Back2Back Spring/Summer Magazine 2013

Spring/Summer 2013 Volume 17

Care for today.

Hope for tomorrow.

LETTER from the Director In the past six months, I’ve visited each of our ministry sites.

This has given me the opportunity to see our 5-Point Child Development Plan at work in the various cultures. The result?

I am more resolved than ever in our drive to focus on depth in our ministry. This approach requires more resources and more staff. It also means an emphasis on ongoing training and a commitment to learning the latest findings in many disciplines, but the return-on-investment is priceless. The temptation is strong to go wide. After all, it’s fun to report swelling numbers and new relationships, and there is a time for that, but there is no better fruit than watching the children entrusted to our care grow up and experience emotional healing, or earn a degree, or come to trust Christ.

The children and their testimonies keep me awake at night, and remind me that this responsibility is more than a list of to-dos and an endless stream of emails and staff meetings.

by Todd Guckenberger, Executive Director of Back2Back Ministries

“In the past six months, I’ve visited each of our ministry sites.

This has given me the opportunity to see our 5-Point Child Development Plan at work in the various cultures.”

Jazmin, one of our Hope Education Program graduates (’12, BA in Criminal Justice), visited us recently. As she was leaving, I reminded her that if she ever needs anything, she could always call. She pulled out her wallet and showed me where she had jotted some staff members phone numbers on the back of my business card. “I know where you are,” she confidently responded.

That’s relationship.

In January, I met with hundreds of Indian children, who shared how they are grateful to be in a Back2Back supported children’s home, grateful for the education and Christian influence. Last month I enjoyed time with a group of Haitian boys, whose lives and testimonies continue to inspire us as we finalize our plans to launch a new site there. It’s not a cause that keeps anyone going. It’s the faces and stories.

This winter, I was moved by the Nigerian children I spent a week with. They receive holistic care at the village education center. They can read and speak English and are well-fed, all as a result of sponsors whose monthly dollars are literally paving the way for a brighter future for them. Day in and day out investment, in each country, adds up to a different destiny.

There is no doubt. We are called to be a development ministry. It’s a drum that we will never stop beating. So in these pages, join with us as we celebrate orphaned children at Casa Hogar Douglas reaching out to orphans in Haiti; children in India’s decision for Christ; and widows launching an after-school enrichment program in Cancun. The list goes on and on. They are God’s children and He has entrusted us with their care. It’s not something we take lightly based on wavering emotion. It’s a call and a commitment we take seriously. Join us.

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

OUR MISSION Back2Back Ministries is an international Christian non-

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profit organization that is dedicated to being a voice for orphans. We exist to love and care for orphans and impoverished children, by meeting their spiritual, physical, educational, emotional and social needs that

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they may overcome their life circumstances and break free from the cycle of generational poverty.

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21 Quality logo here

We would like to thank Quality Printing for partnering with Back2Back by offering us high-quality printing. This partnership has been a tremendous blessing to the ministry allowing us to expand our communications. Thank you to Quality Printing for this generous gift.

WE’LL DO

O IT!

by Beth Guckenberger, Back2Back Ministries, Co-Executive Director

I want my hand in the air.

Lately, when people have asked how things are going within the ministry, I have been using words like “trajectory” and “momentum” and “opposition” and “growth”. There is a definite feeling of opportunities coming and I want a better story for my new doors opening. Whenever God expands day than I can write myself, your borders, there is a stretching period, when our capacities adjust and our boundaries reI want the feeling I am establish. When we tackle it in our flesh, it can at the end of myself and mean overworking and fatigue (Does God think I can really handle this?) but when we need Him for my words, submit to His plans and to the rhythm that my next step. On our way comes from abiding in Him, it feels more like to wherever He calls and surrender (Where you go, I go.) Enter this year’s theme…Jeremiah 42:6 (Message) Whether we whatever He asks. like it or not, we’ll do it. We’ll obey whatever our God tells us. Yes, count on us. We’ll do it.

In the letter I wrote to the staff, I said, “This verse conjures up images of hands in the air, “pick me!” a sense that whatever God calls us to, wherever we go, however deep we have to dig, whomever He calls us to love, ‘we’ll do it!’ We’ll learn new methods, we’ll train new staff, we’ll read more books, we’ll raise more funding, we’ll welcome more children, we’ll do whatever, whenever, however He asks. We’ll do it.”

I want my hand in the air. I want to be called up to duty. I want a better story for my day than I can write myself, I want the feeling I am at the end of myself and need Him for my words, my next step. On our way to wherever He calls, and whatever He asks, we will need each other. We will get far more done if we work as a body, each of us doing our part. So to that end, we’ll not just be exploring Jeremiah’s words, but Paul’s as well…

1 Thessalonians 5:14 Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. 15 And be careful that when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.

16 Be cheerful no matter what; 17 pray all the time; 18 thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.

Put your hand in the air with us this year. Say ‘yes’ when it doesn’t make sense and isn’t comfortable. Say ‘yes’ to stretch and grow and break and rebuild. Just tell Him, you’ll do it.

While serving with us, our mission trip guests explore a spiritual theme through a daily devotional study guide. We invite you to join us in studying this year’s theme based on Jeremiah 42:6.

Consider joining us on a mission trip to explore this topic while serving alongside us or download the devotional at home at http://back2back.org/2013/05/well-do-it/

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Kids Serving Kids

by Beth Guckenberger, Back2Back Ministries, Co-Executive Director

Recently, I shared in church at Casa Hogar Douglas, a children’s home where we serve in Monterrey, Mexico. I mentioned that my husband, Todd was spending the weekend with some special children who also live in a children’s home in Haiti. The children looked at a map we made that showed the distance between Mexico and Haiti. I told them that the children in Haiti don’t always get to eat meat and other treats and that I wondered what we could do about it?

After a discussion with over sixty children who were gathered, I told them I knew someone who would pay us 200 pesos to wash a car (or about $16 US dollars).

Do you want to wash some cars and send the money to our friends in Haiti?, I asked.

The resounding response was yes and we washed sixteen cars that day. We then sent the money to Haiti for a special dinner for the children we serve there. It was a win for us in Mexico, as we talked about how pouring out for others, allows space for God to fill us up! It was a win for the kids in Haiti, who were treated to a meal as a gift from God and it was a win for all of us who eye-witnessed what happens when God moves His hand!

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hope for HAITI Please join us in prayer as we seek God’s heart for the orphaned child in Haiti.

Developing a ministry Site in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

by Brian Bertke, Back2Back Director of Ministry Advancement This year, we officially started our ministry in Haiti with our partner, Jesus in Haiti. Since the earthquake in 2010, we have made numerous trips to Haiti with great friends of the ministry who are interested in coming alongside us on this journey. We have also grown to love the staff and mission of Jesus in Haiti. They, like Back2Back, are committed to development and fostering deep relationships with the people they serve.

We have also been blessed by the Fudge family, who has answered God’s calling to relocate to our Haiti site after they complete their training with us in Monterrey, Mexico. We are also praying for additional supporters for the Fudge family to stand alongside them with financial support and prayers. We know that God is stirring the hearts of others to join the Fudges as He builds our Back2Back team.

On each trip, we walked up the gently rolling hillside on the property that is adjacent to Jesus in Haiti’s mission site. We viewed the beautiful ocean and mountains that surrounded us and with boldness, we prayed that God would someday make the property available to us. On my last trip in February, God began to answer our prayers. The land became available through another ministry that was shifting to refocus their efforts in a different part of the country. At the same time, a long-time friend of Back2Back felt that God was calling him to help us purchase this land that we had been claiming for the orphan. Please be in prayer with us as we seek God’s plan with this property and the campus that we would build and use for the benefit of the orphan child in Haiti.

As we look towards the many challenges and opportunities in Haiti, please consider joining us on this adventure.

Prayerfully consider supporting the Fudge’s financially as they continue to raise their support, or if God may be calling you to join our team in Haiti. Pray that God will continue to lead us and Jesus in Haiti in identifying those children in the most critical need and that we can help provide a loving environment for them to be raised in. And lastly, consider joining us on a trip to Haiti or becoming a child sponsor. We are excited for what the Lord has before us and we invite you to play a part in His story.

An Unforgettable Trip

by Priscila Salazar, Back2Back Monterrey, Mexico

Since each of the students in the Hope Education Program is formerly from a children’s home, we believe they are in a unique position to understand and empathize with other orphaned children who might be struggling.

Several years ago, God put in our hearts the desire to teach the youth from Back2Back’s Hope Education Program about the importance of serving. We wanted to empower them to see beyond their own needs and circumstances by providing them with an opportunity to serve people in need. Since each of the students in the Hope Program is formerly from a children’s home, we believe they are in a unique position to understand and empathize with other orphaned children who might be struggling. For this reason, we began offering mission trip opportunities for the Hope Program students. On their first mission trip, they traveled to Saltillo, Cuahuila and subsequently to Back2Back’s new site in Cancun.

The service trips have given the students an opportunity to grow in other areas of personal development, such as love for their home country, the understanding of God’s greatness, a chance to experience the beauty of nature, and finally a deeper love, mercy, and passion for those in children’s homes. We were encouraged to see God move mightily in the students lives’ through their mission trips, as He provided healing in their hearts and used them as a conduit of His love and care to the children at the children’s homes.

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Camilo

In January, I had the privilege to travel to Cancun to serve with other students in the Hope Program. While there, I experienced God in a new way. Through my experiences with the families we serve and the children in homes, I learned more about the power of faith. When I met the widows and children, I was inspired by their testimonies. The widows were very strong, because they were fighting against poverty alone, while struggling to keep their families together. I saw the children battling feelings of insecurity, abandonment, and rejection. We shared with them that they can overcome their challenges through God. Before my trip, I didn’t think I could succeed, but after serving with Back2Back in Cancun I became confident that with faith in God anything is possible. We must trust God to provide for us each day, rather than worrying about how our needs will be met.

Shannen

During my trip to Cancun, God used a beautiful young girl named Jenny to teach me to have a deeper faith in Him. Jenny told me that her foot had been hurting. I asked her, “Do you believe that God can heal you?”

And she said to me, “Yes, I believe in God because before Back2Back came to help me, I was always very hungry and did not have enough to eat. I had asked God to remove my hunger and that is when Back2Back came with food. Now, I’m not hungry anymore.”

When I heard this it impacted me greatly. I have seen God do great things in my life, but sometimes I doubt His power. But this girl has enormous faith as a result of God meeting a basic need in her life. That day, I learned to have a deeper trust in God rather than doubting His power.

Leo Through my trip to serve with Back2Back in Cancun, God showed me His greatness, love and mercy through the children I met. I learned through them to enjoy the small things in life and what we have. Also, God moved in my heart to deepen my faith. God always gives you what you need to be transformed and change. I know that I was blessed through this trip as much as the children we served. I returned to Monterrey with memories of the childrens’ smiles and hugs in my heart and a lasting change. I was truly blessed during this trip.

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hope

Providing hope through meeting EMOTIONAL needs

Emotional health

is essential to the sustainability of each child, as they become independent in their respective communities.

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Back2Back’s goal is to meet the spiritual, physical, educational, emotional and social needs of each child we serve that they might overcome their life circumstances and break free from the cycle of generational poverty. This method eventually evolved into our 5-Point Child Development Plan, an orphan care approach that guides us by offering clear parameters as to how to best serve each child individually. We partner with children’s homes to improve the quality of care for children, in part, by meeting basic physical needs.

Beyond basic essentials, such as nutritious meals, warm clothing, clean water and safe shelter, we seek to meet emotional needs so that each child has the opportunity to truly thrive. Many of the children who we serve suffer from psychological issues as a result of past abuse and neglect.

By living alongside them, we gain their trust and begin a dialogue of recovery. We address these issues, such as anxiety, depression and attachment disorders, by offering opportunities for children to seek healing through counseling. Our goal is that each child would be restored to emotional wholeness.

As a result of having three full-time psychologists on the Back2Back campus in Monterrey, Mexico, we have seen a tremendous amount of personal growth among the children. There has been a noticeable shift in how the children cope with emotional stress. Group therapy has allowed Hope Education Program teens and their house parents to gain the tools they need to have productive and healthy dialogue when issues arise. They are better equipped to work through conflict proactively rather than reactively.

Emotional health is essential to the sustainability of each child, as they become independent in their respective communities. > Today, we have hired psychologists for our Hope Education Program students. We offer individual therapy.

House parents are receiving therapy and we have weekend group therapy sessions. Students have overwhelmingly responded positively to this approach and we have many testimonials around this program. > In India, we have hosted several workshops and training sessions on the importance of emotional healing with the children’s home directors, brainstorming specific ideas with caregivers and local volunteers to help equip them to better address emotional issues. > In Nigeria, emotional healing is a focus of the staff, with activities that involve our groups as they help the children open up and share their stories. > We have instituted play-with-a-purpose activities in all of our sites, strategically employing groups and local volunteers to not just entertain the children, but talk about emotions and instill values. > We are focusing on each child as an individual, assisting them as they interact with their birth family, face fears and overcome resentment. This only happens through individual conversations and a culture of relationship. > Each children’s home at all of our sites in Mexico employs either a professional psychologist or is actively looking to hire one to two psychologists to better meet the emotional needs of the children we serve.

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ALTERNATIVES OF orphan CARE

by Todd Guckenberger, Executive Director of Back2Back Ministries

Last spring, our staff attended the Summit of the Orphan (www.cafo.org). While there, an idea that had been stirring among our staff was confirmed...institutions are not the answer for all orphaned children. For starters, there are approximately 163 million orphans around the world and less than 10% live in orphanages. Aside from the practical limitations of not having enough room to house all 163 million children in institutions, we also know that children are less apt to flourish when they are raised in an institutional setting. Studies overwhelmingly indicate that the best place for orphaned children is in a loving home environment. We felt compelled to develop another solution, an alternative approach to long-term orphan care.

Keynote Speakers

In the midst of this season, we connected with Casa Viva, a ministry based in Costa Rica. Casa Viva has initiated a form of orphan care, similar to foster care, that depends on the support of the local church. This arrangement enables the child and their siblings to remain together in a faith-based household, allowing the orphaned child to thrive, while also enriching the life of the family who answered the call. We were intrigued by their fresh approach.

Steve Biondo President of James Fund, Family Christian

In the fall, we experienced increased favor from the local and state government.

A top official had visited our site in Monterrey, Mexico and was encouraged by the success of the Hope Education Program.

Then, in the fall, we experienced increased favor from the local and state government. A top official had visited our site in Monterrey, Mexico and was encouraged by the success of the Hope Education Program there. The government wanted to discuss opportunities to partner with us. Meetings ensued. Convinced that the best option is for children to live in a permanent setting, we asked them to consider allowing us to facilitate foster care in Mexico, something the law wouldn’t permit as it’s currently written. More meetings ensued.

Shortly after, Back2Back directors were invited to assist in collaborating on a new law, a policy that would allow foster care throughout Mexico, with Back2Back spearheading the program. We could essentially train families to take in children as an alternative to institutional care. As we consider a spectrum of options for care, the question we are able to consider is,“What’s the best scenario for each individual child?”

Prayers were fervent.

Like many U.S. churches, the Mexican church is growing in awareness of foster care opportunities for Christians. Back2Back hopes to be a catalyst to help spark this passion, ultimately encouraging church leaders and Christians to welcome children into their homes and churches as an alternative to institutional-based orphan care. We decided to host a Summit of our own, a gathering with Mexican pastors and leaders mingling together, catching a vision. We invited our dream team of keynote speakers and all of them accepted. When April 11th finally arrived, 450 leaders and pastors from all over Mexico gathered to study and learn more about the church’s role and responsibility to the orphan. For two days we heard practical instructional workshops, inspirational talks, and testimonies from some of our students. We were led in worship, in prayer and into action. It was one hour after another of Spirit-led assembly. As a country, we dared to dream of a solution to the orphan problem that involved family instead of institution - a solution that was focused on what we have in our hand, and what was best for the child.

The ground is shifting. The local church is involved, the government is opening doors, and the Lord is blessing our plans. The result is yet to be seen, but it could be transformational for Mexico.

All eyes are on Monterrey. Please pray with us. Pray specifically for our pilot foster care program of ten families. Pray for the logistics and finances and willingness of pastors to take this message back to their churches. Pray for new staff to be raised up to oversee a program of this magnitude.

Pray for the continued depth in working with the children’s homes toward individual care. God is waking up this community, and together we will rise up and respond. Join with us and watch as God sets the lonely in families. Psalm 68:6

Jedd Medefind President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans

Rodolfo Arguello Back2Back Mazatlan Staff, Hope Education Program Graduate Rob Mitchell Author, Castaway Kid Marelene LeFever Vice President of David C. Cook Publishing Philip Aspegren Executive Director of CASA VIVA, Costa Rica Bernardo Sanchez Hope Education Program Graduate Beth Guckenberger Back2Back Co-Executive Director, Author

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Govani, an energetic eight-year old from Bonfil, Cancun. His warm smile and spunky personality are endearing. Pray that through positive male influences, Govani will learn what it means to be a “man after God’s own heart.”

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Experiencing Jesus’ Love

by Erick Mowery, Interim Director of Back2Back Cancun

When our son Nick was young, I strived to help him see and understand what it means to be a man, a responsible committed, hard working man of God. I read the book Raising a Modern Day Knight, which drew a strong parallel between the stages of knighthood and the stages of becoming a man.

At one point, Nick and I recruited three other dads and their sons to discuss these stages of manhood.

Fast-forward to today. Within the past few months, we started working with a Mexican national, Rossy, in Bonfil, a community just south of Cancun. This neighborhood has many single mothers and children living in poverty.

Recently, a woman from one of our mission teams asked, “Where are all the men? What happened to them?”

I shared with her the cycle that has repeated itself again and again in this community. Many of the men and fathers grow tired of their life in Bonfil and leave their wives and children. When they leave, they often take with them the only consistent source of income for the family. This leaves Bonfil void of positive male influences. As a result, the boys in this neighborhood are growing up with little understanding of how to be a man of God. Rossy was called to make a difference in this community. Ten years ago, she started Mission Educ-Arte, a ministry with one goal: to bring God’s light into Bonfil. Rossy explained, “One of the biggest problems is that these boys don’t have anyone to teach them what it means to be a man, a man of God. And so the cycle continues. These boys grow up fatherless. They father children and then they leave.”

Many of the children in Bonfil are home alone for hours while their moms are working. Rossy, an artist who makes and sells jewelry, founded Mission Educ-Arte to provide a positive environment for

the children after-school. Mission Educ-Arte’s programming focuses on creating a safe and nurturing atmosphere for children to experience Jesus’ love. Twice each week Rossy invites the neighborhood children to her classroom where they hear a story about Jesus, sing songs, make a craft, and receive a nutritious meal. For many of the children the meal at Mission Educ-Arte will be the only one they receive that day.

Rossy’s heart for the children of Bonfil aligns perfectly with Back2Back’s focus. For that reason, Back2Back Cancun has begun a partnership with her. Rossy often remarks about the desperate need for Godly male influences, whether it’s me, our sixteen year old son Nick, teens from our Hope Program in Monterrey, or men who come down on teams to serve with us. Our goal is to teach the boys about responsibility, courage, faithfulness, and purity.

One such boy is, Govani, an energetic eightyear old from Bonfil. His warm smile and spunky personality are endearing. Pray that through positive male influences, Govani will learn what it means to be a “man after God’s own heart.”

Deuteronomy 10:18 He defends the cause of the fatherless.

Back2Back has begun a partnership with Rossy in Bonfil, a community south of Cancun. This neighborhood has many single mothers and children living in poverty. Our goal is to teach the boys about responsibility, courage, faithfulness, and purity.

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At Back2Back we value partnerships with local individuals, churches, businesses, and other organizations.

God uses all of His church to reach the orphan. Sometimes He uses a long term relationship, and sometimes, it’s the touch, or prayer of a one week guest. We are working hard to cultivate more national relationships for the children, collaborating with local social workers, psychologists and volunteer mentors from nearby churches.

It’s been exciting to see the communities we serve engage, led by the national staff members and local pastors. Whether it’s a local dentist who volunteers time and talent, or grocery stores offering food, or a literacy program born in the heart of local teachers, Back2Back is at its best when it brings people together. It will take all of us!

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Local Church Involvement in Mazatlan

by Matt Metzger, Back2Back Mazatlan, Mexico

This year in Mazatlan, we are excited to focus on partnering with national volunteers from within the community. As we focus on local involvement, our first priority has been to generate support from the local church. The business community and the large expatriate community also factor into the equation, but we truly believe that “the local church is the hope of the world.” (Bill Hybels) For this reason, we invited pastors from area churches to attend an informational meeting, where we presented the mission and vision of Back2Back, and offered four specific opportunities to serve local orphans, based on the needs of the children at the homes we serve.

A few of the pastors were so excited after the meeting that they not only invited us to speak to their congregations, but they also invited us to present our programs to the ten local pastors within their denomination. Our site director, Gabriel Velasco, shared a simple invitation, “We are not here to tell you what to do or steal your thunder. In the same way we submit our work to the authority of the directors of the homes, we also submit to the authority God has given you over your congregation. We simply want to offer a service to you by being a bridge to help you connect God’s people with the orphans He has asked us to serve.” The message was gratefully received, and Gabriel was invited to meet with the denominational leadership for this region to share about Back2Back.

Additional partnerships with local churches and nationals is key in Mazatlan, where local volunteers are critical to the success of our ministry. Many of the children are in desperate need of one-on-one attention with schoolwork; the directors spend several hours each day tutoring.

By creating teams of volunteer tutors, the children receive personal attention and the directors are freed up to focus on other aspects of operating the children’s homes. Another educational focus is improving the children’s level of literacy. We are adapting a reading program developed in Monterrey and enlisting the support of local volunteers. A third area of focus is providing spiritual care. We have opportunities for volunteers to assist us with church services and Bible studies at the homes. We hope to see each child we serve be “spiritually adopted” by local families who will commit to pray for them every day and invest spiritually in their lives. Finally, individuals can partner with us through practical service. Many people may not be comfortable tutoring or mentoring children, but are more than happy to lend their expertise to provide practical assistance. Plumbers and electricians, accountants and lawyers, and people who enjoy cooking can all make a significant impact by simply giving of their time and talents.

We are excited to see where these local connections lead in the future, but in the present they are already yielding fruit. There are three teams of tutors, twenty-five in total, who serve weekly by tutoring the children. A spiritual care team volunteers weekly at the children’s homes, spending time in prayer for the children, directors and caregivers. We are so thankful for a strong team of local volunteers in Mazatlan. Serving back-to-back with nationals gives us a glimpse of God’s kingdom here on earth.

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The Hope of the Gospel An Update on the Kisayhip Youth Development

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by Anna Wellemeyer, Back2Back Nigeria Staff The Kisayhip Youth Development has grown steadily since it started three years ago. What began with twelve youth in 2010 has since expanded to include thirty-two teens. The members are teens from Kisayhip Village who are committed to making a change in their community.

They desire for their lives to model their lives according to the scriptures. They want to see their community growing spiritually, physically, educationally, emotionally and socially. Above all else, their greatest desire is to know who Christ is and to serve him.

Two such examples of children benefiting from this program are Joshua and Patience. Before they joined the Kisayhip Youth Development, both Joshua and Patience struggled with confidence. They were prisoners to others’ expectations and opinions of them. As a result, they were often afraid to share their opinions or make decisions for themselves.

After participating in the Kisayhip Youth Development for two years, both Joshua and Patience have experienced tremendous freedom in their lives and developed as leaders in the community.

After participating in the Kisayhip Youth Development for two years, both Joshua and Patience have experienced tremendous freedom in their lives and developed as leaders in the community. They have grown spiritually, educationally, and socially. Now, many of the younger students are taking notice. They’ve observed the way that Joshua and Patience carry themselves and interact within the community. Many of the younger children are striving to model after them. As a part of the program, Joshua and Patience farm and collect firewood for widows and orphans in Kisayhip, providing supplemental meals for those families. They have embraced leadership roles, leading a weekly Bible study and worship night.

Joshua and Patience are a prime example of what it looks like to live out 2 Timothy 2:2, And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Joshua and Patience have been entrusted with the hope of the gospel and are now sharing it eagerly with those in their community.

nigeria

by Beth Guckenberger, Back2Back Ministries Co-Executive Director India is captivating. The people, the colors, the whole experience demands your full attention. I had many moving experiences during our stay, but one of the most poignant images involved a string of little girls who live in the Peace Home, an all girls’ orphanage. During our time there, we celebrated their most recent report cards. They had such joy on their faces when we cheered as their names were called. One by one, we hugged them and “oohed” and “ahhed” over their high marks, and their teacher’s comments. As the afternoon unfolded, I was told of their backgrounds, the director and staff whispering to me where they have come from, reminders of their caste and inevitable destiny without intervention.

Unwanted. Sent away. It was hard to reconcile the vibrant young women we were playing with and the stories they were sharing of their first years.

I was moved by their songs as they sang for us about a Jesus they had come to know and love in the Peace Home. I was moved by their answers when I asked what they wanted to be when they grew up – doctors, teachers, writers, engineers. Where would these girls have even heard of those options in their villages, as the unwanted gender in the challenging environment of utter poverty and without Christ?

In contrast, these girls have dreams. They know science facts and praise choruses. Their smiles are genuine and their self-images blossoming. They were so happy we were there on this report-cardcelebration-day, but as always, it was us whose cup was filled, we who expressed gratitude to the Jesus who connected us. We can’t ever understand it. We pour out and are filled. We spend on Him and should have less, but feel like we have more.

We celebrate someone else’s victories and feel like winners ourselves. These little girls have so much life ahead of them. They have stories only heaven can see, all we see is a shadow, a glimpse of the awaiting.

Pray with me for them. Pray their hearts heal from rejection and learn to trust again. Pray they understand new material in school and enjoy the challenge academics bring. Pray for their friendships with each other and for adults to come into their lives and mentor them. Pray for their health, and their growing understanding of Jesus’ ways. As you join us in prayer, you will have a front row seat to these redemptive storylines.

“India is captivating. The people, the colors, the whole experience

india demands your full attention. I had many moving experiences during our stay, but one of the most

poignant images involved a string

of little girls who live in the Peace Home, an all girls’ orphanage.”

by Jenn Holden, Back2Back Monterrey Staff

The Power of your story Each February, our One21 team joins the Back2Back Monterrey staff to host a weekend retreat. We see it as a way to bring God’s influence in youth culture into the context of what Back2Back is doing globally.

2013 marked the second retreat for the children in Monterrey and we hosted over 120 middle school/high school age children from the homes Back2Back serves. The goal was to invite students to embrace the truth that “Las circunstancias son temporales, pero Yo no.” My circumstances are temporary, but I am not!

My favorite part of the retreat was an activity around the campfire pit, where four of our Hope Education Program students shared their testimonies with the younger teens, who are in some ways younger versions of themselves. They shared the story of their past, a brief description of their present and their dreams for the future. All eyes were fixated on these four faces and voices, evidence of the theme that our circumstances are temporary but we are not, young children who had also lived in children’s homes but came out with dreams so much bigger than their pasts. It was absolutely beautiful.

The tears rolled down my cheeks as I heard their stories and admired their bravery to share them. I just kept praying that God would put power on their words, so that they would make a lasting impact. I could literally feel the Holy Spirit moving through them as they spoke.

And Jesus absolutely answered my prayer.

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That night, the seven girls in my cabin all gathered inside and settled into their beds by 11:00pm, which was technically the time for lights

out. The night began with jokes and small talk as the girls from different children’s homes attempted to get to know each other.

Then, small talk turned into talk of the children’s homes that they live in, which turned into stories of their past.

One girl in particular opened up to tell her story from beginning to end—stories of horrific abuse, movements from family member to family member, from children’s home to children’s home, and an encounter with Jesus that changed everything. All the while, the rest of the girls listened intently, sharing bits of their stories as they connected with hers as well as sharing her tears. It was powerful.

As the story of her past collided with her present, the conversation inside the cabin followed the pattern that they had heard earlier that day from the Hope Program students.

“Jenn, I have lots of dreams you know!” chimed in another girl. I prodded her with more questions, fascinated by the things that make her come alive. She was not alone. The following moments were consumed by all the girls around me competing for my attention in order to share their big dreams.

Suddenly my cabin was not full of abandoned young teenagers tied down by their circumstances, but I was surrounded by dreamers, full of potential unimaginable – a doctor, a massage therapist, a lawyer, a teacher, college graduates. What a privilege to be a part of sharing their stories and dreams! It was absolutely beautiful.

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Child Sponsorship Program

a little bit of faith

by Tallie Betscher, Back2Back Child Sponsorship Coordinator

I met Amy Cook this past fall when she told me she wanted to find a sponsor for every child at Manantial de Amor, a children’s home we serve in Monterrey, Mexico.

I met Amy Cook this past fall when she told me she wanted to find a sponsor for every child at Manantial de Amor, a children’s home we serve in Monterrey, Mexico. Immediately, she had my attention. No one had ever approached me with such an ambitious goal before, and I was excited about the possibility. We talked at length about the prospect of every child being prayed for, receiving letters, and experiencing the love of a sponsor. Just the idea of it made my heart beat faster. I promised to do whatever I could to help, but quickly began to worry about the size of the task.

Recruiting sponsors can be hard work, and I didn’t want Amy to get discouraged if she wasn’t able to do it.

Within a few weeks Amy had already found several sponsors. She shared with me how she spent time praying for the children and let God bring people to mind that may be a good sponsor for each specific child. She then simply told the potential sponsor about the child, and asked if they would like to be a part of their life. And wouldn’t you know it -- people were saying yes!

Three months after our initial conversation, Amy had successfully found a sponsor for every child at Manantial de Amor. I could hardly believe it-- a victory had been won! In my mind, I checked Manantial de Amor off my list. It felt like our work was done there.

Three days later, I received word that two new girls had just been dropped off at the home.

Like a needle popping my balloon, I instantly felt deflated. I contacted Amy to share the news with her, and was surprised by the enthusiasm in which she responded. Again, with faith that far exceeded mine, Amy told me she would find the girls sponsors as quickly as possible. In the meantime, Amy wrote each of the girls a letter telling them how loved they are already and made a donation to meet any of their pressing needs.

Within two weeks, Amy had sponsors for each of the girls. I realized then that God didn’t want me to just check these girls off my list. That wasn’t the point. He wanted me to believe He had a plan for their lives, and that He would provide. Most of all, He wanted me to ask Him for these things.

Have you ever believed God for little and therefore received little? I believe God gives proportionally to how we ask. Amy asked God for a lot, and He gave a lot. Would you join me in asking God to raise up a sponsor for each child we serve? I know He can do it, and I never want to find out He didn’t provide because I didn’t ask.

If you are interested in becoming a Child Sponsorship Advocate like Amy, please contact childsponsorship@back2back.org 25

Pick up a copy of Beth Guckenberger’s latest book, Tales of the Defended Ones, today!

Saturdays 10 am EST sirius XM 131

Real LIfe with beth & rob

Tune in to Real Life with Beth and Rob, a radio show co-hosted by Back2Back Co-Executive Director, Beth Guckenberger and Dr. Rob Hall.

With diverse topics and compelling interviews, Beth and Rob hope to spark in-depth conversations on relevant issues of today. Recent guests include Josh McDowell, Bob Goff, Greg Smalley, Gary Thomas, Leslie Parrott and Anne Lamott.

Real Life with Beth and Rob creates conversation that continues long after This story-driven book delivers honest testimonies from unique

the hour is over. Tune in to

voices with a message of relentless hope. In her new book, Beth

Sirius XM 131 at our new time

skillfully and lovingly tells the stories of adopted children from

at 10:00am EST Saturdays or

Ethiopia, a child in slavery in Cambodia, a special-needs orphan

download the podcast on iTunes

from Mexico, and a foster child in the U.S. all with one thing in

or reallifewithbethandrob.com.

common. They are all real children whose lives of heartbreak and abandon became stories of hope. Not only has God provided for these children, Guckenberger shares how we, too, young and old, can help defend these children who are defenseless on their own.

Available at your local Christian bookstore and online retailers.

join the conversation

Standard Publishing, 2012

Standard Publishing, 2011

Zondervan, 2008

like us on facebook Real Life with Beth and Rob

Reflections from Mission trip participants

reflections Monterrey, MeXico Sue Chalupnik Mission Trip Participant

It was a privilege to have the opportunity to serve with Back2Back. God is clearly at work.

The highlight of my week was meeting Jessica, the child we have sponsored since the spring of 2012. This was the first time we had met her and I was overflowing with joy. She is beautiful. It was just incredibly special to hold her and talk to her and share her first Pollo Loco dinner with her. We hope to be able to continue to support her through high school and university years. We continue to pray for Jessica and it is a privilege to watch her grow and mature in the Lord. When I was hugging her goodbye and crying, she was kissing me on the cheek and then she started to wipe the tears off of my cheeks! This was a sweet moment that I will never forget.

Back2Back is the most incredible organization with a passion for Jesus, a vision for the orphans, a plan for the child’s whole development, and an incredibly deep and wide love for each child.

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jos, Nigeria Hyderabad, India Kaili West Mission Trip Participant

I cannot describe how much I enjoyed our mission trip to India. My heart was touched each and every day. I woke up each morning praying for all the children that we had met the day before. Two little girls at the Peace Home touched my heart in particular. In addition to meeting so many wonderful children, I believe that God really spoke to my heart while we were there. I love how He chooses to reveal certain things to us. It was a deeply moving experience overall and I feel blessed to have met all of the children and Back2Back staff.

Angie Rece Mission Trip Participant Last fall, our group began our journey to Jos, Nigeria, a place very dear to us now. We had been meeting monthly for about a year prior and did our best to prepare for the trip to bless those in Jos. Little did we know, we would receive so much more during our trip than we could have given. We worked very hard and were exhausted most days, but we wouldn’t trade those days for anything. We helped with landscaping and we played. We helped with painting and we played. We helped with tutoring and we played. We loved on kids and they loved on us! The Back2Back staff was great! All activities were very well-planned and allowed us to fully utilize the time we had. From the time we arrived until the time we left, we felt welcome, loved, and a strong sense of community. That sense of community and the joy in the hearts of the sweet children and people of Jos impacted me most and I will keep their beautiful smiles in my memory forever.

pray for her. He is the perfect designer of all relationships. He put me in the right place at the right time for my eyes to lock in on a girl that is dearly precious and valuable to Him. He orchestrated those moments. I praise God for how He revealed Himself to me and to Ruby, whether she recognizes it or not. I thank God for Ruby, asking that she would know how much He loves her and never takes His eyes of her.

mazatlan, MeXico Chelsie Puterbaugh Back2Back Staff

Cancun, Mexico

God is a beautiful, brilliant composer, orchestrating all our lives events.

God arranged every single interaction I would have in Mazatlan. One connection in particular will stand apart in my mind forever. It’s about a girl named Ruby. The interaction began the night before when my friends prayed for my trip. This was my first visit to our newest site in Mazatlan so I was full of faith & excitement to serve. I was eager to be available in a fresh way for God and to know Him in a greater way through meeting others & service.

One day, while working on a playground project at a children’s home, I noticed a young girl standing alone near the home’s office with only a stuffed plastic grocery bag at her feet, who I would later learn was new to the children’s home. After our work, I was able to have a conversation with Ruby. We began to discuss our lives as best as we could. We also wrote our names down in chalk causing her to giggle at my last name as most do. I praise God for our brief time together and even more so for our heart connection. A dear staff friend told me that the heart connection between Ruby and I would be a bright light in the midst of her day. Now, I pray that Ruby will always remember that God is with her, loves her, and is always watching, with His eyes of comfort and compassion. I thank Him for allowing me to be His vessel for Ruby on that day. God orchestrated for Ruby & I to meet so I could

It’s hope that holds this story together, a story of eleven women from Cincinnati, Ohio who traveled to Cancun, Mexico to walk alongside the Back2Back team for a few days. It’s also the stories of those we visited: Casa Hogar, a loving home for orphans; DIF, the government home for temporarily displaced children; Rossy’s, a neighborhood club where close to sixty kids hang out a couple of times a week; and the single moms we met who are struggling to hold their families together. All of these stories are woven with hope – that God sees us, He loves us, He’ll provide for us, and He will give us a future and a hope.

Without the hope, these are simply sad stories about poverty and need. But with the hope we have through God’s promises and Christ Jesus, we see potential, and change. We see a different future. We see stories with happy endings. And we see how we can help.

What a privilege it was to join Back2Back in Cancun. Our team is filled with hope. We were touched. We were changed. And we can’t wait to see what God has for us next in bringing hope to others, with Back2Back in Cancun and here in Cincinnati.

Lynn Shafer Mission Trip Participant

haiti

Amy Rudge Mission Trip Participant After serving at Back2Back sites in Monterrey, Cancun, and Nigeria, I was very excited to take a trip to Haiti. It wasn’t long after arriving, however, that I knew my heart would be changed forever by this experience. The poverty and need in Haiti is beyond anything I’ve seen before. At first I was feeling hopeless as I looked around at all the need, but then God began to speak. I was reading in Luke 15 about the Shepherd leaving the 99 and going after the one. It became clear that that is exactly what God is doing in Haiti. The need IS overwhelming, but through ministries such as Back2Back and Jesus in Haiti, lives are being impacted and changed one at a time. It is evident that God is moving and working in Haiti and I am honored to come alongside and be a part of this awesome movement.

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by Hope Garcia, Back2Back Monterrey, Mexico

The faith of a child It was later than I expected. I was taking Adi back to Manantial de Amor children’s home after her monthly orthodontist appointment with a gnawing sensation in my stomach. We needed to stop for some food and fast. I decided it was the right time to introduce Adi to the amazing delights of Little Ceasers pizza; a nugget of American grease right in the middle of Monterrey. We pulled into the parking lot, ordered a medium pepperoni and two Sprites, and sat down at a table to devour.

As I sopped up the orange grease puddles on my slice with a napkin, Adi began to talk about her family. Adi had been living at Manantial de Amor children’s home since she was six and we were currently in the midst of planning her quince anos celebration, a coming of age ritual for teen girls in Latin America. Living in a dorm with fifteen girls, sleeping on a bunk bed, eating every meal in a cafeteria, seeing family only on weekends, participating in group chores, group homework, group everything, had been Adi’s normal life for over nine years.

Through bites of pizza, Adi began to tell me about her younger brother who was once at the children’s home with her, but had returned to live with their folks several years ago. Circumstances were hard, but Brian was living with his biological parents while Adi remained at the children’s home. I wiped my mouth and asked the question that I weekly tell visiting group members not to ask, “Why then, are you still here?,” I said hesitantly.

Adi laid her crust on her plate and looked up at me. “I don’t know,” she said. I could tell her thoughts were a puddle of confusion. How hard it must have been to see her brother lovingly invited back into the family, and not even an explanation given to her as to why she was not.

“I really don’t know why I’m not living with my family,” she said. Before I could offer a consoling word or hug, Adi continued sincerely, “But I do know that God is using my time here to better prepare me for His plan and purposes. He is working in my life through being at this children’s home. He is refining me in a way that could only happen through this time at Manantial.” She nodded, “I trust in His plan and purpose for my life.”

I stopped chewing as the tears bubbled up. “And,” Adi continued,“I even think that God has a plan to use me to help others while I am here.” She reached for another slice, matter-of-factly, and plopped it on her plate.

I knew the words Adi had just spoken had been divinely revealed. The God of grace and lovingkindness had spoken that truth to Adi’s heart. He had chosen her, given her this faith, and intimately revealed His heart to her. She missed her family, but contently submitted herself to the story her Heavenly Father was weaving for her, a much better story than one she could write on her own.

I really don’t know why I’m not living with my family.

But I do know that God is using my time here to better prepare me for His plan and purposes.

Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? James 2:5

Spark a Passion for Service

If you’ve ever brought your children on a Back2Back mission trip or worked alongside them in a local ministry, then you know the excitement kids feel helping others. This summer, Back2Back will have the opportunity to reach tens of thousands of children to do exactly that: help create an awareness of orphans’ needs and spark in them a passion for serving.

Please join with us in praying that this opportunity will allow us to develop new relationships to benefit the children we serve.

Back2Back Ministries is partnering with Standard Publishing, a top publisher of Vacation Bible School curriculums, to offer a brand new service-oriented VBS curriculum for 2013. Through God’s Backyard Bible Camp and the Mission Project Pack, students will engage in interactive service opportunities in their own backyard that directly benefit the orphans Back2Back serves in Mexico. The curriculum includes a series of videos featuring Beth Guckenberger in which she shares the memorable story of Joel, an orphan who lives in a children’s home in Monterrey. You might remember this powerful story from Beth’s book, Tales of the Not Forgotten, in which Joel asks God for the impossible – a steak dinner for the orphanage – and He faithfully and miraculously delivers.

Over 10,000 churches in the U.S. and Canada will use this curriculum to broaden the worldview and spark a passion for missions in the hearts of their kids. Children who participate in the VBS will help orphans served by Back2Back through their VBS contributions as well as special chores and projects they do to earn money for food, clothing and other basic orphan needs.

God has blessed Back2Back with this incredible opportunity to meet new churches, broaden our partnerships and help significantly more orphans. Please join with us in praying that this opportunity will allow us to develop new relationships to benefit the children we serve. To learn more about how your church can participate in this exciting Vacation Bible School program and access additional free resources and videos, visit www.back2back.org/vbs and send the link to your church’s children’s pastor. For additional info, contact vbs@back2back.org

Back2Back Ministries P.O. Box 70 Mason, OH 45040

Regina attends Mission Educ-Arte, a Back2Back supported after-school program in Cancun, Mexico. While there, Regina learns about Jesus, enjoys a nutritious meal and experiences God’s love.

Read more on page 16.