Gina Fernandez: Compassion With Action: 2013

Compassion With Action has been dreaming and slowly working on this project for some time now, and at the moment, it is more tangible and in progress. About a month ago, we read an article in a local newspaper about large amounts of land in the Andes mountains (Uspallata) that the government wanted to sell, in order to develop the area and increase the local economy. They asked for anyone interested to send in a project, to, in a way, compete for the lands.

We wrote up a quick “pre-project” and went to find out more details. The government is looking to develop the area, with businesses, tourism, or any other projects that would offer jobs to the locals and economic growth for the area. The prices for the land are very low (that is what we were told, although we have not seen actual prices yet), and it is an amazing opportunity to present our project for the rehab center “Home of Hope”. We are now in the process of presenting very detailed paperwork to the government. They ask for analysis of various statistics, kind of like a market study, budgets, and even a basic design and blue prints of the center. We also have to prove economic stability, showing that we are able to immediately start construction if we do end up having access to the purchase of the land. It is a little different in our situation since this is not a business, but they seemed to like our proposition. The following is a brief summary of the project (please note that this is translated from Spanish to English, and is a formal project that has been presented to the Argentine Government. (Also note that because it is being presented to the govt., certain "religious language" is not used, rather only speaking of biblical morals. As you know, discipleship and their spiritual growth and transformation will be the main priority):

“Compassion with Action is a foundation that has been working with the people living in the slum areas of 12 de Mayo, 8 de Abril and 9 de Julio since 2004. It has been 9 years of sharing and exchanging ideas, culture and customs, and creating deep and meaningful relationships with the people. We have worked with local foundations, churches and even with the local government offices. The people that work on field with Compassion with Action feel that almost a decade of work and experience has given them vast knowledge of the everyday problems that the families of this area deal with. We consider that teaching work ethics and providing real tools as a necessary pillar for helping these people. We also stand behind teaching morality and ethics from a biblical point of view, as we understand that it provides key instruments for the integrity of a person.

We define an integrate (whole, complete) person as someone who is able to positively contribute to society, forming part of a community and possessing of complete mental, physical, emotional and spiritual faculties. We do not wish to impose, but to exchange “life” and stand by the processes of each and every person.”

“We formally present the necessity of a place that provides a healthy environment for people that are in extreme vulnerable situations (addictions to alcohol and drugs, prostitution, or even unemployment and incomplete schooling) where they can rehabilitate and find tools to reinsert into society.

‘Home of Hope’ is a long-term project that has as a general goal, to provide a space to learn, produce and live in community, acquiring new ways of sustainment, and immediately putting in practice the skills and work ethics. We look to use different methods and programs to not only teach and provide tools that will later serve as work skills, but also offer, promote and create spaces of recovery, working with capacitated professionals to accompany the person in their recovery. We also point to a place that is self-sustainable, using the skills being taught to economically sustain the center.

One of the specific objectives is to raise up the value of work and the importance of education to be able to positively contribute to society. We want to combine the need for rehabilitation and recovery with capacitation, so we not only offer help, but also give specific and practical tools so that after the stay at ‘Home of Hope’ the person of family can leave with real knowledge and skills learned to reinsert into society, not going back to the same toxic environment.

Some of the skills and tools that we wish to teach are:

· Cooking and kitchen skills

· Fabrics, sewing, etc.,

· Agricultural skills and farming (different fruits and vegetables, animals, etc.)

· Waiter training

· General Education

· Cultural cooking and tourism

‘Home of Hope’ aspires to contribute to the regional economy, by supplying the development of different products and providing spaces of culture and tourism, where the same people staying at ‘Home of Hope’ can put into real practice the skills that they have learned.”

Estefania is a 17 year old with a 1 year old baby boy named Alexis. Estefania's mom abandoned all her children (all 5, including one with DownSyndrome), when Estefania was little. Estefania and her one sister Gisel are drug users and prostitutes. We have known these girls since 2004 and persistently pursued them with our love and God's Word. Unfortunately, mostly they have rejected both.
God opening those church doors with our family is a blessing and is working in lives that we would never have imagined. Estefania came to church last Sunday with her baby. She was with a young man. The guy was pretty high on some kind of drug, Estefania perhaps a little, but not much. Estefania listened intently to the message that Steve was talking on from John 11: 1-44. Towards the end of conversation, Steve called for salvation. Afterwards, Estefania came to us, sat down and started crying. She told us she wants to change, that she does not want this life anymore, that she sees what it is doing to her baby. She told us that she does all types of drugs, that she is addicted, that she goes out at night (with her baby) to rob or sleep around, whatever she can, for money and for drugs. She absolutely neglects her baby. She knows for years we have been talking to her about God, but now she wants to know how He can save her. She sincerely accepted Christ Jesus as her Savior. She sincerely wants to change, but in the environment she is in, it is so difficult for her. She has noone decent to help her in these daily struggles. She just called us a few days after church as she needed help to get her baby to the hospital because he was sick. She made a collect call to us for help. This is a first step and a big one. We went and bought shoes and socks for her baby, provided her with milk and groceries. We held her as she cried. We ask God to help her and comfort her, only as He can.

But this is not the end of the story. It continues. But right now I want to tell you the beginning of the story and why it was such a shock that she came to church. I had sent out a prayer request a month ago for her, as she had shown up at our womens meeting and sat on my lap crying for 15 minutes. Thanks for your prayers, because God heard and He is with her right now.
The Sunday before last, another young couple had come and wanted to talk to us. Please keep in mind that after working 9 years in this area (barrio), we know many of the families and have deep personal relations with the people. I will try to make this part of the story as simple as possible. This young man, (Misael), his dad is a drug dealer, and he is known to many as a leader of the "drug mafia". Misael, after being friends with us for so long, left that life of his family. Misael's "wife", Anahi, told us what happened with Estefania and her sister Gisel. Both girls were found sleeping with his father, the drug mafia leader. The were sleeping with him in exchange for Meth. The drug mafia's leader wife and daughter walked in while that was going on. This is not the first time, obviously. But the drug mafias wife freaked out because rumor has it in the barrio that the girls have AIDS. So, someone in that family went and beat up Gisel pretty badly, then went with a gun after Estefania. Estefania did escape unharmed with her baby. Crazy story, huh? Well, I tell you that while Anahi was telling me all this, I held my emotions. But as soon as I got in the car, I broke down weeping. "Lord please help Estefania". I cried and cried. I grieved. I love these girls. God loves these girls. The next Sunday, Estefania came to church and accepted the free salvation of the Lord. That is prayer working quickly!
We also had another young couple we have been working with through the years; Debora & Lucas came to us after being separated for some time. They both have commited their lives to the Lord and to remain faithful to one another and their 5 year old son. Debora has a long story. I won't go into too many details but to let you know that she was a prostitue and a recovered drug user. She wants to help me with Estefania. She says she knows exactly what Estefania is going through and she has "been there and done that" and would like to help me disciple her, help her stay clean and off the street. The great thing about this is that Debora lives in the barrio, so she told Estefania that she can come to her anytime of the day or night if she is in trouble. We live 5 minutes away from the barrio, and many times we have been called there to help someone in trouble. It is such a blessing to see the ones we have discipled through the years, now wanting to help and disciple others that are in need of Jesus.
The same night that Misa & Anahi came to talk to us, another young lady we have disciped for years (Johanna) and has a relationship with Christ, went to talk with Michelle after being inspired by Hollie's testimony she had heard at the Wednesday Women's meeting. Since their daughters attend the same preschool they see one another all the time. Johanna really dislikes Gisel and has never wanted anything to do with her. Yet she felt the need to pray for Gisel and perhaps help her, so Michelle was able to explain to Johanna about spiritual warfare and the importance of her prayers for Gisel using Ephesians 6. It is amazing how God is lifting up disciples in the barrio to help their neighbors.
The last story I want to tell you about is a young couple, Claudio & Marylou. Claudio also comes from a family of drugs. 4 years ago Claudio was drugged and with his buddies playing russian rulette. He shot himself in the head. At the moment, Steve was passing by and picked the young man up off the street, (because ambulances at the time would not enter that area), and got him to the hospital. His life was saved, but now he is mentally and physically disabled. Since we opened the church, and Claudio found out that it was Steve pastoring, he has come to church faithfully with his "wife" and baby, also expressing to us that they want change and Jesus to be part of their life. God really touched Hollie's heart,( a young woman that came on the mission team), and Hollie very much connected with Marylou and her baby. Before Hollie left, she went and bought a baby stroller, formula and diapers, as this young family is suffering.
Please continue praying for deliverance & protection for Estefania and her babyboy Alexis. Pray for her sister Gisel's salvation. Pray for safety for Misael, his wife Anahi and thier baby Tristan (as Anahi is scared for their safety since there is such "war" going on in the area and they are related to the drug mafia leader). Pray for Debora and Lucas to stand firmly in their faith together. Pray for Johanna as God is calling her to stand in the gap. Pray for Claudio & Marylou to draw even closer to God and for the health of their baby Kayle. And pray for our family. Pray that God gives us wisdom and His Word to minister to the lost and hurting. Pray for our continual protection, physically and spiritually. Pray for continual financial support to keep this ministry going and to allow Steve to work full-time for the Lord, which requires more committed monthly ministry partners. Pray for our families safety. Pictures below of everyone we talked about here, so that you can connect the name with the face.