help us.  I couldn’t really say at that point everything that was happening or the time constraint we were under…just that we needed some help.  And….people were amazing and very generous.  We had the $3500 in just over a day.  When we went to pay his bill and get him out of the hospital, I told Larry that I thought it would be better for him to recuperate with us rather than by himself.  He didn’t argue.  We’d just saved his butt. 

As soon as we got him out of there, I sat him down and had a pretty serious conversation about how dangerous the situation was and that he needed to leave.  I talked to him about the option of moving in with us and to start studying.  He thought about it (but not for too long!) and agreed.  I think he was pretty clear on the fact that God had just given him a second chance.

Since then it’s been amazing to watch the changes in him.  I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone blossom the way he has.  He truly is a different kid. 

He’s never really had a dad, so I think he’s enjoying hanging out with me.  We sit in the office in the house and chat about all kinds of things.  He loves laughing and joking and trying to prove (unsuccessfully I might add) that he’s stronger than me.  He’s got toothpicks for arms so…

It’s still rough for him some days though.  The spiritual battle hasn’t abated in his life.  He’s made some good (and difficult) choices since moving in with us trying to move his life in a different direction, but that old life still calls.  He and I have started a weekly one on one Bible study at my house and he’s spent some time talking with a couple of the guys in the house as well, about life and the struggles he’s having.

As well, the Columbians haven’t stopped looking for him.  They called him continuously after the accident, until he finally changed his number.  They’re still angry that he left.  Fortunately they don’t know where we live, but they do work in neighborhoods not that far from us. 

I actually didn’t know all of this (that they were angry about his leaving) until just the other day when it came up in a conversation Larry and I were having.  He was quite nonchalant about it all.  I, on the other hand, was doing my best to remain calm as I pictured a bunch of angry Columbian drug dealers/loan sharks descending on the house.  Too many crazy movies with the guys I think.  It’s what they make us watch. 

If you could continue to pray for Larry and for all of us, that’d be great.  Please pray for protection for all of us and for wisdom and strength for Larry.  For those of you who gave so generously to help Larry with his medical costs, I want you to know that it was money well spent.  You literally saved this kid’s life and sent it in a completely different direction.  God is at work in him in an amazing way.

So thank you all!  I’m going to work at keeping the blog a little more current again, so come back soon!  Our first kid is graduating on Saturday (Roberto the lawyer) so I’ll be sure to post pictures of that!

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La Jornada in 2012

The lastest video of life at our house...



Forty hours of editing for a four minute video.  =)  But still fun!
 
Hope you enjoy it...

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I'm famous! More or less....

Okay, funny...I happened to have some time on my hands this morning and so I was checking my e-mail.  There was an e-mail waiting from my college with a link to our school's magazine, so I was putzing around looking at it.  Low and behold, tucked way at the end was a link called "Briercrest grad helping Bolivian street kids become responsible adults". 

I was like, "Well...that kind of sounds like me.  How many of us can there be in Bolivia?"

So I checked it out and low and behold it was me!  The reporter interviewed me last February when I was home visiting the school, but I never heard anything else about it.  I guess in July it made the magazine (or at least the online version....I don't think I saw the article in the paper version they send out.)

At any rate...it's a pretty decent article.  Probably the best that's been written about us so far.  Some of the others have had some rather amusing errors.  But this one I like.  I probably sound a little more together and on top of things than I really am....but whatever.  =) 

If you have a moment, take a look...

Have a great day everyone!

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Talking with Andres...

This is a short interview I did with Andres when he was studying about why the opportunity to live at the house was important to him.  Andres went on to complete his degree in Finance Engineering (Business) and now works for the ministry handling the finances and much of the day to day running of the ministry.





 

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La Jornada - "The Journey"

This is our story....

dream

 

In 2006, while working at a home for guys coming off the streets, God gave me an idea. It was the dream of something better for the young men I was working with, the dream of a life free from the bondages and addictions of the past. Due to abuse or abandonment, these boys had ended up on the streets, often as young as six or seven years old. Some had been born onto the streets by parents who lived there.

The problem was, even after months or years of being away, many of these young guys would return to their lives on the streets. It was all they knew. Many found it difficult to transition from their lives at the boy’s home, back to life on their own; to move from a controlled environment where all their decisions were made for them, to living alone where often they had little or no support.

Over time, that dream God gave me began to take shape. I envisioned opening a home where guys who had graduated from high school could live and study. A place where they could be encouraged and discipled as they continued their education.

The home would provide for their living expenses as well as pay for their university (or equivalent) education. I wanted them to attend a church and learn what it meant to be a part of a church family, and how to use the gifts and abilities God had given them.

reality

 

In 2007 that dream became a reality. After a long search, and through the generosity of supporters in Canada, I was able to secure a three year lease on a house that more than met our needs. From the moment I set foot in the front yard, I knew this was the place God had for us. It had large rooms and big windows with lots of light. It was like it had been built just for us. When it came time to furnish the house, God again provided for us in an amazing way. Each step of the way, I could see God’s hand at work.

In February of that year, we opened with seven guys. We began building a team of volunteers who enjoyed getting to know and working with the guys. God sent a number of gifted and compassionate people our way. Life in the new house began to take shape.

challenge

That first year was a learning experience. We found that, although they had graduated from high school, many of the guys were not prepared to study at a university level. One of the boys was ready to leave after his first semester, after failing a number of his classes. So we hired tutors to work with the guys in the areas where they were struggling.

As well, we quickly filled all the beds in the house, and as a result had to say no to a number of young guys, due to a lack of space and finances. Tuition costs, food and other expenses have all continued to rise over the past three years. Housing and feeding ten growing guys, along with an increasing number of other young men who’ve needed help, has been a challenge. Many of the guys, both within the house and those outside who we help, are still dealing with issues and pain from their pasts. The path to freedom can be a difficult and challenging one.

vision

Through these challenges, our vision continues. This home exists, not only to help provided each of the guys with higher education (and so hopefully break that cycle of poverty that has claimed almost everyone they know), but also to be a place where they are discipled and taught what it means to become effective followers of Jesus Christ.

Change doesn’t happen overnight. But it is our desire that these young men learn their relationship with God is a journey that will continue their entire lives; that their pasts do not have to affect their futures and that God does have a future and a purpose for them. As Paul writes in Philippians, Christ has begun a work in them that will continue until the day He returns.

With vision comes new dreams and new challenges. This house has been a blessing for us, but after three short years, we’ve outgrown it. It’s time to think bigger, to begin to develop a new dream. Even as I write that, it makes me smile. This all seemed HUGE to me when I started. Not only do we need a larger home, we need one that we can call our own. Essentially we’ve been renting here, and each year we have no idea if we’ll be able to continue to stay. There are hints in the air that this may be the last year the house is available. As well, for my personal well-being and health in ministry, I need a place of my own. Living here with the guys has been great, but as you can imagine, it can be taxing at times.

Our new dream? We’re initiating a building project. We would like to purchase a lot and build a house large enough for fifteen guys, with an attached apartment or house for me. Through some preliminary investigation, we’ve determined that this project will cost us in the neighbourhood of $150,000 to $200,000 USD. That seems like a lot of money (and it is), but at the same time, when I stepped out in faith three years ago, I had less that $1500 in my account. God provided the other $30,000 we needed. I have no doubt that He will continue to provide for us in this next step.

If you would like to partner with us, through a special gift or through monthly giving, to help with our building project or our monthly expenses, please contact me at ken.switzer@iteams.org . I would be pleased to provide you with more information on how you can be a part of this project.

Over lunch today, I asked one of the guys where he might be, if God hadn’t started this ministry. He was quiet for a moment and then he said that it wouldn’t be anywhere good. Then we talked about how powerful it could be, both to other street kids as well as to the people of Bolivia (who tend to treat street kids as a nuisance), if there was a growing group of young men who had once lived on the streets, but who were now strong and successful. How God could use their voices to bring hope and change attitudes. Imagine the impact that could have.

I want to thank you for taking the time to consider this project. If you have any questions, as always, feel free to contact me at the above e-mail address. Thanks again!



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La Jornada...the Video!

Our story...the video.

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Meet the guys...

For those of you who are new here, or for those of you who've been around but have never (yet) come down to get to know us...I thought I'd have a "Meet the Guys!" post to introduce you to who's living here at the house these days. 

So...here they are.

This is Andres.  He's twenty two years old and is a Business Major.  He has an older brother who is working, as well as a younger brother and two sisters who are living in different children's homes.  His youngest sister is living with his grandmother.

Andres is a very gifted leader and loves music.  He plays guitar and has a great singing voice.  Of course it goes without saying that he loves to play soccer as well. 

Andres was around eight when he first left home to live on the streets.  His father was drinking and becoming abusive, so Andres followed his older brother in leaving the home.  He lived on the streets for a number of years before ending up at a home for street-kids.  He later returned to his home to find that his father had left and his mother had died unexpectedly.

Andres is the most responsible of his siblings and ends up filling the "father" role for his younger brother and sisters.  He does that well, but of course it's a challenge at times for someone so young. 

This is Roberto.  He's twenty one years old and is in his third year of Law.  He comes from a family who live up in the mountains about five hours from Santa Cruz.  He has a number of siblings, but is closest to his younger brother Edson.  Edson lives here in the city, as well, and is working as a mechanic.  Edson has been spending more and more time here at the house with us, which has been great for both him and Roberto.  It's been good to see that family tie strengthen over the past few months.

Roberto ended up on the streets because of the poverty of his family.  They couldn't afford to support all of the children, so some left.  Both Roberto and Edson eventually ended up at a children's home, after spending a number of years on the streets.

Roberto is another leader.  He's also one of those guys who knows how to work hard.  He pretty much single-handedly runs the lawn care company we operate out of the house, and is always ready to go. 

This is David.  He is twenty two and is in his first year of a degree in Psychology.  He has three brothers, only two of whom he knows.  The boys lost track of their oldest brother when they were younger. 

David is another gifted leader.  As well, he exceles at soccer and has a scholarship to study at the evangelical university here in Santa Cruz.  He chose psychology because he felt he wanted to use some of the experiences of his past to help others who were going through similar situations.  He's enjoying his studies and feels that he's been able to apply much of what he's been learning to his own life. 

When David was seven, his mom left the family and shortly after, his father died.  David and his brothers were sent to live with different family members.  As is common here, the boys were virtually ignored by their relatives, and David soon left for the streets.  He lived on the streets for nearly eight years, before a young Christian girl befriended him and two other street boys and encouraged them to leave the streets for a home. 

David is the proud father of a three year old girl.  He works hard to be a good dad to her and a support to his daughter's mother, with whom he is still friends.  David was recently reunited with two of his brothers and is working at building strong relationships with them as well.

David once said that he expected that the streets would be his whole life.  He imagined he would just die there.  It's taken some time, but God has shown David that there are good things in store for him in the future.  He's excited about using his education to help others who are suffering. 

This is Ruddy. He's twenty two and studying Communication. He plans to work in either radio (or more likely) television. He recently had the opportunity to be the assistant lighting guy to an actual professional movie being filmed here in Santa Cruz. He gets to go to the premere in a limo. As you can imagine, he's excited.

Ruddy comes from a very poor family. When he was five or six, he started going out onto the streets to shine shoes or wash car windows.  He only returned to his house at night. Eventually he became friends with the kids living on the streets started sleeping on the streets as well. He began using drugs at a very young age, and struggled for many years with that addiction.

Ruddy is one of the most personable and likable people you will ever meet.  He enjoys getting to know new people and is always the first to greet and welcome visitors to the house or to our church.  It doesn't take him long to be in the middle of the fun. 

His main desire in studying, is to be able to support his family.  They still struggle in poverty, and that's a constant worry for Ruddy.  He looks forward to the day when he will be able to help his aging mom and ease the burden on her. 

This is Ivan, and he's studying physiotherapy. 

Ivan grew up in La Paz with his father and one of his brothers.  His oldest brother had been abandoned by his mom in Santa Cruz and had spent a number of years on the streets.  Eventually that brother ended up at a children's home outside Santa Cruz and went looking for his brothers in La Paz.  He found one first (Ticua) and then Ticua later returned for Ivan.

Ivan is a gentle soul with a smile for everyone.  It's difficult to believe that he was once a part of a gang with very satanic overtones.  Since coming to Santa Cruz, God has brought much healing to this young man's heart.

Ivan is still considering continuing on into medicine.  He is working part-time with the Red Cross and with a local doctor, and enjoys it.  Ivan is a great example of how God can change the heart of a person, and bring freedom from the past.



 

This is Yimy (Jimmy) and he's twenty two years old.  Yimy is studying to be an Industrial Electrician (to work with electricity for an entire city).  Recently, however, God has begun to work on Yimy's heart and he's feeling more and more called into full-time ministry.

Yimy has never lived on the streets.  He's from a poor family outside of Santa Cruz.  His parents are separated.  For a number of months he didn't know where his father was, but happily he has recently reconnected with his dad and is strengthening that relationship.

Yimy has become the right-hand guy here at the house.  If something needs fixing, he's the guy to call.  He loves to help people and has always shown a lot of compassion for those around him.  

 

A few weeks ago, a missionary spoke at our church.  Yimy felt a strong conviction that God was telling him that he could and would do that kind of work.  Yimy has the sort of gifts and abilities that are well suited to ministry.  His only fear is public speaking.  Even that, he says, he could do with God's help.  It'll be exciting to see where God leads this young man in the future.  

 

 

 

This is Alan.  He's twenty one years old and he's studying to be a Chartered Accountant.  He has a younger brother and sister here in the city.  His youngest brother still lives with his mom in a city in southern Bolivia.  

Alan also comes from a very poor family.  When he was nine years old he left his home and caught a ride to Santa Cruz.  He spent one night on the streets, decided that wasn't for him and went to a children's home.  

Alan is a very intelligent young

guy.  Throughout elementary school and most of high school, he consistently had the highest marks in his class.  He has a head for numbers and enjoys the challenges of accounting.

Alan is another fellow who loves to make friends and get to know people.  One of his dreams is to travel to Canada to see all the people who have come down to visit over the years.  His desire is to graduate from university and be able to support his mom and see his youngest brother study as well.      

This is Sandro.  He's twenty three and is studying Computer Programing.  He has a number of siblings, but is closest to his younger brother and sister. 

Sandro was born onto the streets by parents who lived on the streets.  His mom died when he was young and his dad left, so Sandro had to fend for himself at a very young age.  He took care of his younger brother Feliciano, and making sure he was okay was his priority for a long time.

Recently Sandro has begun to discover that God has a plan for his life as well, other than just providing for his younger siblings.  Sandro is studying and doing well.  His first semester he was ready to quit when he discovered he was failing most of his classes.  But with the help of a tutor and some friends, he came back in his second semester and is now nearly always at the top of his class.  He has discovered that he able to do much more than he expected.

Sandro is a worker.  He can always be counted on to do what needs to

be done without being asked.  In the past he has struggled with discouragement, but that has been changing dramatically over the past few months.  

He has recently reconnected with his youngest sister, who's eight.  He has been going to visit her every weekend to help her with her homework.  God is bringing much healing to this young man's life, and it's exciting to see how he's changing every day. 

This is Eduardo and he's twenty six years old.  He's our newest addition to the family.  He's studying at the Baptist Seminary to be a missionary/pastor.

Eduardo's mom died when he was young and his father is in prison.  He has spent many years on the streets.  Early on, however, God placed in his heart the desire to serve.  That desire did battle with his life on the streets for a long time, until finally he was able to leave the streets for the last time in his early twenties.  Since then God has continued to teach and lead Eduardo, setting him free from his past addictions.

Eduardo has an evangelist's heart.  He loves to talk to people about God.  Sometimes he struggles with studying because he wants to be out there doing something.  But he's learning the importance of a good foundation. 

He plans to begin working soon with a few of the street kids in the market area near our house.  He has also worked a lot with the AWANA program in the past, and hopes to eventually start that program here in our neighbourhood.

Those are the guys who are currently living in the house with us.  As I've said before, there are a few more guys who hang out with us, and whom we help on occasion when we can.  I wanted to introduce them to you as well.

  

This is Americo on the left and Jose Manuel (Cocoliso) on the right.  Cocoliso is the younger brother of Andres.  These guys were both two of my favourites when I worked at the home where they currently live.  Americo has one of the softest, kindest hearts of anyone I've ever met.  His mom died a number of years ago, and his father is currently serving a life sentence in prison.  

Coco is a great kid who always enjoys a good laugh.  He spent a number of years with Andres on the streets when he was very young.  Both are in Grade 12 and will graduate in December.  Americo then wants to study International Relations and Cocoliso wants to be an Aviation Mechanic.  

This is Larry, and he's sixteen.  He's studying in high school during the day and working at night. 

He's currently living with his mom, but that's been difficult.  For a number of years, she was in prison and he was living at a children's home.  Now suddenly they've been put back together, but sadly they don't know each other very well.  He hangs out with us at the house whenever he can, and he's hoping to start coming to church with us.

This is Aquiles.  He went to high school with a number of the guys.  He's a great guy with a great heart.  His mom is living and working in Spain (like many Bolivians) and finances have been difficult for Aquiles. He had hoped to move in with us, but we just didn't have the room. But he eats with us as often as he can.

Aquiles is from a Catholic background, and has come to church with us a couple of times.  He's very open to spritual things, and the Holy Spirit is definitely working on his heart. 
 
 

This is Yimy with a young guy named Aron (Aaron).  Aron is seventeen.  He works during the day and is studying at night to finish high school.  I don't know all of Aron's story, but I do know that he was at the boy's home for a number of years (where all the guys used to live) and his family is not in the picture today.  He's supporting himself.

Aron's another great kid.  He recently invited me to a citywide high school drama competition he was in.  I wasn't expecting much...he told me he was "The Youth" in the play.  As it turned out, he was the star of the production and he was amazing.  It was a comedy and he had the theatre rolling on the floor.  His team came in second out of all the high schools competing.  He's a very gifted kid.

Aron spends weekends and holidays with us.  Then every Sunday he comes to church with us as well.  He's one of those kids who has a soft heart and a great attitude no matter what's happening in his life. 

This is Ever or Ticua as he's called.  He's twenty five and studying to be an architect.  He's also Ivan's older brother.  

Ticua has a heart after God.  He's come from a very difficult past, and yet he always seems to be filled with joy.  If you'd like to hear more of his testimony, you can see it here.  Ticua hangs out at the house whenever he can and comes to church with us every Sunday.  He's currently on a missions trip to Haiti with a youth group from Santa Cruz.

There are a number of other guys who spend time here with us...Romel, Santiago, Jesus, Edson, Juan...all guys who have become a part of our family here at the house.  They all have different stories and are all in different places in their lives, but we can see God's Spirit at work in them.  And that's encouraging.  It's great to be a place where they can come and hang out and be a part of a family.  Especially when they don't have any other.

Thanks for your support and prayers.  These are the guys you're helping.  I've said it before, and I'll likely say it again...this place exists because of your prayers and generosity.

So thank you!

  

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