Noe Canales: ENLACE Church Coach Serving God and His Neighbor

"With God's help, I will do my best to serve God, my church, and my fellowman... " This is the pledge of the Royal Rangers, and Assemblies of God wilderness program for youth. Noe Canales repeated this pledge many times as a teenager and says that the program strengthened and focused his passion to serve and work for Christ. He now shares this passion with other young men as a volunteer leader for the Royal Rangers, and we are happy that he has recently joined the ENLACE staff as our newest Church Coach.

Despite his deep desire to serve in the ministry, Noe was compelled to earn a living in a variety of secular jobs after finishing High School. A strong call to serve God eventually led him to study theology. After finishing his third year of school, he was able to get a job with the World Vision, a Christian organization.

As a World Vision Christian Commitment Coordinator, Noe gained experience in community development. Through his experience, Noe saw a glimpse of what the rural church can accomplish when it begins to work with its community and said, “The church is the answer to the problems in our country because the church is the key for the transformation of a nation.”

The World Vision program concluded in 2010, and Noe began to search for a local ministry that empowered churches. It was then that he encountered ENLACE, and was seleceted to be part of the ENLACE staff in June, 2011.

Joining ENLACE has been a result of Noe’s desire to work alongside churches that are invovled with real, sustainable community transformation. He states:

“I’m excited to be part of this process... walking with the children, with the pastors...[I love] walking down the streets of their communities, meeting with them, talking about the challenges in their communities and coming up with solutions, and discussing how the Word of God helps bring development and change.”

With his arrival to ENLACE, Noe joins the effort of seven other church coaches who are working with more than 50 churches in five different regions of El Salvador. Noe’s role of leading churches through an extensive training process is crucial in order to help support motivated churches who want to see total transformation in their communities.

There's Something About Psalm 23

By Kim Frederick

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”  (James 1:27)

Beautiful scenary on the ourskirts of town near one of the new homes. Quietly standing in the shade of Marivel’s home as her children lingered around corners, on hammocks, and inside of their dirt floor adobe home, I helped translate as we boldly practiced a pure and faultless religion. When we arrived at their house, a skinny teenage girl shyly opened their scrap metal gate, and two muddy barefoot boys were doing their homework on an old wooden table outside. Marivel’s eyes filled with tears and she gave thanks to God as we explained that we had come to visit and pray with her. She is a widow with eight children. She is a strong believer in God and member of a local church called Arca de Dios, but she and her children rarely go to church anymore due to threats from a local gang. She says that she hopes this “difficult time” will soon come to an end, but she appears tired and worn. Her pastor, Franciso, knows her well and visits often. It is Pastor Fransico who brought us to her home to encourage her and share a bag of basic foods with her family. He knows and visits many people in his community, despite the prevalent gang activity in the area.

This week, a group from Willow Creek Crystal Lake in Chicago came to build relationships with the people in El Ranchador and construct two cement block homes to support current efforts of the local church to serve those in need in their community. The group’s desire to learn from the community and willingness to listen and respond to the community’s needs was admirable.

"The Lord is my sheperd, I shall no want." Psalm 23.1Throughout the week, everywhere we went, Psalm 23 was written, sung, read or taught. It was laughable each time a reference to the verse seemed to pop out of nowhere. Although the reference (in some translations) to walking “in the valley of the shadow of death,” and it’s popular use at funerals or hospital beds was a little discomforting, it seemed to build a nice theme for my week. Despite the physical labor of moving over 300 cement blocks, mixing cement by hand, and hauling dirt and rocks, being in El Ranchador all week away from desks, computers, phones, clocks, and advertisements was a restful time. The images of “lying down in green pastures” and “leading me beside still waters” provoke powerful feelings while surrounded by mountains and enormous Ceiba trees in a small town filled with mud and metal houses with waste water running through the streets.

Alvaro and two of his four children help build their new home. Despite the numerous gang tags and knowledge that we were being carefully watched, we never felt threatened; we never felt alone. Instead, the truth came alive through our presence there, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff--they comfort me.” We ate all of our meals in the community with the pastor and other volunteers from the church, and we were welcomed with overwhelmingly open arms which reminded me that He “prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies,” and “my cup overflows.”

1 Jehovah es mi pastor; nada me faltará. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.


Housing recipient, Douglas and his family in El Ranchador. Before leaving Marivel’s home, the Crystal Lake group gave her a large plastic bag with basic foods like rice, beans, oil, sugar, and cornflour. She asked me to pray for her daughter, Marivel de los Angeles (translated, Marivel from the Angels). She showed me a that her hip bone was protruding awkwardly beneath her skin. It looked broken, and her mother said it was from a golpea, or some kind of blow. We prayed with her and asked that God “restore her soul” through these difficult times. Her certainty that she would one day have the freedom to return to church was a proclamation of the strong hope to which she clings. Thanks to the local church’s work in El Ranchador, Christians and non-Christians alike are receiving mercy and esperanza (hope) through home visits, latrines, home gardens, new houses, and restored relationships. This church’s efforts are just another example of how we, as the body, can reach out to one another, helping others to experience the truth in the last verse of Psalm 23: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.”

Click here to go to Kim Frederick's blog page

A Passion for Service

by Michelle Zuñiga

Pastors, leaders and ENLACE staff holding on to miracles.During my first year as an ENLACE volunteer, I had the opportunity to travel to dozens of communities. It was obvious that most of these communities were poor, with high crime rates, and often distant from access to resources. Despite these challenges, pastors and church leaders are involved in daily efforts to bring reconciliation, justice, and help their neighbors in transformational ways. Their hard work is encouraging to say the least, but I sometimes ask myself, "What keeps them going? How can they continue all of this hard work in the face of such adversity?" The short answer is passion. A God-given passion for service seems to be the key element that these pastors and leaders all seem to have in common.

As 2010 drew to a close, more than 140 pastors and church leaders from all over El Salvador came together to commit their lives to serving God and serving their communities with this God-given passion. At one point during a session I could see Pastor Santos from El Espino, Pastor Miguel from Las Delicias, and Pastor Orlando from El Triunfo, all from very different areas of the country. As they heard speakers, each one was attentive, writing notes diligently, and worshipping with all of their hearts. This retreat was a time of camaraderie, spiritual refreshment and renewal of their passion for service. The pastors and leaders recognize that it takes enthusiasm and momentum to motivate their churches to continue serving in the face of adversity.

As we begin a new year I can see that it is with this contagious passion that churches truly become agents of change in their communities. A good example is the Good Samaritan where Pastor Miguel Duran has persisted for many years with a water project that will provide three communities with clean water. At the retreat he shared his experience with this initiative. His experience encouraged other church leaders to face with confidence the obstacles their initiatives may encounter.

Michelle smiling for the camera during the retreatOne of the most powerful moments was near the end of the retreat when everyone stood together, holding hands. We were connected with one another and we prayed as we squeezed our neighbor’s hand. We held on tightly knowing that we were holding onto miracles. As we look ahead to 2011 and beyond we know that for many communities in El Salvador, nothing short of a miracle will do. Money seems scarce, resources are hard to come by, but these pastors and leaders continue to strive to lead like Jesus did, with a God-given passion for service.


An Unquenchable Fire: Following God's Call to Integral Mission

"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 is excited to bring his experiences as a counselor 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. 

Tilling the Soil and Discovering Jesus' Heart for the World

The Bible is filled with metaphors and analogies that refer to the soil. It is often a symbol of life and new beginnings. For Julio Figueroa, a new ENLACE Church Coach, the metaphor holds a myriad of meanings. Since he was hired in February this year, he has planted roots into his new job by cultivating strong relationships with both his colleagues and the residents of Abelines where he helps to manage the home gardens and other initiatives. Even though his life has not been easy, his new life of service is one he's always longed for; a life that cultivates both the soil of people's hearts and of their backyards.

Although Julio's work now leads him to harvesting, watering, and soil preparation, Julio's experiences and academic degrees were not in agriculture. When he was young, he was selected to play for a prestigious athletic team. Later he received a degree in marketing from the University of Central America José Simeón Cañas and also a degree in Ministry Studies from the Biblical Baptist Institute in the U.S. However, his passion for people and his desire to share his life with them ultimately led him to a region close to Abelines where he was already working when he heard about ENLACE. Upon learning more about ENLACE and realizing that much of his present work with churches and communities was very similar, Julio decided that ENLACE was a perfect fit and applied for a job. He loved the idea of identifying simple and creative ways to help communities resolve problems of food security, access to clean water, and the need for livable homes. To him, a marketing major, athlete, and lay-leader with a pastor's heart, God's plan wasn't just perfect; It was extraordinary.

Julio gives a vaccination to a goat in the Abelines region 

According to Julio...

"ENLACE brings transformation to the community by means of the relationships created by the gospel. The work that God has left to his church is not to have endless services and meetings, but to take the good news of Christ’s love to others...This is so important to the heart of Jesus that he is right there with them, eating, sleeping, baring the cold, enduring the hunger. The church is responsible to present this Jesus. 

 To see this process [of transformation] develop is a job that requires one to know the community and the culture, bringing the gospel as something practical and simple, but with a lot of creativity, passion, and sacrifice for others."

Julio has two adult sons who according to him fulfill his other passion of being a good father. Julio sees his work with ENLACE and his continued strive toward athletic excellence as ways to show God's faithfulness and heart for the world.

"We are God's Answer": One Pastor's Journey of Perseverance

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 lead 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.

Colorado Catches the Vision: Timberline Church and Parker Christian Center Visit El Salvador

By Kim Frederick

Meeting with Pastor Miguel and the water board in Las Delicias.Getting a chance to talk with Ron Bueno, ENLACE's founder and Executive Director, and hear his passion for the local church is exciting to say the least. Meeting with the pastors and church leaders who are working with ENLACE and realizing the vision of community transformation is also incredibly inspiring. However, to visit communities and meet the pastors with Ron Bueno as a guide and translator is downright invigorating, and the excitement becomes contagious. I had the opportunity to be a part of such an experience during a recent vision trip involving various church leaders from Colorado.

The team met with several local pastors, pastors who have stepped away from an attitude of separatism and have embraced an attitude of service and community transformation. One pastor, Miguel Duran, admitted that his church used to keep to itself and shunned involvement with community efforts. His church had even been accused of being a “parasite of the community” before it listened to God’s call to love and serve its neighbors. Amazingly, Pastor Miguel is now a prominent leader in his community and the head of the water board which is overseeing a project that will one day provide clean water to thousands of people in his area.

Visiting a tilapia farm in the community of El EspinoWe also met with a friend of Miguel Duran, Pastor Felix, who was once a critic of the pastors who chose to reach out to their communities, but is now also effectively partnering with his community in development efforts. Through Ron's vibrant translating, Pastor Felix told us that he had been a pastor for years before he finally understood that the gospel was not just something to be contained or kept in the church. It is alive, he said, and we have to live it out. He beamed as he showed us some of the tomatoes that were a product of his community’s home garden initiatives.

Restoring relationships is a phrase often used by ENLACE staff when explaining ENLACE’s approach to community transformation. Before, I thought this was just a creative way of saying that ENLACE trains church leaders to collaborate with others in efforts of community development. It was not until sitting in on community meetings with members from various churches and different walks of life, hearing testimonies and stories of reconciled neighbors and of lives saved through selfless serving, that idealist phrases such as “restoring relationships” and “community transformation” became tangible realities to me. The experience of these realties is what would prompt Mark Orphan, the Missions and Outreach Pastor of the Timberline Church, to say with confidence, "Of all the missions organizations I’ve worked with, I’ve never seen one more strategic in their approach and well-suited for a transforming partnership with US churches."

It is exciting to meet so many churches that are heeding a call to service and reaching out sacrificially, despite their own poverty and needs. Through meetings with these incredible individuals and visits to Pastor Felix showing off the tomatoes of his home gardentheir communities, leaders from the Timberline and Parker Christian Center churches were able to better understand what it means to be a link which “equips churches to transform their communities.” I think it would be difficult to come here, see the work being done through the churches, and not catch the vision. For me, it is like a hardball to the chest that leaves me with a tremendous desire to be a part of the excitement, and an immeasurable thankfulness that, in some small way, I am.

If your church is interested in becoming a partner with ENLACE, and would like to learn more by coming to El Salvador for a vision trip, please contact partner@enlaceonline.org for more information.


A New Awakening and A New Home: Douglas' Story

ENLACE "equips churches to transform communities." The concept of community transformation is often vague and difficult to grasp. However, the story of one life transformed is much more tangible. With this in mind we want to share with you Douglas' story. 

Through the restoration of relationships and effective service in its community, the New Jerusalem Church in Comecayo will impact the lives of tens of thousands of people over the next few years. Douglas is just one example of a life transformed.

ENLACE needs your help in order to work with 250 churches that are transforming the spiritual and material lives of 500,000 people in El Salvador by 2020. 

Click here to donate now!

The Crossing of Barriers to Make Friends!

by Michelle Zuniga

The Crossing with Good Samaritan church members.

Less than three weeks into my year-long journey as a volunteer for ENLACE, I had the privilege to witness the impact people can have when they are willing to cross over borders as well as cultural and language differences in order to serve sacrificially. Over the past several years The Crossing, a church from Costa Mesa, CA, has been living up to its name by crossing over barriers to make an impact in the lives of thousands of people in El Salvador through ENLACE.

As soon as the team arrived in Las Delicias and spotted Pastor Miguel and his family, they jumped out of the vans eager to greet them. Not even weariness from the red-eye flight from Los Angeles could hold the team back from smothering the community members with long-awaited embraces. The joy in everyone's face was testament to the strong relationship between the two churches, picking up right where they left off last year.

This partnership with the region has been marked by the creation of strong friendships between individuals in The Crossing Church and the local church aptly named The Good Samaritan. When asked what compels Dawn Ralph, the leader of this year's team, to come back year after year she responded, “It’s really the family we have here.”

The team chose to break into four groups of service: women's ministry, dental services, latrine construction and youth work. I particularly enjoyed participating in the youth activities which were geared toward listening to the youth and learning together about healthy friendships. This theme is especially important, as the neighboring city of San Martin is well-known for being an area with heavy gang activity. The choice of befriending or joining a gang is an ever-present option for most youth in this area and is all the more reason for the the local church to collaborate with visiting teams like The Crossing, to reach out and provide a better way.

The Crossing team praying for Pastor Miguel and his family.Both the Good Samaritan church and the Crossing showed me the power of the church; change is possible for everyone despite harsh circumstances. They showed me that restored relationships are crucial to bring forth transformation, reconciliation, and development, all of which only Jesus can sustain. This is part of the reason ENLACE hosts mission teams; they serve, empower, and witness firsthand the transformation that is already taking place by the thousands of community members ENLACE walks alongside. Las Delicias is just one of many communities throughout El Salvador that has shown us so much about friendship, whether it was praying together at a Bible study, having someone pull you out of a latrine, holding the hand of someone getting her tooth pulled, or enjoying some great sopa de gallina with Pastor Miguel’s family. I can’t wait to help other teams that come to visit communities in El Salvador, teams committed to crossing barriers to make friends. 

"I Have Seen The Church In Action!:" Willow Creek's Partnership with ENLACE

Pastor Rafael with the Willow Creek team outside the christian school in Comecayo.

Over the past year, several leaders from Willow Creek Community Church have visited El Salvador to see how they can partner with ENLACE in the work of equipping churches to transform communities. As it turns out, ENLACE's model is a perfect fit for Willow Creek. Last year, they decided to partner with ENLACE and invest in the region of Santa Ana over the next five years, a commitment that will likely impact a large number of the region's 700,000 people in the coming years.

In July they sent their first short-term mission team in order to encourage and assist the New Jerusalem Church in Comecayo in their community transformation efforts. The team worked on one of the church's most significant initiatives to date: a 300-meter sidewalk that will serve to protect thousands of people in the area. In addition, the team visited Students getting out of school while Willow Creak team is working to build a side walk.15 needy families identified by the church and community and brought them basic food supplies and prayed with them. Pastor Wally Marshall also led a small seminar with the church helping them refine their cell-group efforts that have helped to grow the congregation to more than 1,000 members with dozens of sister churches in the region.

Team member Earl Casas wrote a blog during his trip and had this to say about the week,

I’ve seen poverty and violence while here. I’ve seen situations where it seems there should be no hope but I’ve also seen faith in action here. I’ve seen a force, stronger than the crippling grip the gangs can maintain, penetrating the darkness and pushing back the fear, loneliness, and hopelessness of the poor and destitute. I have seen the Church in action. As we left our new friends we were comforted to know that the work here continues through these compassionate brothers and sisters in Christ who are simply trying to live out their faith as God directs and in so doing they are changing their world.

By partnering with the region of Santa Ana, the Willow Creek Community Church will most certainly be part of the burgeoning transformation in the lives of tens of thousands of Salvadorans in the coming years. However, Earl Casas and the Willow Creek team learned a concept familiar to missionaries and donors; It is often through the act of giving that one receives the greatest blessing.

We came to be a blessing but instead were blessed. We came to bring hope but instead received it. We came to bring resources but left with much more than we gave. We came to teach and encourage but instead we learned and were inspired.

Contact us to find out how your church or organization can partner with ENLACE to make a direct and lasting impact in the lives of thousands of people in El Salvador.

Click here to donate or become a Friend of ENLACE and to help ENLACE work with 100 churches by 2015.

Click here to see the riveting story of Pastor Rafael Gonzalez, pastor of the New Jerusalem church in Comecayo.

The 'Bread of Life' Providing Light to Its Neighbors

Nestled in the mountains just south of San Salvador sits the colonial town of Panchimalco. Panchimalco is one of the few towns in El Salvador where the indigenous culture and language have been preserved. It is not uncommon to hear the native Mayan-based language, Nahuat, and see elderly women with colorful clothing along the steep and winding streets.

Located in an adobe building built around 1950, La Iglesias Pan de Vida (Bread of Life Church) is a thriving congregation that has found a renewed sense of motivation since it began to work with ENLACE a little over a year ago. The church's extremely strong leadership group is working hard to find ways to connect with its community and make a lasting impact. One of the first Community Members working on the electricity initiative. initiatives identified by the church and community is an electricity project that will benefit the hamlet of Amatitan with more than 60 families (500 people). It is a project that the community dreamed of implementing for years but was never able to gather the resources on their own, nor were they able to organize themselves in such a way to link to the local government.

However, over the past year ENLACE's church advisor to the region, Gerson Ramirez, along with ENLACE technical staff,  have been working hard to train the church and help organize the community implement this Juan Carlos, Community Association President and church leader, working along with other community members on the initiative.vital initiative. The community members are excited about the prospect of a safe, well-lit community where children will be able to study in their homes at night and families will be able to store food in a refrigerator. The importance of the initiative will not only be seen by the light of the first light bulbs in Amatitan but also in the growth of trust, collaboration and the church and community's ability to be able to resolve their own needs. According to Juan Carlos Deodanes, President of the Community Association, “Our community is motivated and this is the first time I have ever seen a church become part of the development of its community." 



Thank you for responding to the floods!

On November 7, Hurricane Ida dumped 14 inches of rain in twelve hours on El Salvador, severely damaging the central and coastal regions. To put that into perspective, the last major hurricane that hit Central America was Hurricane Stan which dumped over 15 inches in a four-day period. The sudden massive downpour caused rivers to overflow and triggered deadly landslides. Across the country over 200 people died and 13,600 people were forced to find refuge in 118 temporary shelters. The landslides destroyed 158 homes and damaged an additional 1,500 (for more information and pictures regarding the effects of the storm visit NY times article and our gallery).

In the communities where ENLACE partners with local churches, church and community leaders immediately visited the families most effected by the hurricane and began addressing their needs. Leaders moved displaced families to nearby shelters, salvaged  possessions, and cleared roads full of mud and debris. Tragically, the leaders in Las Delicias accompanied their neighbors as they conducted funerals for six children whose lives were lost in landslides. 

In eight partner communities in San Salvador and La Libertad, the church and community leaders identified 151 families (over 600 people) in desperate need of basic food, personal care items, and water. Thanks to generous donations, ENLACE was able to provide a month’s worth of supplies for the church and community to distribute (for additional pictures visit ENLACE’s website here). As we prepare a second round of donations, the church and community leaders are evaluating the next stages of their intervention, which may include reconstruction of damaged/destroyed homes along with help for grieving families. 

Thank you again for your generosity and support. We will provide future updates as the church and community’s course of action develops.