With a shy smile, 20-year-old Sayra Martinez (pictured far right) says, “I love working with young people, I learn as much from them as I give.” Sayra is talking about her work with at-risk youth in the community of Nueva Suyapa, Honduras. What you don’t know about Sayra is that just three years ago, she was an at-risk youth. Devastated by the murder of her older brother Danny (ASJ, formerly known as AJS, lawyers and investigators are working on this case) she dropped out of school. She lived in a small home with her four siblings and her parents, who were both out of work and saw little hope for the future.
From Dropout To Dreamer
October 28, 2015
Sayra’s story isn’t unique in Honduras, a country that suffers from high levels of violence and poverty. Young people like Sayra fear that their future won’t be any better than their parents’, but the staff of ASJ won’t accept that scenario.
A few months after her brother’s murder, a friend invited Sayra to an ASJ at-risk youth club. As she describes it, “At the club, we would always pray, hear and talk about a story with a lesson on values, and plan service projects in our community.” Every group is led by a mentor who lives in the community. Sayra’s mentor is Augustina, a middle-aged woman with a 3rd-grade education, and a lot of love and experience with youth. As Sayra puts it, “Augustina is great. She shows us how to respect others, and value ourselves.”
Last year, ASJ graduated 200 young people, including Sayra, from the clubs. Many have returned to school or vocational training, thanks to the support of ASJ mentors, and many more have found value and hope where before they saw only a dark future. As Sayra says, “We thought nobody cared about us—Augustina showed that wasn’t true.”
This year, ASJ will be working with 350 new young people. As the project coordinator Miriam Mondragon puts it, these kids are the “Highest at risk, in the riskiest parts of the riskiest neighborhoods.” An exciting addition this time around is that trained paralegals and counselors will provide psychological and legal advice to the teens and their families at home because just like Sayra many families are dealing with deep psychological and legal needs.
Now, Sayra, who is back in night school as a freshman in high school, is ready to give back. She and other volunteers who have received training from experienced mentors will soon work in teams with their own group. She acknowledges that it will be a challenge. “Sometimes I ask God, ‘Why me?’, but I know that through him, I can do all things.”
Sayra’s life was transformed, and now she will do her best to help transform the lives of other young people.
Choosing defiant hope over fear.
Earlier this month, The Banner published a story written by Our Shared Ministr y by Karina Guevara and Elmer Salinas . The authors showcase the work that ASJ-Honduras is doing to help and support students in Honduras. Karina and Elmer tell the story of Genesis Garcia, an 8-year-old, whose family struggles to find consistent jobs. "Genesis Garcia Baquedano is 8 years old and lives with her older brother, Anderson, and their parents in Honduras. Her parents work hard to support their family. Genesis’s father is a painter who struggles to find consistent work, and her mother is a street vendor who spends long hours away from home." According to Karina and Elmer, although Genesis is a good student, she was struggling with reading, writing, and math. This is where the ASJ-Hondurans' program, Strong Communities , comes to be a blessing. "Through God’s grace, Genesis and her family were able to join the Strong Communities program facilitated by World Renew’s local partner, Association for a More Just Society (ASJ, because the Spanish translation is Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa). Through the program, Genesis attended academic support sessions, where she impressed her tutors with her perseverance and enthusiasm. Now, Genesis’s teachers praise the program for the significant progress Genesis has been making at school." We are blessed to be able to help kids like Genesis and her family to be able to achieve their dreams and goals. You can read the full story HERE and learn more about the ASJ-Honduras Strong communities program HERE
Highlights from our 25th Anniversary Celebration in Grand Rapids, MI
MY EMPTY VILLAGE / HOW IMMIGRATION AFFECTS A COMMUNITY (by Sara Pineda)
Young Hondurans have stepped up for democracy (by Blanca Stephanie Elvir)
Reflecting on 25 years of seeking justice together (by Jo Ann Van Engen)
From the Executive Director
What does paused international aid mean for ASJ?
Something Worth Waiting For
Will you walk with us for a more just society?
