Founder and Executive Director of ENLACE, Ron Bueno,recently had the privilege of interviewing one of ENLACE’s long-term supporters and friend, Bill Manwarren. Bill Manwarren is a lay, mission’s leader of his church in Santa Ana, CA. He created a partnership group comprised of church and community friends who have funded multiple initiatives throughout El Salvador for the last 12 years. It was a great opportunity to reflect together on the impact of the partnership group on ENLACE, their lives and the church. Below is a sampling of some of the questionsRon asked him and his answers.
How did you decide to get involved with ENLACE?
My friend, Hal Adams, and I started a post-retirement business. We decided together that we would tithe on total sales. God blessed us and so we started looking for opportunities to make a difference. Through a mutual friend, we heard of ENLACE. After praying about it, we decided to fund the first capital for the credit program.
How did you organize a partnership group?
Hal and I wanted to expose other people to ENLACE. We decided to host a booth at a local pastors’ conference. We needed more people to help us design and host the booth so we asked several other people from church to help us. After the booth, we started meeting twice a year to give ENLACE updates and present new initiatives. The group loved hearing about the projects and how it was going. They loved seeing where their money was going and the impact it had. But the real key was the mission trips. When the group really saw the need first hand they would respond. The team members would also go back and tell their friends. The group grew to include over 60 people.
How did you keep the partnership group going for so long?
You have to organize a team, present projects and then get out the way and let God do the work. The key was to get other people involved. I focused on getting the group together and following up on the donations. I spent a lot of time personally inviting people to come. Hal, along with our friend, Esther Pearlman, another deeply committed member of the team, focused on reporting on the projects and presenting new needs. It was critical to get people out to hear the need and God would do the rest. We also visited El Salvador every two years to keep people engaged and excited about what they had funded but also to expose new people to ENLACE and the needs in El Salvador. The trips were really important. The team members will never forget them! They saw first hand how people live and saw how their lives had changed physically, emotionally and spiritually. The trips really helped them focus on what this was all about: being God’s hand to serve those in great need.
What impact has being part of the partnership group made on your life?
It has changed my life. Visiting and walking alongside poor families with great need has created empathy and compassion in my own life. I learned how important it was to commit to people over a long period of time to really assist them to do it themselves and not just give them a quick hand-out. I also became convinced of the importance of the church as being the primary agent of change. I must be honest, there were many times when I thought that I was too busy and that did not have the time to continue, but God would always remind me, “I can make sure that you have even more time if you want.” Being involved has made me more missions oriented and compassionate.
What impact has it had on the members of the partnership group?
The biggest impact has been to expose people to missions. Many people were not missions minded when we started. They saw outreach as an obligation. But through the group, they have really seen and gotten involved in missions. It all comes down to the fact that they saw the need and after responding to God’s call to give and serve people’s lives changed. We have seen how God has used us to provide a house for a poor widow, provide food through agricultural programs, provide electricity and housing to other communities. Because our group has been able to partner with ENLACE for so long, we have been able to see the long-term change in so many of the communities that we have served. Missions has become so much a part of our lives. Esther even became a full-time missionary to South Africa.
What impact can a partnership group have on your church?
The group could have a large impact on your church. We have been able to get more people involved in missions. The group members feel like ENLACE is their ministry. They feel like they are the representatives of ENLACE to their church. We have also been able to reach out to our neighbors and friends through the group. I have presented a housing project to a neighbor, who has now become a great friend, and he was able to contribute significantly to the initiative. A partnership group can really get people excited and active about presenting needs and mobilizing resources to meet them. It can change your church.