17-year-old Jose, nicknamed Oso. For him, Open House has been a place of acceptance, not only assistance. When Oso came to Open House a year and a half ago, he was nervous about what kind of people he would meet in that “Christian” place, but a friend talked him into coming. Initially, he found a home at the center’s Thursday night “J.A.M.” (Jesus and Me) group, where young adults have a meal together, play games, worship and engage in Bible study. Then, Oso made his way into another group — Alive Again, a 12-step recovery program to help youth overcome addictions. “When I first came, I was doing drugs and getting into a lot of things that a teen shouldn’t. Lucky for me, I started working the steps and talking in Alive Again about all the things going on in my life,” Oso said. “Now, I can say that I know the difference between right and wrong. I am thankful for Open House and all the people that make
About Wanda Ashworth Valencia Originally from Wingate, N.C., Wanda Ashworth Valencia has ministered to the community of Homestead, Fla. — one of the state’s poorest communities — through Open House Ministries since 2004. Prior to serving at Open House, Valencia served as director of music and youth at First Baptist Church in York, S.C. She is a graduate of CBF partner Gardner-Webb University’s School of Divinity in North Carolina. Learn more about Valencia’s ministry at www.thefellowship.info/valencia.
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this place possible.” Seeing life-changing experiences like Oso’s and watching young people — some who have lived months without hot water or electricity in their homes — stand and sing praises to God, Valencia marvels at how she sees God at work in Homestead. “[For some of our young people], their faith is very real and very raw. They do not come to worship because their parents or an auntie or a grandmama makes them come — they come because they are hungry for God. They live out their faith everyday in a really hard place,” Valencia said.
Ending the cycle of poverty A joint ministry of the Fellowship and CBF of Florida, Open House began as a disaster relief effort in 1992 following Hurricane Andrew. But after seeing the ongoing poverty in the community, local residents and Fellowship Baptists began dreaming of a ministry center that would serve as a beacon of hope in the community. Built with volunteer labor, the yellow 9,000-squarefoot building that is home to Open House Ministries opened in 2000. Today, a third of the population in Homestead lives below the national poverty line. The factors that contribute to the cycle of poverty in this community are varied and complex, including lack of job opportunities, poor wage compensation, a high drop out rate from schools, immigration and addiction. Agricultural work, which comprises a large part of the local economy, is never steady because it is dependent on the weather. Even when the work is there, the pay is meager. Most field workers performing rigorous physical labor receive 70 cents per bushel they pick, which is not enough to support their families. With only half of teenagers in Homestead graduating from high school, many are left unprepared for further education or employment. But, according to Valencia, it is the undocumented adults that came to America
as infants or toddlers who have the toughest time securing a better future. “The young people who came to our country in the arms of their undocumented parents probably face the harshest reality,” said Valencia. “We recognize their basic human needs and allow them to be part of our educational system until they are 18, but then their status suddenly changes. As undocumented adults, they cannot obtain legal work, a driver’s license or afford further education. Many bright young people are being discarded as ‘illegals.’” Part of Valencia’s day-to-day responsibilities at Open House involve interacting with a social work referral agency and a grassroots community development and advocacy group to address some of these problems. Working together, they try to instill hope and alleviate the pain of poverty whenever possible. “To be true servants, we need to recognize our own brokenness, to realize that we are joined — we are all in this together,” Valencia said. “[My years at Open House] have taught me to relate to the folks in this community as brothers and sisters — not paternalistically, as if I have all the answers. Yes, I can be a bridge to needed resources, but I am not a savior. There is only one of those.”
Giving to those who need it most Despite limited financial resources, the people of Homestead have rallied to help those in greatest need. When a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti in 2010, affecting millions of people, the community found ways to give. “This community gave out of their poverty to help their brothers and sisters to the south,” Valencia said. “Our youth raised almost $300 — collecting nickels, dimes and quarters. They gave whatever they had, and many family members contributed sacrificially.” Partnerships with Fellowship Baptists are easing the pain of poverty in Homestead, too. For the past four years, church members from Tallahassee Fellowship, a small church that meets in the home of its pastor,
Learn about opportunities to serve alongside Open House Ministries at www.thefellowship.info/serve. Or contact Chris Boltin at engage@thefellowship.info or (800) 352-8741. Opportunities are available year-round for individuals and teams.
April/May 2011