The world needs you, your church family, and your social network to work with me on a project. There is potential for direct social and economic progress for 20 young Honduran women, and you are crucial to its realization.
AHMEN and SIFAT have been working together for over three years with a long-term goal of setting up a Latin American SIFAT campus in Honduras. Servants In Faith And Technology, or SIFAT, works to train individuals from all around the 2/3 world with the skills their communities need to live sustainably decent lives.
To this end, Byron Morales of SIFAT has been working in areas with an AHMEN presence in Honduras during the last two years to train community health promoters. His “students” will graduate from their first year of the three-year program this fall. As they begin their second year of training, others will begin their first year, and new workshops will pop up all over the country in the near future. An important thing to remember, however, is that Byron is not Superman. Although we all think he is pretty super, everyone deserves assistance! This is why Kathy Bryson of SIFAT has said it is time for Byron's "cream of the crop" to undergo the intensive, 10-week SIFAT Practicum in Alabama to learn to be his future assistants. SIFAT Practicum graduates will re-enter the program in the fall as Byron's specialized assistants. This next step in the AHMEN-SIFAT Initiative will only make our efforts that much more effective, and Byron has already identified a very unique individual I pray that you will help me sponsor through donations and prayer.
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| Suyapa! |
Maria Suyapa Turcios Sanchez works with Shalom, a shelter for at-risk women in La Ceiba, Honduras. Shalom is co-sponsored by AHMEN and Cruzadas del Evangelio, and Suyapa has selflessly worked as the “dorm mother” for our at-risk sisters for just under a decade. Through her continual love and nurturing, Suyapa has helped lead these young ladies into careers as educators, health professionals, and missionaries. AHMEN missionary, Kristy Wynn, is one of Suyapa's closest contacts and says “If anyone deserves a chance to get a leg up in this world, it is Suyapa.” What is really special, though, is that Suyapa will not use her training for her own benefit but for that of her community. This is a “WIN-WIN” situation we can't afford to lose!
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| Shalom out for an afternoon of recreation |
Kathy Bryson and Tom Corson, of SIFAT have agreed to shape Suyapa's training to her specific partnership with AHMEN and Cruzadas del Evangelio of Honduras and her specific needs as an inner-city missionary. Upon her return Suyapa will not only serve as a leader to her community, she will also help her community to learn to live as united, strong, mobile women of the 21st Century. Whereas most AHMEN missions involve operations in rural areas, Suyapa will serve as a metropolitan contact for the AHMEN-SIFAT Initiative. Leadership training in reproducible agricultural, business, and educational practices will give Shalom the next liberative step in sustainability it deserves to make a difference in young women's lives.
What we need to make this happen:
Sister Eleanor's Blessing
-With S. Eleanor's blessing, Suyapa will have the confidence and support she needs to be successful in a foreign environment
-With S. Eleanor's blessing Cruzadas will be united behind Suyapa's success in the program
-With S. Eleanor's blessing, God will take care of the rest
Fundraising
-We MUST begin this process NOW
-Let's divide the cost of this project into manageable parts for different individuals/groups to sponsor (plane ticket, visa/passport, tuition)
A Community of Prayer
-Include this project in your daily prayers
-Share this message with your Sunday School class and Church Family
-Invite Suyapa to stay at your home and attend your church when she is here
-Pray that Suyapa can find a temporary replacement as kind as she is
You know the plan; now let's get started!
Please comment on this post and contact the following folks by email with questions, comments, and suggestions:
Michael Franklin – frankmj42@gmail.com
Dr. Tom Camp – llamacamp@gmail.com
Mary and Hugh Guffey - hjguffey@earthlink.net
Check out Dr. Camp's blog for info on Byron's other pick for the 2011 SIFAT Practicum!
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