Back2Back Spring 2020 Magazine

SPRING/SUMMER 2020 VOLUME 29

Care for today.

Hope for tomorrow.

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR I have a front row seat to great international leadership during this global pandemic.

The Back2Back international site leaders are leaning into the wisdom only God can provide, and making decisions I greatly respect. I would gladly serve under any of them. Each of the Back2Back sites have responded faster than even their local governments, devising the best strategy to meet the needs of children and families. They have created plans for ongoing contact, resourcing, and connection. Amidst what feels like a giant global traffic jam, the Back2Back team is still serving. This season has reinforced to me personally, I am grateful to be on this team, and grateful for this calling.

My great-great-grandfather, HJ Guckenberger (18801962), served for 58 years in Cincinnati on the General Protestant Orphan Home Board of Directors. When he died, an article published in the Cincinnati Enquirer said, “Of all his enterprises and hobbies, the Orphan Home was closest to his heart.” It seems the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree.

His business success would bless Beth and I years later in 1998, with the financial resources to internationally adopt our son, Evan. The last seven generations of my family have invested in the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children. On all the days this gets really hard, I think about calling and legacy.

The last several years have been unique for our family, as we have lost an unusual amount of family, friends, and co-laborers, the kind of people who felt like “our people.”

2018 ended with the loss of Back2Back founding board member, Mike Ellison. Beth and I often talked about Mike as a venture capitalist for the orphan. He risked time and resources to invest in the lives of orphans early on, before we had it all figured out.

In 2019, Beth and I lost one of our dearest friends and family members, Meme Alarcon Cano. Many who served alongside Beth and I in Monterrey, Mexico knew her well.

An orphan once herself, she fought for others to know their true identity. In her final days, she couldn’t remember her name, but she could still sing her favorite praise song.

Our good friend and Back2Back advocate, Dick Gyde, died late 2019. Eulogists shared at his service in December of his generosity and servant heart. Many individuals, including myself, could have shared about his investment in each of their lives.

Todd Guckenberger and Junior Sanchez, 2001

Last month, Junior Sanchez, (photo above) one of the first Hope Program students, died suddenly of a heart condition. I visited him in the hospital two weeks before he passed, and he was what we hoped for: a man now dependent on Jesus, interdependent in his community, and independent and economically sustainable. He now is fully healed and fully known by his heavenly Father.

I received an email from a grandfather who wanted to teach his granddaughters about giving and legacy. He was willing to make a donation to any organization and allow his granddaughters to decide who would benefit. Both granddaughters decided to give to Back2Back Mazatlán, where one had served as an intern and developed a heart for children with special needs.

This isn’t even an exhaustive list. I have been hearing themes of legacy in each celebration of life I’ve attended.

I’ve been talking to donors about sharing their lives with others and leading their families in this direction. I am convinced: each one of us builds a legacy every day through our actions and words. We are grateful for the ways you are investing in orphaned and vulnerable children and families. This work could not be done without you choosing a life of generosity. Thank you.

Todd Guckenberger, Executive Director of Back2Back Ministries

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5AACall NighttotoShare Shine Their Lives

VISION

We desire for every orphan and vulnerable child to have the opportunity for success through “Care for today and Hope for tomorrow.� The goal is each child would experience restoration to a life of purpose in which they can become fulfilled and mature Christian adults.

MISSION

13 9 10 Lessons I've learned

Back2Back Ministries is an international Christian

Cause for Celebration from Marth Rojas

non-profit organization dedicated to being a voice for orphans. We exist to love and care for orphaned and vulnerable children, by meeting their spiritual, physical, educational, emotional and social needs so they may overcome their life circumstances and break free from

3 Adi Leslie

the cycle of generational poverty.

13 What's happening in this community might surprise you.

23 Learning to Take the Next Step

A spunky young girl who grew into a woman that trusts God with each step.

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It was Father’s Day, and the staff in Monterrey, Mexico were determined to rewrite the meaning of this day for the orphaned and vulnerable children they served.

“We wanted the children to understand they had a Father who would never leave them, who has always held them in the palms of His hands,” shared Beth Guckenberger. “We were hoping to spend the day celebrating His love, instead of grieving what was missing.”

Every home came together on the Monterrey, Mexico campus under a large circus tent. There was music playing through the speakers, skirt steak grilling for tacos, soccer games and swimming happening, and the air held a sense of a family reunion. When the evening program started, Beth gave a short talk about their Father who would never forsake or forget them, and then opened up the microphone for children to share how they’ve seen Him provide.

One of the young girls put her hand straight into the air and waited patiently to be called on. When it was her turn, her conviction rang through every word.

Adi Leslie grabbed the microphone and spoke resolutely of God’s love for them all, “God is my true Father and yours!

We can trust Him to care for us and love us. I celebrate Him today.”

As Beth recounted that moment from many years ago, “Everyone started to cheer, it was like a pep rally for Jesus.”

She shook her head, “Adi Leslie was a force, even then - powerful, not afraid to say what she believed, a real bright light.”

“In all the time I’ve known Adi Leslie, God has had His hand on her,” shared Hope. “I used to tell her how excited I was to see her life unfold, and what God would do through her.”

------------It was 2019, and Adi Leslie’s red gown stood out against the green grass and blue sky. Surrounded by people who loved and supported her, she held the rope of the graduation bell in her hand delicately, taking in the moment. Giving one strong tug, the sound reverberated through the sky, ricocheting off the mountains. Adi Leslie had graduated, and she wanted everyone to know.

Now armed with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, she is working full-time for a bank in Monterrey, and enjoying her many international colleagues. Her road to graduation wasn’t always smooth, but Adi Leslie was supported by the love and encouragement of many caring adults who knew her worth and of what she was capable.

Adi Leslie’s story began early with Back2Back – a spunky young girl who grew into a woman that trusts God with each step. Today, living out her dream, she is using the degree she worked tirelessly for, still impacting those she interacts with, believing her Father loves her.

Adi Leslie has been a part of Back2Back Ministries most of her life. Before joining the Hope Program, she lived at a Back2Back-partner children's home. Hope Garcia, Back2Back staff, remembers Adi Leslie when she was younger, “Adi Leslie was very outgoing. She was always the first to initiate with visiting mission teams, and tried to speak the little English she knew.

It endeared her to everyone who crossed her path.”

While Adi Leslie’s charisma pulled people in, it was her love for God that people remembered most. She would voluntarily pray for mission teams before they left, and often remembered specific details about people – tucking them away to ask about later.

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He sat in his chair in a pristine white shirt. Back2Back Site Director, Gabo Velasco, stood behind him, and asked if he was ready. With a nod of his head, Gabo pushed him toward the hum of noise. The red carpet was rolled out perfectly and bright balloons swayed in the Mexican breeze. Lines of volunteers clapped and hollered loudly, as he made his way down the red carpet. Everyone was dressed in their very best, and for each child who came down the red carpet, there was elation and excitement. It wasn’t a normal Friday night, for every child at this children’s home, it was their night to shine.

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Night to Shine is an unforgettable “prom night” experience hosted all over the world by the Tim Tebow Foundation. Committed to celebrating teens with special needs, Tim Tebow Foundation hosts this special evening and offers a night for churches, volunteers, and honored guests to truly shine.

This year, across the U.S. and in over 34 countries, the Tim Tebow Foundatioin came alongside 720 churches and organizations, including a Back2Back children’s home which offers full-time care to children with special needs. We hosted a Night to Shine for over 90 honored guests in the surrounding area!

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Each young woman and man was crowned for the evening – everyone was royalty.

Watch the highlight video: back2back.org/NightToShine

Chairs were lined up, side-by-side, each with a handheld mirror waiting for the next “client” to take a seat and be cared for by skilled and eager hands. One by one, young women in beautiful dresses took their seats as hair was curled and pinned, and make-up and glitter eye shadows applied. As each girl had her look completed, she held up a mirror and smiled at her reflection. The boys had their black shoes shined to an impeccable polish. Before moving on, they received a beautiful, fresh flower, for either their jacket or their wrist. To complete their looks, each young woman and man was crowned for the evening – everyone was royalty.

The bass of the music pumped into the night sky, as teens headed toward one of three options with their friends – the dance floor, the karaoke room, or the photo booth. No matter the choice, each location provided fun opportunities for the teens to show off their personality and skills.Volunteer amigos matched the teens step for step on the dance floor, sang loudly alongside them into microphones, and wore colorful accessories in photos The night concluded with a special dinner, and the teens and their amigos took turns riding in a stretch Hummer limo! The children are unique and wonderful just as they are, but Night to Shine was specifically designed to remind them. From the red carpet and crowns, to the limo rides and sit-down dinner, no detail was overlooked in providing a night for each teen to remember just how remarkable they are.

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by Beth Guckenberger, Co-Executive Director of Back2Back Ministries

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I met Martha twenty years ago, when she was just starting a children’s home. Over these years, I’ve told her stories on stages, in books, and to groups. I’ve prayed for and with her, and she’s taught me some incredible lessons: about provision, persistence, perspective.

Martha is one of those women that when you meet her, you feel drawn to not what she shows you, but what you know lies underneath. Layer upon layer of God showing up and building in her a faith in Him that seems relentless. I wanted to peel back some of those layers and ask her how it started for her, this choosing character over what feels comfortable.

“I found myself alone late in life,” she tells me, “And I was drawn to people who needed mercy. I simply wanted to focus on others, and I started in the jails and the slums. I used to stand up in church and tell everyone that on the weekend I was going to this jail or that drug house, and I’d practically beg people to come with me. But they wouldn’t. So, for four or five years, I went mostly alone to minister.”

LESSON 1: Follow your call, regardless of the response.

“Were you ever in danger? Were you afraid?”

I lean forward, curious.

“I was more afraid of what would happen to me if I stayed home than if I went!” she laughs. “As God would have it, He left me feeling dissatisfied; He gave me a sense there was something else to come. Eventually, He directed me to minister to orphans.”

LESSON 2: Obedience is our primary responsibility.

“Did you have people telling you that you should just live out the rest of your retirement in peace? That you deserved it?

Earned it?” I ask.

“Oh, yes, most people tried to stop me, though I don’t know why. I feel most alive when I am ministering. I think some people just found it too tiring to worry about me,” she said. She faced many challenges at the beginning—land, staff, and these were burdens she lifted daily to the Lord. “If this is what you want...” her prayers would always begin.

LESSON 3: Prayer is our greatest source of strength.

Slowly, the pieces started falling into place.

Land was donated, staff appeared, funding trickled in—just enough to open her doors.

She found herself dipping into her own savings many months to balance the books.

“But it’s all the Lord’s money anyway,” she insists.

LESSON 4: Sacrifice is worship.

Wouldn’t it be great if after we make a difficult choice, after we start down a path of God’s leading, our affirmation would come in the form of easy days and easy ways? As I listen to Martha talk about her orphanage’s beginnings, I wonder whether struggle is the confirmation we’re on the right road, and

whether blue skies are actually a warning. I suggest this to Martha. She replies, “We are in work opposed by the Enemy.”

LESSON 5: Spiritual warfare is real, and a confirmation of the calling.

Then she smiles as she adds, “It’s all worth it, though, when I walk out of the office and hear shouts of ‘Mamá Martha.’ ” She has been mamá to hundreds of children in the twenty years since her home opened its doors.

Patiently and quietly, she has lifted their eyes from their circumstances, up to a God who she believes has a purpose for every life.

She tells another story: “A couple of years ago, I woke up at 3:00am feeling a burden for some unpaid bills. I told the Lord, ‘I am the servant; You are the King. If You provide for Your work, I will gladly continue, but I cannot muster it up anymore.’

LESSON 6: We can ask God to be God.

“The next morning, your husband, Todd, came to tell me of a sponsor who agreed to cover the orphanage’s expenses for at least a year.

Ever since that day, I wake up every morning at 3:00am to read my Bible and remember what the Lord did that night.”

LESSON 7: Gratitude is active.

That’s Martha—character over comfort.

Now in her eighties, she has handed over the leadership to another director, and she will continue on as a volunteer at the children’s home. “There’ll be time to rest on the other side,” she tells me when I voice concern, “But today, there’s still work to do.”

LESSON 8: T rust the work is God’s and let go when He raises up another.

As I drive home that day after listening to Martha’s story, I think about the truth I learned from her. She doesn’t view herself as God’s teammate as she reaches out to the children in her home.

LESSON 9: We are an extension of God’s care.

They aren’t working in tandem; God is the Source, and she is the outlet. And what He has to offer will never run out.

Life had offered her two choices. One looked more appealing—with less work, less pain, less stress, and less heartache. It would have been the socially acceptable thing to do, and a relief to those around her, if she had just quietly lived out her retirement in peace.

But she chose a harder path, and although it’s been tough, by her own testimony, she feels richer, fuller, more satisfied, more loved, more alive. Who wouldn’t want that quality of life?

We are constantly advised to take care of ourselves (which is important) and to maintain balance (which has value), but it can be tempting to stop when the Spirit is still saying “Go!” Instead of listening to ourselves and knowing our own limitations, shouldn’t we listen to the Spirit and heed His direction?

Sometimes that might look like stillness when we want activity. Sometimes it means avoiding activities which produce stress and selfimportance. Still, sometimes it means working when you’re tired, listening when you have other plans, or giving up when you’d rather not.

LESSON 10: On our own, we cannot help, listen, serve, share, work, or accomplish anything of value if it’s not done with God’s strength.

Only the One who has numbered our days knows the plans He has still in store for Martha, but some of it I can guess. She will honor her calling and pray for others, she will love on kids and mentor some lucky adults.

She will give God credit for all He’s done through her, and for all He’s doing still.

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by Matt Ellis, Back2Back Haiti Director

It’s been a struggle in Haiti, the country in chaos over a power struggle within the government. Already experiencing daily conflicts, this new development added weight like: fear, hesitation, uncertainty, despair.

For over eight weeks this winter, Haiti was experiencing the terrifying results of a broken government.

“Peyi Lok,” or country shutdown, means the population was subject to constant protests, robberies, roadblocks, and gunfire. Children were unable to attend school, even though their parents had already paid. Merchants lost precious produce, rotting before the opportunity to sell. Any respite from the chaos felt like a cloud temporarily blocking out the sun, and everyone knew the intense heat would soon be back. Truthfully, most people felt like it was easier to lose hope, wondering if anything would change this time around to bring peace.

Then I’d think about a staff member, like Edyson “Sonson” Mardy, Back2Back Captain, his Loudest Laugh Award proudly hanging above his desk. He once told me he couldn’t believe he gets paid to do this work.

Determined not to let go of Back2Back’s mission of breaking the generational cycle of poverty, he worked through the challenges we were facing during this season.

At the same time the country was struggling, so was a child under Back2Back’s care in the children’s home Sonson captains. This young woman, wrestling with her circumstances and emotional needs, needed to understand she was known, loved, and safe. Trauma Competent Care is woven into the DNA of Back2Back, and explains how trauma deeply affects the brain, altering how one perceives, and thinks, and feels. Although Sonson was new to staff, he understood from his training typical responses to challenge do not work with someone who has experienced trauma.

Sonson sought advice from others on an interdisciplinary team, including a psychologist, 11 5 PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI

Edyson "Sonson" Mardy and Wadson Delvar, Back2Back Staff

a social worker, and fellow captains. As a group, options and opinions were discussed, until a consensus formed on how to move forward.

Throughout the following weeks, Sonson made it a point to visit this young woman every day, no matter the cost. Many days there were no taxis running, and the roads were not safe for our trucks to travel, so the only remaining option was to walk two and a half miles on dusty roads lacking shade. The heat radiated off the cinder block walls, requiring him to occasionally cover his mouth and nose, filtering the polluted air, yet still stinging his eyes.

Sonson’s wife would often accompany him at the home, building a relationship with this young woman, as the three of them sat at the picnic table, discussing her feelings and her future. It would be difficult to find a staff couple more sincere, and sincerity breeds trust and confidence. Over time, this young woman opened up about her past, about her feelings of insecurity, and the uncertainty of what was going to happen next.

Sonson did not give up hope, and perservered.

As a result, a teen girl in crisis began the healing process, all because someone decided there was always a point in being a difference for one. Sonson’s obedience teaches us a lesson – every person is worth it.

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In the center of a city lies a slum community, where thousands of people call home, but for 18 families, generational cycles are being broken, and each family is earning a say in what their future holds.

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JOS, NIGERIA

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Back2Back’s Strong Families Program was designed to help families move from surviving to thriving through classes and creative workshops addressing their spiritual, physical, educational, emotional, and social needs. We provide the care they need today, so together they can participate in the hope of a flourishing tomorrow. By creating sustainability within the home, children remain where they truly belong – with their moms and dads.

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The Indian city is bustling. Car horns sound consistently, as vehicles, motos, and walkers all work to get to their destinations. Tall buildings and shops line the roads, and cows and goats make their way through the busy streets. In the center is another community with a busyness of its own - a slum community within the larger city. Migrant families live in makeshift homes and spend their days as “ragpickers” – collecting and dividing trash to earn wages for their family’s survival.

This work, while offering higher wages than what they’d earn in rural areas, is a compromise of dignity and risks their health.

Among the extreme differences in this community is the level of education offered to children. Most attend Telugulanguage schools, where they won’t learn English – a detriment for finding a job as an adult in India. The children, many first-generation learners, do not

have adults in their lives who can measure whether they’re learning adequately.

Near this community is Back2Back’s partner, Christ for All Feeding Center. Its directors, Goldie and Kennedy, provide nutritional and tutoring support to nearly 100 children, six days a week. “We began partnering with CFA many years ago,” shared Casey Foreman, Back2Back India Site Director.

“CFA is a tremendous help in this community, but knowing what we know now about development and sustainability, we were eager for an opportunity to do more for the children than filling their bellies and offering tutoring services.”

Where does one begin?

--------------Back2Back’s Strong Families Program was designed to help families move from surviving to thriving through classes and creative workshops addressing their spiritual, physical, educational, emotional, and social needs.We provide the care they need today, so together they can participate in the hope of a flourishing tomorrow. By creating sustainability within the home, children remain where they truly belong – with their families.

“We want to provide empowerment and dignity to the families we’re serving in the city,” shared Casey. “By helping

both the children and the parents recognize their own talents and gifts, families are finding their voices, and are harnessing them for their own destinies. A large part of the reason people choose to live in this area as “rag-pickers” is because of the government handouts available, which reinforce dependency,” explained Casey. “Our hope is they become more than recipients of this and seek to change the lives of their children through their own hard work and talents.”

The India Strong Family Program operates out of a community center Back2Back rents, and offers sponsorship for the children and families. It focuses on the educational care of the children and families, since many children are attending school for the first time in their family’s history. With the help of dedicated Back2Back staff and Christ for All, parents have advocates in the school and are better equipped to understand what their children should be receiving in the classroom.

Currently, 18 families, which include 45 children, living in this community participate in parenting classes and after-school tutoring, and receive medical care and healthier food options.

They participate in weekly prayer walks with Back2Back staff – receiving an opportunity for spiritual growth. There is evidence of the building impact of this program. Recently, four moms were asked by program coaches, Erick and Julie Mowery, what they were learning from the parenting classes.

Each of the women gave a variation of the same answer – we have learned how to connect better with our children through play and spending more time together.

In the center of a city lies a slum community, where thousands of people call home, but for 18 families, generational cycles are being broken, and each family is earning a say in what their future holds.

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families are earning a say in what their future holds.

parenting classes learning connection together medical care prayer walks spiritual growth healthier food tutoring

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by Beth Guckenberger, Author and Co-Executive Director of Back2Back Ministries

There are only so many board games one family can play and still enjoy it! I was realizing during my fourth game of cards the other night, if I want to foster unity in my home, we need to focus on something outside of ourselves. I first learned this when I served as a missionary – families would visit and remark after a week, they felt more “connected” than when they had gone to a beach. There’s something about seeing the best in each other, thinking about someone else, and sacrificing, that simply pulls us together. Added bonus: When we focus on others, doing what we can in this present moment, rather than worry about what will happen in the future, it lowers anxiety.

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Here are a few ways a family could live “on mission” during this unique season:

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Pick someone you agree to encourage, think about what would bring them delight, and order a gift for them online.

Result: generosity.

Create a play list where everyone contributes one meaningful song. When tensions are high, or chores need to be done, turn it on as a message to the whole house – we are in this together. Result: connection.

Pick a book you want to read as a house. At a set time every day, gather to hear 15 minutes read aloud.

Maybe consider another family or friend who would want to join you digitally for that reading.

Result: investment.

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Brainstorm as a family a list of people to reach out to, everyone contributing at least one name. Divide up the list and call with the idea of being a listening ear.

Share at dinner how those conversations went. Result: empathy.

Everyone clean out their closets, toy bins, etc...and find a place where you can donate your extras. Result: simplicity.

Take a family walk around the block, and make a point to stop and engage with whomever you come across, maintaining appropriate social distancing.

Result: approachability.

Everyone pitch in to make double the dinner.

Choose someone who could use a break from cooking and drive it to them. Result: service.

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Think about how fun it is to receive mail. Get out some stationary, or order cards online, and sit together, writing a note of encouragement to someone in the medical field, or whose family has been impacted by the virus. Result: kindness.

Are you already at the store?

Think of someone you could text and offer to pick up groceries for them. Result: thoughtfulness.

Sit down and talk about whose life has been disrupted by the quarantine.

It could be someone sick, or who has lost a job, or who has postponed a wedding.

Decide to fast a meal and pray together for them.

Result: sacrifice.

The result of looking around to the needs of others are generosity, investment, simplicity, approachability, sacrifice, thoughtfulness, service, kindness. Yes, I would like more of that… I have been telling my family: if we do this right, when this season is over, we’ll understand how critical “we” is over “me.” This virus is costing a lot, but we should demand something of value in return – empathy for others, connection with family, an outward focus – those are gifts we can appreciate for the rest of our lives.

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We are grateful for the ways staff have remained connected to the children and families they serve – like in Cancun, where moms are able to still spiritually connect and grow through a Whatsapp Bible study, and in India, where tutors in the city are offering lessons over video messaging so children can still learn and not fall behind. We are encouraged for the gathering of teams from all over Cincinnati who delivered hundreds of meals to over 400 families in the city on Good Friday, for the diligence of staff putting together activity and educational packs in Haiti, and for the captains who are going above and beyond to provide necessities for the children they serve in Nigeria.

We are changing and adapting today, as we have been, but we long to return to true community – in person, worshiping and thanking our God for what He continues to do, even in the face of this pandemic. We are grateful for how this has strengthened our communication, grown our empathy, and challenged us to pray more and press even more into God.

#onmission

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Supporting parents

Food and activity packets

Cooking together

WhatsApp lessons in Telegu

Educational packets

Continued therapy

Staying active

We still celebrate

Caring for physical needs

Making handwashing fun

Offering masks & essentials

Lifeskills in the afternoon

Daily team challenges

A new classroom online

Virtual worship night

Care Packages for families

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Learning to cook

The push-up vdeo challenge

Resourcing families

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MAZATLAN, MEXICO

As Back2Back has adjusted globally to meet the needs of orphaned and vulnerable children, we have seen different needs arise and staff teams who are flexible and willing to adjust in the moment.

On Good Friday, the Back2Back Cincinnati team partnered with teams from the Boys & Girls Club, Rising Leaders/Urban Young Life, Parkside Christian Church, Grace Chapel, and Carson Elementary, along with Soul Secrets. Together they served 630 children from 400 families in the Cincinnati area. Soul Secrets made homemade meals for every child and 70 different teams worked together to safely deliver them to each home.

As we offer relief in this trying time, we are confident of the relationships and team building this will develop in the future, and we know one thing is for certain – we cannot do this work alone and where there are many hands, there are many blessings.

Watch a 60 second video to see how volunteers came together for one common mission, to care for vulnerable children. back2back.org/630reasons

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The young adults took in their surroundings, as the city pulsed with activity. They stretched their necks to look up at the tall buildings, moving slowly, so as not to miss anything and to avoid entering traffic. The Transition Program participants were in Abuja, Nigeria, a four-hour drive from home, but it felt like a different world.

Last year, Nigeria launched the Transition Program as an opportunity for young adults who’ve graduated high school to receive guidance into adulthood. One of the key components is to offer new experiences and opportunities to build independence, problem solving skills, and maturity.

Once a week, they meet with Back2Back staff and discuss developing personal budgets and creating goals.

The young adults are also counseled on their self-identity, decision making, and learn job-finding and interviewing skills.

Recently, along with chaperones, they visited Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.

This was their first trip out of the state, and they agreed it was unlike anything they’d ever seen. Abuja is a relatively modern city with expressways, tall buildings, street lights, and shopping malls.

After a four-hour car ride, they were given a list of challenges to complete – figuring out public transportation, checking in at a hotel, choosing a place for lunch, and getting around the city.

After a four-hour car ride, they were given a list of challenges to complete – figuring out public transportation, checking in at a hotel, choosing a place for lunch, and getting around the city. Chaperones were nearby, but the young adults were encouraged to take these exercises seriously, and practice their critical thinking and independence. They were each given a budget for the day and asked to manage their funds well. At the end of the day, they’d each navigated through the list and successfully handled each challenge.

When asked to reflect on the trip, nearly everyone responded the same – they loved the escalators and figuring out how to step without falling. They learned a valuable lesson – there will always be something in front of you to navigate, and regardless of who is watching, you have to just take the next step.

There is power in independence, and a trip like this helps it grow. The lesson on this day was beyond navigation and budgeting, it was learning to use their strength and conquer what’s still unknown.

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Whatever it takes Shirisha* and Mary* were two of eight new children at the Back2Back India Hope Campus in June of 2019. Based on transcripts provided and information from family members, the girls were placed in third and fourth grade at the local English-medium school.

Every class session started with telling the girls they were smart, important, and chosen.

And then they did something radical – they got out of the classroom to do the teaching.

By August, staff saw the girls weren’t just falling behind in school, they were also struggling emotionally and socially. The girls, fearful of answering questions aloud and unable to perform expected grade-level tasks, were moved to the back of the room by well-meaning teachers, as they hoped for the best. When staff realized just how much healing was needed, they decided, along with school officials, to homeschool the two girls in hopes of getting them caught up.

It was during this time, teaching styles for the oncampus school were being researched. Back2Back staff discovered the Reggio Emilia Approach (see side bar for more information) and collectively saw an alternative that just might make the difference for the two young girls. “Reggio Emilia, like Trauma Competent Care, puts a lot of weight into respecting and encouraging the voice of each child,” shared Hanna. Though Hanna and the other teachers felt they’d been doing what was right for the girls all along, they realized the behaviors of Shirisha and Mary were cries for help, not a lack of knowledge.

Classroom time with the girls changed drastically as the teachers kept this newly discovered teaching method in mind. They started every class session telling the girls they were smart, important, and chosen. And then they did something radical – they got out of the classroom to do the teaching.

Science lessons took place on nature walks where the girls would point out living and non-living things. They read a book about a tap-dancing elephant, and then together learned how to tap dance to Singin’ in the Rain.

Slowly, Shirisha and Mary let their guards down and soaked up the information provided. Following the two months of homeschooling, the girls returned to school for evaluations, and were approved to return to the classroom by their principals.

Several days later, caregivers and staff gathered on the campus to see the kids onto the school bus and off to school, as is a daily custom. The day held an unusual buzz of excitement as Shirisha and Mary were among the children in their school uniforms. They climbed aboard the bus as everyone cheered.

They arrived to the campus shy and unsure, but now Shirisha and Mary wake up every morning excited for school, to talk with their friends, and to showcase what they know. They are confident and surrounded by a team who is for them. They know they are capable, because a team of safe adults has shown and assured them – for your future successes, we will do whatever it takes.

Together, six caregivers, a summer intern, and Back2Back staff, Hanna Firstenberger, were enlisted in the charge of providing homeschooling to Shirisha and Mary. Melissa James, Back2Back staff, conducted evaluations for each girl and used their textbooks to create plan for all their subject needs. At the end of the two months, the team would reevaluate and move forward from there.

“I taught Social Studies and English, but after speaking with other teachers, we all felt the same way one month in – the girls weren’t showing the progression we’d hoped,” shared Hanna. Hanna, along with the other teachers, taught similarly to any school classroom – lecturing on subjects, carefully taking the time for explanation, and testing the girls’ comprehension. Both girls still struggled to relay information back after lessons.

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*

For the safety and protection of the children we serve, names have been changed.

The Reggio Emilia Approach is an educational philosophy based on the image of a child with strong potentialities for development and a subject with rights, who learns through the hundreds of languages belonging to all human beings, and grow in relations with others. Like Trauma Competent Care principles, this approach puts much weight into respecting and encouraging the voice of each individual child.

Check out this energetic study session: back2back.org/WhateverItTakes 26

I protect those who sit beneath me. The sun here is a hot, ever present force. Those who need shade or a small break to breathe, will find their rest in me.

There have been nights of worship under my covering. Hands raised high, strong and without shame, as lyrics sung in Spanish and English pour into the open space around me. They make their way to a God who knew just how necessary my thatched roof would be.

Mission guests have gathered white, plastic chairs to the center of the concrete floor I house. They circle up for times of reflection and conversation.

If this palapa could talk...

I have been home to confession, to admittance, to laughter, to sorrow. I’ve been a secret keeper to the joys of sponsors hours after they realize they’ve been called to mentor a particular boy or girl. I have been present when a young woman realized why she was called to Mexico for a week-long trip. I have watched past hurts unfold and find the beginning of healing during nights of debriefing.

The pictures of the days over the course of 23 years have often been held safely in the weave of my roof.

The pure delight I can recount is immeasurable and just as impactful in 2020 as it was in 1997.

I have seen friendships blossom, have witnessed soccer matches lead to victories, and I have heard the echo of bells ringing in the air as another student graduates high school or college, taking steps to end generational poverty.

If this palapa could talk...

I have shielded moms from the sun as they learn the power of their creative skills. I have housed mission guests purchasing handmade goods in Strong Mom’s Markets. I have celebrated quinceañeras for lovely 15-year-old girls growing into strong, capable young women. I have been a student alongside mothers, fathers, and their children as they experience their rightful place as sons and daughters of the King.

You might say I hold space for all celebration – a shelter in which every step toward victory is observed. And I will continue to do so – offer shade and rest, provide a roof for worship and connection, be present for the milestones and jubilation.

Maybe we’ve already met, you as a guest with your teammates in this sacred space. Maybe we’ve never crossed paths, but we are excted for the day when that happens. It is here you gather, to meet God, to begin healing, and then you move forward, hopefully meeting God in new places under new shelter. I hope you take what you learned here – about yourself, others, and God, and share it with those you love.

These are the moments I collect, and share now, as if this palapa could talk…

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1 BILLION CHILDREN EXPERIENCE TRAUMA

It’s a global epidemic. We’re on a mission to change that.

Childhood trauma is a predictor of serious problems that can last a lifetime.

Trauma impacts everything – brain development, biology, behavior. Kids who experience trauma not only have difficult childhoods; they are also more likely to experience: poverty depression alcoholism and drug use learning problems attempted suicide

2X 3X 4X 10X 15X

Our mission is to make trauma training available to everyone, everywhere.

Child development experts have found that changing a child’s future is possible with specific intervention known as trauma-informed care. Our goal is to bring that world-class training out of the university classrooms and make it accessible to all adults. When adults provide trauma-informed care, children heal and we begin to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

“Trauma-informed care elevates the work of every non-profit and is radically increasing freedom and sustainability all around the world”.

Beth Guckenberger, Co-Executive Director Back2Back Ministries

Training built on 20 years in the field caring for orphaned and vulnerable children around the world.

1997

2009

2014

2015

2019

2020

GLOBAL CARE

HOLISTIC CARE

TRAUMA TRAINING

LIVES CHANGED

Back2Back begins to see that despite love, care, and investment, some children are not thriving as adults. Back2Back dedicates itself to developing solutions.

Back2Back partners with experts and researchers to learn trauma-informed care and creates trauma training geared toward direct caregivers.

While training all 300 staff in six countries, Back2Back starts to see consistent healing and life-change and begins to share the training with others.

RUNNING START 2500 people trained

TRAUMA FREE WORLD

Back2Back begins work with orphaned and vulnerable children in Mexico.

Over the years adds sites in Haiti, India, Nigeria, and the United States.

from 68 countries representing 1,000 organizations helping over 250,000 children

Back2Back creates a new 501c3 organization - Trauma Free World dedicated to training adults in trauma-informed care, healing children and breaking the cycle of trauma.

PARTNERING TO CREATE A TRAUMA FREE WORLD There are 2 billion children in the world and 1 billion experience the effects of trauma. One out of every two children. But, more importantly, there are also 5 billion adults in the world who can rally around them. We’re partnering with individuals, families, and organizations all around the world to end this epidemic. Please join us.

Trauma training for everyone, everywhere.

Contact us at hello@traumafreeworld.org

TRAUMA

FREE

WORLD

A BACK2BACK

LEARN ORGANIZATION

Big news!

On April 16th, Back2Back officially launched Trauma Free World, a new organization dedicated to providing trauma training all over the world.

So many of you have played a part in this major step by taking a training, responding so strongly to hearing about it on a mission trip, and putting trauma-informed principles in practice. Thank you!

Childhood trauma is truly a global epidemic. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that globally 1 billion children experience complex developmental trauma—repeated abuse or neglect from a very young age. That is one out of every two children in the world. Those children need a swift and focused global response!

Trauma Free World was founded on the idea that if we can train more adults in the practices of traumainformed care, more children will find healing, and we can prevent the cycle of abuse, neglect, and abandonment.

Creating a new organization, still governed by Back2Back but legally a completely separate entity,

allows the ministry to set up a team specifically dedicated to training others around the world helping children heal from trauma.

Take a look at what Trauma Free World is all about and let us know what you think.

Visit www.traumafreeworld.org to learn more about the impacts of trauma, discover the benefits of trauma training, or take an online course - like the 60-minute Overview of TraumaInformed Care course to learn some practical tools you can use to help children right away.

And, of course, you can follow Trauma Free World on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

If you have any questions or want to sign up to have trauma tips delivered right to your inbox, we’d love to hear from you!

Email us at hello@traumafreeworld.org

Transfer the Values You Hold Dear

Did you know an up-to-date will can help create peace in your family? Wise estate planning eliminates conflict before it can happen. Plus, a relevant will helps share your values of: • Peace. Your children will know you cared enough to plan ahead.

• Communication. Verbalize your final wishes (and love for your family) while you are still alive.

• Love in action. By including a gift in your will to Back2Back Ministries you will set a powerful example of living your values.

By going the extra mile now to create a plan that will unfold then, you will pave the way for peace in your family.

To learn more, go to back2back.org/legacy

P.O. Box 70 Mason, OH 45040

Save the Date!

OPEN HOUSE + 9.16.20

We invite you to join us for an inspiring evening.

Be sure to mark your calendars for Wednesday, September 16th.

More details to come. Learn more at back2back.org/openhouse