40 Day Fast: Back 2 Back Ministries - ¿Dónde está su casa?

¿Dónde está su casa? Where is your home? This is the question that each kid asked me as we interacted at the first children’s home (orphanage), Casa Hogar Douglas, in Monterrey, Mexico. And as I answered each one, I didn’t really put too much though into it – until we got a tour of some of the kids’ dorms and a brief biography of the kids we were interacting with.

This is one of the rooms where some of the kids were staying. This was what some of these kids called home – a filthy, broken down room with no air conditioning and very poor lighting. And then our guide told us about the kids we were hanging out with. A lot of them had stories like this kid.

This is Elvin. He actually came from another children’s home to hang out with the “Americans”. But he’s got a story that’s similar to the other kids there. You see, our group went to Monterrey, Mexico the last week in July which meant two things. One, it was HOT. And more importantly, it also meant that all of the kids we interacted with had no parents. These were the roughest of the rough. These were the kids that were dropped off by perfectly healthy parents because they weren’t wanted. Some of their mothers remarried only to have step-dad say he didn’t want them until they could come back at an age they could be put to work. As I stood there, in the middle of a broken down room, I couldn’t help but think about my then six-month pregnant wife back home in Indiana. I couldn’t imagine giving away my son until he got old enough to help put food on the table. How selfish. How loveless. How evil. Nobody deserves to be treated that way.

And these people “get it.” Matt and Julie Cooper, Associate Director for the Back 2 Back program in Monterrey, Mexico and two people of a staff of about 18 individuals committed to serving Jesus through cross-cultural missions. Both Matt and Julie have hearts for the discipleship of teens. They “get” the love of Jesus and give it away fully and completely. Both lead bible studies. And both have a desire to share God’s heart with the children of Mexico who have not fully experienced His love, nor the love of a mother or father. These guys moved their family from northern Indiana to bring hope to the hopeless. These guys are integral in ministering to children in seven different “children’s homes” and provide leadership for the work you’ll see below.

Remember the first photo you saw above? The photo of the beaten down room. This is just one example of the work these guys help facilitate when groups come down for their missions trip so that the children don’t have to live in dilapidated rooms.

This is the outside of the “children’s home” where those beds above are located. I’m proud to say that our team helped pour the roof on this building in over 100 degree heat! It’s really neat to see how God uses teams of people to do his work.

Another dorm (home) being built. And what’s cool about this photo, the dude in the cowboy hat, and the dude with the yellow shovel, they live on site and are working with us. It was awesome to be able to work alongside these guys.

But the work doesn’t stop at only the seven “children’s homes”. These guys also serve communities like “El Rio” and “Dos Rio”, the River and the Second River, communities where people build their homes out of trash.

This is Meme (pronounced May May). She works as the house keeper on the grounds of the Back 2 Back compound. As a result of Back 2 Back’s ministry, she now follows Jesus. The photo you see, is of me and her in her new home. Her home use to look like a home you see just above. Dirt floor. Walls made out of scrap wood and trash. Her front yard is a dumping ground for trash. She makes enough money to be able to move out of that community. But instead of moving, she chose to have her new home built right next door to her old house. Why? So she could minister to those she spent her life living with. She gets it. She gets the love of Jesus and gives it away because of the obedience of folks like Matt and Julie and Back 2 Back Ministries.

“Dos Rio” My wife gets it (pictured third “white lady” from the left), handing out diapers, powdered milk and clothes to mothers and children on her first mission trip, my second to Monterrey.

This is a 16 year old mother who sells her baby’s milk for Coca Cola. As a result, baby’s teeth are now rotting.

This is a “town meeting place” we used to hand out water.

I am so very proud to have been able to serve alongside and to take my day on the 40 Day Fast to talk about Matt, Julie and Back 2 Back Ministries. The work they do is incredible. They have a very large task at hand. They now support nearly 400 children in seven separate children’s homes, and 19 teens in the Joshua and Esther House programs. And they have made it their mission to provide care for today and hope for tomorrow to orphans, unwed mothers, and poverty-stricken people of Latin America. This is just a glimpse of the work these guys do. There is so much more that I could blog about. If you’re looking for a mission trip experience for your group, I would highly recommend Back 2 Back. If you’re looking for a cause to give to, whether it’s with your time and/or finances, this is a worthy cause. These guys are not only providing better physical homes for children, they are giving the opportunity for people to have a new spiritual home as well.  

Así que, ¿dónde está tu casa? So, where is your home? This question has a completely different meaning for me now. 

Comments

[euphrony]

Todd, thanks for your description of life on the border and the work of Back 2 Back Ministries. Having visited similar areas I can attest to how common what you describe is. I'll be praying for you today and for B2B.

[nancy]

thank you for sharing about this ministry. i'm praying for you today.

[Kristin]

Back 2 Back ministries sounds like they are doing so much for these people, that is awesome.
Thank you for being a part of the 40 day fast.

[truevyne]

Thanks for your post today for the 40 Day Fast.

[The Secret Life of Kat]

I grew up right on the border and every year my grandmother gathered gifts for an orphanage in Mexico. She got many letters from the kids telling her what her thoughtfulness meant to them.

So often we think need only exists on the other side of the world. Thanks for the reminder that there those just a few miles south who also need our help and prayers.