Mission, Vision and Values

We would like to share with everyone the official mission, vision, and values of Ministerio Juvenil Amor y Esperanza:

Mission:  Fearlessly reaching the forgotten youth of El Salvador with Christ’s love, restoring hope to their lives, and discipling them to become mature and responsible adults, leaders of healthy families, and authentic followers of Christ.

Vision:  To see Salvadoran youth healed through Christ’s love and leading changed, productive, abandoned lives for His glory.     

Our core values are as follows:

1.  Authentic followers of Christ – We believe that following Christ is not a religion, or set of rules that we are to follow, but rather a completely abandoned devotion and submission to our Lord.  We believe that this is not comfortable and requires us to die to ourselves on a daily basis. 

2.  Family – We believe that most of the problems that plague the Salvadoran society are the direct result of the breakdown of the family.  We believe that God created the family and it is the God-ordered responsibility of parents to train up their children in the ways of the Lord.  Although the church plays an important role in the spiritual formation of children and youth, the primary responsibility lies with the family.  It is the place where precious lives are taught the ways of God both by word and especially by example. The cornerstone of a strong society is a strong family unit. As the family begins to fail, so does the surrounding society.  We believe the family should be the second priority (God being the first) to every believer. 

3.  Education – We believe that education can provide youth with hope and an opportunity for a better future.   Education also empowers youth to meet their obligations as parents and citizens. 

4.  Hard Work – We believe that God created us to be productive hard-workers and that all work should be done for His glory.  We believe that youth are particularly called to work hard (Proverbs 10:5) and that poverty is often the result of laziness or poor stewardship. 

5.  Community Service – Jesus said that others will know that we are Christians by our love for one another (John 13:35) and that love is often expressed through deeds (James 2:14-17).  We believe that we are called to reach out to the youth of El Salvador first through action then through words (1 John 3:18). 

Mission Statement

Fearlessly reaching the forgotten youth of El Salvador with Christ’s love, restoring hope to their lives, and discipling them to become mature and responsible adults, leaders of healthy families, and authentic followers of Christ.

Okay, so we realize that most people usually write their mission statement first, and then begin their ministries. We, however, have done it a little backward..but that is okay! We spent a lot of time looking at examples of mission statements for other organizations and churches, and thinking and praying and asking God what He wanted for this minsitry. Each word in the statement was carefully chosen, and we would like to take the opportunity to share with everyone why:

Fearlessly - with violent crime on the rise every year, El Salvador has become a dangerous place to live, especially for youth. Gangs seem to have the control and they control by instilling fear in everyone. Many people shy away from reaching out to at-risk youth because these are the youth who are killing, these are also the same "least of these" children that God wants us to love so very much. Fear is not from the Lord, so we vow to reach out to these youth without fear.

Forgotten youth - we don't feel called to reach out to all youth in general, but rather to those who have been forgotten. Those who have aged out of orphanages and have no where else to go. Those who have been forgotten by their families and now live in the streets. The youth that society would like to forget about.

With Christ's love - the amazing thing about Christ's love is that it is for everyone, there are no favorites and we are to model that.

Restore hope - poverty, abandonment, crime...all of these things have robbed the youth of hope and, through Christ, we desire to help restore that hope to their lives. "There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off." Proverbs 23:18

Discipling them - we believe that small group and one-on-one discipleship is powerful and Biblical. Jesus discipled a small group that impacted the world and the great commission calls us to go and make disciples.

Mature and responsible adults - enough said!

Leaders of healthy families - the breakdown of the family is epidemic in ES and familial roles have not been modeled in a healthy way in the lives of the youth that we work with. We believe that if the family is restored then the nation can be restored.

Authentic followers of Christ - authenticly, genuinely, unabashed, this is how we are to follow Christ. There is no such thing as a "Sundays only" Christian.


Writing the mission statement was actually lots of fun! We have recently begun the vision statement and core values and it was fun to allow our hearts to dream! After all, God is the giver of dreams and this is His ministry. We pray that we will be good stewards of it and live a life worthy of the calling we have received.

Do not worry

Matthew 6:25-34 tells us that we are not to worry about our daily needs because our Father in heaven knows those needs and will provide for us. Despite reading these words countless times many of us still continue to worry about these things...or at least I know that I do!

Over the past week El Salvador has experienced some of the worst rains and mudslides since Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Dozens of people have been killed and thousands are without homes. http://www.laprensagrafica.com/internacionales/centroamerica/224900-mas-de-90-muertos-y-700000-afectados-por-lluvias-en-centroamerica.html

The building across the street from our church has been set up as a temporary shelter for victims of the recent rains and mudslides. Yesterday we went to this shelter to sort through bags of donated clothes that were to be given out to the victims.During our time there, a very little, and very elderly lady came in and began going through the clothes. She was frail and wet and she said that she needed something to eat and something to wear. As we helped her go through the clothes to pick out some things to wear, the verses in Matthew came to mind....Do not worry about what you will eat or what you will wear.....Are you not more important than the lilies of the field or the birds of the air?...God reminded me then and there that He promises to take care of me, and that He always will. In my lack of faith, I often worry about what I would do if certain situations strike, for example if we had lost our home to the floods or landslides. But yesterday my heart was comforted in being reminded that I have a Father who has promised to take care of me, and He never breaks a promise!

The generosity of the Salvadoran community during this time has been overwhelming and it overwhelms our hearts to see people who have so little give to those who have even less. Last night members of the mayors office came around our community asking for donations for some of the victims who are staying in another local shelter. Immediately one of the youth in our home went to her room and quickly filled two bags up with clothes to be donated. Needless to say my heart was proud...and I'm pretty sure our Father had a smile on His face too :)

Toni

"Britney, mataron a Toni! Mataron a Toni!" (Britney, they killed Toni! They killed Toni!) These were the words that I heard at exactly 3:02pm on Monday afternoon. Bobby and I were sitting in a coffee shop in San Salvador enjoying a complimentary cup of coffee and finally starting to relax some after having been stressed out for a while over numerous things, including some health problems that Bobby has. At 3:00pm my phone had beeped signaling that I had a message. The message was from Alejandro (the young man with the heart problems that I previously blogged about) asking me to call him. Alejandro had been faithfully attending our church ever since his friend Toni brought him for the first time several months ago. Toni was always bringing new friends to church.

The message from Alejandro made me smile. I laughingly told Bobby, "he is probably calling just to make sure that English class is cancelled today!" I normally teach English classes on Mondays, and Alejandro is in my basic class. I had cancelled classes that day because Bobby was scheduled for a CT scan and had an appointment with his pulmonologist. On occasion I have to cancel class and Alejandro always hates it! He always calls just before the time that class would normally start just to make sure that class is still really cancelled. Due to his heart condition he spends a lot of time inside, so he has been excited to be a part of the music and English classes that we offer in the church.

When I called Alejandro I, at first, tried joking with him by speaking to him in English, "Hello Alejandro! How are you today?" It was then that he said the words to me that I wrote above, telling me of Toni. I just sat there in silence. It was like I heard the words, but refused to understand them. I looked at my husband sitting beside me and I wondered how I would tell him. We love all the youth in our church, but Toni was a favorite.

That evening as we sat in Alejandro's home talking with his parents we learned of the events surrounding Toni's murder. Toni worked at the bakery that Alejandro's parents own. He sold bread for them every morning on a bicycle. Every morning in the wee hours of the morning many "bread boys" can be found riding their bicycles up and down the streets with large baskets on the front selling fresh baked bread. Toni had worked selling bread for 2 years. He was an only son and his income supported him and his mother.

That Monday morning Toni left on his bicycle, as usual, to sell bread on his regular route. When he didn't return at 7:00 they thought it strange. When he wasn't back by 10:00am they knew that something had happened. He wasn't answering his cell phone. Unfortunately, in this country, many bread boys are killed by gang members. At 11:00am the police came to the bakery. The bodies of two local bread boys had been found in the river. The river that runs just below our house. Alejandro's dad, along with the owner of the other local bakery, were asked to come and identify the bodies. It was Toni. The other boy that was murdered had visited our church for the first time 2weeks ago. They had been murdered with machetes.

Alejandro's dad went on to describe details of Toni's body and the murder scene that are horrific. I didn't want to hear him, but he felt like he needed to tell them...so we listened. I eventually went outside and sat with Alejandro. Toni was his best friend and they were together every day. I have a vivid memory of Toni carrying Alejandro piggyback. We were out walking one day and Alejandro got tired, as he does after a few blocks, so Toni just carried him. He was that kind of friend.

Yesterday was Toni's visitation and funeral. We met with some of the youth at 7:30am and went to the visitation and stayed there all morning. Visitations here are very long. Toni's had begun at 4am and lasted until the funeral, which began at 2pm in the afternoon. His mom chose an open casket. Toni had been killed with a machete and had been cut across the cheek and through his nose. It had been hastily sewn back together and then covered with makeup. Some of our girls came with armfuls of flowers which were beautifully placed around Toni's casket. In this culture florists aren't called to bring arrangements to funerals, people usually just bring their own fresh cut flowers and then place them in vases or cut-in-half 2 liter pop bottles around the casket. The funeral was short and then the casket was placed in the back of a pickup truck. The pickup drove slowly through town and everyone walked slowly behind it. This is typically how funerals are done here.

In the cemetary the grave had been dug that morning by some of our youth boys. It is the responsibility of the family to find someone to dig the grave. That morning while at the visitation, Toni's mom's pastor had asked Bobby if he and some of the boys could go and dig Toni's grave. Bobby said yes but when they arrived at the cemetary they were surprised to already find some of the youth there already doing it.

Toni's graveside service was short and his casket was lowered into the ground and then covered with dirt. After it was over everyone left, except for our youth. No one really wanted to leave.

I have always felt like the days following a death are the hardest. It's the little things like running across his phone number in your telephone and not knowing what to do with it. Having pictures of them on your digital camera that you haven't downloaded yet.

This Saturday will be our first service without Toni and it will be hard. We celebrate the fact that he is with the Lord, but we are sad because we will miss his joy and huge smile. We know that God will be glorified through Toni's death and we believe that Toni did leave a legacy. His legacy is Alejandro, Cristobal, and Jose. Three boys that now attend our church because Toni brought them for the first time and encouraged them to keep coming. I like to think that when Toni met our Lord face-to-face that he received a crown for each of these boys and that our Lord said to him, "well done my faithful servant."


Toni was an active member of our church, played drums for our church worship band, and was a part of the guys discipleship group that Bobby leads on Wednesdays. He was always smiling, joyful, and was a great friend, especially to Alejandro. We look forward to seeing him again soon.

Alejandro

So, there have been very few times in my life when I knew 100% without a doubt that God was calling me to do something. Although it can be scary, it is an awesome feeling when we are faced with a big situation and we absolutely know how God wants us to respond. This is what happened to me a few weeks ago when I met Alejandro.

Several months ago a very sweet youth named Toni began attending music classes and then services at our church. He is a super sweet young man and has been passionate about bringing his friends to church. Around a month ago, it was a typical Saturday service (I am not sure the word "typical" can be used in our lives, but I'll try) and Toni showed up with two new friends, one of whom was Alejandro. The moment I met Alejandro the nurse inside of me knew that he was sick. His clubbed fingers, englarged chest, and cyanotic lips told me that he probably had a heart condition. I spent only a couple of minutes that day talking with Alejandro, but afterwards I could not stop thinking about him. I meet new people, and new youth, on a fairly regular basis, and although all are special, Alejandro was different and would not leave my mind. Bobby is fairly close with Toni, the young man who brought Alejandro to church, so I asked Bobby if he could please talk to Toni and find out more about Alejandro, specifically if he was sick.

Several days later Bobby came to me and told me that he had spoken with Toni and that Toni confirmed that, yes, Alejandro is sick and does have a heart condition. Up to that point I felt stronger and stronger that Bobby and I were to somehow be involved in Alejandro's life. I didn't know how, or why, all I knew is that I was supposed to reach out to him. When Bobby told me that Alejandro was sick, and also that he wasn't a Christian, I burst into tears, not from sadness but rather from an overwhelming feeling of urgency from God to be obedient to Him and get involved now. Bobby immediately made some phone calls and a meeting was scheduled for that afternoon to talk with Alejandro and his parents.

When we went that Tuesday afternoon to Alejandro's house to talk with him and his family, we had no plan at all. In fact, it all seemed rather strange as we didn't know how we were supposed to be involved in Alejandro's life, we just felt God's strong call to go. When we showed up at his home, we had the opportunity to meet his wonderful parents and his sweet grandmother. We explained to them how we met Alejandro at our youth service and that we weren't sure what we were supposed to do, but we felt a strong calling from God that we were supposed to be involved in his life. For those of you who are parents, imagine how weird it would be if complete strangers just showed up at your house one afternoon and said that they felt a call from God to be involved in your child's life. How would you respond? You would probably kick them out or call the police I imagine. We weren't sure how his parents would respond to us, but their reaction couldn't have been better. They immediately embraced us and accepted us, and whatever God was calling us to do. Wow.

We went on to talk to them about Alejandro's health and taking him to see a doctor. We told them that we weren't making any promises, we were just going to be faithful to God's leading. All that they could tell us is that he had a congenital heart condition, and that he hadn't received treatment since he was a small child, he is now 16. I told them that I would look into some pediatric cardiologists (if such a thing could be found here in ES) and get back with them. Just before leaving their home, we all prayed together. During the prayer, Alejandro's mom was standing beside me and I had put my arm around her. While we were praying, Alejandro reached his thin arm around his mom and then put his hand on top of mine and began tapping it gently. It was, in all of my time here, one of the smallest and sweetest moments that I have experienced. I immediately realized in that moment how much I loved this sweet young man, and I had only known him just a short while.

After leaving his home that day, I immediately went to work looking for a pediatric cardiologist and was fortunate to find one, Dr. Patricio Rodriguez. Fortunately, here in ES one can call a cardiologist's office and make an appointment without needing a referral, and without having to wait several months. I made an appointment for the following week and then informed Alejandro and his parents.

The following Friday, April 15th, Bobby and I picked up Alejandro and his parents and we all went to San Salvador to his cardiologist's appointment. Dr. Rodriguez turned out to be a wonderful doctor, and was actually the cardiologist who attended to Alejandro when he was just 6 weeks old (God wink!!), and still had his medical records from all those years ago (a sure miracle for here in ES!). The doctor performed an EKG, and then ordered an Echocardiogram, labs, and chest Xray. He also sat me down and explained to me that Alejandro had been diagnosed as a baby with Triscupid Atresia, which means that he was born without the Tricuspid valve in his heart and probably did not have his right ventricle. He said that it is a true miracle that he is still alive. He also went on to explain that his condition is not an easy fix. Medical mission teams come to ES frequently from the States to perform heart surgeries on kids here, but no one will want to touch Alejandro as his condition is not a one-time surgery thing. He will require multiple surgeries. Multiples surgeries that cannot be performed in ES. His only hope for survival is to go to the States to have surgery. That's where I come in.

After hearing all this I managed to keep a smile and my composure until we got home. After arriving home is when the reality, and grandiosity, of everything hit me...as well as the doubts. How would we pay for all these tests? The doctor mentioned that they may need to do a cardiac cath in addition to the echo, how much would that cost? We had money set aside from a generous donation from someone, but what if it wasn't enough? How would I go about finding a cardiologist in the States to donate his services? A hospital? A host family? A host family that speaks spanish? How do you go about getting a medical visa for someone? Would his mom be able to go with him? Would I travel with them? How would I pay for flights and visas? Would he need to make multiple trips to the States? And the list went on and on. Most of all, what if I failed? What if I can't do this? What if he dies....? Admittedly, the mountain in front of me seemed big, and I felt too small and inadequate. It is amazing after seeing God move in so many ways in my life how I can still allow the enemy to put so many lies into my head.

After a good cry, spending time in prayer and the Word, and a phone call from a friend, I was able to capture the lies and thoughts that the enemy wanted me to believe, and find peace again. I realize that it is not my job to fight this battle, but rather God's, I need only to be still (Exodus 14:14). I have also come to realize that the outcome is up to Him to decide, not me, I am only called to be faithful and obedient. Maybe God will open up doors and provide miracles so that Alejandro can travel to the States and have surgery, maybe not. Perhaps the role that I am to play in Alejandro's life isn't to help fix his physical heart, but rather to bring hope to his spiritual heart.

In the past 2 weeks we have taken Alejandro in for his echo, labs and chest xray and we are now waiting on his cardiologist to get back with us. What is around the corner? I don't know. What I do know is that Alejandro has faithfully attended church every Saturday since that first day I met him and he was also able to go on the boy's bike trip with the help of a friend in a pickup. I do know that we now have a great relationship with his family. I know that out of nowhere he began calling me "Tia" ("Aunt" in spanish) and sends me little text messages all the time, "Tia, call me I need help with my homework." "Tia, call my friend, she needs help with her homework." "Tia, I am having a bad week." "Good night, Tia."

Would I be heartbroken if Alejandro doesn't receive surgery and passes away? Of course. But, through this journey to repair his heart, I pray that it would be repaired in the greatest way and that is that he would accept Christ as his savior. I do hope to challenge him to a game of basketball someday, or to take off running as fast as we can (like my kids and I just did a couple of weeks ago) just for fun. Whether these wishes happen here, or on the other side (or both!), I am thanful for this awesome priveledge of being involved in Alejandro's life. I am thankful for a God who already has the details worked out and for knowing what is best for me, even when I don't or it doesn't make sense to me. I am thankful for the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phillippians 4:6-7.

Blessings,
Britney

Nehemia Group

Nehemia used his gifts and talents to fufill a need. Below is a list of needs that the ministry needs fulfilled. Please prayerfully consider supporting the ministry by taking on the challenge of raising funds for one (or more!) of the needs listed below:


_____ Samuel’s education for one year $1560 (this amount will cover the full cost of his education for one year: tuition, books, transportation, misc fees)
_____ Beatriz’s education for one year $1560 (this amount will cover the full cost of her education for one year: tuition, books, transportation, misc fees)
_____ Elias’s education for one year $1560 (this amount will cover the full cost of his education for one year: tuition, books, tutor, and misc fees)
_____ Community youth educational scholarship $1200 (this amount will allow us to provide an educational scholarship to a disadvantaged youth in the community, allowing him/her to complete their education)
_____ Annual church youth retreat $2500 (this amount will cover the full cost of the annual weekend retreat for the youth in the church and in the community)
_____ ESL classes in the church $600 (this amount will cover the full annual cost of providing ESL classes to disadvantaged youth in the church)- NEED FULFILLED BY GOOD NEWS GATHERING, THANKS GUYS!!
_____ Music Classes $3000 (this amount will cover the full annual cost of providing music classes to disadvantaged youth in the church: music teacher salary, instruments, and misc supplies)
_____ Extracurricular involvement $1800 (this amount will cover the full annual cost of supplementary education, such as computer courses, as well as extracurricular involvement, such as sports or art classes, for the youth in the transitional living house).
______ Pastoral Services $2600 (this amount will cover Pastor Mauricio’s full annual salary)
______ Sound equipment $1500 (this amount will allow us to purchase new sound equipment for the church, as our current system is in poor shape)
______ Chairs $250 (this amount will provide 30 new plastic chairs for the church)

______ Ceiling fans $300 (this amount will provide the church with much needed ceiling fans in both the sanctuary and classroom areas)- NEED FULFILLED BY CHRIS AND CARRIE COX! THANKS GUYS!