Back2Back Ministries Fall/Winter2016 Magazine by Hall Design

FALL/WINTER 2016 VOLUME 24

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR 60 teens to follow. We, then, began to ask how to best scale the vision of the Program. 2004-2008: We saw God’s remarkable provision as the Hope Program Campus in Monterrey was completed with the addition of six Hope Program homes and a medical/dental clinic. 2005: We began to realize Monterrey was just one Mexican city and Mexico was just one country in the world. Where else would God call us? More importantly, how would Back2Back respond? 2006-2008: Back2Back’s capacity grew to develop new sites in Nigeria and India. 2008: As the ministry grew, we regretfully realized addressing physical, spiritual and educational needs wasn’t enough; we were seeing a gap in emotional and social development. The question, then, became, how do we address meeting those needs?

As Back2Back moves towards its 20th year, I am reflective and grateful for all God has taught us.

Each season has held its own lessons and opportunities to change. Change is hard, and I had no idea when this journey began how much I would have to grow through the seasons. But change for the better is always worth it. I have a pet peeve when resistance to change is “No, because this is easier.” Easier is not a reason not to do something; better is the reason for change. Below are some of the ways God has led us to ‘better.’ 1997: God brought 350 short-term participants when we only expected 50. He taught us He is the bridge over which resources to children flow. 1999: God broke our hearts for the educational needs of children aging out of children’s homes at 15. We were wrestling with what the solution could be. Was meeting spiritual and physical needs enough? 2001: We began to understand the difficulty for older students to become academically successful in a children’s home environment, thus the residency component of the Hope Program was conceived. 2003: We realized the initial eight teens in the Hope Program only scratched the surface - with more than

2009: The creation of the 5-Point Child Development Plan gave additional clarity to meet the needs of each child. As a staff, Back2Back worked and continues to work tirelessly, to build the resources to holistically care spiritually, physically, educationally, emotionally, and socially for each individual child. Back2Back also launched the Sponsorship Program this year – creating the necessary resources to dive deep with each child. 2010-2016: These six years were spent learning and training on child development and striving towards depth of care. Back2Back hired professional staff, offered trainings, and hosted trauma competent-aware mission team guests to continually improve each child’s depth of care. As 2017 draws closer, it holds the promise of opportunities for change towards better. We will learn new research and recognize where course corrections are necessary. We will see new places to serve and humbly admit when we’ve failed. The longer I am in leadership, the more convinced I am this is a life-long journey of learning and growing towards God’s ideal. Thank you for joining us in the pursuit of the orphan and vulnerable child.

Todd Guckenberger, Executive Director of Back2Back Ministries

Welcome Home 3

Forging a Different Path

VISION

We desire for every orphan and vulnerable child to have the opportunity for success through care for today and hope for tomorrow. Our goal is for each child to experience restoration to a life of purpose in which they can become fulfilled and mature Christian adults.

A Commitment to Remember

MISSION

Back2Back Ministries is an international Christian non-profit organization dedicated to being a voice for orphans. We exist to love and care for orphans and vulnerable children, by meeting their spiritual, physical, educational, emotional and social needs that they might overcome their life circumstances and break free from the cycle of generational poverty.

In Good Hands 11

To Witness Glilmpses of Promise

We would like to thank Quality Printing for partnering with Back2Back by providing us high-quality printing.

Her cry broke through the steady monsoon rains. In a rural village three hours outside

Hyderabad, India, on a humid, July morning in 2002,V. Bindu, entered the world. Her parents, agricultural workers of the Banjara tribe, spend their days doing the labor intensive work of rice farming. But today they enjoy the sweet first moments with their brown-haired girl. Tomorrow her father will return to the fields, resigned to the belief his present reality is his daughter’s future.

and expensive; a path requiring exceptional academic performance and scoring well on the Medical Entrance Exam. In a country of 1.3 billion people, anything worth having in India requires competitive spirit.

More than 3,000 years old, India’s caste system is among the world’s oldest surviving forms of stratification. A caste system is determined by birth and is based on the Hindu conception of social order; in Indian society, if your parents are poor, you’re going to be poor, too (bbc.com). If your parents are rice farmers, you will become a rice farmer. At fourteen, many of V. Bindu’s peers are in the process of being prepared for marriage – because of societal expectations and for their protection. With an estimated 47% of Indian girls married before the age of 18, India has the highest number of child brides in the world (girlsnotbrides.org). Because of her parents’ love and dreams of a better life for their girl, V. Bindu is forging a different path: one which began five years ago when her parents made the decision to send their daughter off, desperate to help her break free from the confines of a pre-determined future through better education. ••••••••

V. Bindu’s laughter fills the air as she rides bikes through the Suzuki Samuel India Hope Campus with her friends. Confident and assertive, fourteen-yearold V. Bindu is benefitting from Back2Back’s familystyle care which nurtures the whole child. On a hot, dry day, V. Bindu wakes up and splashes cold water on her face. She carefully pulls her school uniform from her dresser and proudly puts it on. Today, her work will not be alongside her parents in the rice field. Rather, she will work in the classroom toward achieving her big dreams. V. Bindu wants to be a doctor in a country where less than 6% of physicians are women. Becoming a doctor is a difficult road to traverse in any country,but becoming a doctor in India is extraordinarily competitive

V. Bindhu readies herself for the school day with a healthy breakfast, one last review of yesterday’s homework, a hug from her caregiver, and a group prayer with her friends. As she is advancing in school,V. Bindu realizes grading is more stringent, and she has to adjust her study habits. But she is not deterred. When something is difficult, she works hard, with her peers and tutors to rise and meet the challenge of growing intellectually. She taps into the support system surrounding her, working regularly with her tutor through difficult homework assignments. ••••••••

V. Bindu is a young woman who dreams boldly because hope has paved the way for radical change. She is already demonstrating the resiliency necessary for the long road ahead of her. Her life impacts the younger girls in the home, modeling for them what was once modeled for her: dream above what you can imagine and sacrifice for the future. Hers is a story to watch.

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The Good in the Hard

Six Things God Taught Me While Recovering from Surgery this Year. by Beth Guckenberger, Co-Executive Director of Back2Back Ministries

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After twenty years of working amidst challenging stories, I felt pretty fluent in hard. I had learned a long time ago to answer my theological questions with some version of “God is sovereign.” You’d think I was prepared for the tough season that came to our home this year, but it’s

clear from the list below, I still had a lot of learning to do. On Christmas Eve, 2015, I received the news I was BRCA2 positive. BRCA2 is the breast cancer gene that increased my risk of breast cancer to 87%, ovarian cancer to 25-50%, and carries an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, melanoma and multiple myeloma. As a result of this diagnosis, I followed the medical community’s recommendation and underwent a complete hysterectomy and bilateral mastectomy. I can absolutely testify I have no regrets. In fact, if the post-surgery me could whisper to the scared, pre-surgery me earlier this year, I would say, “Hold on. It’s all about to get really good.” Scars, health bills, and missed opportunities are not good, but growth, connection, gratefulness and maturity made it all worth it. Here’s a look at some of the lessons I am still processing… 5

1 2 3 People matter.

Vulnerability is maturity.

God doesn't waste a thing.

People Matter. I am so grateful for the people who took time out of their lives to come sit with me. I will never say again, “I was thinking about you” to a friend going through their own story of hard. I will put action to my words and pick up the phone, make the meal, or drive to their house. Jesus wasn’t kidding when He said Christians are known by their love. When someone loves you well, you are effected. This season I was convicted about all the previous times I had put a task or an accomplishment above a relationship. If I am too busy for people, what exactly am I doing?

Vulnerability is Maturity. It is habit to answer people who ask how you are with a response that makes them feel good. It takes more than I want to offer up to someone,“This hurts.” Or “I am struggling.” But the days I was real, I found most of the time, it opened the door to a real exchange or gave someone the chance to offer me his or her strength and gifts. This is how community was meant to be experienced. Pretending I didn’t need anyone in a time when I so obviously did would have been woefully immature.

God doesn’t waste a thing. Even hard is good if it makes us more like Him. Todd and I kept saying when this journey started, “If we do this well, we will be more like Christ on the other side.” And I can joyfully attest He has been busy remaking and recreating me. I experienced plenty of conviction in this season and had no excuse but to work through it with him. Flat on my back, I was an eager student in His classroom and for that alone, I would go through it all again.

4 5 6

Gratefulness changes everything.

Gratefulness changes everything. I am not “less than” today. In fact, I am now “more than.” More generous, dependent, empathetic, and connected—and that’s just for starters. The overwhelming emotion I experienced in this season was grateful. I felt grateful in the hospital for a private room and a wonderful surgeon. I felt grateful for heating pads, soft pajamas, and good friends. Gratefulness overflowed for the Holy Spirit, fresh flowers, genetic counselors, pain medication, for peppermint tea. I felt grateful for sparkling water, the Internet, and the list goes on. I honestly felt like my metaphorical basket was so ridiculously full that there wasn’t time to miss or mourn what was taken from me.

Rest is a choice.

Rest is a choice. I sat still in the months following the surgery more than I ever have. I talked to the Lord about subjects I preferred not to, and everything felt deeper. My love for Todd grew, my appreciation for our kids was profound, my thinking was complex, and my rest substantial. I laughed harder, cried more often, listened better, and I grew an appetite for gravitas. I decided I could skim the top of life, frantic in a lifestyle more busy than productive, or I could plunge into the core of it and have richer relationships, and intentional exchanges.

Pain makes us mean.

Pain makes us mean. I am not someone who gets mean very often. I have plenty of other faults, but verbal cruelty is not one of them. Imagine my family’s surprise when I was less than kind on days the pain was more than I could manage. I spent a lot of time apologizing and even more time analyzing what was right under the surface of my heart. Last week, months after I’ve kicked my painkillers, I was sitting at my son’s football game and I heard a woman be unkind to her child. Instead of my usual first reaction of judgment, how could anyone talk to a child that way? I thought instead, I wonder where she’s hurting? If all of this was just so I could learn that, the journey might already be worth it.

Today I feel better than ever. Thank you for your prayers, for being on this journey alongside of me. I hope these lessons translate into thoughtful leadership and intentional discipleship. I am asking the Lord to continue to use this experience to grow me into a woman who is humble, brave and grateful. 6

in good hands As the children at Destiny Children's Home in Nigeria become more

accustomed to the continual and consistent presence of caring adults, they are slowly opening up, trusting their caregivers to listen when they speak and watch intently as they work and play. > > >

As three new Nigerian caregivers, Ene, Abigail, and Plangkat, move into Destiny Chidren’s Home alongside two “matrons” already serving in the home, and undergo Trauma Competent Care training, they become skilled in caring for the children in holistic, intentional ways. In line with this holistic care, Destiny Home’s captain Azubike Kalu, desires to continue to make sure the relationships between caregivers and children are consciously pursued and maintained. “Their presence alone has helped the atmosphere of the home significantly, but we desire connection for the children, as well,” explains Azubike. In sync with Back2Back’s vision for holistic care for each child served, the addition of the caretakers has caused growth in all five points of the child development plan. “Physically the children look healthier,” explains Azubike. “With the consistent presence of at least one caregiver in the home at all times, the children feel known and seen and this is allowing them to feel more comfortable.” As the children become more accustomed to the continual and consistent presence of caring adults, they are slowly opening up, trusting their caregivers to listen when they speak and watch intently as they work and

play. This give and take allows for emotional, as well as social, growth. The children are learning the value of using their words, expressing their needs and hurts, and trusting there will be people around them to celebrate their victories and grieve their losses. The children at Destiny are receiving educational care, as well. Along with three caregivers, they meet with homework assistants who are present Monday through Friday. The adults in the home are working together to provide continual care and to ensure the children feel confident their needs will not only be known, but met. “When we go into the home, at least one adult is always readily available and present,” explains Leah Smart, Back2Back Nigeria staff. “It has created such a positive culture within the home.” ------------

Salome’s normally bright, brown eyes are withdrawn with sleepiness as she sits down next to Ene. As she slowly opens up to her new caregiver, Salome shares that she’s been experiencing nightmares; she wakes up frightened and unable to fall back into an easy rest. Ene knows she needs to speak into Salome’s fear. At a staff meeting just a few days later, Ene not only shares Salome’s struggle but also the struggle of Promise, a young boy experiencing nightmares, as well. As a group, the staff comes together, praying over the children and trusting the Lord to step into the trepidation they are haunted by at night. Ene is encouraged to pray with the children, sharing with them the power of a God who can light up darkness. What begins as a daunting experience for two young children turns into an opportunity for Ene to share a loving God. By bending her ear toward Promise and Salome, she cultivates a relationship of trust. ------------

As each child becomes more familiar with the new caregivers in Destiny Children’s Home, kindness abounds within the walls of the home. The children can be found speaking life to each other and trust grows conversation by conversation. The children at Destiny are learning they may have many needs, but they are also learning God provides people to meet those needs. 9

< Salome (on right) is learning she may have many needs, but she is also learning God provides people to meet those needs.

Mario was only five years old when, for a number of hard reasons, he and his four siblings were left at a government children’s home. One year later, following his youngest brother’s death, the surviving four siblings moved into Casa Hogar Douglas, a children’s home Back2Back serves in Monterrey, Mexico. For the next seven years, their only visitor was a neighbor woman they called Auntie. ------------------One year ago, Rosario, Mario’s older brother left the children’s home after receiving a middle school diploma. His dad, who had recently become more involved, invited Rosario to move in with him. Their father, whose criminal record makes finding stable employment difficult, collects cardboard for income. The transition to living with his father has been difficult for Rosario; temptations of the world abound, and Rosario is experiencing a new taste of freedom. Mario has borne witness to it all. As he considered options for his future, Mario was faced with his first independent life decision- “What’s next?” For the first time in his life, he has a voice in what lies ahead.

Mario, a bright 17-year-old, was ready, as many students are, for independence. He wanted to be free from schedules and oversight, but knew there was a choice that could lead to a brighter future. “I don’t know what’s next, Sammy.” Mario, with frustration written across his face, vented to Back2Back staff, Sammy Matthews. “Do you think Back2Back is an option for me?” “I don’t know, Mario. But let’s find out.” Sammy met with Mario’s social worker to discuss a transition from Douglas to the Back2Back campus. With one year of high school completed, he didn’t fit the typical profile of a new Hope program student. However, an exception was made and Mario moved onto campus in April of 2015. He was a boy on the cusp of becoming a man, living in limbo. He did chores to contribute on campus, and continued to contemplate what would come next. “You’ve got to start playing on our team.” ------------------Jed Zayner, Back2Back staff and coach of the Monterrey Hope

Program boy’s soccer team, extended one of the more meaningful invitations Mario had ever been offered. As he joined the team, a tiny crack in his armor let some light in.

2016 Mario moved into a Hope House.

“Mario, think about where you want to be in the next 10, 20, 30 years. Make the decisions today that will lead you toward your dreams.You have the opportunity to change the course of your, your younger siblings’, your children’s, your grandchildren’s lives. You alone have the choice.” Sammy quietly guided whenever she saw Mario.

Mario’s decision was made. A new path was forged.

Letters from his sponsors provided unending encouragement and reaffirmed the gentle nudges Mario was already hearing from his caregivers and Back2Back staff. Soon after joining the soccer team, Mario decided to attend the One21 retreat, hosted by Back2Back staff and Hope Program college students. At the retreat, a former Hope Program student, Leo, shared his testimony. Mario saw himself in Leo’s vulnerability, and when he was finished talking, Mario went up to him and asked boldly, “Will you do a bible study with me?” Leo readily agreed. They met through the spring and on August 19,

“I want to do this. I’m ready to start a new chapter. I need to do this for my family.” He had years of feeling rejected and this left him feeling guarded towards new people and new opportunities. But, no one was giving up on him, and over a short amount of time, he felt ready to address the hurdles that stood between him and the future he wanted for himself. God’s hand is on Mario’s life, as it is on all of our lives. He is gently and lovingly putting each part of his story’s puzzle together. Person by person, Sammy, Jed, Leo, sponsors, mission guests are adding unique and critical pieces to Mario’s story. We don’t know what the future will hold for Mario – there will be inevitable twists and turns, but it is with great joy we get to witness the glimpses of promise building in his life. Today, though, as Mario tries new experiences, and enters school, we celebrate the start of a new chapter: and that is hope.

Welcome Home Juan remains as still as possible in the little chair in the makeshift barber shop of his dorm. After patiently waiting his turn Juan shows the local volunteer a picture of the haircut he wants; his grin transforming his face. He smiles broadly, from ear to ear. José Luis, a local volunteer with Back2Back Mazatlan, is a barber who travels to the children’s homes and offers his time to the children as he cuts their hair. As he begins to trim around Juan’s ears, he thinks back on what brought him here – to serve bright smiles and eager hearts. A few years ago, José Luis and, his wife Reyna Pereda, were sitting at their Sunday morning service at Calvary Chapel Vida Nueva Church in Mazatlan when someone spoke to their church about Back2Back; it was then God stirred their hearts to pursue volunteering. For three years, the staff of Back2Back Mazatlan have been investing in the local church community through attending and serving alongside them. Because of this long-term commitment to the local community, Back2Back was invited to speak and lead trainings for both the pastors and their congregations. Recently, they also invited church leaders to orphan care trainings in the United States. Through joining in with what the church is doing in their community, Back2Back staff utilized an open-handed, community-driven approach, allowing church leaders to see Back2Back as a true partner. Back2Back staff began to recognize partnership with the local church meant getting involved in the weekly gatherings and sharing both life and work with others. This partnership is a cornerstone of the local sustainability initiatives Back2Back is working to implement in Mazatlan. While it took a few years, God has blessed this investment. Today, everyone is beginning to see the fruit God had in mind when he called Back2Back to Mazatlan just a few years ago. José Luis and Reyna are examples of this fruit. Through Trauma Competent Care and Back2Back House Parent training, Jose Luis and Reyna became deeply committed and engaged in the orphan care movement. It was through their committed volunteerism the Back2Back staff was able to recognize their hearts and asked them to consider serving as parents for a new Hope Program boys home. 13

Ultimately, they accepted the call to care for three young men with intellectual disabilities who previously lived at Rancho de Los Niños Children’s Home. Since moving in with Miguel, Juan and Dionisio, Jose Luis and Reyna have seen dramatic improvements. They’ve come alongside each boy by helping them to create structure and processes in their home and lives. Through daily chores, scheduled meal times, and bed times, the boys are becoming accustomed to routine and healthy living habits.This is helping them grow emotionally and physically to be the men God wants them to be. Success, for Miguel, Juan, and Dionisio, is reaching selfsustainability within an adult group home. Building a group home is part of Back2Back’s long-term vision for children who are higher functioning, but may never be fully independent. By focusing on life skills training and assisting them in building structure into their own lives, Back2Back is confident God will continue to cultivate and harvest the good work He began in each of them. It is with a hands-open approach to local involvement through investment of in-depth training and ongoing partnerships, that dedicated people like Jose Luis and Reyna are able to give their time and love to growing boys set to shake up the Kingdom.

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cul tivating o

p H e

From watching to implementing, from learning to preparing, from farm to table, the children of the India Hope Campus are learning the rewards of a vision becoming edible reality. > > >

op cultivating h Ravi’s small arms wrap tightly around the plastic bottle as he carefully walks across campus toward the flowers. He steps carefully,

so as not to let a drop of water drip on the dusty ground. He first walks toward the house of Back2Back India staff member Adam Petticrew. He waters the circular planters of colorful flowers in front of the home where he lives with eight “house brothers.” Ravi and a few of his friends on the India Hope Campus decided to plant flowers by Adam’s house, and in front of their own, after spending a day at Active Farm in Hyderabad, India. The desire to plant something began to flourish after the children learned about farming, and how 17

to make organic pesticides on their trip to this urban oasis.

of laboring lovingly to watch something flourish.

What does it mean to grow and harvest food? What personal satisfaction comes from watching hard work tangibly yield reward? Back2Back’s desire for the children at the Hope Campus was for them to experience the process of delivering healthy food to their very own tables. Three different mission teams worked alongside the children to construct a garden on their campus.

The goal is to plant at least three more gardens on campus to increase learning and responsibility opportunities for the children.

Planting tomatoes, spinach, eggplant, chilis, and green beans, the kids are learning to take pride in their work as they supplement their meals with food their hands have helped grow. The children are reaping the benefits

“It’s always fun to look out my window in the mornings and see Ravi, or one of the other children, lugging water across the campus to help care for what they’ve planted.The children are excited to see growth in their own backyard,” shares Adam. From from farm to table, the children of the India Hope Campus are learning the rewards of a vision becoming edible reality.

Planting tomatoes, spinach, eggplant, chilis, and green beans, the kids are learning to take pride in their work as they supplement their meals with food their hands have helped grow.

A Foundation of Thriving

The question isn’t solely “How do we take care of poverty?” but also “How do we care for people in poverty?”

The Cancun sun paints the Tres Reyes sky a kaleidoscope of pinks, oranges, and yellows as a small crowd gathers in the palapa of the Community Center. Mission guests gather around a long table decorated with small posters reading, “Bracelets: $5”, “Purses: $10”, “ Earrings: $3.” Behind the table nine women sit, all smiles. One by one they stand and introduce themselves. Near the end of the table, a quiet young woman confidently stands to greet the group, “Good evening. My name is Evelia.Thank you for visiting our market.” Evelia’s family is one of Back2Back Cancun’s ‘Strong Families’. The Strong Families program is shaped by the site’s 19

vision, “through holistic care, we seek to protect and restore vulnerable children and strengthen at-risk families.” The goal is to provide vulnerable children and their families the care they need today so they can participate in the hope of flourishing tomorrow. In the rural area of Tres Reyes, a community gripped by the complexities of poverty, moms like Evelia have just begun to identify with the adjective ‘strong’. One reason is the excitement generated from the new ‘Strong Moms Market’. Monica, Evelia’s older daughter, helps her mom make change and shows her mother’s

handmade goods – purses, tortilla holders, and bracelets – to mission guests. The palapa is filled with conversation, translation, laughter, and the occasional horn of a Conch Shell. It may seem like everyday shopping, but bound up in every interaction are divine connections between artisan and buyer, creative and customer, image-bearer and image-bearer. These sounds of exchange and excitement are an echo of God’s heart for the people of Tres Reyes, and the world. God made this world to be a bustling venue of sharing and caring between friends, families, and neighbors. At the center, He placed people to dream, create, and innovate for the good of one another in

safe, trusting relationships (Psalm 104:1415). Whether it’s a caregiver and a child, a creative and a customer, or a business owner and a community, safety and trust are the foundations of thriving. This means the main issue in places like Tres Reyes isn’t just a lack of stuff, but a collapse of connection. Poverty erodes the relational foundations of safety and trust into the quiet chaos of isolation and shame. These deep disconnects stifle people’s creative and economic freedom. The question, then, isn’t solely, “How do we take care of poverty?” but also “How do we care for people in poverty?” We honor the dignity of their creativity. In March, the moms in the Strong Families Program participated in a two-week sewing class. They learned sewing skills, and were reminded they’re more than “have-nots”; they’re women created with dignity, value, worth, and gifts God’s joyfully given them. In this confidence, a small creative community emerged. In an effort to help foster their artistic energies, Back2Back staff in Tres Reyes created a plan: host a small market where the women can create and sell goods to visiting mission guests. As guests finish shopping, one asks Evelia, and Back2Back staff member Emily Riggs, “How will she use the money she’s made?”

A smile erupts across Emily’s face as she translates. Tears coat Evelia’s eyes as she quietly answers. “She’s going to buy her own land,” Emily translates. For years Evelia and her family have lived on land they don’t own, resulting in hostility, fear, and unpredictable treatment from the landlord. Buying her own land means, for the first time, Evelia can care for her family and contribute to her community in the freedom of consistent safety. Since the first Strong Moms’ Market in June 2016, this long table has become a catalyst for new goals and hopes. One mom purchased new school clothes for her kids, without the help of donations.Two others are saving for when their fishermen husbands won’t be working during the off-season. And Evelia sees new chapters unfolding for her small family as she saves, and nears the amount needed, to buy her own property. And they’ve done this in the freedom of safe, creative opportunities with others. While it may not seem like the dynamic, dramatic place to see the grandeur of God’s heart, this small market is exactly the sort of place God reveals His excitement to see families and communities flourish – families like Evelia’s. far left > Lupita, a Strong Family mom in Tres Reyes, greets mission guests during introductions at the Market. left > Missions guests interact with Tres Reyes moms during the Strong Moms’ Market. top right > Evelia and Monica together at the Strong Moms’ Market. above > Evelia learning the ins & outs of her sewing machine during the classes in March.

WE HONOR THE DIGNITY OF THEIR CREATIVITY. 20

Remember A C O M M I T M E N T TO

D Wadson Delvar, Back2Back Haiti Staff member,

stands tall, a smile lighting his face, as he looks out at

people who love and support him, people who are a part of his story. The doors at the back of the room open and all eyes move toward Aliane, dressed in white, as she prepares to walk towards her almost-husband. While this may seem like a fairly predictable wedding scene in the United States, in Haiti it is truly something special. Marriage in Haiti is often seen as impractical, and common law relationships have long been the cultural norm. For Wadson and Aliane, the pursuit of a public declaration of their commitment is something to be remembered. As Aliane walks down the aisle, she takes in the white and royal blue balloons decorating the altar behind him. She smiles as she hears whispers of how beautiful she looks in her dress, and she looks warmly at the children standing on either side of her future husband - young children in royal blue dresses and white suits matching Wadson’s.

At four years old, and living in City of Soliel Children’s Home, Wadson met Brent’s father, Bill Fudge. A mason with a desire to share his gifts and teach younger generations his skills, Bill spent a significant amount of time in Haiti. When Bill wasn’t in Haiti, he and Wadson exchanged letters, getting to know each other, sharing prayer requests, and becoming socially and emotionally connected. While there, he took intentional time to teach Wadson about masonry, instilling within Wadson a desire to work hard and to work well.

The children represent so much more than what he does for work everyday. When Wadson looks at each child standing next to him, he sees a reflection of his own childhood; Wadson sees the chance to make a difference, to help redefine family for them, as it was for him.

Standing next to Wadson, on one of the most memorable days of his life, are not his best friends from childhood or his adult buddies, but the children he helps care for with Back2Back Haiti; young, impressionable boys and girls watch as he makes a lifelong pledge to love and honor Aliane.

Growing up, Back2Back staff member, Brent Fudge always looked at a photo hanging from his family’s refrigerator. In the picture, it was a younger Wadson smiling back at him. Brent had yet to meet Wadson, but he innately recognized he was a part of his family.

“Bill was much more than a sponsor to me,” says Wadson. “He was a teacher, a friend, someone I could depend on. He became a part of my family. Bill stuck by me the whole time – that has made all the difference.” •••••••••••

Wadson takes Aliane’s hands in his own and smiles at her as the pastor begins their marriage ceremony. He takes in the children standing alongside them as they dedicate their lives to each other – vulnerable children with capabilities and promise within them. Children who people invest their love into, and who are afforded opportunities to dream. As they are announced husband and wife,Wadson grins, thinking about the little boy he was, and the man he has become. “It is my honor to serve alongside Back2Back and care for each boy and girl; they are not just children to me, they are a part of me. They are part of my family.”

A VOICE OF TRUSTED TRUTH We never know how long the children we serve will be entrusted to Back2Back’s care. While each child’s life is intertwined with ours, we desire to share the love of Christ.

APRIL 2013

Back2Back hosted the inaugural Cumbre, a “summit” dedicated to engaging Mexicans in responding to the growing Mexican orphan crisis.

SáUL AND ADRIáN

Week after week, Saul showed up, and slowly he began to gain Adrián’s trust.

Adrián, a boy at a Monterrey children's home, looked up, uncomfortable making eye contact; both he and Sául, a local volunteer, were clearly nervous. Sául, anxious to make a good first impression, started asking animated questions hoping to learn about the boy sitting across from him. Adrián quipped back with a short “si” or “no”. But, Sául was persistent. Week after week, he showed up, and slowly he began to gain Adrián’s trust.

“I want to be a governor or maybe even the president,” Adrián quietly told Sául one day as they worked together through homework assignments.

Sául looked right into Adrián’s eyes as he replied, “I believe you can do it.” Together, they began to work toward this goal. Adrián, who is a bright boy, was diligent in his studies, and was invited to attend a school for gifted children in Monterrey. All along the way, Sául was his encourager, and a voice of trusted truth. This is the power of the growing in-country volunteer movement in Mexico: involved, safe, loving adults consistently investing in the lives of the children Back2Back serves. ------------In April of 2013, Back2Back hosted the inaugural Cumbre, a “summit” dedicated to engaging Mexicans in responding to

the growing Mexican orphan crisis. Local churches attended and were informed of the crisis, and individuals were invited to get involved on a long-term basis. After the event, many Christian adults signed up, were trained, and became volunteers for Back2Back Mexico.They filled four strategic roles: mentors, tutors, local child sponsors, and disciplers and shared the Back2Back organizational goal of going deeper with the children we serve. Since it’s inception three years ago, the original volunteers have grown into advocates, as their love for the children grows. Not only has the depth of care developed, the breadth of care has

TODAY

Back2Back has 130+ local volunteers, who are involved with administrative, social work, and emotional support.

EUNICE AND ESTRELLA

spend time talking, playing, and working together on school projects.

widened with the volunteer team growing exponentially. -------------We never know how long the children we serve will be entrusted to Back2Back’s care. While each child’s life is intertwined with ours, we desire to share the love of Christ. Eunice, a volunteer, and Estrella, a young girl at a local children's home, met two years ago.That initial meeting was understandably tentative.The first measure of success came when Estrella called Eunice by her name; it was an initial sign of a growing relationship and of trust building between them. Eunice and Estrella would spend time talking, playing, and working together on

school projects. All the while Eunice was sharing with Estrella how much she was loved, not only by Eunice, but also by her Heavenly Father.

is able to provide better physical care for the children we serve because of doctors, dentists and nutritionists joining the volunteer team.

Months into their relationship, Estrella shared with Eunice she felt God moving in her life. She was able to whisper to Eunice what she felt God was doing in her and for her. Eunice’s investment of her time and her life is paying off in Kingdom dividends in the life of Estrella.

One of the essential goals of the volunteer program is to provide additional safe, consistent, and encouraging adults engaging in long-term relationships with children. The growing number of Mexican volunteers – special and valuable adults in the lives of kids – makes a real and eternal impact. Back2Back looks forward to adding even more to this developing number of lifechangers.

------------Today, Back2Back has 130+ local volunteers, who are invloved with administrative, social work, and emotional support. Back2Back

light has entered the darkness and the darkenss cannot overcome it.

WHEN LIGHT REFUSES TO LOSE by Chris Cox, Director of One 21

With the evening drawing to a close, the setting sun shared its last beams of beauty through the clouds above the mountains of Monterrey. The sounds of laughter could be heard coming closer.The doors to the lodge opened and dozens of teenagers, unsure of what to expect, poured into the room. After a day of Hope Program student testimonies, an emotional worship session, games, and teachings on the theme of “This is Living,” it seemed like a satisfying day. This day wasn’t going to end with a period, though, it was going down with an exclamation point. As the lights went out and darkness crept in, some of the students settled into their seats for a time of worship. For some students, a season of darkness has hovered over their hearts for a long time; this lightlessness seemed safer than the fluorescent glare illuminating every aspect of the One21 retreat thus far. The dimness of what was familiar felt safer than living in the light. Like so many of us, it can be easy to forget darkness does not signify the end. There are moments where we desire to remove the darkness, but as we try to run, we realize it becomes too overwhelming. In these moments, bringing light into murkiness changes the space, light picks a fight and refuses to lose. On this particular night the room was dim, but light was coming. Surrounding the unlit room of campers were voices of illumination, ready to whisper Truth. Caregivers, house parents, and Hope Program students had spent the previous four days praying over each student coming to the retreat. They were listening for the Spirit of God to share His word for each child With the lights out, they began to move, arms full of glow sticks, symbolically representing a greater light being shone this night. Marlene made her way to a circle of girls she had been investing in all weekend. With the gentleness of a caring big sister, she placed her hands on the shoulders

of a young teenage girl and whispered something special and personal in her ear. As Marlene cracked open a glow stick she could see the tears of joy on the young girl’s face. The encouraging words were cutting through the darkness. Kevin found his way through the darkness, two unlit glow sticks in his hand. He was on a mission to find his brother and sister. He had been carrying a word for them for a long time and he was finally given the space to speak it. He knelt down next to his younger brother, looked through the darkness into his eyes, and began to pour out the words a younger brother longs to hear. A few moments went by, then the crack of a glow stick cut through the night. The light was overtaking the darkness. As Kevin moved away to find his sister, his younger brother picked up a glow stick that was already on the ground, and followed behind Kevin. They would give this next word together. The light was becoming brighter in the room. Carlos and Marcela could be seen with their arms around a few students as they locked eyes and began to speak over them. Jed moved through the room until he found her, the girl who he would soon call

his foster daughter. He didn't even need words- his smile had already cut through any darkness around her. Each glow stick represented a life accepting hope. House parents were building new relationships with teenagers they had recently begun caring for. Caregivers, some for the first time, were speaking an encouraging word to even the most difficult boys coming from their home. As the words were spoken, the room became more luminous. As the light continued to glow, the confidence of the students began to transform the room. This light being shared with the students awoke within them a need to give life to others.They grabbed glow sticks, found their house parents and caregivers, and began speaking life-giving words back to them. The darkness couldn’t handle it. Before long, it was being illuminated by hundreds of glow sticks set against a soundtrack of cries, laughter, and life-giving whispers. As joy abounded in the room alight with glowing Truth, the students and adults chose to speak fearlessness into the darkness. They were not afraid of it anymore. Armed with glow sticks and jubilation, an anthem rang out into the night – Light has entered the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it. 26

Join the conversation with @b2bministries!

dziggs90 This week, God broke my heart once again for the orphan through an adorable girl with pigtails whose name is Keyla. #B2BMTY #BeTheDifference

jghizas Today, I am truly thankful for all

the moments I got to look into a child’s eye, laugh withjessicaduncan them, helpHerthem are seenHerand laugh is aknow that they jessicaduncan laugh is a sound I’ll never forget. #b2bcancun sound I’ll never forget. #b2bcancun valued. #B2BHaiti #B2Bgram#BeTheDifference #BeTheDifference #BeTheDifference

juliaflower13 Oh sweet Ismael, you stole my heart. #B2BMAZ #BeTheDifference

taylorchick96 One of the most contagious smiles I have ever seen and it rarely leaves his face. #B2BHaiti #BeTheDifference

steviecarpenter Louis and Jessica, I wish you enough sun to always keep your attitude bright. #B2BNigeria #BeTheDifference

_mariah.jane_ I vow to never teach them properness. #B2BIndia

#BeTheDifference #B2Bgram #ChildSponsor #B2BMTY #B2BCancun #B2BMAZ #B2BIndia #B2BNigeria

A NIGHT OF

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS stephiduff Oh, sweet Mary, front step conversations with you are among my favorite things. #B2BIndia

summerrose Blessed to find my calling in Cancun. #B2BCancun #BeTheDifference

TRANSFORM

RESTORE

emreyhansen God sees you Chuy. Sees you and pursues you with His love. You have not been forgotten. #B2BMAZ #B2Bgram

bethanygraces Sometimes being the difference for one means making room in your heart (and lap) for two. #B2BHaiti #BeTheDifference

J.JAY KERSEY, CFP, AEP, CFS KURT KERSEY, CFP, CLU, CHFC

HOPE CHUCK AND BOBBIE JO EHLERS jgduncan94 Most days I really miss these faces. Today, I’d do anything for a game of tag with them (even if I’m always it). #B2BCancun #CCTR

kristen_carter3 Blessed to sponsor a child who I can visit and love unconditionally.Can’t wait to see you change the world someday. #B2BMTY

GEORGE AND MELISSA HAGAN STEVEN AND KRISTIN INNIS JOHNSON INVESTMENT COUNSEL DICK AND ANN SATTERFIELD

BUT NOW I SEE... Leo is a strong, charismatic 23 year-old living in Monterrey, Mexico. Recently Leo opened up about his painful past and how God is making sense of it – redeeming it as only He can. Leo’s inspiring story represents so many of the orphaned and vulnerable children Back2Back serves. Hear how the Lord is working in Leo, those Leo is beginning to influence, and how Leo’s friend, Back2Back staffer Jed Zayner, played a key role in helping Leo map out his unfolding story. Like so many orphaned and vulnerable children around the world, Leo is a “social orphan” – children who have at least one living parent but whose parent(s) either cannot or will not care for them. “I grew up with two brothers and one sister, and we were living good in a big house. We weren’t a really close family. My father spent a lot of time working, and my mom stayed with us all day.” However, Leo’s father’s increasing alcohol abuse and subsequent spousal abuse led Leo’s mother to take the drastic step of taking the children and leaving the comforts of their home. “My mom started working. She was working from 6:00 to 6:00 – it was twelve hours. She was trying to give us what we needed: school, food, attention . . . but she couldn’t do that. It was too much for her because she was alone.” As a result, Leo and his siblings began to spend most of their time on the streets and often without food. Desperate, Leo’s mom made another drastic step. “One day my mom came to the house and she told us ‘Hey, I found a place.’ She told us it was a really cool place, there was a lot of animals and really cool things there, so we got excited. We said, ‘We

want to go there.’ But, when we got there, there were no cute animals, there was no really cool stuff. It was a bunch of kids running around. It was a children’s home.” In fact, after the director finished touring the home with Leo and his siblings the children found their mom on the other side of the home’s door. The only things she said was, “I’ll be back soon, I love you.” Leo’s mom often did come back but only to visit, never to take them to a home of their own. Eventually, Leo and his siblings settled into the reality that the children’s home had become their permanent residence and the family they longed for was not to be. Over the years, Leo admits the trauma of his childhood served as the springboard for poor decision-making and a distance from God – even when he made the transition and began living at Back2Back’s Hope Program campus in Monterrey. Now, however, through the help of “his friend,” Back2Back staffer Jed Zayner, and others, Leo’s life is moving in a different trajectory. “There was pain in my heart that I was trying to hide, and I was making bad decisions. In November of last year, though, God brought a friend who helped me open

my eyes and to see that only Jesus was the one who could fill my heart.” Through their help and the grace of God Leo confidently says,“I was totally blind, but now I can see.” The redemption of Leo’s story, however, doesn’t end just with Leo himself. Recently he has been serving at Children’s Homes like the one where he grew up. The interaction with the children there provides hope and inspiration – and even a hunger for Jesus. “They can see me as hope because every time I go to the children’s homes [the kids] love to spend time with me because they know I was where they are right now. Last April, one of the boys came to me and said ‘I got impacted by your testimony. I want to ask you something: I want to know if you want to do a Bible study with me?’ For me it was so exciting. I thought, ‘God I’ve been through all this past, all my testimony is for something - to bring hope. So this is a huge opportunity for me, and I say ‘YES’!”

Hear first hand from Leo. back2back.org/leo