The Connection A Magazine by Connect Global - July 2022 - Issue 6

ISSUE 6

THE

A MAGAZINE BY CONNECT GLOBAL

We are proud of our team for making a measurable impact in the lives of so many

We are so honored to be celebrating our 11th Anniversary

We want you to succeed and make the best of the pressure you are feeling.

Trading anxiousness for Hope

THE

A MAGAZINE BY CONNECT GLOBAL

CONTENTS 02

UNDER PRESSURE We al l have pressure we are under but we can and shoul d be the rel ease val ve for others when we are abl e.

WHO WE ARE

03

Connect Gl obal turns 11 thi s month and we are so proud of our team and partners who make thi s possi bl e.

11

A BRIEF HISTORY Someti mes the answer i s hi di ng i n pl ai n si ght and al l you have to do i s ask the ri ght questi on.

15

ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING A monthl y seri es shared vi a YouVersi on and the Bi bl e app on Anxi ety.

LAST WORD

18

Fl ori da i s on our heart and i n our prayers.

COVER PHOTO: Javier, Danielle, and Saige Mendoza in Trujillo, Honduras in 2021 with a group of children at the church of Pastor Nahun one of our longest standing partners in ministry.

BACK COVER PHOTO: Manhattan, NY under One World Trade Center and Oculus.

Editor in Chief Javier Mendoza Writers, Contributors, and Editors Danielle Mendoza Jordyn Conley Mwila Agatha Zaza Alicia Arthur Vyshnavi Nallandigal

Contact PO BOX 47381 Tampa FL 33646 (214) 725-4352 Email: hello@connectglobal.org Website www.connectglobal.org

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Under Pressure “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” ‭Isaiah‬‭40:29-31‬‭NIV‬‬ There are a lot of pressures we have in this world.

Things that demand our attention and require solutions are constantly in front of us. Good, noble pursuits that somedays feel overwhelmingly heavy are part of life and can make us feel small and less capable than we really are.

I know this feeling and have at times felt as if this world and it's challenges were too much to handle.

We feel unstable and unsure of just how we will get through and yet we have in fact gotten through so much. We have gotten through the hard times and made it through the tragedies.

We want you to succeed and

Society for too long has been

make the best of the pressure

propped up on the misbelief

you are feeling.

that we can and should drive towards the goal with or without

You have a group of people who

others or even in some ways at

pray for you regularly and who

the expense of others.

are here for you in case you

Pressure is not all bad. Pressure and time produces many benifits in our world. Compacted fragments of carbon material mixed with pressure and time create diamonds. Controlled pressure in an oven can create delicious braised short ribs.

Pressure can also keep things in their place. I heard it described that turbulence while in flight is simply the loss of or an imbalance of pressure surrounding the fuselage of the airplane. This pressure keeps the plane steady and on course. Pressure in this case is simply an attribute of doing something amazing which would be impossible without it..

I want to be known by what I overcame not by that which came for me. I want to be known for how I handle the pressure and what I make because of it. I am not defined by the trouble that befalls my journey but by the way in which I respond to the pressure.

I want to encourage you, if you have been dealing with hard things lately you are not alone. You have people around you that want the best for you.

need to vent or scream or even

This has only driven people to be

lament and mourn together.

divided against one another or become isolated and insulated

We are here for you and want

from others because of the fear

you to know that we do not

they may not be for us and in

mind helping you carry your

fact may be wanting us to fail.

burden to share the load with you.

We need to evolve past this way of thinking and behaving. Reach

That is what this life is all about.

out when you need help and if

We should not feel the fear of

you are in the lucky position of

cracking under the pressure

not needing help at the

without knowing that someone

moment, be the one with your

can come along and lift the lid a

hand extended out to help

little and help to stabilize each

someone else.

other.

Someone needs exactly what We are meant to do life together

you have. They may be feeling

in community. We need one

pressure you have been through

another and we need to be able

before and you can help ease

to lift each others arms when we

their instability before the lid

get tired. It is not weekness to

blows.

seek help, it is wisdom.

THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE |

JULY 2022

Javier Mendoza

ANNIVERSARY FEATURE

Connect Global is a group of compassionate individuals, business owners, churches, and market place leaders who provide access to sustainable solutions addressing poverty, food scarcity, lack of education, and maternal & infant mortality.

We Lead Change

We Build Hope

We Sponsor Success

Everything we do starts with learning.

Sustainable projects produce results to

We sponsor motivated, successful

We learn as much as we can about a

meet a tangible need with resources left

Pastors, Missionaries, Students, & many

problem or a need and then we learn

over to produce a new project without

others in their pursuit of duplicatable

what the root cause is, how it has been

ongoing, outside support. Our current

global impact. It takes many different

tackled before, and how can we make it

projects are based around Aquaponics, a

minds, hearts, and motivations to make

better. We learn where we can create or

sustainable food-producing system,

a lasting difference in this world. We love

help promote a sustainable, life-

Supporting International Business

seeing Good happen and invite others to

improving project and we get busy. Each

Leaders, Investing in Education and

Give, Serve, and Volunteer With Us as we

initiative starts with tangible needs and

Educators, Partnering with organizations

Sponsor Success around the world.

moves towards a track record of ongoing

centered around Health and well-being,

success and evident momentum for the

and other causes that sustain life.

next generation.

THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE

Founders

Javier & Danielle Mendoza Together, Javier & Danielle Mendoza, have been leading mission trips since 2004 and upon it’s founding in 2011 have been instrumental in building Connect Global, a worldwide organization built on providing sustainable solutions to solvable problems like poverty, hunger, lack of education, and lack of clean drinking water.

In addition to bringing awareness to issues like Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence, Javier and Danielle are committed to sharing the Love of Jesus in practical ways around the world. They do this through public speaking, teaching, and through hosting various mission trips and outreach efforts which have included Haiti, Jamaica, Honduras, Colombia, Thailand, Mexico, Louisiana, Florida, South Dakota, and Texas.

Javier and Danielle Mendoza are both licensed and ordained ministers. Their ministerial associations, credentials and memberships are held and recognized by MAJC, The Fellowship Network, and LINC. Javier has the privilege of working alongside family and close friends creating, tailoring and communicating the story of the organization while honing the global vision.

Javier has received Advanced Training in Leadership through the National Institute of Christian Leadership with Dr. Mark Rutland, and is a Certified Trainer in Missions through Go To Nations with Dr. Jerry Williamson.

Danielle is also a Certified Trainer in Missions through Go To Nations. Her current focus is on developing long lasting community partnerships, organizational fundraising efforts, and implementing new strategies all which help fuel the success of her charitable work through Connect Global. Danielle and Javier have one daughter, Saige, who is 12 and completed her first international service trip at the age of 4 to Thailand.

Along with their daughter Saige, the Mendoza Family has called La Ceiba, Honduras home twice since January 2015. They lived and worked in country establishing the programs and partnerships that are still growing and thriving today.

JULY | 2022

Board Members

Kevin & Shekinah Schwartz Pastors of The Church at Asheville in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina.

Shekinah was called to preach at a young age and now serves as Lead Pastor.

Kevin received a call to serve in Missions at a young age and now serves as Church Administrator and Missions Director.

Shekinah moved from Louisiana and Kevin from Indiana to find each other and their combined ministry in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

Their church's mission has been to love people into a relationship with Jesus. This love is vibrant and obvious in their wonderful church family.

Along with pastoring both have felt called in areas outside the immediate church family. This call is to community in Western North Carolina and to unifying the Body of Christ from ministry to ministry and church to church..

"We are ONE Body and we desire to see the Body come together as one.

We also have a call to foreign missions and serve with partner organizations in several countries.

One of our dearest relationships / friendships is with the Connect Global family and Javier, Danielle, and Saige in particular.

We love the work of God that is taking place in Honduras, whether assisting school children, new-borns, young mothers, orphans, firemen, policemen, the Honduran Body of Christ . . . you name it.

There is so much God is doing in Honduras! We are especially excited about the new Missions Program that is training Hondurans for the mission field outside of Honduras. And of course, we love Jorge and Janeth Amador, who lead the Connect Global team in Honduras!

We have gained so many friendships from our interaction with Connect Global that bless us and inspire us to live more fully for Christ!

Connect Global is about building relationships and completing the Great Commission. That is certainly our heart as well. We were blessed to serve as board members of Connect Global"

Board Members

Jason & BonnieRuth Rolf Jason and BonnieRuth Rolf have been serving in ministry together since 2001. They have been married for 21 years and have a dog named Zoe. Together they have served as College/Young Adults and youth pastors in Grandville Mi. They moved to Texas in 2006 where they have served as Live Productions Associate Directors, Marriage and Family Pastors, Care Pastors and Lead Pastors. Together Jason and BonnieRuth have a heart to see people discover how to hear God for themselves, know His word and to know that every story matters.

Jason and BonnieRuth have a podcast called Barren Not Broken where they share their journey of 20 + years of infertility, miscarriage and Childlessness not by choice.

While also encouraging others they can have hope in the midst of what seems like darkness, they desire to come alongside couples who are facing this trauma to encourage and equip them to have strong, healthy marriages in spite of the deep pain this journey can inflict.

The Rolf's have just recently purchased 48 acres of land in North Texas in a town called Bonham where they are breaking ground on a retreat center for couples who face Infertility, childlessness not by choice and child loss.

They want these couples to have a place to process the hard decisions, to restore and rejuvenate. As well the property will be offered to Pastors and their families who are needing to rest and refresh. The retreat center will be called "Legacy Place." They could not be more excited for the days ahead and the legacy that will be discovered and built.

"We have been in partnership through prayer and support with Connect Global for the last 4 years. In 2022 we had the honor of being asked to join the Board of Directors. We wholeheartedly believe in the vision and mission of this organization. It has been an honor to serve with such incredible leaders who work tirelessly to express the love of Jesus and meet needs. The Mendozas are faithful and generous leaders who empower those around them to look and love more like Jesus. We are excited to continue partnering with this team to see lives and legacies strengthened and changed"

JULY | 2022

Program Directors

Professor Maria Merlot Maria De Jesús Merlo Romero is someone who clearly cares for the future of her nation. She has invested her time, leadership, and expertise into education for over 10 years.

On March 24, 2021 Danielle Mendoza had the honor of promoting Maria to the position of Superintendent of Las Huellas Del Maestro Educational Institute.

Janeth Montoya Janeth is an amazing blessing to us personally and she has been an integral part of our Maternity Home success. In 2020, Danielle Mendoza recognized that the abilities and talents that Janeth held would be exactly what we needed in a director of the Maternity Home and we made the choice to appoint her to the Director position.

Jorge Amador We met Jorge in 2004. He has long been an amazing friend and partner. He has been such a blessing to each of our teams and in 2017 we made the decison to promote him to National Director. He has led our teams well and continues to help oversee our work and make an impact in his community everyday.

International Ministry Partners

Pastors Nahun & Edenia Flores Nahun and His family were our very first hosts in the nation of Honduras in 2004. They have a special heart for missions and for seeing the Great Commission be completed around the world. When we first met they lived and worked in a small village called Cusuna. Their heart for the Garifuna people and their culture is very inspiring and their commitment has been a long term encouragment to many.

Pastors Edgardo & Olguita Lainez We have had the pleasure of knowing Pastors Edgardo and Olguita for many years and their ministry to help prepare and equip the church for missions is what has kept us close. Their ministry Church of the Nations has been able to increase global awareness of the need for longterm, sustainable missions to reach some of the most vulnerable areas around the world.

Pastors Allan & Lorena Posas Allan and Lorena have been a great addition to our list of people and ministries making a big impact in Honduras. They are community leaders and have given so much to make sure that families and kids have a safe, welcoming place to be fed, and learn about God. They host medical and community awareness events as well as plant churches and send out active church members to participate in local outreach.

Organizational Memberships Providing credential, ministerial, and fellowship based covering.

Church Partners Financial partners and program supporters, Morning Star Church, Hope Fellowship, Revival Temple, Jesus Life Church, The Church at Asheville, Arise Church, Elim Church, Open Arms Church, Living Word, Lords Glory Church, Bridgeway, Carmel Friendship, Mill Valley Fellowship, Great Commission Fellowship, Worldwide Voice In the Wilderness,

Marketplace Partners Business leaders and owners who have chosen to partner financially with Connect Global.

Yoder Concrete, Revolution Chiropractic, PURE H2O, Christian Brothers Automotive, Cuozzo Ortho, Supreme Multi Services, Kingsland Healthmart, Mallard Group. Missionary Ventures.

We Proudly Support Connect Global proudly gives regular financial support to like minded and successful agencies, organizations, and non profits who are leading the way in the world of charitable and philanthropic endeavors .

A BRIEF

HISTORY

BY JAVIER MENDOZA

2008

17 years ago I took my first trip to Central America. A group from my church (MorningStar Church) flew to San Pedro Sula Honduras, met Jorge Amador, loaded up on a school bus and headed down the road.

That was the first of more than two dozen individual trips that would start just like that. Different groups, different airlines, same smiles, and the same road trip.

We would travel through the city of La Ceiba, on our way to a village called Cusuna. We held medical brigades, we hosted VBS (Vacation Bible School as it was called when I was growing up), we had shoe and clothing drives, we put a new roof on a school so kids could go to school even during the heavy rain season, and really whatever else was needed. Sometimes it was building or renovating something, other times it was serving and praying with someone.

Our goal became to listen to and learn from community leaders, pastors, mothers, and fathers of the town or village we were serving and together come up with solutions to the problems they were facing.

We built fish farms in areas that were experiencing food scarcity due to the growing population and increases in fishing demands.

We built homes for our ministry partners, pastors, and widows.

We helped equip medical and dental clinics. We served the local church and pastors with resources, teaching materials, and committed to continue coming back.

On one of these many trips, my wife of 6 months at the time, Danielle, and I were in the back of one of the team trucks and riding through the dirt roads of this village. We were just coming back from the outreach for the day and I leaned over and said, I think I want to live here one day and help more people. Danielle leaned back and mentioned in a very direct way how she would swim home that very moment if I didn’t drop the conversation.

While we never really brought up the topic again, except maybe with friends as we shared funny stories about communication and expectations of a young married couple, the desire never really went away.

We left our trips each time wishing we could do more, wishing we could have a little extra time to really make deeper connections.

Wishing we could take some time to dig in and get to the root of some of the issues people would share with us and work on solving some of these problems we kept observing.

2011 THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE

2004

THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 2022

FEATURE

we just kept going back.

We used our vacation time, our personal time, any and all free time and every penny we had. We invited everyone we knew to come with us, some of you came, a lot helped send us, and we just kept going back.

Each trip gave us greater insight, deeper community connection, and more longing to accomplish something that would make a longer-lasting impact.

9 years after the conversation in the back of that pickup truck on the dusty road in Cusuna, Danielle and I felt God prompting us to move to Honduras to launch an initiative we were calling, “Connected Community”.

We would focus on strategic areas of the community and work with leaders to address systemic issues such as lack of clean water, food scarcity, lack of access to quality education, and health care infrastructure support while sharing the love and good news of Jesus along the way.

We connected with Pastor Allan of La Ceiba and felt a deep sense of peace with him. He showed Danielle and I around the City and we felt immediately sure we were here for something bigger and longer-lasting than our 1-week trips could accomplish.

In January of 2015, Danielle, Saige, and I moved to the town of La Ceiba which is almost the midpoint between the airport we would fly in and out of, and the village of Cusuna. We felt it was a strategic city to reach most of the northern coastline of the nation.

CONNECTGLOBAL.ORG

THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE |

2022

We were introduced to some very key partners in the first few days of that initial move and we are grateful to still be working with them today as we begin our 11th year since the founding of Connect Global.

Among those early introductions were to Tesla who was working with the Honduran Foundation for Kids with Cancer, and David & Dialis R. of San Juan Pueblo, the Outreach Project which cares for children in their home, and who founded the school we are helping steward since 2021 called Las Huellas del Maestro.

Learning by serving Danielle and I promptly got to work serving both the Cancer Foundation and The Children’s home.

At the Children’s home, we provided basic necessities such as food and toiletries, celebrating birthdays, participating in kid's church services, playing soccer, and other activities we could do with teams who traveled to us.

At the Cancer foundation, we were able to serve in a daily capacity.

We helped raise funds, we served in the clinic, we bought new medical supplies, and we even helped renovate the clinic to provide a more sterile and appropriate environment for treatments.

While serving at the Cancer Foundation Danielle and I became aware of a problem that was affecting hundreds of mothers every single year.

We would notice women sitting or laying on the concrete floor of the outdoor corridor of the Women’s Wing just off the area we were serving and it seemed there was not a better place for them at the time.

The solution to problems is often hiding In plain sight

Why?

Each and every day there were new women and girls lining the corridor, sometimes by themselves, and at other times with a family member or their husband. Trying to get comfortable in oppressive heat, oftentimes on a makeshift cardboard pallet attempting to create some type of barrier between themselves and the dirty, hospital floor.

Danielle asked a simple, but now life-changing question one day that helped form one of the greatest ministry opportunities Connect Global has been a part of since our founding.

The question most often overlooked and ignored by missions and humanitarian agencies as well as the general public.

FEATURE

You have to ask the right questions

It was a simple and profound question Danielle wanted to know why these women were sitting and or laying on the floor every time we would come to the hospital. The answer was simple. There was not enough room for mothers to recover after giving birth. There were few beds in the Maternity Wing and the mother's stay was limited to active delivery only. A specific condition that contributed to this problem was that mothers whose children were in need of specialized care in the NICU would need to stay longer. Without the proper space, mothers were left with no other option but to stay outside, on the floor in order to stay near their baby. As we tried to learn more we were told about plans which had been drawn up to construct a facility to address the issue.

From Why to Yes In March of 2015, we hosted a team of volunteers in the city of La Ceiba and one of the main areas of emphasis was the hospital. We had set up a tour of the hospital grounds to show the conditions and we had set up a workday in the clinic for kids with cancer to clean and recondition the space for treatment.

While our team was on the tour we felt like this burden was an opportunity to say ‘yes’ and begin the journey towards seeing the completion of the building, the management of staff, and raising of resources to make sure that these precious mothers had a clean and dignified place to rest while they waited on their newborns.

We began sharing the news of this major need and inviting our friends, partnering churches, and businesses to help make this home a reality. Our initial plans were drawn up and we worked with local contractors and architects to help us update and improve the original plans.

Our vision was not just for a facility Connect Global has always prioritized relationships over real estate. The facility was going to be nice, new, and comfortable but to us, the main objective was to provide dignified care for the hundreds of mothers who were in the impossible situation of caring for their babies in critical condition while being left to stay on a concrete floor each year.

Sharing our love and the love of Jesus in a caring, dignified way has been one of our greatest joys as a ministry.

We knew that if we could help push to get this facility built and commit to the operational responsibility of running the home we would have the opportunity to reach thousands of mothers, their babies, their families, and ultimately their hearts year after year.

Due to several very generous donors, the governments of Honduras and the United States, as well as our teams diligence, the Maternity Home was completed in June of 2019. We welcomed our first group of mothers into the Maternity Home on September 11, 2019, and we have assumed responsible for the operations every day since.

Each mom we serve is in our care because of the delicate situation her child is in as they fight to survive in the NICU. Every mother is cared for deeply and shown love in tangible ways. We take this responsibility seriously and we are grateful to have so many people just like You who care deeply for these mothers and who choose to Give with Connect Global.

The Maternity Home in Honduras has been one of the most life-changing, impactful works we have ever been a part of. As of June 2022, we have cared for 1591 mothers and their newborns.

CONNECTGLOBAL.ORG

FEATURE

The Enduring Non-profit: Insights from Connect Global's 11 years in the field

By Mwila Agatha Zaza 11 years ago, Connect Global embarked upon a mission to discover and implement sustainable, community-driven solutions to some of the world’s most persistent social and economic issues.

Together with his wife, Danielle, our founder Javier Mendoza had been travelling to Central America on missions spending much of their time listening to locals and helping where possible.

Since 2006, the Mendoza family committed themselves to their cause and in 2011 officially launched Connect Global. Over the past 11 years we, at Connect Global, have worked with communities in places such as Honduras, Haiti, Mexico, Colombia, Thailand, and Spain.

There are many, far older, nonprofits than ours, yet at the same time, there are many organizations that never get to share our milestone.

While it’s difficult to get accurate data, an estimate from the National Center on Charitable Statistics says approximately 30% of US non-profits no longer exist after 10 years, and according to Forbes, over half of all chartered non-profits fail or stall within a few years.

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We do not have claim to have found a magic formula. However, as we celebrate our years of operation, we’ve decided to share a few simple principles that have helped us facilitate tangible and sustainable change in the communities in which we’ve dedicated ourselves to working.

Listen and Learn The first of our tips is ‘listen and learn’. Even before Connect Global officially came into existence, we spent a great deal of time learning as much as we could about the needs of the many communities we encountered.

We spent a lot of time in discussion with community members and leaders.

As Javier says, “Our goal became to sit and listen to the community leaders, pastors, mothers, and fathers of the town or village we were in and together come up with solutions”.

We looked at questions such as: What is the root of the problem? How has this been tackled before? and How can we make it better?

We also consulted experts and trained in various disciplines, knowing that we’d need a diverse set of skills in order to implement the holistic approach we knew would create more tangible impact than discrete, disjointed activities.

From what we’ve learned, listening and learning ensures that our work is aligned with the needs of the people we serve, therefore avoiding wasted time and effort. At the same time, it builds trust among our partners because they know that we are working for and with them.

“When leaders are willing to prioritize trust over performance, performance almost always follows.” ― Simon Sinek Working closely with local community members has been an essential part of our approach since Connect Global first began its work. We rely on community members to show us what problems need to be addressed and which issues are their priorities.

Whether we are providing water, healthcare for mothers and newborns, scholarships for school children or floors for widows, we work with local schools, hospitals, businesses, and churches to accomplish holistic communityowned interventions.

Conclusion The last piece of advice we’ll leave you with is to seek out good people to work with within and around your organization.

We consider ourselves honored to have incredible people as volunteers and paid employees that are dedicated, selfless, compassionate, and empathic. We are proud of our team for making a real and measurable impact in the lives of over 4,500 families in these last 11 years.

Pastors Edgardo and Olguita Lainez have been longtime friends and partners in Honduras.

Define your Mission This listen and learn approach helped us define our mission. It’s often said that in order to be effective, a non-profit has to be clear about its mission — what it wants to achieve, the change it wishes to create or inspire, and how it wants to attain this change.

It was through this listening approach that Connect Global realized that its mission was to find sustainable solutions to solvable problems such as the lack of access to education, clean water, and hunger as these were issues that were emphasized and prioritized in our community discussions.

This clarity has helped guide our work, anchoring it around this concept of sustainability.

Each time we plan an intervention, we pay attention to how we can structure projects to produce results with significant impact for the community.

Mwila Agatha Zaza is an independent consultant with two decades of experience in international development. Her focus is on supporting NGOs across the world in fundraising communications, including in proposal development, strategic planning and optimising digital presence.

One of the first issues we tackled was food scarcity. Fish farming offered a way to boost food security; we taught local leaders about fish farming, and we helped them source the materials they needed to build basic, but efficient aquaponic food growing systems.

Our aquaponic projects epitomize our mission as the knowledge and skills gained by our partners will remain with them for as long as they need it, and what’s more, they can be built upon for new and greater impact.

Building Relationships

EMAIL NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

We realize that building relationships is essential to our sustainability mission. Significant, long-lasting change cannot come about through an individual, person or organization, working alone – the history of non-profits is replete with buildings and water pumps that have fallen into disuse, of children that have dropped out of school, and clinics that have closed their doors once the organization has moved away or ceased to exist.

CONNECTGLOBAL.ORG

MATERNITY HOME

by Javier Mendoza

A DAILY FIGHT Our amazing Maternity Home team led by Janeth Montoya is tasked with an enormous task each day.

THE SURVIVAL RATE AMONGST BABIES IN THE NICU IS AT 84%.

It is our intention to continue providing the highest level of care for mothers as they walk through the difficulty of the postnatal battle for their children.

Connect Global provides 24 hour care 7 days a

We believe this is one of the ways we can support the

week for mothers whose children are in the

life preserving efforts of the hospital staff so that we

NICU for a number of reasons.

can raise that number to 100%.

These reasons can include low birth weight,

In June, we received a message from a mother who

pulmonary difficulties, and other life threatening

had stayed with us in September of 2021. Her baby

illnesses and complications.

Each month, on average, our team will care for 55 mothers and their newborns. We provide three meals a day, clean and safe recovery beds, and a secure and loving environment in addition to emotional and spiritual support while mothers pray, believe and fight for their child's life.

was born on September 10 and after a 4 day battle for life, passed away. She mentioned how even in the sadness of her loss, she was grateful for the team and for the journey of the other mothers who were in the same position as her.

Connect Global continues to find ways in which we can fight for lives to be saved. We work with community leaders, associations, and the medical professionals in the area to focus our efforts on life saving instruments and tactics.

Our team also provides financial and logistical

Our hope is that many would see this as a vital

support for the NICU nursing staff who are often

ministry at home and around the world and would

under resourced. We spend our days and nights

join us in the fight for life through our Maternity

consumed with how we can best serve and care

Home.

for the lives that are being entrusted to us.

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We can not do what we do without financial support from generous people like you.

MATERNITY HOME

The Connect Global Maternity Home compassionately restores dignity, safety, and peace of mind where it is needed most.

We are working to create a sustainable solution for the operations of this Maternity Home Program for these mothers and newborns. We are partnering with the local hospital, local business owners, and local churches to ensure the best ongoing care in this home.

Our goal is to share the operational cost responsibilities with these local partners as well as kind people like You, who see the value in caring for moms and their newborns.

Connect Global continues to provide ongoing support, oversight and management of the Maternity Home to ensure fiscal responsibility and stewardship.

Give With Us "If we are to see massive positive change come we need to continue investing compassionately into our planet's most vulnerable citizens."

Scan the QR code above or visit us at ConnectGlobal.org/maternity-home to learn more

THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE | 2022

sustainability

Clean Water Initiatives

BY JAVIER MENDOZA

“785 million people lack basic access to clean and safe drinking water.”

ACCORDING TO CHARITY:WATER

ACCESS TO WATER AROUND THE WORLD IS A PROBLEM Water is one of the most precious resources on the planet. Water is needed for survival. People without access to clean drinking water become ill, miss out on school, make less money, and can even die from water borne disease.

Connect Global has long valued water and it's inherently basic importance to all of life. We have experienced seeing people who struggle at best to obtain enough water for their family and at worst become ill because of the lack of access to this much needed commodity.

We have endeavored to take on clean water initiatives across Honduras since 2006. Together we have been able to provide clean drinking water to thousands over the years but there is so much work still to be done in providing clean drinking water along with basic sanitation.

WE ARE CURRENTLY PARTNERING WITH A HONDURAN SCHOOL TO REPLENISH CLEAN WATER ACCESS. This new project will serve 225 students who are in need of clean water access at their school.

Our second project of 2022 is being planned now and you can give with us to make it happen. Our friend Allison Amador has donated her birthday this month in order to help fundraise for this school.

YOU CAN PARTNER WITH US TO PROVIDE CLEAN WATER TO MORE STUDENTS IN NEED As we attack this issue one step at a time, we get the opportunity to provide life giving water to so many.

It not only will solve the issues of thirst but also provide for improved hygiene all because of better sanitation, and the ability to wash hands and flush toilets.

You can be a part of the solution by giving monthly towards this project as we make our plans to bring clean water access to our friends and neighbors across Honduras a reality.

A gift of just $10 a month will help provide clean water for one student!

You can find out more on our website

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Clean Water Initiatives

You can Help Connect Global Give Clean Water Connect Global is providing access to clean, life-saving water to schools throughout Honduras.

Clean Water improves sanitation, empowers communities, and gives kids more time in school instead of time at home battling water borne illness.

As little as $20 a month can make clean water available to one student EVERY year.

We are working together with Community Leaders to bring 2 local, K12 schools clean water.

Rest assured that 100% of your donation will go directly to help complete this and other clean water projects.

Thank You for partnering with us to help this community.

CONNECTGLOBAL.ORG

| JULY 2022

PROVIDING HOPE AND A FUTURE Reaching the next generation through educational, cultural, and faith based developmental programs has long been a value of Connect Global.

Our teams are constantly finding new ways to reach communities. We have a deep commitment to raise up the now and next generations to lead in community empowerment, enrichment of faith, and compassionate care for others.

We are grateful for the donors who Give with Us to help keep teachers employed, improve learning environments and give students the opportunity to stay on track with their educational journey.

We are able to support over 200 students, teachers and staff each month because of the financial commitment from generous people like you.

THANK YOU NOTES "I cannot express how thankful I am for your enjoy the look on my students' faces when I show them new resources. My students do not have much.

So when I am able to introduce them to something new I love it. They are great kids who love learning and deserve so much more in life.”

One way we support educators is by funding classroom projects on DonorsChoose.org

Mrs. Reyes

"DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a classroom in need. Public school teachers from every corner of America create classroom project requests, and you can give any amount to the project that inspires you."

"We are so beyond grateful for all the generous

We have helped fully fund several projects including school snacks, iPads, specialized learning equipment, furniture and other necessary materials.

These donations help get teachers the tools they need to get the job of educating our kids done more effectively.

Enrico Fermi School Performing Arts - Yonkers, NY

donors who have chosen to help support our project!

We have been eager to utilize these new resources!

Your support and generosity is deeply appreciated.

Mrs. Pellegrino Westchester Hills School 29 • Yonkers, NY

EDUCATION INITIATIVES

generosity. My students are going to be so excited! I

FEEING LONLEY, ANXIOUS, OVERWHELMED Many have felt this way and it’s not very fun but you can find someone to talk to.

SERIES PART 4 of 7

ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time, 7casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. 1 Peter 5:6-7 Devotion reposted via YouVersion and the Bible App

Jesus meets us in the middle of anxiety, even when we don’t feel Him at first. Chelsea first experienced anxiety right after graduating from college. Here’s her story of how God brought her out of darkness and into His peace.

The feelings of fear, worry, and depression were so real. I could barely eat because of the daily nausea. I slept more than 12 hours every night, yet every morning it was a battle to even make myself get out of bed. I was so wrapped up in my own mind that most days I simply didn’t speak. I sought help from my family, a doctor, a counselor, pastors, and friends, but my dark days seemed to be never-ending.

We all experience dark days. And those dark days may last weeks. Or months. Or years. But if you know the story of Good Friday, the day Jesus gave His life for yours, you know there is good news, friends. Friday is dark, but Sunday is coming!

We have a hope in the darkness, and our hope has a name.

His name is Jesus.

And two days later, on Sunday, I woke up without the heaviness of depression and without the feeling of anxiety.

For the first time in so long, I could feel His peace. And I experienced a miraculous healing that can only be explained by the goodness of God. During my dark days, Jesus gave me hope. Even when I couldn’t feel Him, He was there. Every single day that I felt far from Him, He was pulling me closer to Himself.

I don’t know if you’ll experience the sudden, miraculous healing from your pain like I did. But I know for sure God is with you in the pain.

Jesus understands human suffering. And He cares. He cared enough to leave Heaven and die for us to put an end to our darkness once and for all.

The Bible says: … His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:4-5 NLT

On my darkest day, a Friday in July, I finally drew near to Him just as He had been drawing near to me. I prayed: Jesus, help me reject the lies of the enemy.

Jesus, help me overcome my anxious heart.

Jesus, help me trust that You are in control.

Text 'Pray with Me' to 844-397-4679

Jesus, help me believe that the Spirit who raised You from the dead dwells in me.

Someone from our team will text you back and can talk with you about anything.

Your texts are important to us and will be prayed for by our team.

Don’t do life alone. We are listening and encourage you to reach out today.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-8255

National Domestic Violence Hotline 800.799.SAFE (7233)

National Alliance on Mental Illness 800-950-6264

EVERY TUESDAY

PODCAST

Relationships Matter. They give us the most joy, fulfillment, and happiness, but they also take work, commitment and vulnerability.

Just like anything worthwhile in life, relationships are not always easy, but they are worth it.

Check out The Connection Podcast on Spotify, Anchor and anywhere you normally listen to podcasts.

LISTEN NOW

THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE

florida

Florida is home to some of our best, and most dear friends and family. We have been blessed to have called Florida home and it is where Connect Global was founded with the help of some amazing individuals and partner churches. The first time I ever went on a mission trip was with MorningStar church and I never looked back.

MorningStar Church is still partnered with us today and we could not be happier to be a part of continuing a family legacy started by our friend and Pastor Tony Byrd.

Florida is filled with beautiful beaches and boasts the longest coast line (1197 miles) in the Contiguous United States as well as 9,200 miles of hiking, bicycling, equestrian and shared-use trails and over 4,000 miles of paddling trails. Florida is a true paradise.

The population of florida at last count is 22 million and is the third largest state in the US. Florida is diverse, with Native American, European, African-American, Hispanic and a host of other cultural influences reflected in the cuisine, architecture and attitudes.

ONE LAST WORD

Along with the rich history and beautiful scenery is a state with a rich people. Florida ranks third in the nation for diversity, behind Hawaii and California.

At the city level, a number of Florida cities also rank high for diversity. Tampa and Jacksonville are among the top 25 most diverse large cities.

Founded in 1565, St. Augustine, Fl is the oldest continuously occupied settlement of European and African-American origin in the United States. Founded Forty-two years before the English colonized Jamestown and fifty-five years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, the Spanish established St. Augustine as this nation's first enduring settlement.

We love Florida and have made lifelong friendships in this state.

If you know someone in Florida, then you likely know someone who is fiercely loyal and loves to have a good time.

Please join Connect Global in praying for our friends, family, and partners who live in this beautiful, and inspiring state.

CONNECTGLOBAL.ORG

| JULY 2022

THE

CONNECTION A MAGAZINE BY CONNECT GLOBAL

text (844) 397-4679 email: hello@connectglobal.org www.connectglobal.org