Through weekly youth impact clubs, ASJ seeks to be the church in the lives of these children, keeping them from violence and creating opportunities in their lives.

Over the years, these impact clubs have provided mentoring, community service opportunities, life skills classes, and psychological care to over 1,000 children, some of whom now work at ASJ. Miriam’s team also created “Strong Families,” workshops that equip parents and children to communicate better about love, boundaries, and discipline, challenging cycles of interfamilial violence. In her many years with ASJ, Miriam led youth protection advocacy in many sectors, including improving conditions for youth in juvenile detention centers and for children who testify in court after surviving violent crimes.

Though this work was often difficult, Miriam’s persistence and dedication led to many open doors. Even pastors or community leaders who were resistant to ASJ’s work would find their minds changed after a phone call with Miriam! In the office, her coworkers remember her generosity, encouragement, and creativity. Leading worship at staff devotions, devoting long weekends to community work, praying with a colleague after a difficult day – Miriam not only did justice, she lived her life justly.

Miriam’s most recent position at ASJ was the leader of a new team dedicated full-time to replicating our children and family programs. With new manuals and guides, Miriam and her team travel to churches and organizations to give them the tools and preparation to lead their own youth clubs and “Strong Families” programs. Now, new partnerships with the Catholic Church in Tegucigalpa, and the Church of God, one of Honduras’ largest denominations, promise to bring ASJ’s programs to hundreds more children and offering even more opportunity for expansion in the future.

As Miriam’s work expanded from community interventions to advocacy to replication, so did ASJ’s mission. Miriam exemplifies ASJ’s powerful approach to change—caring for survivors of injustice while also working to strengthen government systems.