ISSUE
5
JUNE
2022
THE
A MAGAZINE BY CONNECT GLOBAL
Healing happens in community
Recognizing the need for father figures in our lives.
Our clean water initiatives have provided thousands
of
liters
of
across several schools.
water
to
students
Trading anxiousness for Hope
THE
A MAGAZINE BY CONNECT GLOBAL
CONTENTS 03
FATHER'S DAY FEATURE Fatherhood i s val uabl e and somethi ng to cel ebrate
05
EDUCATION UPDATE
NEW WATER PROJECT
We are abl e to support over 200 students, teachers and staff each month through schol arshi ps
09
CLEAN WATER INITIATIVES New water access i s i mprovi ng l i fe for students i n need
15
ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING
AUGUST TRIP
A monthl y seri es shared vi a YouVersi on and the Bi bl e app on Anxi ety
LAST WORD
18
Di versi ty and resol ve i n New York
FATHERHOOD COVER PHOTO: Richard Mendoza, father of Founder Javier Mendoza, in Honduras with students at New Life School BACK COVER PHOTO: The City of Yonkers, NY on the Waterfront
Editor in Chief Javier Mendoza Writers, Contributors, and Editors Danielle Mendoza Jordyn Conley Mwila Agatha Zaza Alicia Arthur Vyshnavi Nallandigal
Contact 12 N Broadway Loft 3B Yonkers, NY 10701 (214) 725-4352 Email: hello@connectglobal.org Website www.connectglobal.org
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Hope Dealer "We're all born to broken people on their most honest day of living And since that first breath we'll need grace that we've never given I am the barely living son of a woman and man who barely made it But we're making it taped together on borrowed crutches and new starts ... my hopes are weapons that I’m still learning how to use right
"Wooden Heart" by Listener
I’m writing in the wake of some terrible tragedies that our country has faced recently. The mass shooting in Buffalo, NY that claimed the lives of 10 and the school shooting in Uvalde, TX at Robb Elementary in which 19 students and 2 educators were killed. These are among 30 similar shootings already this year and amidst bouts of rising crime, inflation, and wars in Ukraine, Mali, and many other places around the world. Violence, famine, war, personal loss and much more is crashing against us all and many have reached or are reaching a breaking point. Open your news app even for a few minutes and you are bombarded by tragedy and hurt. Many of us have experienced pain and suffering of our own. We are being affected by these external circumstances and it is affecting us internally. We are dealing with record levels of anxiety, depression, and mental health issues. In the United States, anxiety is the most common mental illness, affecting more than 40 million adults each year. Data from the National Institute of Mental Health has indicated that about 30% of Americans experience clinical anxiety at some point in their lives. If your chest is tightening up and your breathing has increased you are not alone. You are not broken. You are stressed. You are anxious. You may even find yourself depressed. You have to be able to label what you are experiencing in order to work through it and overcome it.
leadership whether at school or
and you need to know that no
work and we want the best for
matter where you fall on this
them.
spectrum of stress or anxiousness you are not alone.
We should also want the best for
You have someone who wants
ourselves because that in turn
the best for you and your family.
allows us to be the best for
You have someone who cares
others as well.
deeply about your health and wellbeing.
Don’t allow yourself to close up or shut down. Reach out when
Hope is not the absence of fear,
you feel heavy, recognize stress
anxiety, or stress, Hope exists
and be proactive to work
because of these things. Hope
through it. Send a message to a
allows us to see the future for
friend, write down your
what it can be, it is the
thoughts, call someone who has
substance between the facts of
‘been there’. You deserve
what are now and the future we
wholeness and health, and
can’t fully see yet but know is
remember that the goal is not to
out there. When you have hope
be perfect, but to be better.
you begin to speak differently
Better than you were the day or
because you know that words
hour before. Don’t hide from
matter. Words form who we are
hope, it can be one of the best
and have the power of life or
tools you have to fight the wars,
destruction.
violence and stress that is affecting the world right now.
When you need hope it can feel overwhelming and suffocating and you are tempted to withdraw and isolate. Healing from these stressors is not possible in solitude.
Healing happens in community
I want to tell you that you are on
The world needs you and the
my mind and in my heart this
world needs hope. Be a Hope
month. I care about you and
dealer in a world that is in short
your family and I care about
supply.
those under our THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE |
Javier Mendoza JUNE 2022
Fatherhood BY JAVIER MENDOZA Each June people celebrate
My dad was the greatest example
While this Father's Day may be sad
Father's Day. Some will take this
of hope, restoration, and a life
for many because of the death of
month to honor and admire their
lived with faith. He instilled in me a
their father, I also recognize that
dad as it has been tradition for
profound trust in God. He gave me
many have always felt a deep
many, many years both in the
the greatest example of how to
longing and sense of loss for a
United States and around the
love, give, and serve others.
father who was never there.
He inspired me to do all of the
Others still, had a person who was
My dad was my best friend. He
things I have committed to do
supposed to fill this role but
was strong, wise, funny, caring, full
through my work here at Connect
instead inflicted suffering, abuse,
of integrity, hardworking, and
Global.
and in some cases left a bitterness
world.
would literally give you the shirt off
toward this annual celebration.
his back if he found out you
I realize that as I reflect on the
needed it. He set the bar high for
great father I had and the
I want you to know that if you are
me as a father, a husband, and a
amazing feelings I have towards
someone who can not muster up
him that many this June will not
good feelings around this month
friend.
share the fondness towards
because of a father that either
fathers or fatherhood that I do.
wasn't there or due to someone
at my best I feel like I have so
My father passed away on
they were 'there', I care deeply for
much to learn and so much ground
November 18th, 2020 after a
you and want you to know that I
to cover in order to measure up.
weeks long battle with covid and
am thinking about you this month.
I try to live as close to the example my father set as possible but even
who wasn't a good father while
pneumonia. He is deeply missed.
THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE
“The power of a dad in a child’s life is unmatched.” —Justin Ricklefs
There are many examples of fathers
They give me hope because I know
If you don't I want you to know
I can point to that give me hope for
how important fatherhood is and I
there are amazing fathers and
you.
know what a hole it can leave in our
father-figures who are here for you
lives when it is missing.
and are praying for you, by name,
I have known many people who have
to feel the deep sense of belonging
taken up the mantle of fatherhood in
I want to applaud these father
the lives of those in need. Over, and
figures who have filled these
over, living as examples of love,
positions with pride and taken up
I hope this month can be the start
compassion, deep care, and always
the responsibility of nurturing and
of something beautiful. A
pointing others towards growing a
growing up the next generations.
movement of fathers towards their
hope of their own.
that you deserve.
children and towards those without This Father's Day I hope you have
fathers who are waiting for the
I love seeing these fathers do the
someone you can point to that has
chance to feel the love, care, and
job that was intended for someone
walked alongside you, guided you,
kindness that should be the true
else as if it were their own. Stepping
and helped to form you and give you
definition of Fatherhood.
in and showing up.
a great start. Let it start with us!
CONNECTGLOBAL.ORG
| JUNE 2022
SCHOLARSHIPS: A CONTROVERSIAL ROUTE TO TRANSFORMATIONAL EDUCATION
By Mwila Agatha Zaza
F
or many children in developing economies, money is the single most insurmountable rift between them and school.
A child’s family can be motivated and willing to send their child to school and many parents make huge sacrifices to ensure their children get an education. It’s not unknown for families to sacrifice meals and other necessities to afford fees and the other costs associated with school. However, in UNICEF’s words “Poverty remains one of the most obstinate barriers” to attaining an education. For any nonprofit supporting students through school and finding funding for scholarships can be a difficult endeavor with many funders not being fans of the traditional model of supporting individual students. Regardless, education, whether formal or informal, forms the basis of every society. It impacts the economic, social, and political growth and development of the community and its individuals. In the contemporary era, school is a crucial stage in human development. Through school, children gain valuable communication, empathy, and engagement skills. Most students will obtain a general education that broadens their outlook on the world, preparing them for the future.
Mwila Agatha Zaza is an independent consultant with two decades experience in international development. Her focus is on supporting NGOs across the world in fundraising communications, including in proposal development, strategic planning and optimising digital presence.
THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE
Education Initiatives According to UNICEF, children throughout the world are denied access to education and learning. Without a good education, children face significant challenges to working and earning later in life. Unfortunately, most low-income countries are lagging behind the rest of the globe in education, mainly for girls, and poverty is one of the most persistent obstacles to schooling. Even in countries where schools are free, the added costs of sending a child to school ( transportation, supplies and uniforms ) make it impossible for many families. Valerie Guarnieri of the World Food Programme stated that even before pandemic, more than 73 million children in extreme poverty were attending school on an empty stomach. By pursuing what may seem to be an old-fashioned model of supporting education, NGOs providing scholarships are bolstering human rights and individual agency and investing in social and economic change.
Many government and private programs still provide scholarships and financial support to children and families due to the reasons mentioned above. This assistance has been shown to be beneficial to disadvantaged children and their communities. For instance, a case study by the international development organization High Quality Technical Assistance for Results (HEART) reported that the Girls Scholarship Program in Kenya had been effective with one of its outcomes being that “young women in program schools had fewer arranged marriages and were less likely to accept domestic violence as acceptable. The benefits are also visible in the short term, the Girls Education Initiative of Ghana supports groups of girls through years of basic and high school and has in the last few years seen the first of these girls begin higher education – going to university and college to pursue science, business, and nursing degrees. Their comprehensive scholarship package includes the additional expenses that often force girls out of school such as food, clothing, and transportation.
CONNECTGLOBAL.ORG
| JUNE 2022
Connect Global is Changing Lives through Scholarships Connect Global’s Global Education Fund supports over 200 children, teachers, and administrators in three schools in Honduras from kindergarten through twelfth grade and beyond. One of the guiding pillars of Connect Global’s work is providing quality education to as many children as possible. Connect Global is fortunate to have a number of supporters who recognize the importance of scholarship programs as sustainable solutions to poverty. Connect Global uses scholarships as a tool to change lives and communities. In time, scholarship holders complete their education to become leaders and change makers. When recipients reach higher level of education and enjoy improved employment prospects and take up leadership positions, it becomes possible to challenge the social and economic norms that perpetuate the poverty they have escaped.
THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE
EDUCATION IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT "By pursuing what may seem to be an old-fashioned model of supporting education, NGOs providing scholarships are bolstering human rights and individual agency and investing in social and economic change."
Our students planted several trees in honor of National Tree Day in Honduras and in honor of celebrating the beautiful earth we all inhabit. These students have such bright futures and we are honored to be partnered with them in their education journey.We are incredibly grateful that we get to give in such tangible ways through the work and efforts of Connect Global. This all is in large part due to the many partners ( like you ) who make it all possible. For more information on the many life changing projects Connect Global stewards please visit our website at ConnectGlobal.org and explore ways that you may consider Partnering and Giving With Us. CONNECTGLOBAL.ORG
| JUNE 2022
THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 2022
sustainability
Clean Water Initiatives BY JAVIER MENDOZA
“785 million people lack basic access to clean and safe drinking water.” ACCORDING TO CHARITY:WATER
ACCESS TO WATER AROUND THE WORLD IS A PROBLEM Water is one of the most precious resources on the planet. Water is needed for survival. People without access to clean drinking water
WE ARE CURRENTLY PARTNERING WITH A HONDURAN SCHOOL TO REPLENISH CLEAN WATER ACCESS. This new project will serve 225 students who are in need of clean water access at their school, Escuela Republica de Alemania No2.
become ill, miss out on school, make less money, and can even die from water borne disease.
A very generous donor has agreed
to
fully fund this project and we could not be more happy to have another
Connect Global has long valued
YOU CAN PARTNER WITH US TO PROVIDE CLEAN WATER TO MORE STUDENTS IN NEED
school get clean water flowing again. As we attack this issue one step at a
water and it's inherently basic
time, we get the opportunity to
importance to all of life. We have
provide life giving water to so many.
experienced seeing people who struggle at best to obtain enough
It not only will solve the issues of thirst
water for their family and at worst
but also provide for improved hygiene
become ill because of the lack of
all because of better sanitation, and
access to this much needed
the ability to wash hands and flush
commodity.
toilets.
We have endeavored to take on
You can be a part of the solution by
clean water initiatives across
giving monthly towards this project as
Honduras since 2006. Together we
we make our plans to bring clean
have been able to provide clean
water access to our friends and
drinking water to thousands over the
neighbors across Honduras a reality.
years but there is so much work still to be done in providing clean drinking
A gift of just $10 a month will help
water along with basic sanitation.
provide clean water for one student!
You can find out more on our website
LEARN MORE
Clean Water Initiatives
You can Help Connect Global Give Clean Water Connect Global is providing access to clean, life-saving water to schools throughout Honduras.
Clean Water improves sanitation, empowers communities, and gives kids more time in school instead of time at home battling water borne illness.
As little as $10 a month can make clean water available to one student EVERY year.
We are working together with Community Leaders to bring an entire K12 school clean water.
Rest assured that 100% of your donation will go directly to help complete this and other clean water projects.
Thank You for partnering with us to help this community.
CONNECTGLOBAL.ORG
| JUNE 2022
MATERNITY HOME
by Javier & Danielle Mendoza
MAKING HEALTH A PRIORITY
BASIC INVESTMENTS LEAD TO DRASTIC IMPROVEMENTS
Mother’s without access to proper healthcare or significant rersources are most likely to experience
The survival rate amongst babies in the NICU and
fetal developmental issues, still birth, and in some
whose mothers are in our care is at 84%. We intend
cases severe health issues for the baby and mother,
to keep fighting daily to see that number increase
including death.
because we want to see EVERY mother head home with a happy, healthy baby in their arms and the
Our Maternity Home in Honduras is one of the first
love and compassion of Jesus in their hearts.
of it’s kind in the country and provides a level of care that is practically non existent in the maternity
PRESERVING LIFE
care field in many developing nations. Connect Global is not only driven to preserve life, Connect Global provides 24 hour a day and 7 day
but to point people towards their purpose in life
a week care in a dignified and honorable way.
so that they can be who they were created to be.
Each month, on average, we care for 40-50 mothers and their newborns. We provide food, safe
Over the years we have had the honor of
and clean beds, as well as financial and logistical
impacting thousands of lives through our various
support for the NICU nursing staff who are fighting
programs and community outreach initiatives.
every day to save lives but are often under resourced for medical essentials such as PPE,
We are honored to have surpassed serving 1500
equipment, and sanitation supplies.
mothers and their newborns and we are committed to seeing more lives be saved because of our cooperative efforts.
THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE
MATERNITY HOME
The Connect Global Maternity Home compassionately restores dignity, safety, and peace of mind where it is needed most. We are working to create a sustainable solution for the operations of this Maternity Home Program for these mothers. We are partnering with the local hospital, local business owners, and local churches to ensure the best ongoing care in this home. Our plan is to share the operational cost responsibilities with these local partners as well as others who see the value in caring for these moms. Connect Global will continue to provide oversight and management of the Home to ensure fiscal responsibility and stewardship. If we are to see massive positive change come to Honduras and to see Honduras increasingly become a more giving country, we need to continue investing compassionately into the nation's most vulnerable citizens.
"Yes, it takes a lot of work, time, and money but these moms, and the future sons and daughters of Honduras are worth it."
THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE |
2022
2022 MISSION TRIP HONDURAS
AUGUST 25-30 2022
MISSION TRIPS
We visit locations in need of selfless and
Our Mission Trips are booked inclusive of air
sustainable support. Every trip is full of
travel, lodging, food, projects, insurance, and
adventure and designed for maximum
more. Trips are typically 5-7 days including all
impact in each community we serve.
travel days.
Connect Global is able to share the
Our projects vary from hospital visits to
message of Jesus by providing collaborative
leadership conferences, and from light
and sustainable solutions to needs around
construction to long-term discipleship programs
the world.
with Children's Homes, and our partner Schools.
If you would like more information on a mission trip with Connect Global, please visit our website and send us a message.
CONNECTGLOBAL.ORG/TRIPS
FEEING LONLEY, ANXIOUS, OVERWHELMED
Many have felt this way and it’s not very fun but you can find someone to talk to.
SERIES PART 3 of 7
ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING Is peace really possible today? Cheri went on a quest 11 years ago to find out. Here’s what she discovered along the way: Devotion reposted via YouVersion and the Bible App
I remember it vividly. The day I decided I couldn’t live like this anymore. Here I was, a fully devoted follower of Christ, responding to life pretty much like everyone else. I lived in fear and worry, yet I knew it shouldn’t be that way! Consistently I read in the Word of God not to be afraid and to be anxious for nothing. But that sounded impossible! God has a lot to say in the Bible about fear and its antidote: peace. In one instance, Jesus and His disciples were on a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee when a furious storm threatened to sink them. They all fought to keep afloat, and what was Jesus doing? He was sound asleep! Right in the middle of the storm. The disciples asked, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Jesus got up and rebuked the storm, and it went completely calm. Then He asked the disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:40 NIV That pretty much summed up the conversations I was having with God. I could feel Him asking me why I was afraid, and I was answering, Isn’t it obvious? Look at my circumstances! Who wouldn’t or couldn’t be afraid?
In my quest for peace, several things became crystal clear. My circumstances were determining my level of peace. If life’s circumstances were all good, then I was at peace. If storms were encircling me, I was stressed, anxious, and tired all the time—exhausted from my emotions. I was just like the disciples in the storm. I was fearful of the storm, hurt, and confused because I thought God didn’t care. But Jesus brought me to my next point. Jesus was trying to teach me peace is possible, no matter the storm. Are you relating to this battle? It’s not easy, is it? I was still struggling to understand how Jesus could expect me to experience peace in the storm, wondering if He truly even cared, when I realized my next breakthrough point. My storms revealed my level of trust. Peace doesn’t mean everything is going right in your life. It means being at peace when storms are shaking your life. I hadn’t learned to trust God and find peace even in those storms. Have you hit that wall yet? It was obvious I had some room to grow. But I’m learning that the path to peace is found by trusting and fixing our thoughts on the One who is never unsettled by storms. It didn’t happen overnight, but little by little, more peace and rest rejuvenated my tired, weary soul. -Cheri
Text 'Pray with Me' to 844-397-4679 Someone from our team will text you back and can talk with you about anything. Your texts are important to us and will be prayed for by our team. Don’t do life alone. We are listening and encourage you to reach out today. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-8255
National Domestic Violence Hotline 800.799.SAFE (7233)
National Alliance on Mental Illness 800-950-6264
NOISSIMBUS RENTRAP
Called to Serve By Pastor Nahun Flores
There is a popular saying "Faces we see but
We have clung to our comfort zone and
hearts we do not know"
sometimes we forget there are many people in need of a word that brings encouragement and
This saying teaches that every day we see
hope to their lives.
people go through life but we ignore that within their hearts there are dreams that have
There are many people who slowly die, evicted
not come true, others suffer from depression,
by a society indifferent to their most basic
low self-esteem, rejection, & some have been
needs. Today is the day that the Church of Jesus
mistreated even by those who should love
Christ which was founded with his own blood
them. We always see the people of this world,
rises with a merciful heart. A heart like that of
with some we interact, with others we simply
the Samaritan who saw his neighbor in serious
ignore but the truth is that if we were aware of
difficulties and extended his hand to him, he
what happens inside their hearts we would
was not simply a spectator like the others but he
realize the silent suffering of many of them. In
acted in favor of his neighbor. He bandaged his
this life each one carries his cross, (burden)
wounds, and he personally took him until his
some lighter than others, some so heavy that
complete restoration.
the one who carries them barely survives. That is our job, to serve, and to serve with
There is a story in the book of Mark in chapter
selfless love in order to follow in the footsteps of
10, Specifically, in verses 35 to 45 it says that
our master who said: "Because the son of man
two brothers, James and John, who were
did not come to be served, but to serve and to
disciples of Jesus and likely his cousins,
give his life as a ransom for many"
approached him asking that when He reigned would He grant them to sit one on His left and
I remember a story of a doctor who was going to
the other on his right. Jesus answered saying
his office one morning when suddenly a bomb
that sitting to his right or left was a privilege
explodes, killing many people and leaving others
that was already prepared in advance.
very injured in the streets. This doctor said that in such a situation he had no choice but to start
The most interesting thing about this story is
treating the wounded closest to him.
that the other disciples began to murmur
How many people are close to us? To how many
against these two for their request, then Jesus
of them do we give an affectionate greeting? To
intervenes and gives them all a teaching that
how many have we simply told that God loves
we should apply every day to our lives:
them?
Jesus makes them understand that whoever
We do not know what happens inside their
wants to become great must be a servant and
hearts but our words of affection and
whoever wants to be first must be servant of
encouragement to them will be like a balm that
all. Jesus ends with, "For even the Son of Man
brings relief and healing to their broken souls,
did not come to be served, but to serve, and to
Let us always follow the example of our Lord
give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus: Only the Word of God and our service will bring abundant life to people, the kind of life
These words confront us today because we
that millions of people are still unaware of.
have always longed to stand out and live comfortably. THE CONNECTION - A MAGAZINE BY CONNECT GLOBAL
THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE
ONE LAST WORD
new york New York is a city of 8.8 million in a state of almost 20 million. New York is a melting pot of people representing every corner of the earth. The rich history and culture is an amalgamation of global peoples, groups, backgrounds and upbringing and has one of the broadest spectrum of socio economic levels of any place on earth. There are over 600 languages spoken making it one of the most linguistically diverse regions in the world.
People from over 180 countries help make New York one of the most cosmopolitan places on earth. In fact, many can trace their family's immigration to New York through the documented records at Ellis Island or through handed down history dating back to 1624. Diversity is one of the greatest gifts given to us by our creator. Even in the account of our earliest beginnings as told in the book of Genesis, we are told of the diverse elements that make up this earth and all its inhabitants. New York is home to some of the largest populations of Jews, Muslims, and Christians. New York has the largest population of Ukrainian people outside Ukraine and the largest Jewish population outside of Israel.
New York has the 2nd highest population of both billionaires (126) and homeless (92,091) in the United States. The economic disparity is overwhelmingly apparent as you walk the city streets. Vehicles worth $330,000 drive down the same streets filled with people asking for $3. New York is both the city of hopes and dreams and home to those who need a restored hope in their dreams. Many New Yorkers have moved out of the state over the past couple of years for myriad reasons and yet there are people from all over the world who are rapidly filling their place every day. This city is filled with people in transition. People who have come from someplace else or who are en route to another place. Those who have stayed are among the toughest and most rsolved individuals you will ever meet. They have grit and determination and no time for anyone who is without equal amounts of either. If you know someone in or from New York, you likely have someone who cares fiercely, lives at a break-neck pace, and will go to the greatest lengths to fight for those they love. Keep New York and New Yorkers in your prayers.
CONNECTGLOBAL.ORG
| JUNE 2022
THE
CONNECTION A MAGAZINE BY CONNECT GLOBAL
12 N Broadway Loft 3B Yonkers, NY 10701 text (844) 397-4679 email: hello@connectglobal.org www.connectglobal.org
