SPRING/SUMMER 2019 VOLUME 27
Care for today. Hope for tomorrow.
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR is marvelous-how well I know it.” Many of the children we serve have some extended family. This is not the case with Pranay. He came to Back2Back from a difficult circumstance - with no name or documentation, so our staff named him Pranay, which means “love, affection, and friendship.” When Pranay read Psalm 139, he was sitting next to me and reading from my Bible. I listened to him and was thinking how grateful I am he can ground himself, (like we all need to!) in the word of God. “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!” We received some hard news as a Back2Back family that took me to India right after the New Year. K.Bindu, a wonderful, full-of-life 14-year old we have cared for since 2011, died suddenly on January 3rd. Grief is hard to manage in the best circumstances, but the death of a child is unbelievably tragic. What complicates things further, is the other children grieving her have already experienced so much loss in their lives. There was a memorial service in India for K.Bindu attended by the campus staff, some visitors (school staff and principal,) and the other children. There, we all reminded ourselves K.Bindu loved Jesus, and He created her for all eternity. Together, they are enjoying fellowship, and we can celebrate and be comforted by this truth. Later in the week, we had “home church” with the Indian staff and some of the children on the Back2Back Suzuki Samuel Campus. We sang worship songs, and in a giant circle, we opened it up for the children to share Scripture, if they wanted to. Casey Foreman, Back2Back India U.S. Director, shared Psalm 139. Everyone went around the circle reading two verses. Sitting next to me was 8-year old Pranay. He read 139:13-14 “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship
It seemed fitting as we spent the week in celebration of K.Bindu’s life, to have this truth spoken over the heart of Pranay. He was made, he was on purpose, he is loved, he is seen. It strikes me that even though Pranay had no name and no home, he has always been known and loved by God. Psalm 68:6 says “God sets the lonely in families.” God has given him a home in the Back2Back India family. This year we are working hard to accomplish what we believe God has been asking of us, “Until every child is known and loved.” God already knows each child, and already loves every one. It’s our privilege to share this truth with as many children as we can. We will do whatever it takes to reinforce this belief in the lives of the children we all serve, because as the loss of K.Bindu reminds us: we aren’t promised tomorrow. If you have been a part of supporting the India program, please receive our deepest gratitude for investing in the life of this child. She is now finally home.
Todd Guckenberger, Executive Director of Back2Back Ministries
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A It's CallSunday to Share Their Lives 15 Morning in India
VISION
We desire for every orphan and vulnerable child to have the opportunity for success through “Care for today and Hope for tomorrow.� The goal is each child would experience restoration to a life of purpose in which they can become fulfilled and mature Christian adults.
MISSION
13 7 A Commitment that
Back2Back Ministries is an international Christian
Cause for Celebration Changes Generations
non-profit organization dedicated to being a voice for orphans. We exist to love and care for orphaned and vulnerable children, by meeting their spiritual, physical, educational, emotional and social needs so they may
19 No Longer Out of Reach
11 Defying the Statistics
overcome their life circumstances and break free from the cycle of generational poverty.
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Will SoSays Be It All 19 HisMore Name 13 It's My Turn to Give Back
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I remember the day it all started: this sense that borders were mine for the crossing and children everywhere deserved permanency. It was supposed to be just a week, something to experience. I had no idea on this summer afternoon in 1996 that everything would shift to the point that I would never again live as I had before. Todd and I were on a missions’ trip with our local church, and we saw orphans hiding the hamburgers we brought for them under their mattresses. It was unthinkable.We stood in the doorframe of a preschool dorm room, mesmerized by what we were seeing and talking really fast to each other about what we could do to help. Surely if people knew how to get food to them, they would… We’ve since called that conversation our defining moment. I had no idea at the time—I wish it would’ve been painted across the sky: “Everything is about to change”— but that’s not how it works. I flew home the next day, we went back to work, I headed to the same grocery store, and I called my friends. There was a difference now, though; I have since described it like a burr in my saddle. Something had shifted in me, and I couldn’t quite get comfortable again in my old saddle. The path I was on which had seemed fine just a week before, now in light of my recent experience, looked okay, but I didn’t want okay anymore. So, I moved around for about a year on that saddle, trying to get comfortable again, but there was the silly burr, always reminding me I had changed in the doorframe. A year later, we moved to Monterrey, Mexico. God’s since used thousands of burrs in thousands of people to build what you see around you today. It’s a testimony to a community who listened when prompted, and stepped out in a reckless kind of faith. Ten years later, I was living in Mexico with a houseful of kids and we decided one weekend to go horseback riding. There was a long line of us, winding our way up a trail in the Mexican mountains. It felt like everyone else’s horse had settled, quietly submitting to the process of trail riding, but my horse was spirited and never seemed to relax into a rhythm. At first it was fun, but after about 30 minutes, I felt like I was going to be sick. “Hey,” I shouted up to our trail guide. “What do you think is going on with my horse? Is this operator error?” I joked, hoping to make light of the fact I couldn’t imagine another hour like this. She turned in
her saddle to watch me for a minute, and could see the horse dance along, jumpy and unsteady. I raised my hands up in a shrug, as if to say, “See?” She answered thoughtfully, “It looks like she has a little burr under her saddle. It must be rubbing her the wrong way. Her movements are a reaction to the little jolts of irritation.” She looked at her watch and then back to me. “But we’ve been out here for a while, and it should be fine soon. Burrs eventually get numb if we ignore them. Don’t worry, she’ll settle down.” Sure enough, whatever had been bothering her stopped, and she relaxed, spending the rest of the ride seeing nothing better than the rear end of the horse in front of her. I spent the rest of the ride reflecting on what happens when we ignore the burrs God puts under our saddles. Seems to me, eventually we just get numb, and everyone around us feels better when we’re settled and can be easily ridden. The staff and guests who come visit this year will study Biblical characters who reacted to the burrs God put under their metaphorical saddles and modeled a ‘reckless faith.’ We’ll watch how they shifted when God led them and stepped out without counting the cost. It’s the prayer we will all tell our stories of God’s prompting and the goodness that followed in small groups, and on bus rides, and in debriefings. There have been countless burrs in saddles that have followed this one—moments we couldn’t sit still watching vulnerable kids go uneducated, or couldn’t unsee the devastation after an earthquake in Haiti, or be comfortable knowing better care could be offered to special needs children in Mazatlán. Ask questions of what you hear and read about Back2Back is doing, and I promise there’s a story of someone uncomfortable with the chaos they saw and wanting to bring God’s peace and presence in a tangible way. Listen and join in. What moves you? What makes you uncomfortable? Or motivated to action? Come share with us your burrs and how they’ve changed your trajectory, and we’ll share ours. Together, we’ll encourage one another to run towards the call God has for us all.
by Beth Guckenberger, Author and Co-Executive Director of Back2Back Ministries
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She’s the most unlikely and unassuming star in the fastest growing sport in the world. The Serena Williams and Michael Phelps of her sport wrapped in a combination of energy, grit, determination, and humility. What’s more, in a sport which prides itself on being among the most grueling and physically demanding in the world, Canadian Lindsay Webster is arguably the greatest Obstacle Course Racer of all time. (Although her husband, and OCR legend, Ryan Atkins, might have something to say about that.) Lindsay also had the trajectory of her life changed on a trip to Back2Back’s India campus in spring, 2018. “The people I met in India were living in or had dealt with hardships I couldn’t even fathom, yet they were the happiest people I’d ever met. I realized I complain about the silliest things. It made me see life in a whole different way. It made
me reflect on and appreciate everything I have - my marriage, my career choices, even my chores. India changed the way I see my life.” Lindsay’s new perspective on life didn’t end in India, however. Spearheading the #ocrgivesback movement with the help of Back2Back’s Steve McCollum, the world champion and face of OCR has come to embrace her growing influence. “My trip with Back2Back changed my life forever. I realized I could be the difference in the lives of vulnerable children. I’m inviting the OCR family to join me.” Hear more about Lindsay’s amazing experience in her own words at: www.humann.com/life-changed-8431-miles-away FOLLOW LINDSAY: Facebook @LindsayWebsterOCR
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Instagram @lindsaydawnwebster
LINDSAY WEBSTER #1 OCR athlete in the world, humbly and compassionately serving Back2Back children in India by connecting through play.
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A COMMITMENT THAT CHANGES GENERATIONS
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CANCUN, MEXICO
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A Commitment That Changes Generations Imagine a busy home – a mother preparing a meal after working all day, moving about her family, motivating children to finish their homework while cooking a meal. A father working hard at his job in a nearby town and arriving home with rough hands and a hungry belly. The children chattering as they come to the table, ready for the traditional Mexican meal. Families have evening rhythms all around the world, the hustle and bustle of catching up on days, mixed with hot food and connection. In Cancun, this mother and father may be committed in their hearts to one another, but not always committed by law. The cost of both a legal marriage and the accompanying religious ceremony is cost prohibitive for some families living in rural areas. Both the man and woman may have dreamt of a wedding, but other roles have taken precedence over the years – mother, father, co-parent, breadwinner. Parents in Back2Back's Strong Families Program in Cancun are working daily to be the best mothers and fathers they can be for their children. Attending classes and trainings at the Community Centers of Tres Reyes and Bonfil equip every parent with needed life skills. There they learn marketable trades to earn money, and Bible classes to remind them of their rightful place in the Kingdom. They build strong community through parenting classes alongside others working towards the same goals of sustainability and stability. Back2Back social workers invest daily in the families through classes, teaching necessary skills to promote positive belief systems. Through intentional conversation and getting to know each family member personally, the social workers understand the family history. “As the staff built relationships and developed trust with the moms, conversations about legal marriage came up,” shared Jenn Holden, Back2Back staff. “We realized many weren’t legally married, and wanted to be. When we mentioned the potential for a wedding ceremony, they dreamt about what it could mean for their families.” The moms talked to their partners, sharing the excitement they felt at being able to officially call each other husband and wife.
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CANCUN, MEXICO
“You may kiss your bride!� The pastor smiled at the couples in front of him. Many acted shy about displays of affection in front of such a large group. However, in the end, each couple embraced as a final step in their marriage ceremony. The wedding march rang out beneath the palapa at the Community Center of Tres Reyes, and the couples walked out arm-in-arm. After months of planning and opportunities for dreaming, seven couples from the Strong Families Program officially married. The ceremony included an exchange of rings, first dances, professional photographs, and the cutting of cake. Family members and their children watched with smiles, witnessing the beginning of change for future generations. Recently, motivated by the first seven couples, a second ceremony took place and couples took the bold step of entering into legal marriage in front of loved ones. Together, the mothers and fathers in the Strong Families Program are breaking generational patterns and teaching their children the power of commitment.
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JOS, NIGERIA
The path leading to Igmin Kibe Education Center is long and winding. The dust rises in the air following the footsteps of villagers and the occasional wild animal. On a clearskied afternoon, a young girl atop a bicycle made her way down the dirt trail. She cycled closer and those who recognized her smiled at the sight. Dorcas, one of the girls who attended Igmin Kibe, was steering her bike with one hand and holding a book with the other, refusing to pause the story into which she’d entered. According to unesco.org, less than 40% of countries provide girls and boys with equal access to education, and of the world’s 123 million illiterate youth, 76 million are female. Stephen Igba, Back2Back’s Community Outreach Coordinator, has known Dorcas’ family for a while, and immediately saw something unforgettable in the young girl. He and Daniel Asama, Back2Back Nigeria Director, visited the family regularly, following the passing of Dorcas’ father. Daniel laughs as he remembers one of his first interactions with Dorcas.“I was visiting Kisayhip, the village where the family lives, and she approached without fear and asked, ‘Uncle, why aren’t I in your program? What do I have to do to be chosen?’” From an early age, Dorcas knew she wanted more for her life. Despite all international and national efforts, over half of children out of school in the world are girls. Thirty-one million girls don’t attend school or receive an education globally. (unesco.org) When two spots opened at the education center, Stephen knew one of them belonged to Dorcas. Her mother, however, was fearful of traditional schooling - her daughter was behind academically, unable to read, and thus would be singled out. Stephen assured her this was just the kind of student Back2Back wanted to come alongside, and then Dorcas met Kenneth, a dedicated tutor at the center. Unable to read, socially backward, and with few friends to call her own, twelve-year old Dorcas began at the center. Kenneth set up lessons with her to improve her reading skills before formal schooling started. Within a year, Dorcas skipped
two grades and represented her class in math competitions, and with newfound confidence and literacy, she became a voracious reader. Literacy is a fundamental right for women. “On its own, literacy neither saves lives nor fills hungry mouths,” says Katy Newell-Jones of Feed the Minds. “A woman who is able to keep her own business records is more likely to be able to manage her income and expenditure; and the children of a literate mother are more likely to complete their education.” Dorcas read, and is still reading, everything she gets her hands on.As she read more, she opened her Bible more, and tutors saw a shift in her spiritual life. Dorcas volunteered to share longer Biblical passages aloud during Bible studies and volunteered in the children’s department at her church, leading her own Sunday school class. She has grown spiritually, commenting, “Many of the books I read contain Scripture, and what I’ve realized is, there is no separation between the secular and spiritual world – God is in every part of it.” Dorcas is a young woman who thinks intentionally before she speaks. “She has a subtle way of speaking,” her Hope Parents, Hosanna and Esther, shared. “She selects her words carefully, always going the extra mile to avoid hurting anyone’s feelings with her feedback.” Dorcas displays a clear instinct for doing the right thing, at the right time, often feeling restless when there is a problem to be solved, She is also a selfdescribed perfectionist. “This is why books are so appealing to me,” Dorcas explained. “They allow me to escape to another world, full of beautiful places and beautiful people. It is a place where I feel a part of something bigger.” According to The United Nations Education, one additional year in school can increase a woman’s earnings by 10-20% over a lifetime; women with post-primary education are five times more likely than illiterate women to be educated on HIV prevention, and children of parents with a basic education are more likely to survive past the age of five.
“When I read, I often try to relate to the character’s problems, challenges, and emotions,” explained Dorcas. Once a twelve-year old girl unable to read, she’s now a Hope Program Student reading adult-level Christian fiction in her free time. “I want to understand people’s motivations, to see things from their point of view.” These skills have led Dorcas to be incredibly compassionate. Dorcas’ reading has improved her vocabulary, helping her to interact with those around her better. Before, she felt on the outside of things, but now friendships are flourishing. Her extensive reading habits have helped her learn how to organize thoughts and construct better writing skills. She is a girl unafraid to use her voice and unapologetic about her love for the written word. “Before Back2Back, I didn’t know how to read. My time at the center was the foundation,” she explained. “It was the solid rock to my future, and now the Hope Program is helping me realize what the future has in store for me.” Literacy has long caused ripple effects around the world for women and children. We know where there are literate young women, there is promise for the future, and we are seeing that longevity of promise in Dorcas’ story.
Day-by-day, word-by-word, Dorcas is exceeding expectation and leaving a legacy of compassion and a love for knowledge. We are grateful to bear witness to the expression of gifts God had long buried in Dorcas. It was our role to simply make room for those gifts to be discovered. Now we testify to the world – Dorcas was created for a purpose, and we delight in it.
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He has seen service modeled for him most of his life, quietly watching and wondering why so many people would volunteer their time, energy, and money to serve others.
Monterrey
Cancun
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MONTERREY, MEXICO
When we say yes to serving others, there is an inevitable ripple effect. We don’t always get to see the ripple effect in action. We serve, love, wait, and trust God to bring fruit, and ultimately glory, to Himself. Sometimes, He reveals the way one yes flowed right into another, leaving hearts, minds, and even life trajectories changed in its wake. This was one of those moments.
She said
“Yes, I see you,” “Yes, I know you,” “Yes, I love you.” When Judy received a cancer diagnosis, Guillermo said yes to encouraging video messages, yes to extra letters, and yes to prayers. Later, when Judy passed away, the ripple effect of her yes kept going. Her family said yes to building the Community Center of Tres Reyes, in Cancun to honor her. Today, the Judy Morand Center of Hope is the cornerstone of the Community Center of Tres Reyes and Judy’s husband says yes to the letters full of “I know you can do it!” and “Keep up the good work!” Guillermo has grown into a young adult of quiet confidence, supported by an army of people who serve and love him. As a result of all the ‘yes’s’ in his life, he said yes to an opportunity to continue his education in the Hope Program and play on the Los Dos Soccer team. When the coach asked “Who wants to go on a mission trip to serve other kids?” Guillermo said yes to a trip to Cancún, Mexico to serve and love others at the Judy Morand Center of Hope. He has seen service modeled for him most of his life, quietly watching and wondering why so many people would volunteer their time, energy, and money to serve others. He has seen the Hope Program students who have gone before him, influenced by the ripple effect of their yes’s to go and serve others. He said yes to cleaning the community center as the team prepared for a boys retreat for young men living in vulnerable families. He said yes to preparing meals, playing soccer, and serving a boy who wanted a plate of food that wasn’t spicy,
Judy said yes to a trip to Monterrey, Mexico to serve and love others. She met a shy and quiet 8-year-old with amazing dimples and said yes to sponsorship. For years, Judy said yes to letters filled with
“I know you can do it!” and “Keep up the good work!” She said yes to birthday gifts of jeans and shoes. She said yes to several visits, and spent time playing board games, and taking a trip to the local arcade.
“He said it would bother his stomach, so I went to the kitchen and got him a plate without salsa.” He knows it matters to say, “yes, I hear you,” because people showed up in his life and taught him he was heard. And as he worked and served at “Judy’s Center,” a new belief began to take root. “I have something to offer, too. Now the roles have been reversed, and I get why people do it. I understand why people serve other people. It’s my turn to give back.”
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HYDERABAD, INDIA
Each girl slowly covers her head with a thin, decorated scarf and closes her eyes as they sing loudly to Jesus. The songs’ are recognizable in tune, but not language. On the other side of the world, there’s a beautiful scene going on, children known and loved by their Maker, offering worship.
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The bass sound hits before you get to the front porch. It’s loud and pulsing, the kind of beat felt in your chest. The Indian day is warm, any lingering coolness the morning brought dissipates quickly as the orange sun rises higher. At the front door, a varied collection of shoes, flip-flops, flats, and velcro sandals are sprayed across the marble floor like a giant rainbow – evidence of the vast array of personalities greeting you on the other side of the door. At the slap of the screen door in the large room, you are greeted with accented voices wishing you a pleasant morning. “Good morning, sister!” “Hello, brother!” “Morning, good sister!” Small hands reach out, doe-like brown eyes glisten as smiles transform faces. Slowly, everyone takes their positions. Boys and men to the left of the room, women and girls to the right. Bright pinks and yellows and turquoises adorn thin figures. Boys with gelled down hair and girls with thick, black, rope-like braids pull for attention. Amos Vankey, the campus pastor, takes the microphone and wishes children and visitors a good morning. “Now, it is time for...Action Songs!” The children squeal in excitement and jump to their feet. The bass of the music returns. On the projection screen, boys and girls lead worship songs with actions to accompany. As the action songs end, everyone sits down. Each girl gracefully places her feet to her right and flows her dress around her. The boys sit crosslegged and reach for their Bibles. 17
The morning passes quickly, children standing bravely to share testimonies of exams passed and positive conversations with family members about their faith. Slower, softer worship music comes on and the boys, one by one, raise up on their knees, lifting their hands with abandon. Each girl slowly covers her head with a thin, decorated scarf and closes her eyes as they sing loudly to Jesus.The songs’ are recognizable in tune, but not language. On the other side of the world, there’s a beautiful scene going on, children known and loved by their Maker, offering worship.
Spiritual development is one way Back2Back offers care for today and hope for tomorrow to children around the world. Church services, each unique to their culture, are a regular part of a child’s life around the world at each site. India’s church services offer a sensory rich experience every Sunday morning, and the children who call campus home have a powerful worship time. Children, like eleven-year old Sandya, whose biological parents practice Hinduism, has come to know the God who died for them is worth telling others about, and demonstrate a quiet poise and confidence in their identities as Christ-followers. Sandya regularly asks for prayer for her family during the testimony part of church services, and is growing in her boldness of faith. Amos leads the staff in playing an important role in the spiritual development of the children on campus. “When I felt called to ministry, it was children God put on my heart,” shared Amos. It is this passion and obedience to Jesus which allows Amos to share his love for God with the children. During the weekdays, while the children are at school, the caregivers’ voices rise steadily in their mother tongue to worship Jesus. Before every dinner, the boys and girls lead prayer through song, and children like Pranay, (who came in 2016 when his parents’ whereabouts couldn’t be found,) pray palms up, offering and receiving from the Lord. Following, sharing, and worshiping Jesus isn’t just for Sundays, it is a way of life at the India Hope Campus. Back2Back India is raising up believers in a country where Christianity makes up just 2.3% of the population. Join us in praying this body of Christ followers will grow to cause ripples in their own communities, through their shameless adoration of the King. If the children learn on the Back2Back campus how to worship, we can trust they have hope for their future, and we can be confident God is on the move in the India we love.
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His name says it all
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MAZATLAN, MEXICO
Meet Victor
Victor, affectionately known as Big Victor at Rancho de los Niños Children’s Home, is seventeen years old. Visionary. Camera-shy. Big brother. Inclusive. Playful. Unaware of how remarkable he is. . As one of the most developmentally advanced in the home at Rancho de los Niños, Victor accepts his role of big brother and takes it seriously, but his confidence and demeanor is a quiet one. “Victor has always been really shy with his peers,” shared Ethan Drent, Back2Back staff. He is close friends with Alexis, another teen boy at the home, but otherwise watches out for others in a quiet, protective way. Victor sits outside the home. A visiting team takes time to get to know the children he lives with, but he watches from the sidelines until, out of the corner of his eye, he sees Ramon Balderra, Back2Back staff, and his face lights up. They step into effortless and fun conversation – Victor’s sense of humor arises when he’s comfortable with people. Ramon isn’t just a safe adult in Victor’s life, he’s a trusted friend. Victor’s educational history hasn’t always been easy. Three different schools meant new teachers, unfamiliar peers, and a lack of consistency needed to flourish. He struggled in the classrooms and yet, teachers would pass him on, regardless of performance. For many years, Victor showed up to school not learning, but still advancing. All of this combined to put Victor behind his peers and needing a new solution. The answer came with Pacific Christian Academy, a school founded by Back2Back, to meet the individual needs of students, just like Victor, through the Back2Back 5-Point Development Plan: spiritual, physical, educational, emotional, and social development. It provided, for Victor, the opportunity to be uniquely seen and educationally catered to. PCA offers trauma-informed classroom environments, with trauma-trained teachers, for the students who attend. It provides unique lesson plans designed for each student, and a spiritual component to teach teens about living and contributing to God's Kingdom. ____________ Victor waits patiently for the bus which will take him to PCA. The social and emotional growth Victor is experiencing as part of his new school day allows him to grow in independence. “He used to need reminders for homework and prioritizing the most important tasks,” shared Ethan. “PCA provides consistency and builds up confidence where it wasn’t before.” Victor completes his homework without being asked, and is developing friendships with peers outside of Rancho de los Niños Children’s Home. Once the visiting mission team, whom he previously shied away from, entered into his classroom, he grabbed his friends and posed for a picture. The boy once too shy to interact with peers, now wishes to include those around him in his everyday life. Like so many children who come from hard places, Victor’s past hurts have impacted his view of people and God. He was afraid to get close to people, and felt anger at God, who allowed for a family situation which was not ideal. He held onto this anger well into his
time at Rancho, around men and women of God. “The consistent discipleship he receives at school, along with the Christian friends he has now made, opens the door for him to trust Jesus,” shared Ethan. God is using friendship, fellowship, and devotionals to help him better comprehend his own experiences and grow more spiritually mature. He is a part of a new generation of believers leaving their God-given mark on the world. ____________ Rancho de los Niños Children’s Home started a good work in Victor many years ago. Offering him a safe space and trusted adults developed new skills and talents in Victor. Dedicated caregivers, staff, teachers, and volunteers give him confidence he had lost earlier in life. Victor is surrounded by supportive people all day long, reminding him he is worthy. Together, we cheer him on as he blazes a new trail many will follow. 20
One of Back2Back’s cultural values is develop towards sustainability. This involves looking for workable solutions to obstacles preventing forward movement. One of the barriers to growth is the cost associated with electrical power and the rationing of diesel used in back-up generators on the Back2Back Haiti Campus. For example, it could cost up to $7000 dollars a month in fuel costs ($84,000/year), and within four years, we will have paid back the solar panel project by what we have saved on gas. We’ve seen great results in the small solar project we installed in March 2017 at Jesus Name Children’s Home. They’re now able to have power consistently without the cost of electricity, and the cumbersome burden of managing a generator. Kids can have lights on at night to do homework and share a meal. Wideline, a girl who dreams of becoming a seamstress, uses her sewing machine at night now. Stanley can lean his body sideways in his bed to catch
HOUSING FOR STAFF On the new Haiti campus, this building is where Back2Back staff will be living.
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PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI
the breeze of a blowing fan. Running fans through the night have cut down on heat in each room, allowing for easier sleep. Music crooning through speakers provide soft background noise before bedtime; reading fluency has increased as children read in their rooms. Electricity in the home is much more than light – it’s hope. We’re thrilled this home has had this upgrade, and the quality of life for the children has so significantly improved. Back2Back’s Haiti campus will be open this summer after a year and a half of construction, and we’ve spent the last couple of years engineering the plans for maximum impact. It will have housing for staff and guests, and a multi-purpose building for training. This building will be the site of education and a gathering place for other non-profits to collaborate. In a country with more than 10,000 NGOs, we want to look for ways to come together with other like-minded missions and see cooperation and relationship as keys to greater impact.
It has already had a playground installed this winter, and the children have been enjoying it on campus. “And Lord, we just ask You to help this be a place where healing happens through play. Amen,” Todd Guckenberger, Back2Back Executive Director, finished his prayer over the new playground in Haiti. The children from Harvest Care whispered “Amen” alongside him, then rushed to try every element of the new playground. In early November, a team of six men visited Haiti with one thing in mind – to construct a playground for children to enjoy whenever they were on the new land.
Across the street from the campus is a community called Canaan, it was the original site of the largest tent city following the earthquake with over 100,000 individuals living there. The need for healthy adults to interact with this population is extraordinary. Every dollar we save on power, we can allocate towards staff salaries, increasing the work of strengthening families and preventing orphans.
“We worked for three days, and on the third day we were blessed to have the children from Harvest Care come enjoy the new playground,” shared Todd. Three of the children also prayed alongside him, thanking God for the gift of the playground and for fun to be had in the future.
We've completed the solar installation, but are still raising funds for the completed project. If this is something you’d be interested in talking to us more about, we’d love to share what we’ve seen so far and the need still remaining.
CANAAN This community was the original site of the largest tent city following the earthquake with over 100,000 individuals living there.
Solar power is a key to providing more resources for the kids as a clean, sustainable, consistent energy source. And more resources mean more lives changed and consistent, uninterrupted work.
Check out the latest progress at back2back.org/haitisolar
MULTI-PURPOSE BUILDING This building will be the site of education and a gathering place for other non-profits to collaborate.
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CINCINNATI, CINCINNATI,OHIO OHIO
The house, sitting on a beautiful piece of land in Eastern Ohio, is where the teens were taken earlier in the day. For many, the drive was their first trip outside of Cincinnati, and the day had been filled with laughter, conversation, and new experiences.
The last boy enters the house, processing aloud.
“That was stupid. Who races with a bucket of rocks?!” These young men get up, face hurdles, and pick up buckets of burden everyday. It can seem they are set up to lose.They may be smarter, faster, stronger, and more resilient than those they are racing, but the burden of their story can slow them down. They are left watching as others reap the rewards of a life they could live. Sports teams. Grades. Family. Work. Friendships. Someone else always seems to slip into their spot, because who wins a race with bucket of rocks?
Two young men slide up to the makeshift starting line in the gravel driveway. Their friends debate who will win this race, the crowd divided by loyalty.The boys who have been in the program longest have never seen their friend lose a race. The new guys have never seen him run, so they side with the younger, newer racer. They were racing for the title of fastest boy at Villedge, a Back2Back Cincinnati partner. Just as the race is set to begin, the first young man is given a 5-gallon bucket of rocks to carry. “Do you still want to race?” he’s asked. He nods in response, affirming he plans to outrun the boy next to him, even with a bucket of rocks.
Each young man realized they’ve been told a lie – a “man” is someone strong enough to carry their own burdens and still win. Walking through this discussion together has cultivated a unity among these twenty-five young men that’s still being felt. Among their discussion were these questions:Why is this burden here? Would I still want to be in this community, if I didn’t have this burden? If I wasn’t carrying this burden, what would I want to be doing? What burden can I leave here? Answering the final question on paper, they then placed those words in a fire. One less rock of shame to carry.
Ready. Set. Go. They take off.The first boy keeps pace for the first ten steps, but the rocks throw off his balance. He wobbles, losing his footing, and rocks fly out of the bucket. The second runner pulls ahead as his opponent’s bucket tumbles to the ground. Soon after, the boys return to the house, wondering what this foot race and the retreat they’re attending have in common.
Learn more about Back2Back Cincinnati: back2back.org/Cincinnati 22 24
“The school in Constanza, D.R. was facing extreme discipline problems, including students running out of the classrooms 30 plus times a day, acts of violence, and even multiple threats of suicide daily. After staff began learning about the Trauma Competent Care approach, changing practices, and implementing new policies and procedures, we have gone down to less than one child running out of class a week, and almost no suicide threats at all.�
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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Armed with the
Power of Connection One of Back2Back’s main initiatives in the Dominican Republic is offering Trauma Competent Care trainings (TCC) to local ministries and organizations. This research-based training is designed to give caregivers a compassionate understanding of complex developmental trauma, and how it effects the body, biology, brain, behavior, and belief system of children from hard places. The training provides strategies caregivers need to bring healing to the children they serve through connection, empowerment, and correction. As of 2019, over 260 individuals have attended, representing thousands of children in the DR. The concepts taught in Trauma Competent Care trainings can seem counterintuitive. Instead of focusing on behavior management and control, it emphasizes connection. It’s been an opportunity for TCC participants to work through their generational and cultural patterns. Many of the participants openly shared their personal experiences of abusive correction at the hands of their parents, and acknowledged this “correction” intended to bring about behavioral change, actually brought about shame and fear. Armed with new knowledge and new tools, these participants are striving to correct the children they serve in more positive ways. Last year, we received an e-mail from Kaela, who works in a ministry serving 1,800 children from hard places in schools and residential care facilities. Kaela and many of her colleagues have attended the Trauma Competent Care trainings. She said, “The school in Constanza, D.R. was facing extreme discipline problems, including students running out of the classrooms 30 plus times a day, acts of violence, and even multiple threats of suicide daily. After staff began learning about the TCC approach, changing practices, and implementing new policies/procedures, we have gone down to less than one child running out of class a week, and almost
Kaela shared with us her staff feel like they have found the “missing piece of the puzzle” in TCC. The trainings have impacted their ministry so much, they have decided to make TCC a required training for all 250 staff members. They now have two individuals on staff dedicated to the implementation of TCC principals into their programs.
no suicide threats at all.” Kaela specifically said the TCC correction
Ultimately, we are excited to see God restoring lives through the
strategies have helped their staff maintain peace, joy, and love while
Trauma Competent Care training He’s given us. The hope and
modeling appropriate behavior in very difficult circumstances.
prayer is more lives in the Dominican Republic will be changed this year, and in years to come.
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“Honored to be a part of this.”
“God is doing amazing things.”
“The world is changing for the better every day.”
“I will be here in your corner.” 25 CANCUN, MEXICO
“I think I may be falling in love.”
“I’m inviting my family to join me.”
“It made me see life in a whole different way.”
“So different, but with one common goal.”
Learn how you too can make a difference. back2back.org/go
waits Discover what a o God. t when we say yes
Our worlds collided when the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals played baseball in Monterrey, Mexico, in April as part of the MLB International series. Cincinnati Reds pitchers Jared Hughes and Zach Duke visited the Monterrey campus to play games, answer questions and share their faith. 250 children attended the baseball games at the Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey and received tickets, food and transportation compliments of the Reds, Cardinals and Major League Baseball. A hundred children participated in an MLB “Play Ball” clinic at the ballpark with Reds and Cardinals players and mascots Mr. Redlegs, Rosie Red and Fredbird. The Monterrey events are over but Cincinnatibased fans can still join in the baseball fun. Our partnership with the Reds will extend throughout the season with a special ticket offer that includes a limited-edition Los Rojos hat and a donation to Back2Back. For more information, go to
reds.com/back2back
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s life-changing message has compiled forty Beth Guckenberger s devotional Thi . faith less reck to live with to encourage believers that follows a “yes” the adventure and joy journey walks through g on experiences ctin refle of h ue approac to Jesus. Through a uniq s, each day tells step n actio rnal ge and exte to create internal chan to grow. accepted a challenge she n whe of ies stor l persona and some around e on the mission field plac take ies stor e Som with Jesus, who longs insight to inspire a life her table, but all hold us all. to work in and through you: This journey will help faith adventures • Experience reckless hs to your daily life • Relate biblical trut heart for others • Understand God’s xecutive DiBERGER is the Co-E BET H GUC KEN nal orphanMinistries, an internatio family rector of Back2Back a and Todd have large care organization. Beth foster, and adoptive , gical biolo gh they’ve formed throu 9 $16.9 or and -9 children. She is an auth 978-1-949784-16 51699> experi- ISBN speaker, sharing her y, onar ence as a mother, a missi ’s Word. and a student of God 9 9 781949 78416
R e c k l e s s Fa i t h
Re c k l e s s Fa i t h y a 40-day journe to saying yes
GUCKENBER
Beth Guckenberger has compiled forty life-changing messages to encourage you to live with reckless faith. This devotional journey walks through the adventure and joy that follows a “yes” to Jesus. Through a unique approach of reflecting on experiences to create internal change and external action steps, each day tells personal stories of when she accepted a challenge to grow. Some stories take place on the mission field and some around her table, but all hold insight to inspire a life with Jesus, who longs to work in and through us all.
This 40-day devotional journey will help you: • Experience reckless faith adventures • Relate biblical truths to your daily life • Understand God’s heart for others
GER
E N B E RG E R BETH GUCK
Introduction
After ten years, I revisited the Reckless Faith stories that formed my faith and birthed this ministry, and reimagined them as devotionals. There’s new content in this book as well, as God is always teaching me when I am willing to learn. I’ve set up this devotional in a forty-day format, because forty is an important biblical number. Mentioned 146 times in Scripture, it generally symbolizes a period of testing and then renewal—think Moses and his forty years in Egypt, or the spies sent out for forty days. Think Jonah and forty days of warning Nineveh, and Elijah, who went forty days without food or water. Jesus was tested for forty days and appeared to the disciples for forty days until He ascended into Heaven. Important pivots and decisions can be made in a forty-day time period, so I wanted us to walk together for those days and ask: Where are you calling me, Lord, what are you trying to show me or say to me, and how can I respond to You with yes?
Available on Amazon July 15th
For more information and great bonus material, visit back2back.org/40days
In the start of 2018, I learned a new word that captivated me. Hineni is the Hebrew word translated as “Here I am.” More accurately, it translates, “Whatever it is you are asking of me, I am already in agreement of it.” It’s used eight times in the Bible and each use occurs at defining moments in the biblical characters’ lives, moments that required decision, action, and resolution, moments that required saying “yes” to God. Examples include, Moses saying “yes” when God called out to him to lead the Israelites out of slavery at the burning bush in Exodus 3, and Abraham saying “yes, here I am” when God called him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, in Genesis 22. I want to have a spirit of hineni. Not count costs, not count myself out, but if God asked, led, or prompted, I want to respond with yes. There is one time in Scripture when the Lord says hineni actually to us: Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food
with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: (hineni) Here am I. – ISAIAH 58:6-9 There it is, the explanation of my whole Christian journey: busy about His work, in over my head, I needed Him to provide daily for what I didn’t have in natural reserves. So, some days I asked for wisdom or discernment, some days for self-control or patience. I hineni’d my way through adoptions, friendships, tough assignments, marital fights, and health crises. What follows are several dozen stories of moments when God responded, each time saying “Here am I” and asking me to say “yes” to an everevolving reckless faith.
BETH GUCKENBERGER is the Co-Executive Director of Back2Back Ministries. Beth and Todd have a large family they’ve formed through biological, foster, and adoptive children. She is an author and speaker, sharing her experience as a mother, a missionary, and a student of God’s Word.
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