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San José El Naranjo RegionANNUAL REPORT 2011

equipping churches to transform communities

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REGIONAL OVERVIEW

PARTNER CHURCH PROFILES Nueva Jerusalén, San José El Naranjo

Nueva Jerusalén Church, located in San Jose El Naranjo proper, is a semi-urban congregation of 250 members. Pastor Marcos Antonio Melara began working with ENLACE 1996, making him one of ENLACE’s pioneering pastors. Over the last 16 years, the church has worked with its community to implement a variety of projects such as hosting North American medical teams; install-ing healthier eco-stoves and latrines; and building dozens of homes, a water tank, a pedestrian bridge, roads, a school room, and retaining walls for the health clinic. In the process the church established solid relationships with its neighbors and started teaching other churches nearby how to reach out and serve their communities.

The goals for 2012 are to continue to strengthen the church’s leadership through ongoing coaching and training and to facilitate the development of projects such as road repairs, home gardens, and latrines.

San José El Naranjo is a rural town located in El Salvador’s westernmost department of Ahuachapan. The population is approximately 2,000. However, San José El Naranjo is surrounded by nearly a dozen smaller villages that total more than 10,000 people. Most of the residents are subsistence farmers. They rent or own less than �ve acres of land and try to produce enough traditional crops (corn, beans and sorghum) to feed their families. The average person lives on between $1 and $2 per day. In the area of San José El Naranjo, the majority of people have limited access to primary health care services, clean drinking water and sanitation facilities. San José El Narnajo proper has a public health center which provides basic care, vaccinations and some medicines.

Existing US PartnerNew US PartnerNo US Partner

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Voz que Clama en el Desierto, San Antonio en Medio

Voz que Clama en el Desierto Church is a humble and hard-working congregation of 30 members surrounded by hills and rivers. In 2005 their former pastor, Giovanni Rivas, learned about ENLACE through the Nueva Jerusalén Church in San José El Naranjo, a church partnering with ENLACE. In 2010 Pedro Flores became pastor and wanted to connect to his community with ENLACE’s help.

2011 marked a turning point in the church's e�orts; with greater enthusiasm they have trained more leaders, increased membership and now manage meetings with community organizations, such as the local mayor's o�ce and community association. As a result, they have achieved greater acceptance from the community, become more con�dent in their abilities, and have greater drive to implement projects. So far the church and community have worked together to repair one of the main roads and build 25 latrines.

The goals for 2012 are to continue to strengthen the church’s leadership through ongoing coaching and training and to imple-ment health, infrastructure and economic development projects, such as repairing other main roads and providing electricity to families without access.

NEW CHURCH PARTNER PROFILES

Lomas del Jordan Church

Location: Cara SuciaPastor: Victor HerreraENLACE partner since: 2011Introduced to ENLACE by: Nueva Jerusalén Church

Location: Los Lirios, Cara SuciaPastor: Henry Jehovany RivasENLACE partner since: 2011Introduced to ENLACE by: Jerusalén ChurchChurch Members: 40Area of impact: Metalio

Principe de Paz

Location: Los Lirios Church founded: 1992Pastor: Miguel BolañosPastoring church since: 2010ENLACE partner since: 2011Introduced to ENLACE by: Nueva Jerusalén ChurchChurch members: 45Areas of impact : Los Lirios and El Ceibillo

Location: MetalioChurch founded: 1998Pastor: Fermin SánchezPastoring church since: 1998ENLACE partner since: 2011Introduced to ENLACE by: Nueva Jerusalem ChurchChurch members: 40Area of impact: Metalio

Aguas Vivas Church

Rosa de Sarón Church

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CHURCH AND COMMUNITY PROGRAM

In 2011 ENLACE trained and equipped 23 church leaders on a monthly basis in two churches in San José El Naranjo

“The church is the answer to the prob-lems in our country because the church is the key to real transformation.”

Noé Canales, ENLACE Church Coach

CHURCHES: CURRENT AND PROJECTED

PROJECTS ACTUAL COMMENTS2011 2012 GOAL

Identify new partner churches

Train and coach committed partner churches

GOAL

5 3 3The number of interested churches continues to grow, and we will be able to identify at least 3 new interested churches in 2012.

We plan to be working with 4 committed churches by the end of 2012.5 2 4

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PROJECT GOAL ACTUAL COMMENTS

PROJECT REPORTS 2011

The church working the community association laid a foundation and paved 300 feet of a steep road that had been prone to mudslides

Improving infrastructure improves the safety and quality of life for those most at risk in rural communities.

Nueva Jerusalén, San José El Naranjo

Road Improvement (Soccer Field South)

Road Improvement (Soccer Field East)

Pedestrian Bridge Mitigation

Storm Drainage for Water Board O�ces

Complete

Complete

Complete

Complete

Cancelled

PendingFunding*

Completed

Completed Construction of 328 feet of drainage system bene�ting 400 people.

Town Hall Road Improvement

Improvements to Water Board O�ce

Road improvement on main section of road bene�ting 80 people.

Installed windows and new ceramic �oor.

Construction of drainage for stormwater and protection of new pedestrian bridge.

PendingFunding*

Identi�ed in 2011

Complete Completed

Local laborers are often employed at various stages of church and community projects such as this road in San Antonio En Medio

Construct 410 feet of road and corresponding drainage ditch bene�ting 300 people.

The church and community decided to prioritze the eastern section of the road.

*ENLACE helps the church and community to identify potential projects but does not commit to the project implementation until local and international funding is received.

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PROJECT REPORTS 2011

PROJECT GOAL ACTUAL COMMENTS

Voz que Clama en el Desierto Church, San Antonio En Medio

Road Improvement (Phases I, II, III, IV)

Reforestation of Water Mantel Stage #1

Water Committee Training

Purchase Spring #2 and Water Reservoir Tank

Water Distribution from the Spring #2 to the tank

Construction of 2 Classrooms

Health Unit National Government will complete project.

Completed by the Ministry of Education.

Conducted 6 workshops for water board members on water system management.

Need to raise $6,800 to complete stage 1. An additional $9,200 will need to be raised to complete stages 2 and 3 of the reforestation process.

Constructoin of 328 feet of concrete road with rock foundsation bene�ting 800 people.

Complete

Complete

Complete

Complete

Complete

Complete

Complete Cancelled

Completed

PendingFunding

Completed

Completed

PendingFunding

PendingFunding

Purchase of new spring and construction of captation tank bene�ting 800 people.

Construction of main water line from new spring bene�ting 800 people.

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IDENTIFIED PROJECTS FOR 2012

426 feet of road repair bene�ting 300 People.

Complete TBD

PROJECT GOAL BUDGET COMMENTS

Road Improvement Cementery Street

Home Gardens 25 Gardens

Complete

Provide training and technical assistance to start 25 gardens bene�ting 150 people.

656 feet of road repair bene�ting 1,200 people.

TBD

$ 7,650

Latrines 75 Latrines $ 26,250

Water Committee Training

Build 75 pit latrines, provide preventive health education and latrine maintenance training bene�ting 375 people.

Continue the technical assistance and training of water board members to manage the water system.

Purchase of new spring and construction of captation tank bene�ting 800 people.

Water Distribution from Spring #2 to Tank

Purchase Spring #2 and Water Reservoir Tank

Reforestation of Water Mantel

TBDComplete

TBDComplete

$ 1,607 Complete

Construction of main water line from new spring bene�ting 800 people.

Complete $ 15,767Construction of 790 ft. irrigation ditch and plant 1,578 ft. of live barriers bene�ting 800 people.

Road Improvement (Soccer Field East)

Jerusalén, San José El Naranjo

Voz que Clama en el Desierto, San Antonio en Medio

Road Improvement Complete TBDConstruction of concrete road with rock foundation bene�ting 800 people.

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equipping churches to transform communitiesChurch Coach Profile: Isidro Ramírez

“The Gospel is not just a matter of words and theory, but of God’s love and com-passion in action. The opportunity to work with ENLACE was the moment that all the roads came together.”

ENLACE Church Coach in San Miguel and San José El Naranjo Regions

For ENLACE Church Coach, Isidro Ramírez, the journey to ENLACE began back in high school. At that time, he was not a Christian. Isidro grew up poor and saw his studies as a way out of poverty and a way to make something of his life. After being invited to church by a few class-mates, Isidro began to sense a profound change in his heart. Within six months of attending church, his entire perspective about himself and those around him was transformed. As a result, he began to take notice of those in need around him—their poverty, their addictions, their bereft experience of life without God. Isidro says that Christ’s love, like the unseen pull of gravity, began to draw him towards people rather than away from them.

This change in perspective meant that his studies were no longer about him. He wanted a vocation that served others and impacted people instead of a career that focused on him. His desire to study both agronomy and theology bloomed from this distinct outlook, and he began to serve as a pastor and agronomist. Even so, Isidro wasn’t sure how God would use all his skills and abilities together. To most people—and to most potential employers—his skills seemed comically unrelated.

Since 1997, ENLACE had been working with three churches in the region of Abelines / San Miguel. Home garden projects have played a fundamental role in helping churches reach out to their neighbors--addressing nutrition and economic needs. Isidro’s training in both theol-ogy and agronomy was a perfect �t. He began working in Abelines in 2008. After three years of toil, prayer, and dedication, there are now eight new churches actively engaged in their com-munities in this region.

In July of 2010, ENLACE asked Isidro to begin working with two churches in the San José El Naranjo region. In this short time, he has been a great inspiration to the pastors and has already helped the churches identify more than 10 new churches in the region who are also interested in transforming their communities.

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Church Coach Profile: Noé Canales

“With God's help, I will do my best to serve God, my church, and my fellow-man... ”

ENLACE Church Coach in San José El Naranjo Region

Noé Canales repeated this pledge cited above many times as a teenager and as a member of the Royal Rangers, Assemblies of God wilderness for youth. The program strengthened and focused his passion to serve and work for Christ. He now shares this passion with other young men as a volunteer leader for the Royal Rangers, and we are happy that he has recently joined the ENLACE sta� as one of our newest church coaches.

Despite his deep desire to serve in the ministry, Noé earned a living in a variety of secular jobs after �nishing high school. A strong call to serve God eventually led him to study theology. After �nish-ing his third year of school, he was able to get a job with World Vision.

As a World Vision Christian Commitment Coordinator, Noé gained experience in community development. Through his experience, Noé saw a glimpse of what the rural church can accomplish when it begins to work with its community. He says, “The church is the answer to the problems in our country because the church is the key for the transformation of a nation.”

The World Vision program concluded in 2010, and Noé began to search for a local ministry that empowered churches. During this time he encountered ENLACE, and was selected to be part of the ENLACE sta� in June 2011.

His role at ENLACE re�ects Noé’s desire to work alongside churches that are involved with real, sustainable community transformation. “I’m excited to be part of this process...walking with the children, with the pastors...walking down the streets of their communities, meeting with them, talking about the challenges in their communities and coming up with solutions, and discussing how the Word of God helps bring development and change.”

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“Building Connections: Changing Lives”

"Before, this was a wooden bridge. It was not stable but we didn’t have the resources to �x it. The slats and wires had to be changed every year. People with heavy bundles or parcels and supplies could not cross because you needed your hands to keep youself steady."-José Armando Escalante, Health Promoter

In 2008 San José El Naranjo along with the villages of El Tigre, El Salto, and Las Mesas, identi�ed the urgent need to build a bridge that would help more than 2,000 pedestrians safely cross a local river.

ENLACE helped the church and community to connect to government funding through their local mayor’s o�ce. ENLACE walked alongside the church as they joined with their local community association to rebuild the bridge and address the problem of landslides in proximity to it.

Throughout this project, the church grew in con�-dence and its ability to take on other needs in the area. Even non-churched members in the community took notice of the church's new role. "[The church and community] hired the workers, supervised the project and took it to the end. It is like an open window and now people trust the comittee for new projects," said José Armando Escalante.

Not only have local community leaders recognized the work of the the Nueva Jerusalén Church but their efforts have also drawn support from US churches. Pastor David Thomas (pictured above) remembers standing on the orginal bridge. He and his church, Orange County First Assembly of God, helped to provide the funding necessary to complete the project.

MOMENTUM STORIES


5405 Alton Parkway Suite 5A Number 458

Irvine, CA 92604

Tel. [email protected]

www.enlaceonline.org

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