FALL/WINTER 2018 VOLUME 26
Care for today. Hope for tomorrow.
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR “That’s the reason it’s one of my favorite books,” I told her, “Redemption is the heart of the gospel story.”
I just returned from Nigeria, where I always leave encouraged. One afternoon, I was serving in the Igmin Kibe Education Center and talking to one of the students, Dorcas. She’s a 7th grader who has skipped two grades since she’s entered into our care. She wanted me to know how much one of the teachers, Kenneth, has helped her learn to read. “I want you to know, he was sent by God to teach me to read.” I was speechless. She was grateful for her new skill, grateful for her teacher, and better yet, grateful to God, not Back2Back. “What are you reading now?” I asked her. “I just finished Redeeming Love,” she said. Redeeming Love? Could this be the same 400-page book Beth made me read a number of years ago on vacation? I tested her knowledge of the story with a question about the main character, Angel. She answered competently, “She made so many bad decisions, but in the end learns who loves her.”
I spend a lot of my day thinking about strategy, talking to staff, fundraising, and working on what needs to change. It would be safe to say I spend more time thinking about what isn’t working, than what is. Dorcas didn’t realize it, but I needed her testimony that day. I needed reminded of what God is doing through this community. I recently put in my email signature, “Easier said than done. I’m in if you’re in.” I wasn’t being flippant, just trying to express what I am feeling. It’s not easy to do this work, but I fight better knowing I’m on a team who understands and fights, too. Later in the week, I met with twenty of the Nigerian leadership and they asked me what “we” were working on. As I shared with them some items on my plate, the load momentarily felt lighter. I told them I am working on sustainable income, staff care, system improvements, and problems I don’t want anyone to inherit one day. Those aren’t going to be solved overnight, but Dorcas was a great reminder to me, while I focus on big picture challenges, there is a girl in a Nigerian village learning about redemption.
Todd Guckenberger, Executive Director of Back2Back Ministries
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A Call to Share Their Lives
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
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Cause for Celebration
19 No Longer Out of Reach
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 so they may overcome their life circumstances and break free from the cycle of generational poverty.
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Learning Valuable Life Lessons
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Will More So Be
We would like to thank Quality Printing for partnering with Back2Back by offering us high-quality printing.
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by Beth Guckenberger, Co-Executive Director of Back2Back Ministries Every year,Todd and I lead a team of high school students from my children’s public school in Ohio to Monterrey, Mexico.We’ve done it for several years now.This year, we took a children’s home to a bowling alley. It was a fantastic activity for about 90% of the group, but there were a couple children, because of age, or attention, or disability, who played on the fringe. I circled the group like a sheep dog, making sure the soda spills were getting cleaned up and the bathroom breaks weren’t taking too long. I laughed at strikes and spares, and took pictures of new friendships forming. One of the mission trip guests had traveled to Mexico with a broken heart, and while a few of us were privy to the challenging circumstances of his life, no one knew how to make it better. He was outside the group activity, attending to those not fully engaged. Then a little girl too young to sustain a game of bowling, snuck up and pulled on his hand, running away once she had his attention. When he spun around and locked eyes with her, his whole face lit up and the makingit-better began. They spent the rest of the afternoon engaged in chase, hide and seek, and good snacking. She was seen, not as a nuisance, but as a child. He was seen, not for his problems, but for his person. I watched the American’s face relax over the course of the afternoon. I wondered who was the “missionary” that day? Might God have been using the girl to lift his spirit by bringing him good gifts of joy, connection, and relief? This year, on all Back2Back campuses, we will be diving into God’s promises for orphans. There are dozens of promises God has written specifically for this population. I spent the first season of my missionary journey thinking it was my job to put flesh on those promises in order to represent Him. And while that’s good thinking, it’s not complete. Time + challenge + spiritual discipline = maturation, and with maturation came the stark realization this is not an “us” and “them” situation. I am every bit as much a spiritual orphan as the children we serve. I need those promises as much as they do. I can easily have an “orphan spirit” and forget my identity in Christ and all that comes with it. When I do, I need rescued, lifted up, heard, and extended mercy. God cares about me, and has adopted me into His family, literally grafting me in. These written promises are now reminders to His children of how our family behaves. He promises to rescue them, deliver them, and defend their cause (Ps. 82.) While it stirs my heart to know God sees the plight of the fatherless, it gives me courage to know He’s a rescuer, because I still get in over my head.
demonstrating the smallest attention to detail. He has also been a Father to me since mine has gone to heaven, and shows me over and again, He hasn’t forgotten me. He promises to give them compassion, extend mercy towards them (Hosea 14, Is.63), provide food, clothing, and justice (Deut. 10 and Deut. 14.) The vast Back2Back community is evidence of how God moves His people to act with mercy towards orphans. In those same ways, God has led you to show me compassion. He loves us with a fervor I had once thought reserved only for the marginalized.
I watched the American’s face relax over the course of the afternoon. I wondered who was the “missionary” that day?
He promises to be their helper (Psalm 10:14), secure justice for them, and uphold their cause (Ps. 140.) He says He will hear them (Ex. 22), vindicate them (Psalm 10), and not to leave them (Jeremiah 49:11, Psalm 27:10.) He promises to come to them (John 14), lead them out (John 10), and incline His ear (Isaiah 37:17.) All of these promises He asks us to know and live out, because the vulnerable children of this earth need a special reminder of His care for them. I thank you for your role in this calling.
I am more convinced than ever God is multi-faceted. He cares about the heart of the visiting mission trip guest, as much as He does the little girl. He comes through for the needs of the students in the Hope Program and for us. When I feel heard by Him, by those He’s sent to me, I am more inclined to listen. When I feel upheld, I reach out my hand to another. When I am helped, in my gratefulness, I help others. It’s what He always meant: to repair the world through the expression of His promises by His family. He started in the Garden of Eden - His people, in His presence, in His place, experiencing His complete peace. One day, Revelations 21 promises we will again be His people, in His presence, in His place, experiencing His complete peace. Everything in-between is this extraordinary rescue plan we are invited into. You, me, the orphaned child, we are all broken, with an outstanding invitation to be grafted into His family and express His heart as passionately as we can. That’s how making-itbetter works.
He promises to lift them up (Psalm 113:7), be their Father, give them a home (Ps. 68), and not forget them (Isaiah 49.) I have personally witnessed Him lifting up vulnerable children, finding families for those without, and 4
by Sammy Mathews, Back2Back Staff
The first time I heard about a simulation training called Life in Limbo, I’ll admit I wondered why our staff team was spending two hours out of a day on “experiential role play.” The goal was to help us experience what it’s like to be a child separated from their biological family. I’d spent the past ten years loving, serving, and even living with kids from hard places. I was convinced I knew what it was like in their shoes.
"I was wrong." My role was of a 10-year old child. I was introduced to my “biological family” and then promptly blindfolded. My “mom” whispered in my ear,“I can’t protect you.” A loud knock sounded on the door, voices shouted as I was pushed from my home. When the chaos stopped, we were told to sit on our hands. This calm after the storm, silence and powerlessness, suddenly felt more terrifying than the chaos or shouting before. As I adjusted to my “first night” in the children’s home, in a room of strange people and noises, I considered the times I’d tucked children under my own care, in for the night. How had they managed to hold themselves together with such resiliency and bravery? My new caregiver had great intentions, but there were 10 of us. I needed food, clothes, school supplies, to be seen and understood, to have my questions of what just happened answered. Our needs were shared by passing him small, plastic balls, and if those needs were met, he passed the ball back. He tried, but his arms were full, his attention divided by 10, every last child doing their best to garner his focus. The room erupted in chaos, plastic balls flew wildly, and screaming and bad behavior took over. I kept silent. It seemed safer to avoid the line of fire, rather than be disappointed yet again. How many times have I seen this scenario play out before my eyes? How many caregivers have felt their 5
arms were overflowing, the burden too great to bear alone? Next, the “biological parents” played a game.They had watched their children be removed from their homes and cared for by strangers. Now was their chance to rebuild a home, reuniting their family. The social worker read the long list of requirements - must have four walls, a roof, a floor, be structurally sound, and safe. Parents were given a small stack of playing cards with which to build a home.The children cheered to the side, willing victory, a safe place, a return home. Suddenly the table moved, the earth shook beneath them, houses crumbled. Over and over, they tried and failed, stuck in a system knocking the foundation from beneath them. My heart broke for parents who desperately wanted their children back, but were caught in generational patterns and their own hurt. How many parents felt caught in this neverending cycle? What must it have felt like to walk with the grief and frustration of being separated from one’s child? -------------It was a two hour simulation, and the smallest taste of what vulnerable children go through, but I was unable to shake the thoughts tumbling through my mind as it ended. Children are so unbelievably brave. The caregivers so overwhelmed,
literally juggling the needs of multiple children in their care. Biological parents aren’t the villains of the story, they’re processing their own trauma. They are stuck in systems that don’t work, endless cycles of guilt and shame, and they need a way out. -------------The entire Monterrey staff team walked away different that day. Genuine change begins with a shift in perspective. One small shift can change an entire trajectory. For two hours, we had the opportunity to walk in someone else’s shoes. Our hearts and minds were changed because of it. As a ministry, we value learning. We seek to enrich and deepen our own understanding of the hard places the children we serve come from. We also value sharing. Following this role play experience, nine members of the Monterrey team were trained to facilitate the Life in Limbo experience. To date, over 500 people, ranging from social workers and psychologists to caregivers and judges, have participated in Life in Limbo in Monterrey. Each of them left with their perspective shifted and their hearts and minds altered. Can you imagine the changed trajectories because of it? Can you see the faces of the children and families being cared for, talked to, loved on, differently? We are excited and expectant to see what God will do next.
Living Proof If my story hadn’t taken me into a children’s home and then the Hope Education Program, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
“If my story hadn’t taken me into a children’s home, and then the Hope Program, I wouldn’t be where I am today. At best, I would have graduated from junior high, lived with my aunt, and became a mother figure to my younger siblings,” Evelyn responded matter-of-factly. Thirteen years ago, at age 14, she moved into Douglas Children’s Home. At 16, she transitioned to the Hope Program and studied in high school. At 18, she entered college, majoring in Communication Sciences. Today, she works as an Account Executive for an international logistics company, specializing in import and export. 7
MONTERREY, MEXICO
In her story, like most, real victory came in between these highlights. Evelyn used to watch the daughter of staff members come and go each day, dressed in business clothing. One day, after seeing her come home from a day’s work, Evelyn called out, “Hey! So what do you do?” The conversation that followed was the first step into Evelyn’s future. “It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to do after high school,” shared Evelyn. “I remember my house parents worrying about how long it took me to decide.” It wasn’t long before she decided to pursue a degree in Communications
Sciences at a local university. Watching the biological children of her Hope Program parents chase their university dreams motivated Evelyn to do the same. “Seeing the victories their children had, and the integrity they brought into every interaction, made me want to succeed.” It was from watching how they made decisions and interacted with their parents that helped Evelyn feel at home. “I’d never been a part of a family before, and they welcomed me without question. It changed everything.” Today, Evelyn’s day-to-day looks much like any other young professional working
within their career. She rises early to go to the gym before work. During the day, she interacts with clients and takes part in meetings, and afterwards she attends dance lessons, visits friends and mentors on the Back2Back campus, or she stays in and cooks with her little sister.
Evelyn is strong. Her previous hurts and hurdles have not defined the woman she is today. Once a young girl whose highest aspirations were to graduate junior high, Evelyn now owns her own car, speaks fluent English, and is an example in how to overcome the things you cannot control.
Evelyn is determined. “In five years, I hope to be pursuing my master’s degree in business,” she shared. Evelyn’s past will not stand in the way of her future. She lives with her younger sister and works hard to make sure they have what they need – not just a roof over their heads and food on the table, but a family environment in which they can thrive.
Evelyn is a fighter. She saw the dedication it took of her Hope Program parents to raise the girls living in their home, and it fueled her own perseverance. She knew pain from her story as a vulnerable child, and she refused to let that pain define her. She wants to be known as a woman of integrity, both at work and at home.
Evelyn is a young woman setting and achieving goals. She takes the wisdom she received from mentors, and now shares it with younger women. She does not allow what happened before to determine what will happen next. Evelyn was once a vulnerable child unsure about every step, and now, is a woman pursuing Jesus and planning the next ten.
Above all, this is hope.
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PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI
Harvest Care Children’s Home was founded by Kelly Aimable and his wife, Madame Kelly, over ten years ago in Bon Repos, Haiti. Home to nearly twenty children, it also serves as a school for ninety neighborhood children Monday through Friday.
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A CALL TO SHARE THEIR LIVES
You can hear the laughter and play before you enter. The tall, yellow gate provides safety through the days and evenings. Many hands have covered the entrance gate in prayer – prayers for protection, safekeeping, and each life living and learning beyond it. Harvest Care Children’s Home was founded by Kelly Aimable and his wife, Madame Kelly, over ten years ago in Bon Repos, Haiti. Home to nearly twenty children, it also serves as a school for ninety neighborhood children Monday through Friday. Back2Back’s Five Point Child Development Plan ensures each child cared for, across each site, receives not just physical care, but spiritual, educational, emotional, and social care. Kelly and Madame Kelly, partnering with Back2Back, work hard to make sure each boy and girl doesn’t just have a hot meal every day and a roof over their heads, but the opportunities to flourish in a family-like environment. Jimmy Francois, Back2Back staff and Captain at Harvest Care, consistently teaches the children about Jesus and what is possible
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PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI
when they live their lives for Him. Every year, Jimmy plans a “Bible Bowl” – an event where the children demonstrate the Biblical stories, historical context, and Bible verses they’ve learned throughout the year. It is a unique opportunity for each child to discover the truths found in their Bible. The children attend church regularly with Kelly and Madame Kelly. The example they see in their marriage and in the care they offer to each child helps each boy and girl better understand Jesus’ provision in their lives. Earlier this year, five teens from Harvest Care Children’s Home made the bold decision to dedicate their lives to Christ and were baptized. Mathieu, Roodnel, Monestime, Christelle, and Wilson stood before their church on a Sunday morning and declared their intentions to follow Jesus. “I heard a sermon at church once sharing about the resurrection of Jesus, and our pastor said if we put our faith in Jesus, our lives will be resurrected with Him,” shared 14-year old Roodnel.The five children already feel changes, and
The Aimable’s answered a call to share their lives with vulnerable children. The result is a houseful of kids learning their own capabilities as difference makers and just how known and loved they are. At the end of the day, that is what changes everything.
> Earlier this year, five teens from Harvest Care Children’s Home made the bold decision to dedicate their lives to Christ and were baptized.
they each hold hope for what God has planned for them in the future. They hope, in their words, “to be kinder,” to grow in strength spiritually, to share the love of Jesus with those around them, and to leave this world markedly different. This is a testimony about five teens who have given their lives to Jesus, and all that is ahead for them, but it started with a husband and wife who saw a need and stepped into it. The Aimable’s answered a call to share their lives with vulnerable children. The result is a houseful of kids learning their own capabilities as difference makers and learning just how known and loved they are. At the end of the day, that is what changes everything.
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JOS, NIGERIA
The four young men sat at the head table and looked out at the faces smiling back. Geoffrey tugged at his tie, unaccustomed to wearing one. Edmund’s broad grin transformed his face, there was no mistaking his enthusiasm. Lucky took everything in – from the people who came, to the food being eaten, and relished this celebration was, in part, for him. Ayuba looked to his left and to his right, taking in the faces of the three boys he now considered brothers. Edmund, Ayuba, Geoffrey, and Lucky all came to Agape Hope House from Back2Back partner children’s homes. From the beginning, this common ground helped forge friendship for the four young men. This friendship has led them to look to each other, and overcome adversity. They were dressed in matching grey suits with royal blue ties, a clear mark of their transition from student to adult. “Graduating means I will no longer wear a school uniform,” explained Edmund. In Nigeria, all students wear uniforms, making them easy to spot when walking to and from school. Nehemiah and Deborah, the boys’ house parents, decided to have suits made for each of them as part of their graduation celebration. “In many ways, receiving your first suit is a rite of passage for men in Nigeria,” explained Nehemiah. “It is a symbol saying, ‘respect me; I am an adult now.’” In early July, the four young men gathered with their classmates to officially graduate from high school. This moment can mean many things to many people, but for the four Hope Students, it is a step into adulthood and independent living. “This is exciting, but also scary,” shared Geoffrey. “I’m afraid to leave the others, but what keeps me going is we’ve been together for a long time, we’ve shared this experience, and now it’s time for what’s next.”
of the teens were living separately from their families for most of their youth, they felt their support and were consistently encouraged by one another, their sponsors, and their Hope Parents. Ayuba agrees, “In life, if you don’t have someone to direct you, you’ll miss the road. Many inspirational people have been helping me. God used them to get me here.” The graduation ceremony was followed by a gathering to celebrate the young men. Friends, family, and Back2Back staff showed up for the teens, demonstrating accomplishments are cause for celebration. Each of the teens will be pursuing university degrees like mechanical engineering and aviation. Deborah and Nehemiah stood alongside the teens as their pictures were taken. Through his quiet leadership and her humble example, they have instilled a reverence for their Heavenly Father in each young man. Change is coming for this family, but they go forward knowing God’s provision brought them here, and will lead them on. “Being able to graduate today,” shared Geoffrey, “is a testament to God’s faithfulness.” Ayuba, Geoffrey, Lucky, and Edmund will undoubtedly shake up the Kingdom in their pursuit of their future. We pray as they tell their story, others will hear of a good God whose plans for us are always more than we could have ever imagined.
Lucky, the first male in his family to graduate, had steady confidence he would always reach this point. “I knew I would graduate, because God has provided a way. The people around me have encouraged me to be strong and work hard.” Though each
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95% OF HOPE GRADUATES
The ultimate goal? Dependent on Jesus. Interdependent in their community. Independent and economically sustainable so the cycle is broken. There are 163,000,000 orphans in our world today. Each and every one has a name, a dream, and a future. But, without someone who believes in them and works tirelessly on their behalf, almost all will become adults who are completely unprepared for the demands awaiting them. The cycle of children's homes and oppressive poverty will be repeated in their own lives. As Back2Back makes plans to pursue orphaned and vulnerable children in 2019, would you consider a financial gift to help children know that, together, we believe in them and will work tirelessly on their behalf...for as long as it takes. Your giving can make a real difference in the life of orphaned and vulnerable children helping families stay together and breaking the cycle of generational poverty forever.
We won’t stop until every child is known and loved!
Make a difference at back2back.org/give
Relentless waves are teaching
nine young women powerful life lessons in their own back yard - the Pacific Ocean.
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MAZATLAN, MEXICO
The girls from FloreSer Children’s Home stood on the shore line, feet firmly planted in the sand. They shaded their eyes from the morning sun and gripped their boards. Each surfboard has become a trusted friend, a unique teacher over the last few years. Many of the girls have been taking surf lessons with children's home captain, Grant Keys, for a while now. While it may seem like just an extracurricular activity, it’s been a source of many life lessons. “There has been a significant shift each girl’s confidence,” shared Grant Keys. “They’re learning more about who they are on the water, and it’s changed the way they view themselves and those around them.” As the girls at Floreser meet challenges head on, they’ve learned some valuable life lessons . . . There are things we can control, and things we cannot. Their experiences have said to them, again and again, “You are not in control and powerless to what will happen to you.” Regular time in the water has taught them otherwise. They may not always stay on top of the board, but each girl gains strength trying. Getting back up when they fall develops resiliency. Everyone, no matter their age, can learn from someone with more experience. The girls realize having a coach who has been surfing longer will help them improve. Their surf instructor is more like a teacher, encouraging, equipping, and challenging each of the girls to push forward. Everyone needs a champion. Difficult is worth it. New skills require time, patience, and perseverance. It is easier to walk away when we don’t master something with ease, but the pay off is in the work of rising, time and again. The girls at FloreSer are learning, each time they’re on their surfboards, the rewards of not giving up because something doesn’t come easy. Showing up for each other is pivotal to success. The girls always attend surfing lessons as a group.Together, they are learning how to speak life into each other, reminding one another not to give up. Even if we don’t always see eye to eye, showing up for one another can alter the story. Confidence is not a result of what’s happened before, it’s a testament to the work of now. Trauma can often stain the way we view ourselves. It can create insecurity and doubt when challenges are presented. As the teens learn a new skill, and improve, they gain confidence in more than surfing. Previous hurts are still a part of their story, but leaning forward, they move into their future, not held down by their past. Surfing for the teens of Floreser is a gateway to a lifetime of new experiences. The prayer is they remember how daunting step one once was, and how good it felt to conquer fear. That memory will carry them into classrooms and first jobs, as challenges are presented to them over and again. They know to look for a team to always surround them and a coach to guide their learning. There is nothing God can’t do through someone willing to step forward, even with shaky legs, and face the coming wave.
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NO LONGER OUT OF REACH The morning sun was hot on their backs.They stepped high as they walked through fields of tall grass. The young boy felt anxious to get to the railroad where he could walk normally, avoiding the lick of weeds against his legs. He looked up at his mother, tightening his grip on the wooden box atop his head, holding all his personal belongings. “Not much farther, Devadass,” she smiled at him. “We’re nearly there.”
“Education was highly valued by my mother,” explained Devadass Sanchu, Back2Back Site Manager. “The government school in my village lacked consistency, and after finding a missionary-run school, my mother hoped money received from secretly selling our most valuable possession, my father’s silver belt, would afford my school fees.” That morning, the nearly 9 and ½ mile walk was leading a young boy to a missionaryrun school where he would learn and live away from his family. It was at the school, Devadass recalls feeling his faith strengthen. “The school gave me hope. In prayer each morning and afternoon, I felt my faith grow.” There, the young Indian boy’s future began to take shape. 19
HYDERABAD, INDIA
1.3 billion people populate the country of India, two-thirds being under the age of 24. With so many citizens to educate and employ, the government’s educational and subsequent employment challenges are daunting. Government schools, having the best of intentions, are often overpopulated and understaffed, creating problems for children who can’t keep up. For-profit, English-medium schools generally offer a better overall environment, but still suffer from crowded classrooms. They teach English, creating hope for students as conversational English is imperative to finding a job. However, English-medium schools are often out of reach physically, and financially, for India’s rural population. Seeing the educational crisis local villagers face in India, Back2Back is offering help to families near the campus. Today, Back2Back’s Suzuki Samuel Hope Campus, is located just up the road from where a mother, 60 years ago, sold a silver belt to invest in her son’s education. “I was offered hope each time I entered the school. I want to offer the same to local children and families in the very village I grew up,” shared Devadass. ••••••• Piles of dirt mark new construction on the Suzuki Samuel Hope Campus. Mason workers, iron workers, and architects gather
with plans and strategy to bring a dream to life. Where just the foundational columns of a building rest now, there will soon be an English-medium school hosting nursery-aged children through second grade. “We want to be part of a solution to this significant problem,” explained Casey Foreman, Back2Back India Director. “We can strengthen families and keep them in tact by providing a quality, affordable, local school option. If we can creatively ignite a child’s passion for learning in reasonably sized classroom, it’s worth it. If we can help them better understand curriculum and develop critical thinking skills, it will give them a competitive edge when it comes time for higher education.” The Back2Back Primary School has the potential to change the trajectory of many families in neighboring villages. “The school has the opportunity to advance each child individually. It will allow for creative learning structures, offering an environment for learning the children might not otherwise know,” explained Casey. Together, Devadass and Casey are dreaming of a Christian education geographically and financially accessible to the vulnerable families who need it most. •••••••
Devadass and his mother finally reach the railroad crossing. He places his wooden crate gently on the ground and shakes out his tired arms. He looks at his mother a moment, before picking up his crate and continuing on alongside her. In this moment, he’s an eight-year old boy focused on getting to school. He knows education is important, because his mother has told him just how necessary it is for his future. He is not thinking about tomorrow, or even what his life may look like in a year. But the young Indian boy would one day grow up to instill that same value for learning, into children at a nearby campus. He will take what he learned about Jesus from missionaries and share God’s love with boys and girls who live on land he knew as a child. He will see a need and dream alongside Back2Back of a school where local families can send their children. He will take the hope he was offered as a school boy and, years later, offer it open-handedly to the future leaders of India. The Back2Back Primary School will open June of 2019, anticipating an initial enrollment of up to fifty orphaned and vulnerable children. Pray with us as we begin this exciting new venture and offer hope for each child’s tomorrow. 20
The mall doesn’t open for another hour, but there are 20 teenage boys and a few adults gathering near a shoe store. Inside, a few employees prepare for what’s to come. Chris Cox, Back2Back Cincinnati Site Director, finds his way through the crowd, checking in on each young man to make sure they don’t have any questions.Wiler, one of the young men waiting, stands off to the side, so he makes his way over to him, asking, “What do you think is going down today?” “I don’t know what to think,” he replies, shaking his head. “I thought you were taking us to a drop-in center to shop for our back-to-school clothes.” Wiler and the other young men, gathered in the mall, are a part of a community called, Villedge. Villedge, a Back2Back Cincinnati partner, focuses on launching teens from hard places beyond the edge of their potential. Together, Back2Back and Villedge create opportunity for young men in the community through one-on-one coaching and after-school programming. A few weeks before the mall trip, the Back2Back Cincinnati and Villedge offered a creative way for the young men in the Villedge community to earn funds for back-to-school shopping.The Villedge Games concept was simple, each Tuesday night the young men were invited to a game night where they earned points for showing up, participating, and winning. The incentive was for each teen to attend enough in order to earn one gift card toward their backto-school needs. For seven weeks, they gathered to play games like knockerball, archery tag, bazooka ball, football, dodge ball, and basketball. After hours of play, they finished the night with a shared meal. When people play, laugh, and eat together, unity emerges within a community. The teens refused to miss Villedge games – no longer counting the points, but appreciating the experience.
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CINCINNATI, OHIO
Pepper Jenkins, a Villedge coach commented, “These games are like Sunday dinner, and you don’t want to miss Sunday dinner.” Up until now, Wiler had been disengaged with the guys, the program, and his own development. By week three of the games, something had changed. The positive words being deposited into Wiler by coaches and volunteers were being heard. As he participated, he found success and the other teens noticed. They began to follow Wiler’s lead. With this confidence, Wiler used his voice to encourage others. Wiler had
earned the most points of any participant, and by the end of the games earned his teamwork award. A flood of memories from the summer overcome Wiler. “Good things don’t really happen to me,” he said to Chris. Today is different. The doors to Footlocker opened, and Cincinnati Bengals’ star running back, Joe Mixon, greeted Wiler and his friends, welcoming them in for a VIP shopping spree. Each young man chose a new
These games are like Sunday dinner, and you don’t want to miss Sunday dinner.
pair of sneakers, some clothes, and a backpack full of school supplies. Wiler smiled and hands full said, “You don’t mess around, do you?” No. When it comes to vulnerable youth and families overcoming generational poverty, a community must come together to share resources and invest. Back2Back and Villedge welcome the opportunity to do so on behalf of Cincinnati’s most vulnerable.
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LEYDI
19 years old; Leydi hopes to study psychology in college and knows the resiliency she saw in her mother will serve her as she pursues this goal.
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CANCUN, MEXICO
NEXT
T Leydi’s is the last name to be called. She stands next to her mother, Dalila, accepting her diploma as a first generation graduate of high school. Back2Back Cancun staff share with those gathered how far each graduate has come, how much they’ve been through, and how this achievement once felt impossible. Dalila laughs through her tears and affirms, “Believe me, I could write a book.” Leydi, the oldest of three siblings, took on a caregiver role in her early years while her mom sought work. “After my dad passed, we didn’t have a place to live. We spent a few nights on the streets, and then someone agreed to rent us a room,” she shared. When Leydi was ten, Dalila sought work and met an American family affiliated with Back2Back. When the family realized Dalila had children, and was saving money to build a house, they wanted to help. Before long, Dalila’s family was enrolled in the start of the Strong Families program – a Back2Back initiative to keep vulnerable families together. “I remember Americans would come and work on our house, but it was a long time before I saw it finished” Leydi shared. “I still remember the day we moved in - all of our belongings piled into the bed of a borrowed pickup truck. If it weren’t for Back2Back, we may have never owned our own house, a home now filled with years of memories.” The transition between homes also meant a transition in schools. Leydi struggled in the beginning with math, but with the help of Sandy, her Back2Back tutor, she mastered those skills. Unfortunately, Leydi
had a hard time making new friends, and got involved with the wrong crowd. This caused increasing tension between her and her mom. “That’s when I started meeting with my psychologist. I didn’t like it at first,” shared Leydi. “But after two years, I can see the benefit.” The psychologist gave Leydi and her mom challenges to complete together. They worked on reconnecting as mother and daughter and maintaining the connection. Through these challenges, Leydi and her mom began to develop a better relationship which remains strong today. The book Dalila says she could write, is the story of how she and Leydi grew up together. “My mom is a very strong woman. She and I have both changed a lot.” Last year, after all of the turmoil that sought to tear them apart and all of the work to make sure they stayed together, Dalila lovingly gave her daughter in marriage to a man who promised to care for her, as Dalila has over the years. Now, as a young married woman, Leydi remains connected with her family, encouraging her siblings to stick together and make decisions for their future. Leydi hopes to study psychology in college and knows the resiliency she saw in her mother will serve her well as she pursues this goal.
Through these challenges, Leydi and her mom began to develop a better relationship which remains strong today. The book Dalila says she could write, is the story of how she and Leydi grew up together.
This is a generation stronger than the last, and the next will even more so be. It is the work of many in a community sfighting for each other and what’s yet to come.
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The missing piece of the puzzle by Hope Garcia, Back2Back Staff in Dominican Republic
“Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.” PROVERBS 1:5
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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
“I want you to meet someone very important,” Megan, our guide for the day, said. As a missionary with seven years’ experience, we were visiting her with the intention of learning more about ministry in the Dominican culture. As she led us through the village of Caraballo, we met a Dominican man near sixty who sat in the shade with his shirt off, proudly sporting a Yankees cap. He motioned to empty plastic chairs, inviting us to sit down, and kindly offered cold water bottles from his corner store. “This is the community leader,” Megan said. “He doesn’t actually have a position in government, but he is, by all means, the one the community follows. It is important to empower the local leadership and work closely with them. I want you to hear from the expert on this community.” After introductions and small talk, the leader confided in us the biggest challenges he saw in Caraballo were work ethic and maintaining peace between Dominicans and Haitian immigrants, two populations with a long history of tension between them. My husband, Cheque, and I talked in the shade with this aging sage, gleaning from his wisdom. Pioneering a new site begins with listening and learning. Even though we have served with Back2Back for over ten years in Monterrey, Mexico, we are not experts on missions in this country. Making a wise start takes time, patience, and humility. It’s too easy to want to jump into serving without taking time to understand the real need, the people, the culture, the local leadership, and the spiritual climate. Proverbs 1:5 says, “Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.” So with that in mind, we are learning from those who have more experience than us in the DR. To date, we’ve visited and interviewed 23 different ministries to understand how they do their work and their perspective on the Dominican orphaned and vulnerable child. We’ve asked countless questions and listened for the last six months to better understand how God is calling Back2Back to serve.
The things we do know: there is much need in the Dominican Republic, God desperately loves the people here, and He has a hope and a plan for their future. We will pursue answers to the things we’re still curious about. How do we cultivate more locally led ministries? What are the challenges single moms face? What does the rampant prostitution have to do with overall employment rate? We have begun offering trauma competent care training to neighboring ministries, training nearly 200 individuals, and have seen an incredible hunger and desire to learn more. One organization told us, after nearly 20 years of ministry to impoverished children in the DR, they finally feel like they have found “the missing piece of the puzzle” in trauma competent care practices. While we still have questions about the next phase, we feel certain trauma competent care will be a part of it. Taking the time to understand the reasons behind the problems, will help focus the ministry for lasting impact. Like we often teach caregivers working with children from hard places, the problems we see on the outside are expressions of deeper needs. The Back2Back DR team will pursue opportunities to serve, seeking God’s will for the next steps. We trust and ask you to join us in prayer, that He will lead us to the exact children whose need He sees, and desires to use us in response.
Cheque and Hope Garcia will be the Back2Back Directors in the Dominican Republic. We are excited for their leadership and hearts to serve the DR's most vulnerable.
walkthestoryline Investing in their lives all day! I’ve seen this man reading to the children in Spanish, laughing with them, and now teaching them to play Uno.
Northstar Church Northstar Student Ministries wrapped up an amazing week of serving Back2Back Her jessicaduncan Her children alongside jessicaduncan Ministries. #B2BMAZ #BeTheDifference laugh is a sound I’ll never forlaugh is a sound I’ll never for-
hercomplexlife I absolutely adored this little firecracker. #B2BNigeria #BeTheDifference
adaunion This summer a team from Union went to Cancun, Mexico to serve alongside @b2bministries.These are some highlights of their time. #B2BCancun
beal.mad Sometimes we just need a helping hand to slide down tall fire poles. I pray we always have someone to help us face our fears.
juliaflower13 We raised over what we needed and were able to buy new school supplies for those precious children. #B2BIndia #BeTheDifference
#BeTheDifference #ChildSponsor #B2BMTY #B2BCancun #B2BMAZ #B2BIndia #B2BNigeria
jghizas
Yes child...I see YOU! Those smiles reflect your creator! #B2BNigeria #BeTheDifference
emzhoff Day 5 consisted of lots of legos, trains, ham & cheeses, and a full heart. #B2BMTY
ellen.hodson I had the most perfect time loving on kiddios I had the privilege of knowing, loving, and serving for two short months last summer. #B2BMAZ
@OCRChampionship We couldn’t be more proud to have Lindsay Webster representing our sport in India, supporting Back2Back. #B2BIndia #OCRgivesback
Sara Tate Carson and Moses meeting for the first time. #B2BNigeria #ChildSponsor
biancachuerta I have no words. There is no way I could accurately describe all that took place this summer in Mexico. In the kids’ lives. In me. #B2BMTY
Henry has decided to donate 100% of his piggy bank and wants to know if you will help him add to it! #B2BHaiti
kriscrossapplesauce_
Haiti, your joy is infectious! Thank you for being so sweet to me, na wé ankó. #B2BHaiti #BeTheDifference
I think I may be falling in love with Haiti. #B2BHaiti #BeTheDifference
Andrea Cummins-Disbro
kaul.me.nana
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