DIVISIONAL CASE 2021
WE INTRODUCE KIDS TO
JESUS
WHO WE ARE
Where There Are Kids, There is Young Life In Latin America and the Caribbean, kids are everywhere. They are running through the streets chasing down soccer balls. They are walking through their barrios, talking with family members they pass along the road, greeting everyone with a kiss on the cheek and laughing with their friends. They are studying in schools, pursuing dreams of being the first in their families to finish high school and go to college. Over 154 million of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean is made up of young people, which makes it the perfect place for Young Life to plant roots.
WE ARE :
235 STAFF
23 COUNTRIES
8 REGIONS
WHO WE ARE Young Life LAC is made up of over 2,000 volunteer Young Life leaders serving in 401 different ministries across 23 countries with wildly different languages, ethnicities and cultures. We exist in 8 different regions, but we all make up one Latin America and Caribbean family serving one God. God is using these leaders to plant seeds in the hearts of kids in their countries, cities and neighborhoods. These seeds are growing into trees that are rooted in Christ and bearing much fruit. God is raising up the next generation of Christian leaders and disciples for the future of these 23 countries, and Young Life gets to be a part of it!
SERVING ONE GOD
WHO WE ARE
Brett Rodgers
Operations
University Initiatives
Bruce Hedgepeth
Kathryn Gatewood
Scott Miedema
Michelle Suwyn
Joey Jimenez
Expeditions
Communications
Training
“Together” Initiatives
Development
CENTRAL AMERICA REGION
CARIBBEAN REGION
HAITI REGION
Natalia Pacheco
Pratt Butler
Hollman Mendoza
Scott Hamilton
Julie Scott
Local Stewardship
National Director
Regional Director
Associate Regional Director
Regional Director
PATAGONIA REGION
Danny Sharpe
Operations/Finance
BRAZIL REGION
Rebeca Clifford
Administration
AMAZON REGION
Astrid Preciatt
Senior Vice President
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC REGION
Kevin Suwyn
MEXICO REGION
The Senior America Latina Team
Rafa Alejo
Enrique Vargas
Iberê Meirelles
Carolina Pujol
Regional Director
Regional Director
Country Director
Regional Director
CUBA
THE BAHAMAS
MEXICO
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC PUERTO RICO
BELIZE GUATEMALA
HAITI
EL SALVADOR HONDURAS
REGIONS
VENEZUELA
NICARAGUA COSTA RICA
COLOMBIA
PANAMA
Mexico
ECUADOR
Central America Countries: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras,
BRAZIL
Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica & Panama
PERU
Caribbean
BOLIVIA
Countries: The Bahamas, Cuba & Puerto Rico
Haiti Dominican Republic Amazon Countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru & Bolivia
Brazil Patagonia Countries: Chile, Argentina, Paraguay & Uruguay
PARAGUAY CHILE
ARGENTINA
URUGUAY “We keep our smiles because we know who we are in Christ! We are happy! He gives us strength to live in this world. We keep our eyes focused on him and do our work.” —Cheche, National Director YL Haiti
DISCIPLING THE NEXT GENERATION OF
LEADERS
THE VISION
Doble, Doble The vision of “doble, doble” (or “double, double”) has captured our people. Our hope and prayer is to double our impact twice in seven years, reaching exponentially more young people. We are asking the Lord for more than we can possibly accomplish on our own. This vision is bringing us back to dependence and expectation, reminding us daily that the Lord is the one who grows this ministry. This vision is encouraging us to GO to the next place, even when it looks impossible. It has been challenging and uncomfortable, but a radically faith-filled, joyful and rewarding path!
Disciple-Making Leaders It’s as simple as this — kids who come to know Jesus want their friends to know Jesus. In the same way Jesus sent his own disciples to make disciples, our leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean are empowering kids to invite their friends to hear the greatest love story ever told. As kids go with their leaders to camp, they start to ask, “Who can I bring to camp?” As kids read the Bible with their leaders, they start to ask, “Who can I read the Bible with?” Over and over, leaders share their faith with kids, kids are inspired to share their experience with their friends and more and more kids are coming to know Jesus.
“If we can reach one for Christ, and we do it with intentionality, we’re going to impact a city. We’re going to impact a country. We can talk about numbers and camps and everything, but really, the key is one by one bringing kids to Jesus.” —Rafa, Regional Director YL Dominican Republic
THE TOOLS
Four Strategic Tools Young Life leaders in every country across Latin America and the Caribbean are using these four strategic tools to reach kids for Christ.
DREAM MAP
JOURNAL
Our leaders are constantly dreaming and praying about the
Our leaders are using journals to go deeper with the kids they are discipling. These journals are a way for leaders and kids to read, write and talk about Scripture. Every day, they write down part of the Scripture they read, journal about what it means to them and share it with their team weekly. This tool creates accountability between leaders and kids, encourages our team to spend daily time with the Lord and fosters a continuous conversation about how God is moving in each person’s life.
next club, the next neighborhood that hasn’t been reached yet, but that they desperately want to see impacted by the Gospel. Each leader has a “Dream Map” hanging in their home or taped to the dashboard of their car. This is a map of their surrounding region that reminds them to see, plan and pray over the next area they want to invest into.
LEADERSHIP TREE Leaders disciple kids who then become leaders themselves and disciple the next generation of kids, and a tree-shaped web of relationships forms. Picture the trunk of the tree as a Young Life leader, who pours into 3 branches (leaders) who then pour into 3 more leaders, and a Leadership Tree will begin to take shape. Every single one of our leaders in Young Life LAC has a Leadership Tree drawn in their journal with names of leaders and kids in their area.
MATTHEW 9:38 LIST Every one of our staff has a list of names that they pray for consistently, asking the Lord of the harvest to bring more workers. Who will move from this list to start the next club? Who will become the next staff person in their country? They pray for the workers, and the people who will come alongside the workers to support, love and encourage. This inspires our leaders to also pray for and invest in the people on their own lists!
HIGHLIGHTS
Pursuing Every Kid, Everywhere DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Renovation at Pico Escondido has continued this year as this camp prepares to open a new dining hall and two new dorms. This will allow us to seat and sleep 320 kids and leaders as they hear the good news of Jesus.
LOCAL STEWARDSHIP
“Amongst the chaos, living with Him in my heart,
An exciting new movement is underway as adults throughout Latin America are being invited to partner with local ministries to ensure long-term health and sustainability.
I can see a glimpse of hope, love, and faith.” —Angel Castillo, Age 17, San Antonio Club, YL Venezuela
THE IMPACT MINISTRIES
2020 2016
401 255
KIDS REACHED 117,842 78,472
KIDS AT WEEKLY CLUB 16,956 10,683
Capernaum, YoungLives & University Ministry These ministries are launching and growing all over the LAC division. They are places of the most beautiful innovation and creativity. Young Life Colombia hosted an inclusive camp where kids involved in YoungLives, Capernaum, Young Life College and traditional Young Life could all learn about Jesus together.
NEW LEADERSHIP IN CENTRAL AMERICA This year, we are aligning our ministry under the proven leadership of Hollman Mendoza from Nicaragua. Hollman and his family will be moving as missionaries to Costa Rica in Spring 2021.
Discipleship Camping Our division is not just committed to outreach camping. We love hosting follow-up camps to help kids grow in their faith and become the next generation of leaders who will reach the next generation of kids.
Expeditions Partnership We now have our own LAC Expeditions team. This team is inviting churches, Young Life areas, families and leaders to “come and see.” Through these service trips, we are building cross-cultural relationships and enriching ministries in the U.S. and abroad.
BRAZIL This year, Brazil celebrates via zoom 55 years of ministry to kids as they begin to look towards the future and opening new cities including Rio de Janeiro in 2021.
KIDS AT CAMPAIGNERS 8,026 4,775
KIDS & LEADERS AT CAMP 7,216 11,454
VOLUNTEERS/LEADERS 2,147 1,312
YL STAFF 235 152
ENGAGE
Juntos. Together. Young Life Latin American and the Caribbean is a diverse family made up of staff, volunteer leaders and financial partners in the United States and abroad who are all passionate about reaching more kids for Christ. Your support helps us reach every kid, everywhere. Here are some ways that you can support Young Life Latin America and the Caribbean:
Sponsor a staff person or country where you want to see more kids hear the good news of Jesus Christ.
Join an “Action Team” to support a particular region with your time and talent.
Visit one of our local ministries by planning a Young Life Expeditions trip with your church or Young Life area.
Help send more kids to camp by donating to the Divisional Campership Fund.
Encourage your local Young Life area to partner with an area or staff person in Latin America or the Caribbean.
To take the next step, email Joey Jimenez at jjimenez@intl.younglife.org or visit latinamerica.younglife.org.
Young Life Latin America/Caribbean 420 N Cascade Ave. Colorado Springs, CO 80903