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Making a Difference in Brazil

by AmericasBlogBrazil

I met Andrei when I visited our ICCM school in Monte Santo, Bahia, Brazil, in September. I asked if I could get a picture with him because I knew his sponsors. After we had our picture taken together and he had returned to class, Sirlene, the school’s assistant director, told me more about him. Andrei’s behavior at school had been poor. The staff noticed he was eating as much as possible at meal and snack times. His teacher thought his behavior would improve if he could come to school early and have breakfast before class. She suspected he was coming to school very hungry – possibly without breakfast and or no dinner the night before. Gilson, the school’s director, arranged for Andrei to be among the students who arrive at school early to eat breakfast, due to nutritional concerns. Andrei’s behavior improved markedly. When I saw Andrei during another visit, he proudly showed me the shoes that had been purchased, with a gift sent by his sponsor, to replace the tattered ones he’d been wearing.

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Light and Life Christian School

by AmericasBlogConnected CommunityParaguay

God gave school director Jonathan Da Cunha a vision for the city of Encarnación. There was only one Christian school in town at the time. Jonathan felt led of God to start Light and Life Free Methodist School with the vision of reaching families for Christ and providing the opportunity for academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment. The school opened in 2002, offering Pre-K through 1st grade. Other grades were quickly added and 2011 marked the first high school graduating class. These graduates, many of whom go on to university, are finding marvelous ways to give back to the program that gave them a good start.

  • Encarnación is a border town, central to commerce. In recent years, a major financial crisis drove away families in search of work. God has been faithful to sustain the school through hardships and challenges.
  • The school ministers to many students from humble, single parent homes where it is difficult to make ends meet.
  • Light and Life Christian School beautifully ministers to parents as well as students. Throughout the year, parenting classes, workshops, and retreats are offered. The focus is on strengthening the parent-child bond, helping family members connect and relate well with each other, and assisting in their spiritual growth.
  • The school seeks to be a light and bring life to the children and families of Encarnación.
  • The home began with 10 children on January 6, 2003. It quickly grew to a group of 30, including some mothers.
  • Currently, there are 17 children living at the children’s home, the maximum number allowed according to current government regulations for the size of the building.
  • Four of the 17 are orphans whose parents have died.
  • The father of 4 siblings (a different group of siblings) is in jail for murdering their mother.
  • They have begun adding a second floor for more bedrooms. They lack $8,000 to finish remodeling to government standards so more children can be added. They feel a sense of urgency, having to now turn away children.

[scp_block_quote_alt width=”70%” float=”left”]This school is eligible to be a Connected Community. This new additional sponsorship model allows a church in the U.S. to come alongside as a partner to impact the lives of ICCM children. Contact ICCM Church Relations Director, Jen Finley, 1-800-342-5531 ext. 228, for information on connecting with them.[/scp_block_quote_alt]

Gifts to help complete the expansion that would allow Light and Life Children’s Home to accommodate more children may be sent to ICCM, or give to this need on the ICCM website. (Write Light and Life PA in the comments section or memo line.)

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Light and Life for María

by AmericasBlogParaguay

ICCM sponsorship has truly brought light and life to 14-year-old María in Paraguay! Today her beautiful smile and outgoing spirit give testimony to the marvelous ministry of our Free Methodist Light and Life Children’s Home and Light and Life Christian School in the city of Encarnación.

Abandoned by their father at an early age, María and her three siblings found themselves in a desperate downward spiral. Their mother, who was suffering from lung cancer, had made the difficult decision to move to Argentina to find better work in order to support the family. María and her three siblings (2 brothers, 1 sister) were left in the care of their grandmother, who found it impossible to provide for their needs. Light and Life Children’s Home opened their doors and hearts to the children, forever changing the course of their childhood and future.

The Lord, in His loving care for this dear family, quickly provided sponsors and the children were immediately enrolled in nearby Free Methodist Light and Life Christian School. They began to enjoy and deeply appreciate all that sponsorship offers. The physical, cognitive, emotional/social, and spiritual well-being of each child became a priority.

Many positive influences helped each one move from darkness to light and from despair to life. Character building classes at school, a loving Christ-centered environment in their new home and caring Sunday school teachers at church, who took a personal interest in their growth and development, all helped lead María and her siblings to faith in Jesus, which has made all the difference.

María’s transformation is remarkable! No longer painfully shy, fearful or insecure, she is now a confident, happy, active 6th grader. A good student, she has a knack for sports and enjoys music. María’s thankful heart for what God has done, and is doing, in her life leads her to enthusiastically bring friends to church so they too, can meet Jesus.

In October 2016, María’s 32-year-old mother succumbed to lung cancer in Argentina. The news of her death deeply affected María, who is the eldest. Through it all, María’s testimony is a beautiful one: “God gives me the strength I need each day to move forward. He has great plans for my life! Jeremiah 29:11 tells me so!”

Recently, Pastor Luz, Director of Light and Life Children’s Home, took María to visit some of her relatives. Upon seeing the changes in María, the whole family decided to follow Jesus as well and experience His transformation for themselves.

The small seed of sponsorship is bearing great fruit in the lives of María, her siblings, and many other children in Paraguay and around the world.

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Restavek Freedom

by AmericasBlogHaiti

“Restavek” is a system of domestic servitude in Haiti. Long tolerated in the culture, it is finally being brought into the light and recognized as a form of child slavery.

When I first began as Director of ICCM in 2008, I learned about the restavek arrangement, whereby extremely poor parents, usually from the countryside, send their children to work for a family in a town or city. They expect the child will receive food and housing in exchange for their work. But hundreds of thousands of these children live in dire poverty with no hope of an education and in grave risk of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. They have no way to leave and no advocate to whom they can report abuse. In reality, they are slaves.

Missionary Jeannie Acheson-Munos was an advocate for these children until her death in the 2010 Haiti earthquake. A young girl named Fanya had stolen Jeannie’s heart. Jeannie did everything in her power to set Fanya free from her owners, without success. In 2007, Fanya burned to death while tending a charcoal fire. She was only one child living in restavek, but her death compelled Jeannie to help others in restavek. ICCM’s anti-trafficking project for 2017 is to partner with “Restavek Freedom,” a Haitian organization aiming to end restavek in our lifetime.

Funds from Freedom Sunday will spreadRestavek Freedom’s message throughout all 130 Free Methodist churches and schools in Haiti by several means.

All school directors and pastors will be trained in a 12-week Justice Curriculum, and then lead small groups of church members and teachers through this course. Pastors will have access to a 12-week sermon series on biblical justice.

Restavek Freedom also produces an immensely popular radio drama that educates people about the reality of the restavek system. Additionally, they organize a singing competition in which Haitian writers perform songs of freedom. Our new partnership will bring the children and teachers in our schools into the influence of these powerful communication tools.

Restavek Freedom also supports caseworkers who work to ensure children living in restavek get enrolled in school. In the worst instances of abuse, they intervene to remove a child from the situation.

Jesus came to set the captives free. Hundreds of thousands of those captives are children in Haiti. Let freedom ring!

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Alleviating Poverty through Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Reforestation

by AmericasBlogHaiti

For over 50 years, ICCM has supported children and families in Haiti through education. Tens of thousands of children have discovered the joy of learning, hope for living and the love of Jesus through our persistent efforts.

Sponsoring children’s education, providing uniforms, books, and lunches, and employing teachers and others who oversee 59 schools — these are no small accomplishments! Children’s education through the Free Methodist Church is our core mission.

Yet we know that for Haiti’s long-term economic survival, and even to keep up with the ever-increasing cost of feeding our students and working toward paying a living wage to our teachers, we also need to work on sustainable initiatives. In 2013 we began partnering with Eden Reforestation Projects in Haiti, casting a vision for Creation Care through our schools and getting children involved with “hands in the dirt” projects. Now we are taking this partnership to a whole new level, and it’s exciting!

Eden and ICCM are now partnering with Agrinotech, a successful Haitian-led agricultural group, and Harvest Craft, a small NGO, to tackle poverty and deforestation on several fronts:

  • Teaching the most effective ways of planting trees and transplanting saplings; 60% of these will be fruit trees, and others will provide materials for fencing, building, and burning. As thousands of trees are established, they form a canopy that lends shade and nutrients for ground-based crops.
  • Teaching best practices for chicken and egg projects that are now being implemented by Agrinotech and Harvest Craft.
  • Establishing nurseries at ICCM schools, training adults and upper grade students in all phases of farming.
  • Working with Haiti Providence University to create an Agricultural Extension Center where small farmers can come to learn better methods, purchase vaccines and other necessary items for raising goats, chickens and other small animals.

How do these initiatives fit with our long-term goals in Haiti? Just as extreme poverty forms the breeding ground for child labor in the restavek system, many other seemingly insurmountable problems in the lives of our friends in Haiti are caused by the poverty arising from the country’s 98% deforestation. For instance, the absence of trees degrades soil and makes subsistence farming less and less viable. Crop failures and decreasing yield undermine food security for families and the country as a whole.

Fund for Peace rates Haiti as the 10th most fragile nation in the world. Our graduates will only have a chance at a job and an improved future if the extreme poverty is addressed. Although our impact may seem small, as we partner with others and combine our resources and personnel, we can work holistically for the Kingdom of God and the betterment of Haiti.

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Good News from Chile

by AmericasBlogChile

Nicole is a beautiful 14-year-old girl. Her father (pictured here with Nicole) is Chilean of Spanish descent, and her mother is a native south Chile. Nicole lives with her parents. She divides her time between her studies and helping on the family farm.

When Nicole was born, the family had many economic and developmental needs. Her parents were very young.

After they began attending the Free Methodist Church, Nicole and her sisters became part of the ICCM program. As sponsored children, they received Bible teaching at school. Nicole shared the gospel with her parents through a Wordless Book bracelet. Today they attend church. Nicole is a children’s Sunday school teacher.

Nicole’s parents were trained in a special program the church had developed, to teach about the care of water consumption. Nicole´s mother learned how to make jams and preserves through another church program. Today they work as a family harvesting different crops which they take to the village to sell. They have a much better house now. With much effort, they are even able to pay the university fees of Nicole’s sister. In the community, they are an example of how the gospel can transform lives and open a world of possibilities using the resources that God has given them, as in this case their plot of land.

Nicole doesn’t know what she wants to study yet, but she wants to help people. It’s relevant to note the majority of children in this area yearn to overcome poverty and their current conditions, becoming a support for the good of the family.

Nicole´s family and all the ICCM sponsored children appreciate the support and the work that the church is developing for their good.

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Against All Odds!

by AmericasBlogNicaragua

I’ll never forget meeting Jenny Orozco. With a twinkle in her eye, a happy smile, and a contagious laugh, she made even a visitor feel welcome and immediately at home. As we wove through Managua, Nicaragua, rush-hour traffic heading toward a section of town called René Polanco, I sensed her love for this place and for the children and families who walk these streets.

It’s not easy growing up immersed in an environment of violence, addiction, abuse, and poverty. Jenny and her (late) husband Pastor Luis Ampie longed for something better for their then 5-year-old daughter, Josseling, and her generation. So they dared to dream big. They dared to envision the presence of a safe haven in an unsafe neighborhood, an oasis in the desert, a light in the darkness.

In 2004, against all odds, Jenny and Luis founded The Messiah Free Methodist School. I say “against all odds,” because all they had at the time was a physical school building, lovingly built by generous VISA teams. No experience or training in the field of education. No curriculum, no teachers, no resources. Just an absolute conviction that God wanted them to make a mighty impact in the community through Christian education. They fully believed God would make a way for them to provide excellence in academics and Christian development. The school began with 120 children.

Two years later, in 2006, ICCM teamed up with The Messiah Free Methodist School in ministering to the needs of students. Josseling was the first of 50 children sponsored. Over the years, many lives have been forever touched by the program.

ICCM National Coordinator Jenny recently explained, “ICCM plays a vital role in helping our children and youth reach their potential. The program helps us focus not only on intellectual growth but physical, social/emotional and spiritual, as well. Sponsorship has made it possible for many to complete primary and secondary education. After graduating, several are going on to university to become change-makers in their communities and society.”

If you would have asked me in 2003, “Is it possible to open the school in such a short time?,” I would have said, “Absolutely not!” But God had other plans. Jenny was right in tune with those plans and today she joyfully leads a team of educators in ministering to the needs of 450 students in grades Pre-K through 12th. Jenny returned to school and earned a Master of Education degree. Thanks to sponsorship through ICCM, boys and girls are not only surviving but now thriving in their community in Managua, Nicaragua.

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Sheltering Arms

by AmericasBlogColombia

The acronym “TLC” is often used in place of the words “tender, loving care”. About 14 girls, ranging in age from 5 to 17, are in the sheltering arms of the Free Methodist Church in Bogotá, Colombia, and most directly being nourished and protected by a woman they all call Mama Ruth. Through her, they receive the TLC they desperately need.

When I was young and came down with the flu, I wanted my mama more than ever. When she held me close and stroked my hair after a bout of vomiting when she offered me a cup of cold water to drink and a cool washcloth on my hot forehead, I knew I was loved and cherished. I was safe in my mother’s arms.

I witnessed an act of love and beauty as I watched Mama Ruth blow on spoonfuls of hot chicken soup to feed one of her girls. She was helping her to regain strength after two days of the flu. It was a priceless moment of TLC.

During our 2014 Freedom Sunday focus, we called this home “Findesin,” which is actually the name of the foundation run by the church in Bogotá. They call this girl’s home “Panal de Vida,” or, when using English, “The Beehive.” ICCM is one of several partners standing alongside the church for the essential and expensive work of sheltering at-risk girls. The girls’ mothers cannot care for them for a variety of reasons, and the girls are fatherless. These girls are experiencing safety, community, family and the love of Christ in this home. They were made for love, and they respond beautifully to the loving community into which they’ve come.

ICCM National Coordinator for Colombia, Dolly Johanna Mora, assists with all aspects of financial management of the home, and with facilitating the girls’ letter-writing to their sponsors. She is pictured here along with Mama Ruth’s daughter Johanna and Dolly’s daughter Lina Gabriela and me. We have decided not to share photos of the girls to be especially careful of their protection.

Every year on Mother’s Day I miss my mom and my mother-in-law. Mother’s Day is sentimental and wonderful for many; for many others, it is a painful day, a time of acknowledging losses. Thanks to the FMC in Colombia and many caring sponsors and donors, 14 girls in Bogotá are receiving a mother’s love and protection at Panal de Vida on Mother’s Day and every day.

Thank you for standing alongside ICCM in this and our five other anti-trafficking initiatives. They all continue; they all need our support long after their moment in the Freedom Sunday spotlight has ended. To continue to sustain support for this project and our other intensive efforts at protecting the most vulnerable children from those who would exploit them, donate to ICCM anti-trafficking initiatives.

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Ready, Set, Go!

by AmericasArgentinaBlog

The Gunny Sack Race had begun! Six teams with 75 kids of all ages. Little Andrea didn’t stand a chance—except that she did! For a 3-foot-tall girl, the bag reached up past her shoulders, causing her to fall time after time. Even before tears of frustration could form, 12-year-old Daniela was right there hopping happily alongside Andrea, showing her how to make it to the orange cone and back. Andrea´s initial look of fear and insecurity turned into great joy and a sense of accomplishment!

As I observed this small but significant show of kindness, I realized it tells the story of the big picture in Carmen de Areco. Whether it´s the Gunny Sack Race, the Hoola Hoop Sprint, or life itself, in this beautiful program, everybody counts.

In the course of three days, Dr. Linda Adams and I witnessed and experienced a tremendous outpouring of genuine love, acceptance, helpfulness, and generosity, not just among the pastors and leaders, but among the teens and children themselves.

The reality of Carmen de Areco is not starvation or abject material poverty, but rather an utterly devastating social and spiritual poverty that is desperately waiting to be addressed. Drug addiction among boys and alcoholism among girls begins as early as ages 8-10. Abuse and abandonment are rampant. Fear, insecurity, and hopelessness abound.

Enter Pastors Ricardo Guerrero and María Elena Salas. Twenty years’ worth of tangible, radical, healthy love have transformed one generation and is now transforming the next.

Coming alongside children, teens and their families, “Tata” and “Mama” (as Ricardo and María Elena are affectionately called) are helping individuals and in turn their whole community move from darkness to light. Over the years, they have welcomed many at-risk teens into their home to live. Some of these sponsored kids are now grown, married, and raising healthy families of their own.

The weekend program teaches kids practical skills like how to make empanadas and bread. Every year or two, the group takes a trip far outside the city limits for the first time in kids’ lives, fostering bigger dreams in these young hearts and minds. The program provides healthy activities, celebrations, instruction and practice in the performing arts, sports, and homework help. It encourages children and teens to develop and use their talents and abilities. This holistic approach is being used by God to rescue, heal and empower these young people. It’s beautiful to see!

ICCM sponsors provide financial resources for this authentic, contagious love that is transforming one child at a time, one generation after another. Thank you!