Transitions

What If? – ¿Y Si?

Lighthouse Resource Center, Transitions, Urban Ministry -

Two years ago I stood at my desk in the hot and humid upstairs of our first building. Wedged in around boxes of bras, I stood in front of the fan by the window staring directly across the street at a large building. A “For Sale” sign had just been hung up. What if we could somehow get that space?  A year later and we were there. We were in the building, renting it, stretching each month but it was happening. There was room to breathe, to work, to receive clients, to host a small church on the weekends. Then there was the chance to buy it, to make a plan to pay it off, to make it ours. But what if there was more?  Jump ahead six months and my head […]

All The Pieces – Todas Las Piezas

Lighthouse Resource Center, Transitions, Urban Ministry -

Her head was bent against the woman’s next to her as they quickly pieced together a child’s puzzle on the floor. A look of annoyance flickered across her face when she realized that a piece was missing. The picture was incomplete, the image coming into focus, but still distorted. In that moment, Jon pulled the missing pieces out from behind his back and handed them to each group. Quickly, she pressed the last piece into place and looked up with a smile. There it was, the image in view. Solving a child’s puzzle wasn’t just a moment of amusement, but rather a metaphor to talk to her and our other clients about new things, transitions, opportunities for growth. A few weeks ago we made a big change. We consolidated all […]

Ending the Poverty of Community – Terminando con la Pobreza de la Comunidad

Fundraising, The Lighthouse Project, Transitions, Urban Ministry -

“Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.”  The words above were said by Mother Teresa who spent her life with and for the poor. She lived with those who experienced extreme physical poverty, but she learned that there is a greater poverty still…the poverty of community. We meet so many people who have come to the end of the line, who have come up short after churning through their physical resources. They may come for food or clothing, but they stay because they are searching for a place to belong. A place to feel loved, a place to be cared for and remembered…a community. Perhaps overcoming the poverty of […]

New Dawn is Open! —-¡Un Nuevo Amanecer abre sus puertas!

A New Dawn, Kids at Risk, Transitions, Urban Ministry -

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity as we put the finishing touches on the New Dawn residential program! The new rooms are set up, and all of the new staff have been hired and are finishing up their orientation and training for the program this week. Now we all take a deep breath as we wait for the kids to move in. So much planning and dreaming has gone into making this program a reality that it’s hard to believe that we have finally come to this point! We already have one kid walking through the admissions process, and we are excited to share that *Rodrigo is that kid! After hearing his story, many of you began to pray for him, and many chose to partner […]

New Year, New Things

Prayer, Transitions -

Happy New Year! Here we are standing at the top of 2016! It seems almost unbelievable in so many ways as we look back over the past year. Lots of things happened this year…the women involved with Free The Girls saw their businesses take off, we have seen success as several of our clients in the Lighthouse Project celebrated months (and even a year!) of sobriety, and we have seen the doors open on A New Dawn as kids begin to come in off the streets and find love and hope. So what is new for 2016? There are lots of new things! We have new missionaries joining our staff this month, we anticipate the opening of Phase II of A New Dawn, and we look forward to seeing a […]

What Is Our Mission?

Missions, Transitions -

Mission to El Salvador. That is the name of our organization, so what kind of mission are we on anyway? There are so many potential missions in this tiny country, so many things we could be doing. The list of needs and possible areas of service are endless. How do we find clarity and focus in our calling? Over the last few months, we have spent a lot of time thinking through these questions, and you may notice that we have a new look that reflects the conclusions that we have drawn. The thing is that we want to fulfill our mission well, and we want to live out a calling that is sustainable. Our work is far more about long-term journeys than simply short-term solutions. Walking with people out […]

Finally Legal!

Life in El Salvador, Transitions -

Last December we shared with you the news that we would be starting the process of making MTES an officially registered non-profit here in El Salvador, in addition to the non-profit status that we already have in the States. Today we are thrilled to share the news that we are finally legal! We have the paperwork in hand! It took us a few months to get things in order, and we submitted all of our paperwork in March. Our lawyer can’t believe how fast the process went, especially with an election happening in the middle of it all. Thanks for your prayers and encouragement…we are so excited to have this process behind us!

Summer Snapshots

Family, Transitions -

The kids’ summer break was a whirlwind. This past year has been a busy (and good!) one, and the past few months were no exception. The kids got to do a little bit of everything…hang out around the house, translate for volunteers, come to the ministry center with us, and spend some time with family and friends. This morning with prayers and hugs we sent them off to a new school year. The start of a new school year is bittersweet and with the busy season that we are in I feel like I didn’t get nearly enough moments with them this summer. Like it or not, a new school year is upon us! Second grade and Fifth grade here they come! But first, just want to share a few […]

“Mommy, Why Does Everyone Always Have To Leave?”

Third Culture Kids, Transitions -

“Mommy, why does everyone always have to leave?” My daughter cried this question out through her tears this past Friday as we walked away from her school. She had just finished saying good-bye to a classmate who was moving back to her home country after three years in El Salvador. Tori didn’t take the good-bye well. She never takes it well. Someone leaves after a few weeks, or a year, or three years and she simply can’t cope with it. She can’t cope with it because in her life she is always losing someone, or something, or an identity, or a friend. She lives there in between all the losses. My kids are TCKs…Third Culture Kids.  That means that they don’t belong to their home culture, and they don’t belong to their […]

A New Season

Transitions -

The “October Winds” which bring an end to the rainy season in El Salvador have arrived late this year! Last week violent winds came tearing through the city bringing down trees and knocking out power for several hours. Since the storm temperatures have been cool, and the skies have been blue. Sometimes the change of seasons can bring stress and obstacles, but also peace and new resolutions. We are now in a season of transition ourselves. A few weeks ago, we celebrated four years of life and ministry in El Salvador. For the past four years, we have served as part of the El Salvador staff for Youth With A Mission. We have grown so much during that time, and feel truly blessed with the wonderful friends and co-workers that we […]

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