Encuentro Case Statement

Meet ENCUENTRO

ENCUENTRO IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES AS THE MISSIONS ARM FOR CHURCHES ACROSS THE COUNTRY UNITING INDIVIDUALS OF DIFFERENT AGES TO :

Serve those in need here at home and throughout Central and South America

Expose youth to missions opportunities that will help them obtain a global perspective while igniting a love of missions and service

For most churches, hiring a staff that focuses on mission opportunities is out of reach. That’s where we come in. Since 1966, we have been traveling the globe bringing medical care, construction assistance, and the Good News of Jesus to those in need on behalf of churches across the country. In fact, we handle all the logistics for the missions of the churches we serve.

In addition to meeting the physical needs of those we serve during each mission trip, we also focus on bringing the love of Jesus to everyone we encounter. Each project is chosen based on our ability to make a lasting change and is designed to build into the volunteers just as much as those we serve.

 NO ONE COMES BACK FROM A TRIP WITH ENCUENTRO UNCHANGED 

Thanks to generous donors like you, we are able to offer these trips to individuals as well as church groups. Each group or participant contributes to the project he/she is working on. Encuentro is completely funded through private donations outside of that.

For over 50 years, we have planned and executed life-changing mission trips in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, Guatemala, and Costa Rico.

In Puerto Rico, 57% of live in poverty.

Nearly 50% of the adults in the Appalachian region of the US live in poverty.

Nearly 20% of the population of Costa Rica earns less than $155 per month.

“With many of our families, youth, and children not returning to church since the Covid-19 pandemic, we didn’t have the human resources for effective evangelism activities. Encuentro came to us at the right time, with hundreds of missionaries eager to join in the evangelistic efforts of Puerto Rico West. Church sites were repaired, streets were swept, houses were painted, and biblical lessons were taught, but more than that: lives were saved, youth were discipled, vocational calls were answered, and lifelong friendships were made.”

REV. MARTA GONZALEZ recipient

CANADA

UNITED STATES PERU

THE BAHAMASMEXICO

COSTA RICA

PUERTO RICO

Live the GREAT COMMISSION

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.

MATTHEW 28:19-20

God has commanded us to make disciples of all nations. As Christ-followers, our calling is clear. We are to LOVE GOD and LOVE PEOPLE. At Encuentro, it is our deepest desire that everyone we encounter become a follower of Jesus and that we raise up leaders who will continue the critical work of taking the Good News of Jesus’ Saving Grace around the globe.

Through Encuentro, individuals are living out the great commission with every donation, every trip, every construction project, every meal served, every soccer game, every worship service, every VBS camp, and every prayer.

The need is great. But, our God is greater!

US IN ANSWERING THE CALL

AFFECT LIVES by meeting needs

WE UNDERSTAND THAT PHYSICAL NEEDS MUST BE MET BEFORE SPIRITUAL NEEDS. THEREFORE, THE GOAL OF EVERY INTERACTION IS TO MEET THOSE IMMEDIATE NEEDS, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, AND SHARE THE GOSPEL. WE DO THAT IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS :

BIBLE SCHOOL & SPORTS CAMPS

Our teams partner with local churches where we are serving to offer neighborhood adults and children the opportunity to hear the gospel while building relationships through fun events. We focus on the most popular sport to draw in large groups and create a fun and engaging activity for all to learn about Jesus.

CLINICS

everyone has access to medical care, so our “volunteer” medical professionals donate time and supplies to meet the immediate medical needs of those in the communities we serve.

Our partners who are on the ground help us identify the largest need in each community. Our teams raise funds prior to the trip and bring the manpower to the job. Some of the projects we have completed are laying tile, roofing, electrical work, and painting.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

1:27

8 : 00AM We start the day off with a traditional breakfast from the location we are in. Since we have full days, we make sure everyone is fueled for the big day ahead.

9 : 00AM – A volunteer worship service is just what we need to start our days off right. This helps us set the tone for the day, prepare our hearts, and open the hearts of volunteers for the Holy Spirit to show and lead them through the day.

10 : 00AM Volunteers head to their job site, whether that is a church or school for VBS, a sports camp, a medical clinic, or a construction project in the area. The remainder of the day is spent at the job site, making progress and continuing to reach people.

5 : 00PM In the evening, our teams eat dinner and spend time with the local church. This is where all the connections are made that change lives. Relationships that last forever are formed over a meal, around a table.

8 : 00PM – After a long day of connecting with people and working on projects, our volunteers debrief, work through project challenges, get a cold beverage, and recharge their batteries by gathering with other volunteers.

MATT HOFER volunteer

“I was blessed to have so many chances to meet new people, grow in faith, worship with people from every walk of life, and see God’s beautiful creation. Within the first 36 hours, I was blessed to hear my call to missions. My faith was shaky before the trip, and I had been praying that I would find people to help me grow. I found that and more. I realized there was more to my life than just sports and fame.”

Answer THE CALL

LIFE CHANGE HAPPENS WHEN VOLUNTEERS SET ASIDE THEMSELVES AND FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE WHO REQUIRE THEIR NEEDS TO BE MET. WE MAKE SURE ALL VOLUNTEERS ARE EQUIPPED FOR MISSIONS BY PLANTING A SEED FOR LEADERSHIP AND PRACTICE BEING A SERVANT. BY THE END OF THE TRIP, STUDENTS AND ADULTS ARE NOT ONLY STEPPING INTO THEIR CALL THROUGH THEIR PROJECTS BUT ARE EXCITED TO TAKE WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED BACK HOME.

day in the life of an Encuentro volunteer.

Make

PROFOUND

 THE CALL TO GIVE 

Although the statistics and poverty may look bleak in the places we serve, your donation to Encuentro can help rewrite the statistics. Please donate generously. We can’t do this alone, but together we can raise up missionaries, meet the needs of those living in tragic levels of poverty, and share the gospel. Every gift leaves a lasting impact and helps change lives.

WITH YOUR SUPPORT: Houses are restored, lives are changed, churches are repaired, needs are met, people are loved, the Good News of Jesus is shared, and lifelong friends are made.