#hope for the future of Paraiso

Derek Retreat in Benaiah Home

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This week, Engadi hosted it’s first ever retreat for boys in the Derek Program. Some of the oldest and most active boys in the program were invited to Engadi’s Benaiah Home for a three-day retreat. Six boys were able to attend the event and arrived to the house Tuesday afternoon. The retreat served several purposes, and much was accomplished during the time with the boys.

#brotherhood

#brotherhood

During the days, the young men had devotional and discipleship time together where Engadi’s Director of Discipleship, David Medina had prepared a series of messages with them during the time they were here. With a one-to-one ratio of boys to Engadi staff and volunteers, we were able to be attentive to the needs and concerns of each boy and spend precious time discipling each one.

Prayer time in the Benaiah Home

Prayer time in the Benaiah Home

 

Volunteer, Brenda Stephens teaching the young men how to give a three-point speech.

Volunteer, Brenda Stephens teaching the young men how to give a three-point speech.

Boys practiced giving three-point speeches to their peers

Boys practiced giving three-point speeches to their peers

Volunteer, Brenda Stephens also had a sequence of classes planned for the retreat with material covering, honoring God though career choices, how to choose a career, tips on giving presentations and doing job interviews, and general restaurant etiquette. The boys were attentive through each of the classes and at the end of the week were able to give presentations to their peers on their career of choice and how they planned on reaching their goal. We are very proud of the efforts they put forth through each of the classes and seeing #hope awakened in each boy.

Playing tug-of-war on the bad of the Benaiah House

Playing tug-of-war on the yard of the Benaiah House

Connor and Brooklyn handing out materials to begin a recreational activity

Connor and Brooklyn handing out materials to begin a recreational activity

Volunteers, Connor and Brooklyn headed up recreational activities throughout each day to give the boys a time to get energy out, build #brotherhood, and just be boys. The boys played a variety of games including tug-of-war, scavenger hunts, and creating contraptions for a two-story egg drop.

 

 

 

At nights, boys gathered together to watch movies in the Benaiah Home in including both Courageous and God’s Not Dead, both which almost every boy had never seen before. By the end of the two days, to say that the boys were worn out would be an understatement. Engadi is grateful for the opportunity and resources to host an event like this and deeply impact the lives of some of the boys that we have worked with the longest in Paraíso.

Settling in for the night to watch "God's Not Dead"

Settling in for the night to watch “God’s Not Dead”

#engadi

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The Derek Boys with Engadi Staff and Volunteers

Derek group with volunteers, Brenda and Connor, and staff, Manuel, David, and James (not pictured)

Derek Group Outing to Scaled Relief Map

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This week, the highest performing boys within Engadi’s Derek Group took a special outing to one of Guatemala City’s educational attractions- a scaled relief map of nations Guatemala and Belize. The map, which was created by explorer Francisco Vela at the beginning of the 20th century, is a 3D portrayal of both countries with mountains, volcanoes, cities, and rivers all labeled. It was a great way of the boys, who rarely have the opportunity to leave Guatemala City, to learn more about their nation and realize how much more there is to Guatemala than what they might be aware.

After viewing the map, the boys went to a nearby park to share a snack and just be kids! The #brotherhood spent time throwing a frisbee, playing on the playground, and of course, striking up a pickup soccer game. The boys also spent meaningful one-on-one time with the Engadi staff and interns. We are proud of each of these boys, and the commitment they have put into their discipleship groups, community service, and the Derek Group as a whole.

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Engadi Initiates English Classes in Paraíso

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This week, Engadi piloted new typing and English classes for the boys in the Derek Program. Young men who had a desire to improve their skills in either of these areas were invited to classes led by Engadi staff members in the Engadi Transformation Center. Most of these boys do not have regular access to computers, and having even weekly classes on computers will help them gain skills that will be valuable when they begin seeking employment in the future. In addition, having knowledge of the English language can possibly augment, if not double, the salary that they are qualified to earn in many job markets in Guatemala.

More importantly, the classes give boys a time of one-on-one mentorship, encouragement, and discipleship with Engadi staff. The boys’ faces couldn’t hide their excitement and contentment to have a focused time of attention and learning with an adult they trusted.

Engadi is excited to expand the scope of the Derek Program that we are able to extend to boys in Paraíso who are motivated to succeed in spite of their current situation. These classes are scheduled to continue twice a week throughout the summer months for boys who are interested. Check back periodically for updates and photos of the classes throughout the summer!

#engadi #hope #brotherhood

ETC Inspirational Mural

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This week, while the majority of the team from Clayton King Ministries was busy doing outreach in local elementary schools and hosting events on Paraíso’s main soccer field, a special team of artists within the team was working on a special project within the Engadi Transformation Center. Mixing their own colors of paint using only a few basic colors, the team created a beautiful mural in the main classroom of the Engadi Transformation Center!

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The center of the mural features Engadi’s signature “Oak of Righteousness” based off of Isaiah 61:1-6. Beside the oak are Engadi’s guiding values of Hope and Brotherhood written in Spanish.

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The right third of the mural features a typical Guatemalan style pueblo with a backdrop of one of Guatemala’s many volcanoes. At the center is a church surrounded by homes and other small businesses.

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On the far left side of the painting is a more modern city featuring a hospital, fire station, bank, and crane to signify new development. The city is surrounded by a busy highway of cars trucks and buses. The old and new communities represent the mix of cultures in Guatemala and the vast options that each of the children in Paraíso have for careers, homes, and community life when they grow up. The mural delivers a message to the children who will be using the center that they are capable of anything with God when they put their minds to it. Across the bottom, tying the sections together is painted, “Be strong and brave and do not fear.” Joshua 1:9.

The team did an awesome job on the mural! It very clearly delivers a message of #hope and #brotherhood to all who will be using the ETC for classes and community events. Thank you Clayton King Ministries for this awesome work of art!

#engadi

New Paint for the Transformation Center

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The team from Clayton King Ministries spent their last workday in Paraíso painting the Engadi Transformation Center, Engadi’s physical center within the community. Throughout the day, the team painted almost the entire interior and exterior of the building giving it a whole new look. The team cleaned and brightened the walls with a bright yellow paint that closely resembles the colors used in other work Engadi has done within the community such as painting the local schools. Their work really brightened up the center, and with just a new coat of paint, the building now has a new sense of #hope and #brotherhood upon entering the door. We are excited to continue our community events and classes within the walls of the ETC, and are excited for the community to see and experience the changes that the team brought to the center.

Teaching the kids songs and skits during an outdoor class time.

Paraíso School Outreach with Clayton King Ministries

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This past Thursday and Friday, with the help of our fist team from Clayton King Ministries, Engadi was able to host several days of outreach and educational support in local schools. Each day, the team divided up and taught songs, skits, and Biblically-based lessons to elementary and middle-school kids. With the help of four local translators, the teams were able to teach and play with the children while Clayton King delivered the Gospel message to their parents the very same day. Several hundred students, teachers and parents have been impacted by their work over the past two days.

We thank Clayton King Ministries for their investment into the children of Paraíso and for reaching out to show Christ’s love to the least, the lost, and the forgotten of Guatemala.

#engadi #hope #brotherhood

The turnout of parents during morning classes was great!

Engadi Partners with Clayton King Ministries

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This week is a very special week for Engadi Ministries Intl, as we are hosting our very first team from Clayton King Ministries. The week will be focused on working within the school system of Paraíso as well as hosting evangelistic community development events throughout the weekend. To top if off, we are pleased to have Clayton King, himself joining the team to share the Gospel message in Paraíso over the next several days.

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Yesterday, the team had an overall great day working in the largest elementary school in the area. In both the morning and afternoon sessions, Clayton King shared the Gospel with parents of students, where God provided an awesome turnout of several hundred parents throughout the day. The parents were extremely interactive and responsive to the message delivered, and those who dedicated their lives to Christ were encouraged to follow up with a local church or with an Engadi staff ember within Engadi’s Transformation Center which is located just across the street from the school. To close out the day, Clayton shared the Gospel with older children who were finishing up their school day that evening. The children were also quite interactive and loved having a guest speaker from the U.S. share his heart with them.

#engadi

Local children love the new playground! #brotherhood

Watkinsville Finishes Workweek

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Yesterday, the Watkinsville high school team finished up their workweek in Paraíso. The team of one nine individuals finished all of the major playground structures, and neighbors and local residents are thrilled! You can sense the renewed feeling of #hope within the neighborhood almost instantly. The team did awesome work on the playground, and as you can see in the photos, they were constantly joined by local children who couldn’t wait to play on the playground. We encourage you to take a moment and check out their work in the photos above!

Today the team will spend their free day hiking an active volcano here in Guatemala before heading back to the States tomorrow. Thank you, Watkinsville students, for spending your spring break bringing glory to the Father through your service!

#engadi

Each of the ~200 tires was hand painted one of several bright colors.

Playground in Paraíso

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The team of youth from Asbury United Methodist Church has been hard at work in Paraíso this entire week working on a very special project- a playground for children in the community! The play area is strategically located at the top of the soccer stadium in Paraíso, and is about 1-2 blocks from four different local elementary schools.

The playground site is strategically located at the top of the soccer stadium in Paraíso, only about a block from four local elementary schools.

The playground site is strategically located at the top of the soccer stadium in Paraíso, only about 1-2 blocks from four local elementary schools.

Monday, the team worked to paint tires and level the play area which is located atop one of Guatemala City’s former landfills, so the ground was full of all sorts of debris. They followed up Tuesday by finishing painting tires, including two giant tractor tires, and beginning to set the tires into the ground. They were joined by numerous local children who were excited to finally have a playground in their very own community. Several of the boys within the Derek Program also joined the work to lend a hand to improve their neighborhood. Wednesday, the team finished up by constructing a jungle gym/mountain of stacked and secured tires.

Tires were then secured into the ground with help from local children, including many of the young men in the Derek Program.

Tires were then secured into the ground with help from local children, including many of the young men in the Derek Program.

Throughout the week, many residents expressed their gratitude and renewed #hope in their community that the new play area had brought. While most other neighborhoods in Guatemala City have a communal play area for children, residents of Paraíso conveyed that this was a wish that they had simply never been able to afford within their own neighborhood, and the government had never bothered to offer to Paraíso. Parents became emotional at the sight of the new play area slowly coming together, and children expressed their excitement at finally having a designated place in their community where they could play.

The playground still lacks a few more structures that will be finished in the coming weeks, but so far it is looking great! Thank you, Asbury youth for your hard work and determination this week to bring #restoration and leave a lasting #legacy of Christ’s love in Paraíso by bringing #hope and #brotherhood through creating one of very few safe places for children to play in Paraíso.

#engadi

The team from Asbury partnered up with local children and families to work on the playground, bringing #hope and #brotherhood to Paraíso.

The team from Asbury partnered up with local children and families to work on the playground, bringing #hope and #brotherhood to Paraíso.

Creating balloon animals for kids in Paraíso

Spring Family Festival

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Yesterday, with the help of students from Asbury, Engadi hosted its largest family festival in Paraíso to date. The festival drew people of all ages from all over Paraíso to see the fun and games. The festivities included music, bounce houses, games (such as soccer, jump rope, and parachute games), crafts, face painting, and nail painting for the women and girls. Several hundred residents were in attendance, and popsicles were provided as a refreshing treat to all who stayed until the end as well as a brief presentation of the Gospel message.

The team from Asbury will be partnering with us through the end of the week. We can’t wait to update you on the outcome of their project with recycled tires that we alluded to at the end of last week! We are thankful for their partnering efforts to bring #hope and #brotherhood to the community of Paraíso.

#engadi

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