How a Sandwich Led to More.

Nearly 7 years ago, we met Maria de Jesus or as we call her Chuy, a mother of 5 children, 4 of which were elementary age, their faces always reflected a smile although we quickly learned that those smiles were simply on the outside. Their situation was grave, and they were barely surviving. Her husband had passed less than a year before we had really gotten to know them. She was a widow with a home to support in a community where women are constantly violated in every way, her spirit screamed for help. Longing for something more. 

It became evident that every time MARKED’s truck arrived she was the first among her community to meet us as she wanted to make sure her children would be the first to receive a couple of sandwiches and fresh fruit. She would tell us each visit, it was because she wasn’t sure when her children would eat next. 

As our visits increased, Chuy not only ran for physical food but she wanted to be spiritually nourished and loved as well. Every visit, she looked for a way to help distribute food or whatever was necessary. She expressed that it was her token of appreciation and her expression of love. 

When we made the decision and had the ability to change from a sandwich to a plate of hot food she was the first volunteer in our kitchen, eager and ready to serve. Everyday Chuy showed up because she wanted to invest in her community, not knowing where it would lead. 

Today, Chuy along with her beautiful family have been transformed. Because of her eagerness to serve and be apart, and because of our monthly partners, we were able to offer Chuy a job, today she helps lead our kitchen. 

This job empowers a single mother and widow to provide for her family. Her children, now enrolled in school, no longer needing to work because their mom is now providing for them. She is leading by example, and giving her children the opportunity to be kids, something she never had. We are watching the cycles of poverty in her family break, because of her simple yes, desire to learn and eagerness to grow.

We celebrate Chuy and the massive strides forward she has made over these past 7 years. And we have you, our partners to thank!

Homework Club.

A message from Sam, our Community Program Coordinator.

Since the day we arrived to the San Pedro Itzicán community, God has opened the doors and hearts of the people, but He has also opened our eyes to see beyond and discover the needs that each person or group has or has had. As we spent time and made relationships we quickly discovered that the desire for school was significantly decreasing and that the quality of teaching was also on the decline.

In our research, we saw that not only was academics on the decline, but there was an increased amount of children, specifically in the 4th and 5th grade that did not know how to read or write, pre-teens who were about to enter high school who did not know how to divide or multiply. It was after our discoveries that we decided to offer an after school program; specifically homework club, where the children and teens alike had a safe place to study, a place where they would not be judged for not being at their academic level, a place where they would be taught and instructed with love and patience.

At first when the idea was proposed, I thought it was kind of crazy. How were we going to convince a group of kids who were already uninterested in school to attend an extra class after school?

But on the first day, we had 3 children show up for class. Then those 3 quickly became 10 and those 10 spread the word about our after school program, telling them that this opportunity was the best thing that had happened to them. Soon parents were coming to our base every day to ask what they could do so that their children could attend. We went from having 3 children in class to having 3 shifts of 15 children per class for 4 days a week, and today we now have a waitlist of those desiring to attend.

To me, it is incredible how love, patience and a small snack can achieve so many things. Today, the value of education is on the rise, we are seeing grateful parents, and interest in teachers wondering what we are doing so that these children want to study more.

To find out how you can help, visit:

Transformative Spaces and Conversations.

Often we find that the spaces we least expect are those where the most beautiful relationships are birthed. A while back we opened our doors to any volunteer from the community who wanted to come serve while their children attended our weekly programs. What that meant for them, was any leftovers would be sent home with those who were serving all the while they learned how to prepare a new meal or two in the kitchen. But more than that, it offered a place of community for a small group of women to feel connected and loved. 

When we opened our doors to the San Pedro community, we met Angelica. A mother of 4 children. Very young herself, she, like the other children would run to the center when our vans would arrive. 

Paty, our community kitchen coordinator, shared about a conversation they had had... 

“I knew a little bit from the comments that were made over the past few months, that Angelica like many women in our communities lived in a home with domestic violence. Her husband, an alcoholic and extremely abusive. 

One day while she was helping prepare food for the children she asked me, 

“hey do you have many things in your home?”

At first I was taken back by the comment, and wasn’t sure how to respond. So I said, “like what things?”

She asked, “Do you have a bed just for you and Samy? Do you have a room just for you and your family? Do you have a lot of clothes? Do you have a stove?” 

She simply wanted to know if I had what most would consider the basic necessities inside our home.  I explained to her that we were very fortunate to have a good job, and that God has provided everything we needed through my husband and I working. We talked about the importance of a job to provide for our families and how that a job is often how God gives provision and resources.

Though I thought it was an interesting question over cutting vegetables, it was her last question that caught me a little off guard.  

“Hey Paty” “yes” I replied,  “Does Samy hit you?”

I responded back, quicker than ever. “No, never! What’s going on Angelica?” 

This was the start of a deeper conversation, and many hours together. The lies she was told since childhood that it was normal for your spouse to beat you, we learned was the cultural norm among our communities. This devastated our hearts. And knew it was time to open up a dialogue among those we worked with. 

This story doesn’t end here however. This story is still filled with so much hope. Today, we (Paty and Sam) meet with Angelica and her husband on a regular basis. Their story is now being re-written, filled with restoration and love. Their story now tells about a husband and father who is no longer abusive, and is now along with Angelica providing for his family to give their children a better life through the local berry farm. Though some days the struggles from the past still try to creep in, we remind them who they are. Today, hand in hand we are walking with them, teaching them about life with Jesus and hope for their future. We see Him working deeply in their hearts. 

Next time you are at the grocery store, and pick up driscoll berries, would you pray for Angelica and her family? Their story like many of ours is just beginning to unfold.

Their Generational Line has Forever Been MARKED

One day in November 2018, a woman with a sweet timid demeanor approached our MARKED team member and told him that she was the mother of 3 young boys, 8, 12 and 14 years old. As we continued the conversation she had informed us that her husband 7  years earlier had crossed the border into the United States in search of a good job that would allow him to help provide for his family. Leaving her to raise 3 sons on her own. 

With timidity in her voice, she began to ask what she had to do to enroll her sons in the MARKED soccer program as she was worried like many moms that if not soccer, they would be headed down the path like so many others in the community of a life of drugs and organized crime.

Sam, our community program coordinator gave her the necessary information for her sons to enroll, and without thinking invited her personally back to spend time with our team and help prepare food for the community kitchen.

The following day, there she was, ready to help with anything necessary. And since that day, she has been back nearly every day since. Her once timid demeanor began to blossom into full strength. Her boys grew a love for soccer and quickly became part of the team. Through her daily visits, she said the thing that kept drawing her back was how safe and loved she and her boys felt. They belonged. 

Over the past year, she was trained on how to run the community center office as well as educational tasks. Today, she runs our homework club. Her children attend school, as well as the after school programs and every day her boys soccer skills are improving. 

She says more than anything her family has found a safe place in MARKED but more than anything, they found Jesus and are never looking back. 

Their generational line has forever been MARKED.

One in a Sea of Faces. Meet Santi.

Photo taken 2018

Meet Gibran or as his friends like to call him, Santi.

His story, like many among our community, started with heartbreak. Santi is the oldest of 3 and at his young age was forced to carry the responsibilities of an adult due to the lack of a father and an alcoholic mother. When we met Santi at the young age of 6, he never knew what it was like to play ball or hide n’ seek. He came to us in search of affection and honestly food for his family to eat. When we met them, Santi was in charge of taking care of his mother when she was drunk. We would often see him following her down the streets of the lake as she stumbled her way around, deep into alcohol, making sure that she would not fall, get lost, or worse, be abused. Not only that, but Santi was in charge of working to feed his siblings and maintain his mother's vice. 

Over time however, we noticed Santi coming around more often. Little by little he would linger a little longer. He simply wanted to spend more time with our MARKED staff which allowed us the opportunity to get to know not only he and his siblings, but his mother as well. As we built relationships with this family, conversations about God, and His radical love for them would come up. Topics of value, and identity. But also what it meant to be a mother. Responsibilities and the honor it is to love and care for your children. 

Today, we are happy to report that Santi is not only enrolled in school, but his mom is now sober and working to care for her family. 

You will find Santi daily at our community table. He and his brothers are always the first to arrive and usually one of the last to leave. His favorite part is participating in telling the Bible story. Santi has expressed how thankful he is to God most for how good He has been to him. We know the road is long for this precious family, but we also know that there is so much hope and redemption still to unfold in their story.  

Everly Brave. The Adoption.

Adoption has been a core desire since before we were married. From our organization working with the orphan community in Mexico combined with Micheal having been adopted himself we have always known that adoption was going to be a part of our families story. 

For us, the journey of building our family through adoption has been filled with challenges, road blocks and heart breaking dead ends. Some of this is in part due to the fact that we have never really taken the easy road. We often find ourselves unintentionally on the "road less traveled" taking on difficult situations fueled only by love, passion and the burning question "if not us then who?". 

After pursuing an international adoption in Mexico for nearly a decade only to find ourselves at a dead end over and over again we decided to pursue a more traditional route in domestic adoption. At the end of April 2019 we hired Fallon, our incredible CAC consultant, filled out the paperwork and went through the process of completing our home study. Everything seemed to breeze by and in August we were matched with a baby girl due October 17. We were elated. Not only were we matched with what we thought was our dream baby but the process for the first time in our lives felt like it was just simply running smoothly.

About 2 weeks before the baby was due to arrive we packed up our things and went to await her birth in San Antonio, TX. We were so excited, nervous, hope-filled, terrified and and and... However, just about a week before she was to be born something changed. The mom stopped responding to our agency all together. She didn't answer or return calls, text messages and most oddly didn't show up to receive her regular weekly support.  After many attempts to make contact the week went by, the due date had come and gone and still there was only silence from the birth mother. Once again after all we had done and all we had been through we found ourselves with an all too familiar sense of disappointment and ultimately a second failed adoption. Packing up an empty carseat and flying home once again.

Micheal wrote this a few days after our return home: 

"The truth is that we are broken. We have way more questions than we have answers. All we can say is BUT GOD. When we don’t understand, BUT GOD. When we are filled with sorrow and anger, BUT GOD. When we feel like maybe the God that we trust isn’t so trustworthy after all, BUT GOD. We still believe in His goodness. We still believe in His kindness. And we still believe that His plans are better than ours and when there is nowhere left to lean we lean in further to Him. I don’t get it and maybe thats ok. Because what I do know is that the fruit of faithfulness is always greater than the pain of process.”

A few more months went by and it seemed that cases were coming in slower than ever and every case that we did see had one of the only two things that we had predetermined were our absolute “no’s”. Through the pain and rawness of it all, we remained hopeful. 

Fast forward to the morning of February 10th, 2020. Micheal came into our bedroom and woke me up, “did you see the email? It was an email from the agency where we had had our disrupted adoption. It read: “Have you all had a placement? If not, I do have a situation that arose last night with a hispanic baby girl born on Saturday. Please call me if you would like more information.” We called immediately. This agency had only a few hours to find a family, though she didn’t tell us at the time, we were the only family in her file that was Texas home-study approved to receive this baby. Was this our BUT GOD story? We got off the phone with the agent and called Fallon immediately. Was this a safe case to pursue? The answer was a loud YES.

This was the start of the craziest 24 - 36 hours of our lives. In less than 2 hours later and in a mad scramble to clean, shower and pack (not my typical enneagram 1 style!) we were on our way to the Sacramento airport on the first flight out to head back to San Antonio, a place we never thought we would step foot again. After a long travel day with every possible Delay due to Denver snow we finally touched down at 4:00am. By 9:00am the next morning and with adrenaline running through our veins, we were at the agency’s office signing paperwork. Then after a quick stop for coffee we were headed to the hospital. We arrived to the hospital at 11:00am, and only a few moments later we had our sweet baby girl in our arms. The nurses brought us to a room where we would talk to a few doctors and social workers and by 1:00pm we were discharged from the hospital. With our beautiful, healthy, head full of hair, itty bitty DAUGHTER. For the first time, heading to our airbnb as a family of 3. 

It has now been 2 months since we held miss Everly Brave in our arms for the first time and we remain awestruck at the Lord’s faithfulness. His ability to see through the pain of our deepest human desires and disappointments to the greater good that He has had planned for us all along. Had it not been for our failed adoption back in October, we would not have been Texas home-study ready meaning the agency would not have had our information on file and according to the agency this perfect baby girl, full of promise and hope, would have ended up as just another child in the sea of faces surrendered to the foster care system.

This is our story of hope, faith and redemption. Hope that even in the midst of hard questions and uncertainty that God is still good and He holds us. Faith that what He has done for us and our baby girl that He will do again for many more. Then redemption in all the areas of our story no matter how big or small God proved once again that the fruit of faithfulness is always greater than the pain of our process. 

Our lives have forever been changed.

To see more videos/ photos of the adoption visit our personal instagram pages: @Mrsjaclynmiller or @Michealgmiller under highlights

How are you?

How are you doing? We wish we could check in with each of you individually during this crazy time. We know for many across the world, things feel scary and uncertain. Isolation via quarantine can often feel lonely, and with many loosing their jobs the unknown is more than some can bare. So today,

We are praying specifically for you.

And are declaring Psalm 91 over your life.

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

We pray that you will look back on this time as a time of rest, innovation and dreaming. A time to be remembered for all the good that came out of this season of uncertainty. A time that you saw His goodness first hand.

From your family at MARKED, we love you and are cheering you on. Let us know how we can be there for you during this time.

Space is running out

We are thrilled to see that our 2020 calendar is filling up with beautiful faces that are wanting to join us at our bases in Guadalajara this year.

If you, your church, family and/or business are still wanting to travel down this year, please reach out to us as soon as possible because our hosting calendar is filling up quickly and we would still love to host you!

The easiest way is to fill out our form online:

But you are also welcome to send us an email at hello@marked.org

We look forward to hearing from you soon and we hope to see you in Guadalajara this 2020!

BEST Academy Partnership

English classes are a hit in the villages, especially when teacher Miriam leads the fun! Currently Ms. Miriam from BEST Academy visits the community center every other week and brings two great classes for the kids and adults to attend. 

The first class she gives is nutrition which is always accompanied with a delicious and healthy recipe that the students prepare and make together. Ms. Miriam gives them practical tools and easy to understand information to help them make life changing choices in their health and nutritional habits.

Ms. Miriam brings 15+ years of educational experience to the classroom and is backed by an amazing team of professional educators with BEST Academy. Her English classes are fun, interactive and leave the students wanting to learn more. 

Our staff and students who attend the community centers educational classes have already learned so much from the team at BEST Academy. We are excited for the next project where BEST Academy will help equip, train, and implement physical education classes once a week in our partner elementary school 21 de Marzo in the village of La Peña. Not only will we be able to hire a local teacher to give the PE classes, but it opens up a wonderful opportunity for our soccer boys to volunteer as a teachers aide working alongside the teacher and learning what sports in a professional and educational setting is really like.

We truly appreciate BEST Academy and their investment in our community, in the lives of the children and youth, mothers who want to learn and implement better nutrition for their families. 

Transformation through Soccer.

“Teaching our boys how to honor and love. How to celebrate and how to be gentlemen this past Valentine’s day. Looked like flowers and heart shaped suckers for the ladies in the village. ”

There is a shift in the atmosphere. As you can feel the days warming up and the drastic approach of the contrasting cooler desert nights, so is the changing climate  brought on by the unlikely few. They lace up their cleats, share high-fives and shin guards. When you look at them standing next to each other, you can still see distinct differences. Most of our boys are generally skinnier, shorter, and darker. You can blame it on malnutrition, birth defects, drugs, genetics, hard physical labor, or any of the other factors that commonly precede a first impression of them, but the colors and shapes seen are being blurred by unity. Unity and brotherhood forged on and off the field.

What we thought related us to them has now related them to their own community. Sometimes in rivalry but most of the time in respect, common love and common dreams. Dreams that will lead them into a future where they will not only have shared past experiences and victories, but also brotherly love, tears and loss, empathy… the grounds on which their future lies. They are the future leaders of their communities. But where previous generations have kept their distances between outskirt villages and municipality city centers, this generation is crossing lines. And more than crossing lines, they are calling each other friend, family.

Our boys have been taught to gather around the table, take your place as a son, serve one another, be men of character, pray together, give all glory to God… “Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the King.” 1 Peter 2:17 And they are infectious with their loyalty to that creed. Onlookers take notice and those closest to them are challenged to the call. It’s one thing to play against a challenging team but it’s a whole different story when you change jerseys, colors, and say “I’m with them.” “Soy MARKED.” The beauty is in what is yet to be seen. These same young men who will one day remember when they sat at each other’s table, no matter how humble it or the food was, will carry that into discussions and planning of community development, political decisions, standing for justice, fighting together to see cycles broken and lives empowered. 

Introducing the Newest Member of MARKED

We are over the moon to introduce you to the newest member of the MARKED family.

Meet Miss Everly Brave Miller.

Micheal and Jaclyn are thrilled to introduce their precious daughter to you. Born on February 8th 2020. She is pure gold, and wonderful beyond our wildest expectations.

In the coming weeks we will be sharing more about our journey to our girl. But for now, we are resting, snuggling, and bonding with this perfect gift.

If there is one thing we know, it is that adoption is the BIGGEST gift , greatest adventure and unlocks the heart of the Father unlike anything we have ever experienced before.

More to come. SOON. <3

Love the Miller Family.

In the meantime, to read a little more you can visit our GOFUNDME site for updates:

In Their Own Words.

“What marked most of my life was drugs and the gang life. It led me nowhere and in the end I was left with nothing. When MARKED came to our small town, I was given moments and opportunities, confidence that has fundamentally changed in my life. They are like a second family to me.” - MARKED SOCCER TEAMMATE

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“I still remember the day my father died. I still remember how it feels to have the world fall apart around you. And then everything continue to crumble bit by bit as each circumstance got harder and harder. 

After my father died, even though I was only 8 years old I had to quit school so I could work and help my mom feed my younger brothers and sisters. I had always dreamt as a kid of being in the military and held on to that dream as a teenager but again was left without any hope because I was far from the required high school degree needed to enlist. Years passed and I kept going, barely keeping my head above water with long hours in whatever day labor job I could find that week. I fought depression and alcohol addiction but most days were a losing battle. What seemed like the last ounce of fight I had, was lost when my closest brother died at just 22 years old, the same day my son was born. I was now the oldest male in my entire family. 

But a glimmer of hope rose with my son. And then came my involvement with MARKED. I got clean. I love my son, as well as my family, and I love my MARKED family. I don’t even know how to thank them for everything they’ve done for me. Because of  MARKED I was able to go to GED school and I am now working on my primary diploma. In addition, I was also able to study to be a barber through a program in Guadalajara that allowed me to work with MARKED during the week and go to school on the weekends. I coach and play soccer for the MARKED team. And just recently they helped me get my drivers license. My life was going in one direction, today I am living a new life with my family and I am forever grateful.” -MARKED STAFF AND TEAMMATE

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“My life was different before MARKED. Different than now but just like everyone else’s around me. Drugs, dad gone, started hating school, nothing to do and nothing to look forward to. I had always played soccer in the neighborhood but never with the guys from MARKED and one day they just invited me to play and for some reason I said yes. I sometimes think it’s like a new life started for me after that day. After that day everything changed for the better, I made so many new friends, my mom started volunteering with MARKED, I hadn’t seen her happier in years. I got better at soccer, and then came tournaments, championships, I got into the high school I had dreamed of, my parents are proud of me, and most importantly I am surrounded by people who really care about me.” -MARKED SOCCER TEAMMATE

2019 in Review

It’s hard to believe we are at the close of yet another year. 2019 was focused on establishing. Establishing sustainable rhythms and routines for our communities, but also for our MARKED staff and families. 2019 has been yet again another monumental year for us, we are pleased to inform you that because of you, our generous partners, this has once again proved to be our most successful year to date.

With your support both financially and of your time, we have accomplished so much to improve the lives of thousands of children and adults in our network.

Here is a brief summary of what we have accomplished TOGETHER this year.  

We served over 10,000 people through all our programs. Hitting ONE MILLION meals served since we began, and 350,000 of those meals from this year alone. Whether it was delivering nearly 37,000 lbs of protein to our partner homes and bases, or the MARKED peso store selling more than 60,000 items, receiving a report from the government that 95% (thousands) of children among our communities are officially enrolled in school compared to only 250 in 2016 through our school partnership champaign. It is almost overwhelming to see. In addition to school supplies, tuitions paid, medical cases resolved, multiple rescues and successful rehabilitation our family has grown. Our soccer community has grown in significant ways as well, not only did they win their first championship, but we have now grown to 3 all seasons select teams. This is all because of you. This tough crowd of boys and men are now serving their communities and have gone from tormentors to heroes. It is beautiful to watch unfold. Driving down the streets hearing old men yelling “MARK-ED, we are so proud of you.” This group of once gang bangers are bringing unity to an entire village community. 

In addition to what we accomplished together this year, we also as a MARKED family had a huge victory with Micheal gaining his freedom back and returning to Mexico this past September. Our family all together again. It was magical. Thank you to all who prayed for this incredible moment. 

We cannot thank you enough for the love you have poured out and the lives you have changed because of your generosity. We cannot wait to see what 2020 brings. 

So here is to a new year, new growth and abundance. For every seed you plant, may you see an abundant harvest. 

With Love, 

Micheal and Jaclyn Miller, and the MARKED Family

For highlights visit us on instagram @HelloMarked

STORIES

We know many of you have asked us to share more stories with you!

Stories are often hard for us to share because we never want to expose or exploit someones story who is not yet ready to share. However we are excited because a few members of our soccer team have given us permission to share their stories with you.

So we plan to do just that. We will be sharing one story here, but over the next few weeks we will be sharing more stories on our instagram page @hellomarked and on facebook! So follow along and be on the look out.

Victor.

For 12 years, Victor lived a life of lockdown. A common practice by the mamas in our communities who are doing their best to keep their children out of the gang life. He was aloud to go to school, but then immediately had to come home to work and simply be. Locked in his home or tiny cement patio, hours were spent in solitude. Years of thoughts and torment with no one to relate to. 

At the age of 12, Victor had had enough and would begin to play soccer with anyone who would play with him. Every chance he could get he was on that soccer field. Though it started innocent, he quickly found himself playing with an older group of guys, that would introduce him to a lifestyle of anger and violence. 

The field turned into a place where all the emotions he had bottled up for all those years began to explode. Burst of uncontrollable anger began to be a normal part of his life as he began to walk down a path of pure destruction. 

It was through that same soccer field a few years later where we met Victor. And though he didn’t know who we were, he simply wanted to play and the invitation was open to him. 

When Victor started playing with our MARKED team we had many conversations about his anger, and how we as a team played. How good sportsmanship was one of our core values and that we would help him find solutions to tap in and heal those areas of his heart that were so bound with anger. Game after game, we saw something shift. Victor was changing. Though he walked a fine line with his anger, we were watching him learn self control. Instead of his fits of rage, he would grab fists full of gravel rocks and clench them tightly in his hands.  And instead of throwing them, he was met with his coaches and his fellow teammates calling his name as he slowly let them go. One rock dropping at a time. 

Months later, and more times than we can count of rocks picked up and slowly released we have seen something even more significant. Every time he picked up a handful of rocks, he released something and was met with supernatural healing. 

Today, Victor is now a straight 10 “A” student, one of our players with so much potential to further his soccer career and in the fall of 2020 he will begin his high school career. Today you will find him hanging out any chance he can at our community center, always greeting everyone with a hug and the biggest smile. He is often the first to show up and the last to leave. He has found freedom in family. 

Names and photos have been changed to protect identity.

Meet Gabriel

Meet Gabriel.

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.

Gabriel is our staff barber, handyman, one of our assistant coaches, chauffeur, brother, uncle, and father… A man with many hats. Gabriel is no stranger to hard work as he started out working in construction at the age of 8, followed by many other stints in bricklaying, fishing, and as an “electrician”, to name a few. When we met Gabriel he was in a tough place. He had dabbled in drugs while working the tomato and berry farms, and was stuck addicted to alcohol.

After years of seeing MARKED around town and his sisters and wife working with us, Gabriel dared to share his dream of becoming a barber with us. And we decided to take a chance on him.

After a year of hard work, not only did Gabriel receive his certification as a barber, but he also recently got his drivers license!

He has put in hours every Saturday for a year, going to the city for school (an over 2 hour bus ride each way), countless hours during the week practicing free haircuts for the kids and young adults in the community.

We spoke with Gabriel about his next big dream, and he said it is to have a barbershop of his own, train up other young adults in the profession and continue to partner with MARKED in empowering the community.

He said when asked what he wants to be when he grows up, even though we just celebrated his 27 birthday, he said “I want to be like Carlos.” His son turned around without skipping a beat, “Papi yo quiero ser como tu cuando soy grande.”--  (Papi I want to be like you when I am big). How sweet is that.

A MARKED Christmas Part 2

Our morning started early as the sun rose and Gabriel showed up to the house to pick us up. Off to our first school in our ugly Christmas sweaters we would go. 

We arrived to the MARKED community center ready to pack the van full of gifts and for Santa and his elf to get ready for their grand entrance. 

Once the van was packed, Santa and the team marched through the streets bringing Christmas cheer. 

We arrived at the school where the kids were waiting to start their Christmas posada. They didn’t know we would be coming. Hundreds of kids lined up for their big surprise. Moment Church brought balloon animals, face paint and bubbles to play with the kids, while the local mamas cooked up meals for anyone that wanted to eat. A clown show was had, games were played, and the music cranked as we passed out treats. To end the afternoon Christmas extravaganza, each and every child received a gift. 

We did this same event 4 times at the different schools, for almost 2,000 children. It was beautiful. 

Many have asked why the need for a gift, and that resource could be spent else where, and our response to this is this beautiful story.

“This year (name removed for privacy) came to us and asked if we would take her shopping to buy her children a Christmas present. This would be the first time in her entire life that she or anyone in their family would buy a gift for someone else. That it wasn’t out of obligation but a desire to be generous with what she has been given.” 

The desire to be generous with what she has been given. 

That right there moved us to tears. It isn’t about the gift, though for most it is the only gift or item they will receive for themselves all year, if ever, but for us it is about demonstrating a culture of generosity. It is a core of what we believe. That a culture of generosity will always pay for itself. Sometimes that looks like money, sometimes it looks like gifts, but more often than not it looks like time. Whatever way we get the opportunity to demonstrate generosity throughout the year is a win for us. And something we will always say yes to. 

So from the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU to those who made Christmas possible. Your generosity is bringing powerful transformation to hearts and lives. 

Photo credit: Dakota

To see more highlights head to our instagram @hellomarked and check out the highlights of the day!

A MARKED Christmas Part 1

One of our favorite updates of the year is sharing with you all about CHRISTMAS! The month of December was full of laughs, screams, and happy tears! 

For us this year Christmas looked different than years past, because as we have walked in deeper relationship with the local communities we have learned not only their needs but desires. And it was so fun to be able to meet them both! 

But in addition to our fun Christmas celebrations, we were able to host the BEST team! Moment Church from Walla Walla Washington, sent a team of 8 down to serve our communities and serve they did! 

This team was full of life and brought so much joy to our kids, staff and teams. They came with suitcases full of gifts for our communities, but more than that they came with their arms ready to serve and hearts ready to love. 

Their first day, we spent the evening at our girls home where they held babies, played soccer with the girls, painted nails, and brought Christmas activities to do. What started out as DIY ornaments, led to hilarious “face painting” with the markers. Cake pops were made by the older girls and Santa and his elf even made an appearance. 

The following day was spent celebrating Christmas with our soccer teams. Coach Carlos prepared an incredible slide show for the boys to watch of their last year. Never have we seen their faces light up more than seeing their faces on the screen as they laughed about the memories shared. We ate huge pork legs, and Moment Church surprised our crew with brand new soccer balls. It was epic! 

The day ended with us preparing for Christmas in the villages, which included a long assembly line filled with goodies as we wrapped nearly 2,000 gift bags filled with treats, toys and balls… 

To Be Continued… Part 2 Next Week. 

Photo credit: Dakota

To see more highlights head to our instagram @hellomarked and check out the highlights of the day!

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

May your year be filled with VICTORIES. 

The year of ONE MILLION victories. What an incredible year 2019 has been. Of course it was filled with its own set of challenges but it has left us once again in awe and wonder. 2019 we focused hard on establishing. Establishing sustainable rhythms and routines for each of the communities we reach. We served thousands of people through all our programs. Hitting ONE MILLION meals served. Whether it was delivering nearly 37,000 lbs of protein to our partner homes and bases, or the MARKED peso store selling more than 60,000 items, receiving a report from the government that 95% (thousands) of children among our communities are officially enrolled in school compared to only 250 in 2016. It is almost overwhelming to see. In addition to school supplies, tuitions paid, medical cases resolved, multiple rescues and successful rehabilitation our family has grown. Our soccer community has grown in significant ways as well, not only did they win their first championship, but we have now grown to 3 all seasons select teams. This is all because of you. This tough crowd of boys and men are now serving their communities and have gone from tormentors to heroes. It is beautiful to watch unfold. Driving down the streets hearing old men yelling “MARK-ED, we are so proud of you.” This group of once gang bangers are bringing unity to an entire village community. 

In addition to the victories among our communities, we also as a MARKED family had a huge victory with Micheal gaining his freedom back and returning to Mexico this past September. Our family all together again. It was magical. 

With thousands in the Marked community, you are making an impact far greater than we could ever express in one letter. So please, we invite you to come and experience it for yourself this 2020! See the impact you are making day in and day out. Meet the faces, and hear the stories first hand. Your seed of generosity is growing into the most beautiful harvest. And we are honored to run with you. 

So once again we come to you at the close of the year and ask for you to consider Marked in your 2019 year-end giving. It is because of you, our generous partners, that we have had the success and are seeing such transformation through-out the region. 100% of your donations are tax-deductible and go directly towards the work we do.

We cannot thank you enough for your commitment to us and to our children.

There are not enough words to express our gratitude.

Cheers to 2020!
With Love,

The Miller’s and MARKED family

EMPOWER | SUSTAIN | TRANSFORM | REPEAT

EMPOWER | SUSTAIN | TRANSFORM | REPEAT 

“Through empowerment and sustainability we carry redemption and restoration, breaking cycles which leads to wholeness. And through wholeness, generosity and honor we gain favor with people creating an orphan-less world and a legacy re-defined. This is transformation. This is revival.” 

- Jaclyn and Micheal Miller | Directors and Founders 

Thank you for Being Love: Because of you we have accomplished so much. As we close out 2019, remember us in your year end giving.

100% of your donations are tax-deductible and go directly towards the work we do. 

All donations made on or before December 31st 2018, will go towards your 2019 tax-year. 

TO GIVE |  www.marked.org | text any amount and the word ‘marked’ to 45777  

Merry Christmas

Wishing you a MERRY CHRISTMAS from the MARKED family to yours!

We hope you are spending this week cuddled up by the fire, playing games with your family, putting presents under the tree, decorating cookies and creating memories that will last a lifetime.

We are so thankful for you and the gift that you have been to us this year.

Merry Christmas.