In search of 25 (for $100 per month)

Originally posted May 6, 2012

As we consistently mention, God continues to open new doors for Breaking Chains. But with every new open door comes added responsibility and new challenges. Not surprisingly, as a nonprofit organization, one of those challenges is consistently having the funding to meet the growing need.

Just like yesterday and today, Breaking Chains will continue to rely on God’s providence and the generosity of our supporters to maintain the work that happens in downtown Tegucigalpa. So here is the next step…

Now that our building has been purchased and our roofing project is underway, our task turns to financing our ongoing efforts. We have thrown a lot at of options and opportunities at our supporters over the past months (from our Christmas sponsorship, to education and vocation sponsorship, and now our need to hire employees). So to handle our upcoming expenses, we are making the breakdown a little easier:

We are seeking 25 supporters (individuals, families, youth groups, churches) who will commit to $100 per month for one year. That’s $100 per donor each month, $1200 for the whole year. If you are capable as an individual or family, it’s just $100 added on to your monthly giving and expenses. If you are a youth group, that’s 12 people individually raising $100 each, and that covers your sponsorship for the year. Or a group of 5 friends each giving $20 per month. And so on…

That $2500 (combined from 25 donors) per month will allow us to hire the three Honduran employees we have been looking to hire, round out some of our education, vocation and food expenses, create a contingency fund for our building and invest in new ministry efforts.

The ministry’s mission is to serve and seek change for those affected by urban poverty in Tegucigalpa by meeting basic needs and developing human relationships that act as a gateway toward a relationship with Christ. By pledging $100 per month for one year, you will be helping us fulfill that mission.

If you are willing to help, please email mail@bchonduras.org or visit our donate page to view details on how to make your commitment. Donations can be made via check or online through automatic monthly payments.

Geovanny working at a mechanic’s shop for his vocational training.

As always, thank you for your support of our ministry and those we serve. May God continue to bless you and yours! To see photos from the ministry and get quick updates on how your donation is affecting the lives of others, visit our Facebook page.

Looking to expand our Breaking Chains team

Originally posted April 23, 2012

God is amazing. He continues to stretch us in unbelievable ways, but reminds us that He is there every step. Well it’s time to stretch again, but we need some help.

As we grow as a ministry, we are quickly realizing that our small team cannot meet every need by ourselves, and that there are a few holes we need to fill. With that in mind, we are looking to hire three Honduran employees to take care of three needs: cooking, security and accounting.

Cook: With our children in education programs and our teens in vocational training, the job of making sure that everyone is fed during the day in the midst of our running around performing other ministry duties has become increasingly difficult. Hiring a cook will allow us to have someone responsible for the meal planning and cooking and will take a huge amount of stress off of our on the ground team.

Security guard: Also, in order to better enforce building policy and provide for the safety of those we serve, we believe that a security guard is a necessary addition. Security guards are commonplace at nearly every Honduran establishment (and many homes). Our BC security guard will be responsible for managing entry and exit of people to the building, enforcing curfew and other rules, and keeping an eye on the overall environment of the building.

Accountant: Finally, as a group of North Americans operating a Honduran non-profit, we have been advised to bring on a trusted Honduran to handle our NGO’s accounting. There are processes and policies specific to Honduras that really can only be navigated by someone that is trained in the system. In order to be good stewards of our finances and maintain the organization’s integrity, we desire to work with a Honduran accountant.

Each employee will initially be paid approximately $300 per month, and we plan to begin hiring as soon as the funding is available. If you would like to contribute to fund these positions, please email courtney@bchonduras.org. We would love to share more details with you!

As always, if you wish to make a contribution to Breaking Chains, you may do so online through our “Donate” link or mail check donations to:

Breaking Chains Honduras
P.O. Box 20454
Oklahoma City, OK 73156

Thank you for your continued support of Breaking Chains. Please continue to be in prayer for the ministry and these new positions. We look forward to sharing more about them with you in the future!

April 2012 newsletter now available!

Originally posted on April 16, 2012

The April 2012 for Breaking Chains Honduras is now available. You can view the PDF version here or visit the website to view this month’s newsletter, as well as newsletters from past months and other updates.

The April newsletter includes highlights of the exciting things that have been happening at Breaking Chains since last month, including visiting U.S. groups, enrolling our teens in vocation programs, and the very, very exciting step of purchasing our building.

Also, please note that our mailing address has changed. If you currently donate to Breaking Chains or are interesting in donating in the future, those contributions should now be sent to:

Breaking Chains Honduras
P.O. Box 20454
Oklahoma City, OK 73156

Thank you for your continued support!

The Wish List

Originally posted April 13, 2012

Summer is drawing near and we at Breaking Chains are getting excited for the visiting mission teams that will be coming in the next few months. Through conversations with different people coming to visit, several have asked what items we are in need of the most. Well, let’s make it a little easier: Below is a list of items which are staple needs in the ministry. Most of them are small and simple enough to collect and bring down in a suitcase. We would be blessed to receive any or all of these items. Thank you to everyone for your support and we look forward to seeing you this summer!

Personal items:

Toothbrushes/toothpaste

Soap/shampoo

Feminine hygiene pads (not tampons)

Socks (adult and child)

Small adult-size shoes (sizes 5-9)

Small clothing (Most of the people we serve, even the guys, wear small shirts and pants – so we frequently run out)

Diapers

Baby formula

Medical:

Gauze

Triple antibiotic ointment

Hydrocortisone cream

Large bandages

Liquid wound wash

Gloves

Vitamins

Children’s Tylenol and stomach medicine

Educational:

Blue/red/black pens

Pencil sharpeners and erasers

Construction paper

Colored pencils

Flash cards

Scissors and glue

Stickers

A home to call our own

Originally posted April 5, 2012

It’s official! We signed on the dotted line and finger-printed the public deed, meaning the building we have been renting downtown is now property of Breaking Chains. The official reading of the deed and signing of the documents took place on Tuesday, March 20th and all of the official paperwork and copies were turned over to Breaking Chains the following week.

It has been a long and crazy road to get to this point – one marked by serious fear and questioning, and then overwhelming confirmation from God. We know that the purchase of property means that the hard work has only just begun, and we have no illusions of a clean and perfect road ahead. But through faith in God, we are ready to do the work and feel so blessed to have the support of so many standing alongside us.

The next step for our building is replacing the roof. Most of the funds have been secured for this project, but we are still seeking donations to cover the unexpected costs which will undoubtedly arise. To make a donation, please follow the steps on the “donate” link of this page.

Thank you to everyone who has made this giant leap possible. We thank God for each and every one of you and look forward to sharing more with you in the future! Thank you to our board of supportive Hondurans, our incredible U.S. board of directors, and all of those who continually lift us up through friendship, encouragement and prayer. Come and see us sometime soon!

The former property owners signing the deed.

Amber making it official on behalf of the Honduran NGO board of directors.

One of our Honduran NGO board members, Armando Pacheco, was present to watch over the transaction.

The Breaking Chains team (minus a few) at the signing.

A hug from Mario, the building's former owner, to end the meeting.

Cristian is now sponsored!

Originally posted March 5, 2012

Update: Cristian is now sponsored! Thank you so much to his sponsors for their continued support of Cristian!

Name: Cristian

Age: 18

Program: Cristian will be furthering his education through weekend school. He will also continue his training in welding and begin a job as an apprentice with a welder in the city.

Cristian is one of our brightest and most driven teenagers. He truly has the desire and the capacity to change his situation with the right opportunities. We are excited that he will further his formal education through schooling, and will continue to gain valuable skills and begin earning income though his job. Cristian has had some tough breaks in life, but is grateful for every new beginning. It will be a joy to watch him grow through this process.

You can sponsor Cristian for a one-time donation of $100 for his upfront costs and $50 per month for his recurring expenses.