Leonardo: Following his parents' example of hard work and respect

By Michael Carson

-LEO IS NOW SPONSORED FOR BEACH CHRISTMAS!-

Leo entered our education program for the first time this year. He’s the son of our house parents, and we have enjoyed seeing his responsible demeanor influence the rest of our kids in the program.

Leo will begin his second year in our program as a ninth grader in February at Santa Monica. While he struggled in math, Leo behaviorally was one of our best. He came from schools who didn’t have as difficult of math classes, and thus had to adjust accordingly. But he kept fighting and trying, and sometimes that’s all you can ask for when something is so new. Oscar and Alba, his parents, instilled honorable values in him like respect and hard work. Leo is very fortunate to have such positively influential parents, because some of our other kids don’t have such a luxury.

We hope Leo will continue his success in our program over the next few years, and we look forward to seeing this happen. Please reward Leo’s hard work with a trip to the Beach alongside his parents and the rest of our BC family!

Oscar: Our hardworking house dad

By Courtney Sullivan 

-OSCAR IS NOW SPONSORED FOR BEACH CHRISTMAS!-

Oscar and his wife Alba have been house parents at Breaking Chains since the beginning of 2015, and the impact they have had on our young adults and our ministry is immeasurable.

They are a presence at the building to make sure that the young adults behave and have everything they need, but they are also so much more than that. They are confidants, counselors, teachers and authority figures. They check on grades. They give godly advice. They lead by example. Oscar can be a little gruff and serious, but his wife balances him out well. Together they are able be firm when limits need to be set, and give grace and comfort when it is needed.

Oscar is also a bit of a handyman and he has done several projects for us around the building this year, including replacing many of our broken doors and window sills. Our ministry building overall looks so much better because of his hard work, and we are grateful for Oscar’s heart and dedication.

Oscar was like a little kid on the beach last year. I think he enjoyed his time in the ocean just as much as the rest of our BC family. Please consider contributing to give this hard working house dad a wonderful trip with the rest of our family.

-If you are interested in sponsoring Oscar, please click on the blog title and leave a reply in the comment section. The full cost of sponsorship is $150. You can contribute online via the donate page of our website. You can also send check donations to P.O. Box 20454 Oklahoma City, OK 73156.-

Martha: A single mom giving it her all

Martha (with hands raised) praying next to her niece, Escarlen, and sister, Edis, before last year's Beach Christmas trip

By Courtney Sullivan

Martha and her children Henyi and Tobasqui have been a part of our Breaking Chains family for the last few years. Martha’s husband was killed shortly before we met the family, and Martha has been working out how to be a single mom ever since.

Martha struggles at times to find work and make sure her family has everything it needs. But she loves her children fiercely and would do anything for them. She works hard to manage everything this world throws at her, and genuinely wants her children to have a better life than she did. She pushes them to succeed, tries her best to reinforce positive habits, and is actively involved in all they do.  

Martha is at church nearly every Sunday, Bible in hand and eager to hear the word of God. She takes comfort in the grace and peace of God, and she wants her children to have a relationship with Him as well. For one of her Christmas presents this year, she asked for a dress because she wanted to have something nice to wear to church. Being present with her believers is certainly a priority in her life. 

-If you are interested in sponsoring Martha, please click on the blog title and leave a reply in the comments section. The full sponsorship cost is $150. You can contribute online via the donate page of the website. You can also send check contributions to P.O. Box 20454 Oklahoma City, OK 73156.-

Rosie: A big personality and an even bigger heart

By Courtney Sullivan

-ROSIE IS NOW SPONSORED FOR BEACH CHRISTMAS!-

We have many shy children in our BC family. Rosie is not one of them.

Rosie has never met a stranger. She easily makes friends with kids her age, and has an uncanny ability to befriend and see the needs in older people as well. When we pass out food on the street, Rosie can usually be found running around and laughing with the other kids. But it is not uncommon for her to also be found sitting beside someone on the curb who looks like they need a friend. God has given her a unique ability to see people how God sees them, rather than how the rest of the world sees them. 

The way Rosie has been and continues to be raised around our ministry gives her a different perspective and understanding about life than most children her age (and even many adults). She sees all different types of people in her daily life. She sees them struggle, fall and try to get back up. She sees them exude life but battle demons at the same time. She has a longing in her heart like the rest of us do to will people to push forward in life and create a better future. She has learned to deal with disappointment and loss, and seek God’s wisdom and understanding to get through it. And she has learned that God’s grace allows us to love people and give them second chances, even if we can’t always control the outcome. 

Rosie is full of energy and has a quick wit, which can sometimes get her into trouble. She can be a lot to handle, but she also has made a lot of room in her heart to help handle the burdens of others. We are so excited to spend another Beach Christmas with this little girl who is full of love and personality. Please consider sponsoring her this year.

Escarleth: Breaking down her walls

By Courtney Sullivan

-ESCARLETH IS NOW SPONSORED FOR BEACH CHRISTMAS-

When you look at Escarleth, the first thing you may notice is her tough exterior. She dresses very masculinely and tries to keep her distance if she can help it. But once you start to break through, you find an incredibly warm and kind heart.

Escarlet has been a part of our young adult program several times over the years. In the past, she would stay for a while, and then ultimately something would lead her away again. Escarleth has had to grow up in a tough way. She was raised in and out of children’s homes, and experienced all sorts of abuse along the way. As a result, she learned to close herself off and not let things affect her. But over the past few years, God has been slowly chipping away at those walls.

Escarleth came back to us in early 2017 ready to try again, and this time she has been more committed than ever. Escarleth has never done well in traditional school. She has never finished a grade of elementary school, and she can’t read. But she is INCREDIBLY gifted creatively. This year, she was able to join the jewelry making program at another local ministry called Mi Esperanza, and it was a perfect fit. She shined in the program, so much so that she was offered a role earning money as part of the regular jewelry making staff.

The opportunity for Escarleth to succeed has done wonders for her confidence and given her a new skill. But even more than that, it has opened her up to possibilities and made her a more open person as a whole. The jewelry school teacher has talked about how, in the beginning, Escarleth wouldn’t even sit in the same room as the other girls while she did her work. Now she works, laughs and jokes alongside everyone else.

We love seeing Esarleth smile. It is infectious. We are so thankful for the way God is breaking down Escarleth’s tough exterior and leading her closer to him. We can’t wait to celebrate with this girl at Beach Christmas.

Hermilenda and Diestafano's family: Our gracious Beach Christmas hosts

By Amber Foster

Every year we are received by the sweetest family you will ever meet. Hermilenda and Diestafano treat us as if we are extended members of the family and do everything in their power to make our stay exceptional.  

Hermilenda, her daughters, now her daughters-in-law fix all of our meals and clean up after us as we hang out in their family’s restaurant all weekend. Restaurant, of course, is a very liquid term. We started out eating under a palm frond roof over a patch of sand, and we’ve watched as their little space has expanded into several “rooms” with a wooden floor. Hermilenda called me the other day to tell us that they have expanded even more in anticipation of our arrival.  

We have watched the five children grow into beautiful young men and women and begin to have children of their own. We’ve held the grandbabies and shared family stories. They are dear friends who treat us deep love.  

Every year we do our best to tip well and leave each member with a small gift of appreciation for all of the love they share with us.  Help us return a little bit of the love they so freely give to us. 

-If you would like to sponsor Hermilenda and Diestafano’s family, please click on the blog title and leave a reply in the comments section. The cost to sponsor their family’s gifts is $150. You can contribute online via the donate page of our website. You can also send check donations to P.O. Box 20454 Oklahoma City, OK 73156.-