The Lighthouse Project

Gone Fishin’

One of the things that our clients truly look forward to is the chance to get off the streets and out of the city for the day. A few weeks ago, we took a group of guys down to La Libertad to fish off the pier. They watched the fishermen come in and out with their catch, they ate some seafood, and they tried fishing themselves. They loved it! Fishing is not for the impatient. It takes time, and there are no guarantees. If the fish aren’t biting, a fisherman could stand on that pier all day long gazing into the blue water and waiting for something to grab hold of the bait. The truth is, that our work sometimes feels like a long day of fishing. There are no guarantees and […]

Remembering Don Carlos

Yesterday we lost our friend Don Carlos. On Easter, he stepped out of this world and into the light of heaven. Our hearts are broken, along with the hearts of so many. Don Carlos was beloved by our family, our staff, our volunteers, and our clients. His passing leaves an empty chair and a silence. Every morning he would arrive at our center to read the newspaper and drink a cup of coffee. We welcomed him to spend the day with us every day. Jon would spend time playing checkers with him, Ericka would fix his coffee, Edwin would joke with him, and everyone on our staff loved him like we would a beloved older uncle. His booming voice would call to Jon through the office, and he would rap […]

Community Food Co-Op Up and Running!

In recent weeks, all of us on staff at MTES have been discussing the importance of restoring dignity to those that have lost so much. The men, women, and children served by our programs have many things to grieve. Men who live on the streets have often lost their homes and families, women who have been exploited have lost their innocence, and children without a consistent living situation have lost their security. These losses are emotional, physical, and spiritual. Our hearts are moved, and the temptation comes to give hand-outs to those still reeling from such heavy losses. But is there a better way to restore dignity and respect? There are places where “hand-outs” and emergency relief are appropriate, but there are also places where these things can add to […]

At Risk

Risk. It’s a word that we hear thrown around in conversation. “Don’t risk it.” “Take a risk.” “At your own risk.” Sometimes the thought of a risk seems thrilling, exciting, on the edge. Other times it seems foolish and like something best avoided. We do a lot of things to take the risk factor right out of our lives. We live in homes with doors that lock, and drive cars with airbags and seat belts. We make choices about our health, our bodies, and what we put into them. We wear sunblock, and floss our teeth to lower our risks, to extend our lives, and to avoid sickness and pain. But what if you were born “at risk?” What if you stepped out of a warm, safe place and in […]

Getting Creative

We have been getting creative around the Lighthouse Project lately with the addition of a new micro-enterprise project. It’s a small but effective way to combine creativity with a source of additional income for our clients. This new project is a type of card-making called filigrana, and so far we are having fun with it! The cards are designed by a girl that got connected with our ministry because she lives in a transition home for girls that makes service one of the requirements of the house. All the girls in this home serve each week at the Lighthouse Project, and this young lady has grown and matured through her involvement with us. She works to design cards for a variety of occasions and holidays, and then teaches our clients how to […]

Christmas at the Lighthouse Project

This year on Christmas Eve we had two parties to celebrate Christmas and enjoy a Christmas meal with our friends at the Lighthouse Project. It has become our tradition to stay open on December 24th which is the day that Christmas is celebrated in El Salvador. For many of those we serve, we are the only family that they have, and our center is the only place they go for a Christmas celebration. We had a great time giving special recognition to those members of our programs that have stepped up to serve this year, Jon shared a Christmas message, we handed out Christmas gifts, and enjoyed a delicious turkey dinner. Our two seatings were a success, and our whole family had a great time serving together. Thank you so […]

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Since September, El Salvador has been getting ready for Christmas. In a country with no Halloween and no Thanksgiving to celebrate, Christmas is a really big deal and people start decorating months in advance. Like everyone else, we are getting ready for Christmas too! At MTES, Christmas is a huge opportunity for us to serve others because most of the men, women, and children involved in our ministries have no family to celebrate with this Christmas. We believe that God has called us to step in and share some joy with our friends this season. This year we are going to be celebrating Christmas with children who have no family or cannot safely be with their family, women and girls who have survived human trafficking, the community served by the […]

A Beautiful Mess – Roof Project Update

The Lighthouse Project center is an absolute mess. There is dust everywhere, pieces of dry wall, crumbled up bricks, and exposed rebar. But it is a mess that is truly beautiful because it means all our funding came in and the center is getting the facelift it needs! Miraculously we received full funding and the help of a volunteer team to replace the roof, demo the false ceiling and dry-wall a new one, add an exhaust fan, and change a small patio into a room where our clients can get weekly therapy with a psychologist. We are reminded again that God does answer prayers and we thank you for praying and for giving to make this happen! The building is already significantly cooler, and even though it’s a work in […]

Sewing Class

On Monday mornings we have a women’s meeting open to any woman who is living or working on the streets. The meeting is an opportunity for them to let their guards down a little bit, and to take some time to talk together, to reflect on God, and to discuss what the Bible has to say about their lives. A few weeks ago we used that time to do a sewing class with the women, utilizing some donated sewing machines that we have at the center. My mom, Sue Frech, was here for a visit so she spent two Mondays teaching the women how to make a basic handbag. Our staff joined her to help teach the women, and Tori also wanted to be in the class so that she […]

Matching Funds Opportunity – Roof Update

As we shared in this post, we are in great need of roof renovations at our community center. The center is the heart of our operations and a great resource to the impoverished, homeless, kids in crisis, and trafficking survivors in our community. A generous donor has stepped up and offered to match donations up to $3,000! This is a great blessing and a wonderful opportunity for anyone who wants to be a part of this project. Your donation will be matched, so every $50 donated is $100, every $250 donated is $500, and every $500 donated is $1,000! We have a work team arriving next week to begin repairs so we will need to pay off all materials during the next few weeks. But we need your help! If […]

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