Salvadoran-American author Roberto Lovato describes El Salvador as “A tiny country of titanic sorrows.” Years of war, oppressive political regimes, crime, machismo, and gang violence have led to many sorrows. Despite these cultural and societal traumas, Salvadorans remain highly resilient, warm, caring, and kind. Pain and beauty exist side by side. In fact, the place where pain and beauty intersect is a place of opportunity. 

Throughout this past year, our team has been moved more and more toward that intersection as we look for unique approaches to address these deep and historical wounds, along with the newer mental health crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. For years, El Salvador has witnessed generational family brokenness contributing to addictions, ongoing issues with violence, human trafficking, problems with youth, gangs, poverty, domestic abuse, and irregular migration. The pandemic has only increased the intensity of these issues and everyone across every soci0-economic level has been impacted. 

So how do we tap into the beauty present in the pain? How do we utilize the Salvadoran asset of resilience? Who better to address these issues and be a catalyst for change than Salvadorans themselves?

We have found what we believe to be the answer to these questions in the launching of the Change Therapy and Training Center. This program exists to expand our current mission to “empower Salvadorans to realize their dreams and pursue their futures” and our vision is two-fold. We want to provide Salvadoran individuals and families from all socio-economic levels with accessible, quality therapeutic interventions that provide healing, restoration, and opportunities for a new future. Beyond that, we also want to equip Salvadorans in the areas of systemic/family therapy, and we want them to understand the intersections of trauma and societal issues in El Salvador so that they can reach into deeper places of understanding trauma and then be able to facilitate deeper levels of healing.

Our vision is to truly be a place of change right here in the middle of the pain and beauty. We want to see stories changed in lives, in marriages, and in relationships. We also want to empower a new generation of Salvadorans equipped to be powerful agents of change who understand and embrace the beauty and pain of their country’s story, and who understand their unique role in leading others down a more hopeful and healthy path toward freedom and growth.

We need your help as we launch this new program! Your prayers and your financial partnership sustain our work. With your support, we can keep our other work going strong and invest in the launch of this new program! If you would like to partner with us, you can make a donation today!