Ron Bueno during the opening session of the event“To be a leader, you must lead,” started ENLACE’s founder and director, Ron Bueno, at the 2010 pastors and leaders retreat, “But to be a servant leader, you must first serve.” The theme of the retreat was, “Lead like Jesus,” and the weekend was filled with teachings and workshops conducted by influential pastors and leaders who work with ENLACE, as well as video workshops from Willow Creek’s Global Leadership Summit. Participants learned that to lead like Jesus is to seek God, serve others, and empower passionate individuals to take your people from an unacceptable, metaphorical “here” to a brighter and better “there.”
This essential and successful movement from ‘here’ to ‘there’ is precisely what is happening in the churches and communities partnering with ENLACE. For instance, in the community of Abelines, Pastor Victorio has used passionate, motivated individuals to help him move his community from a place where children were dying, families were without safe housing, the roads were readily inaccessible, and people were living without potable water or electricity to a present reality where there is hope for the future. Through partnerships with the local government and other local entities, Abelines has become a community with access to running water, electricity, latrines, safer roads, foot bridges, and the infant mortality rate has decreased significantly. Even more impressive, broken relationships between individuals and entities have been restored, giving the community a forward momentum that is being replicated throughout the surrounding area.
The number of churches working with ENLACE has grown 6 fold since 2005. We are now working with 32 churches and have a projected growth of 100 churches within the next five years. The success of what we are seeing is owed to the function of replication. Influential leaders are those who continue to move their people forward while also fostering and developing new leaders who have the vision to serve and lead their people. In the Abelines region, because of Pastor Victorio’s direct lead, nearly a dozen other churches have come to partner with ENLACE and at least as many are now interested to begin the process of moving their congregations and communities toward a better future. We are seeing similar movements of service and replication all over the country and hope to see El Salvador reach a ‘there’ in which local churches throughout the country serve as a beacon of hope and an instrument of change in their communities.
Children involved in the home garden initiatives gain access to healthy foods and an opportunity for a better future.For Maribel Portillo, to think of the impact of home gardens is to think of her children. Maribel has seen a great impact in her own life since first starting a home garden a few years ago, but the influence on her children is what really stands out for her,
“…Our children are healthier. We now have an abundance of healthy food and this helps our children to stay healthy… We’re all learning how to work together. We’re more organized and we pass on what we’ve learned to the next generation.”
Having healthy children is a dream come true for Maribel, and the success also allows her the privilege to dream of a brighter future for her family. She recognizes that the gardens are already of great importance, but she dreams of using the gardens to improve her family’s economic situation as well. With great joy, she says, “[The gardens] help us financially because we no longer have to buy the vegetables that we cultivate and maybe one day we can even have our own business.”
Every two weeks, ENLACE’s agronomist visits the home gardens to provide ongoing technical support to individuals like Maribel Portillo.Because ENLACE provides ongoing training and technical support, Maribel’s dream of a healthier and more stable economic future can easily become a reality.
Over 500,000 people in El Salvador struggle with malnutrition and hunger every year. A home garden is the most effective way to eliminate these problems. In the past two years ENLACE has helped plant more than 350 home gardens, and we plan to help start at least 400 new home gardens next year! Your donation, no matter how small, helps ENLACE give training and supplies to church and community members all over El Salvador who desire to feed their families and generate income through home gardens and small businesses.
GivFood Today!
$250 helps feed a family for a lifetime!
$50 helps feed one person for a lifetime!
Beatriz Amaya at her Home GardenIn the semi-rural community of La Loma home gardens have become synonymous with powerful and complete community transformation. Community members have become united in purpose– teaching, cultivating, and helping their neighbors to accomplish the work at hand. A sweet aroma of change is filling the air in La Loma and is spreading beyond the community’s small borders.
For many years, the members of the Assembly of Christian Churches in the area attempted to serve their community, but they were always met with a negative response. Although they considered the Home Garden initiative as another attempt to get closer to the community, they expected no more than to provide vegetable gardens for members of the church.
However, over time the home gardens have become a revolutionary initiative, impacting not only the participants themselves, but their families, their neighbors and the sellers in the area. As Pastor Felix Amaya says, “This initiative has changed our lives. As a community we’ve come together, made friends, we take care of each other… and we’re making money!”
ENLACE’s Agronomist Advises Pastor Felix and Don Serefino on how to care for the home garden Taking care of a home garden requires perseverance, patience and care. These three ingredients have not only resulted in healthier and more nutritive vegetables, but also in restored relationships and a spirit of cooperation among the community members.
“People now see the church as a friend… we are no longer distant brothers…There are people who we never used to greet, but now they are benefitting from the gardens and they are asking questions…” Juan Amaya, church leader.
The beneficiaries of this initiative are now helping and motivating others, breaking the ideological barriers that have kept the church divided from its community. This new openness has motivated and strengthened the church leadership and has bolstered church’s image in the community. For example, pastor Felix is no longer seen as just a pastor, but as a friend to the community.
The impact of the Home Gardens Initiative has been so strong that people from surrounding areas have asked how they might have the success and economical sustainability that the people of La Loma now enjoy. The success of the Home Garden Initiative in La Loma represents transformation in every way: restored sense of personal worth, better health, increased income and truly restored relationships.
In the past two years ENLACE has helped plant more than 350 home gardens, and we plan to help start at least 400 new home gardens next year! Your donation, no matter how small, helps ENLACE give training and supplies to church and community members all over El Salvador who desire to feed their families and generate income through home gardens and small businesses.
GivFood Today!
$250 helps feed a family for a lifetime!
$50 helps feed one person for a lifetime!
ENLACE’s Executive Director, Ron Bueno, praying with pastors at a previous retreatOnce a year, the ENLACE staff has the opportunity to spend three days in close fellowship with pastors and leaders from all the ENLACE church partners who are daily working to transform their churches and communities. This annual time of learning and sharing nurtures and motivates us all to move forward in the transformation that God has allowed us to start in this country.
The first retreat took place in 2003 and was attended by 20 people from five churches, as well as six ENLACE staff. Now, seven years later, we find ourselves knocking at the door of the 2010 Pastors and Leadership Retreat which will be attended by 120 people from 25 churches, as well as 20 ENLACE staff that will act as workshop facilitators. Participants are expected to participate in the workshops to assess this year’s accomplishments, evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses, and formalize their plans for 2011.
Pastors and ENLACE staff during a workshop session
Each of these churches realizes that they are not the only ones that have been doing what that are doing in their communities. There are others. They realize that they have gone through difficulties, but also they have had the blessing of truly being a part of their community and helping their community to change its situation. Alfredo Vargas, Director of Operations
This year’s retreat is called, “Lead Like Jesus,” and for the first time, the event is being organized by the pastors themselves. A Pastoral Committee, comprised of seven strong leaders, has been meeting diligently to prepare speakers and plan the logistics of the retreat. This important time of introspection, reflection, and sharing among individuals from different churches and communities allows us to capture ideas, share experiences, and strengthen ENLACE’s processes.
We ask for your prayers for December 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, that each pastor, leader, and ENLACE staff will be renewed in their heart and in their commitment to “Lead Like Jesus.”
Defining and measuring ‘community transformation‘ can be tricky. However, it is possible to identify and recognize the change that goes on when a church begins the journey of effectively serving its community. To this end, ENLACE tracks six areas of transformation and eight core outcomes for every church and community with which it works.
During a recent trip from US partner church, Covenant Family Fellowship (Portland, ME), many of the team members began to see first-hand what transformation looks like in the remote community of San Antonio en Medio. Of notable interest to the team was the increased involvement of local and national government in the area. Pastor Ron Nevers, on his third visit with ENLACE, noted the difference and when asked about his understanding of community transformation, he said, “The story at the school, and seeing the construction, that says it all right there.” The school project was not one initiated by ENLACE, and that’s the beauty of it.
According to community leader Roberto Mejia, the San Antonio church, with support from ENLACE that helped to train and to encourage the church to serve its community effectively, had spearheaded many sucessful community initiatives such as housing, road repair, a clean water, and reforestation. Recently, due to the community participation in these initiatives, the local government of the San Jose El Naranjo region recognized the community of San Antonio as being unusually organized and able to work together to accomplish large projects that benefit its residents. Because of their exceptional organization and cooperation, the government entrusted them with a $111,000 project to expand their public school.
Now, Roberto Mejia and other community members glow as they show off the active construction site. They are proud to mention that the project’s labor–paying jobs that rotate every two weeks–is being distributed fairly among the San Antonio community ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to benefit from the additional income.
Kids learning how to play “disco” of “frisbee” with frisbrees that the Covenant team gave to the local school.We often tell teams who are on their first trip to El Salvador to enjoy the details, the sights and smells, and the people in the communities because it is overwhelming to try to see the whole picture of community transformation at first sight. On his third trip, George Thebarge of Covenant Family Fellowshiph expressed his growing understanding of ENLACE’s role in the San Jose Naranjo Region.
“My first trip, I knew that what was happening was exciting but I could not exactly see the big picture. My second trip, it began to make sense and I became familiar with the community and some of the people. This year, my third trip, I can honestly say that I see the transformation in the people and the community.”
Churches like Covenant Family Fellowship who commit to multi-year relationships play an important role in this process of community transformation by visiting El Salvador and encouraging the local church in its endeavors. Additionally, as the Salvadoran churches seek to alleviate spiritual and physical pverty in their communities, US churches help to provide them with ongoing accompaniment from ENLACE.
In dozens of churches throughout El Salvador, we are seeing that this equation of partnership ultimately results in ‘community transformation.’
10%* of what you spend on gifts this holiday season could help feed one person for a lifetime!
Go to www.GivFood.org for more information or
Get Started Now in 3 Easy Steps:
1. Simply email or text the amount of your first donation to givfood.enlace@mogiv.com (for emails enter amount in subject line)
2. Follow the easy sign-up steps (first time only)
3. Every time you purchase a gift this holiday season, simply text 10% of what you purchase to givfood.enlace@mogiv.com!
*Based on the average shopper spending $516 on gifts during the holiday season. Source: National Retail Federation
Making an Impact…
This is not just a wise proverb; This is a reality that we are experiencing in El Salvador.
Over 500,000 people in El Salvador struggle with malnutrition and hunger every year. A home garden is the most effective way to eliminate these problems. In the past two years ENLACE has helped plant more than 350 home gardens, and we plan to help start at least 400 new home gardens next year! Your donation, no matter how small, helps ENLACE give training and supplies to church and community members all over El Salvador who desire to feed their families and generate income through home gardens and small businesses.
Go to www.GivFood.org to giv and learn moreWith a few clicks, forwards and posts, hundreds more people will have the same success as Azucena Fuentes, a home gardener in El Salvador. Take a minute to watch the video below.
“God challenges our interests with His desires. It’s so amazing to see how He moves our hearts to His interests. He could let us go down the road that we want to take, but God knows that His plan is better. Living out His plan will bring the fullest potential to our lives.”
-Marvin Adelfo Sanchez Masis
Marvin Sanchez became a Christian when he was 18 years old. In the process of searching for direction in his life, he began to study law. However, his heart and mind continued to pull him toward the mission of the Church. This persistent calling led him to seek full-time ministry. He is now in his fourth year of studying Theology at the Assemblies of God Christian University in San Salvador and will soon graduate with a specialization in missions. He has recently joined the group of ENLACE church coaches who work day after day with the pastors and leaders of partnering churches to share the biblical truths that are the foundations of the mission and vision of the Church.
“When the call of God comes to a person’s life, it is very difficult or even impossible to ignore because it is a fire that consumes your heart. As Jeremiah said, I tried to suffer it, but I could not.”
Marvin (far left) with ENLACE staff Alfredo Vargas, Ron Bueno, Felix Orellana and Mark Haugen of Willow Creek Community ChurchBefore coming to ENLACE, Marvin worked as a social-emotional counselor for adolescents with Compassion International in El Salvador. As a counselor, he enjoyed helping young people to discover and develop their true potential.
Marvin brings his life experiences to his church coaching, but is also excited about taking on a broader role with ENLACE. This role, one that reflects God’s call for all of His Church, is to encourage one another towards an integral mission demonstrated by Christ himself. This is a mission that Marvin is so excited to share, one that includes preaching the good news, healing, feeding, and caring for our neighbors.
by Kim Frederick
“God created us to serve and we have the power to fulfill God’s mission because he wants people to be saved from their sins, but He also cares about their needs. He also cares if they have food to eat, that they have clothes to wear, and good health. It’s not a coincidence that we are here on earth; We are here because God has a purpose and he wants to redeem His creation. We are God’s answer for our community.”
-Pastor Miguel Duran
Pastor Miguel Duran working with others in his community to improve the roads in Las DelicasDuring my time as a volunteer in El Salvador, I have had the opportunity to listen to Pastor Miguel Duran on dozens of occasions. His words are powerful and are matched by the compelling way he chooses to live his life. Although I know his story well, hearing him speak never ceases to inspire me and remind me why I am here, serving with ENLACE. His church was small and struggling, his congregation discriminated against and spit on by others in the community, yet Miguel Duran continued to seek God and continued to fight for his community and for the Good Samaritan Church. Enduring the personal loss of two children in the earthquakes of 2001, he continued to follow Jesus’ example of service. He has led his congregation down a path of growth and transformation that is having lasting effects on his community, on the region of San Martin, and on church partners in the U.S. who strive to follow his lead.
THE BEGINNINGS
The Good Samaritan Church started in 1979 as a traditional church which believed their only mission was to preach the gospel and address the community’s spiritual needs. Believing that if Christ was truly in their hearts they would not suffer from a lack of food or clothing, they spent most of their time in church or in prayer, but did not address the population’s glaring physical needs. They kept to themselves and were rejected by community members in the predominately Catholic region. Over the years, however, Pastor Miguel discovered, through his own suffering, that God also cares about physical needs. He began preaching about reaching out to those in physical need, but felt inadequate due to his own church’s needs. After having the opportunity to rally church support to feed one family in need, the church felt empowered. It was then that he sought help and found ENLACE. With the guidance of an ENLACE church coach, he realized the key to being able to reach others was to first get to know them.
REACHING OUT
Pastor Miguel with his wife, Leonor, and grandchildren, Evelyn, Jason, and AndersonPastor Miguel uses the story of Zacchaeus from the gospel of Luke to emphasize some of the first changes that occurred in the Good Samaritan Church. Zacchaeus, a man rejected and despised by the Jews because of his work with the Romans, is befriended and visited by Jesus despite his poor image and faults. While studying this and other scriptures with ENLACE staff, Pastor Miguel and his church were motivated to befriend community members outside of their church. They became friends with members from the local Catholic church, as well as social outcasts in the community, such as individuals with addictions to drugs or alcohol. They learned to accept others despite their social or religious differences, and they began to form strong relationships by promoting respect, harmony, love and mercy.
According to Pastor Miguel, building relationships in the community is a necessary first step to impacting those in need. “We can’t solve material and spiritual needs if we don’t know them,” he stated. New-found friendships became the best way to discuss issues effecting the community, and the best way to rally support for community meetings in which everyone could have a voice. After learning about others’ needs, church members slowly began to put others before themselves and developed hearts of service despite their own difficulties.
CHALLENGES
“We believe that the Church has a call from God…There are many institutions that serve the community, but the Church serves with a love and justice that come from God.”
-Pastor Miguel Duran
As in any church, some members still disagree with the church’s new mission and vision of service. Pastor Miguel is praying that one day the entire congregation will become aware of God’s heart for those in need so that the whole church will become involved with community initiatives. He remembers that several members left the church when its mission and vision began changing because they did not believe that the Church should address the community’s physical needs. However, he encourages other churches by sharing that many members, after seeing the work and its positive outcomes, have returned. “They join and participate, but we have to be patient,” he advises.
CHANGE
The Good Samaritan Church continues to bring the gospel to its community by serving them, by restoring relationships, and by creating new friendships that allow them to work together on sustainable solutions for the entire community. Since the Good Samaritan Church began working with ENLACE over 12 years ago, the church’s outreach committee has helped to lead numerous community initiatives, including road and home construction projects, clean-up and health campaigns, and the management of a local health clinic. Pastor Miguel expressed his gratitude for the way that ENLACE partners with his community, emphasizing that “ENLACE doesn’t impose its projects. ENLACE supports church and community projects.” Pastor Miguel is currently the president of a water board overseeing a water system that is designed to benefit 10,000 people and he remains a prominent leader in his community.
You can help Pastor Miguel and dozens of other pastors in El Salvador continue the work of transformation by becoming a Friend of ENLACE. Gifts of $25, $50 or $100 monthly enable church coaches to accompany committed churches to change lives in their communities. Your consistent giving will enable pastors like Miguel Duran and other leaders to overcome adversity and continue to be the facilitators of change in their communities.
