Play.

We believe that being child-like means going back to the simple, enjoying everyday life, treasuring small moments as gifts. And if we think of children and gifts, the first thing that crosses our mind is a toy!  For them, playing and having fun are primary agents of everyday life.

Thanks to our donors, we had the opportunity to purchase two exceptional play structures!!  And these games not only provide a great space for attention and fun in our backyard, but they are also the vehicle that God is using to reach the children and connect Casa MARKED with the community.

These simple but grand play structures have opened doors for families in the community.  It is so nice to see how children come every day to play, knowing that this house is a safe and a stable place.

Casa MARKED is becoming a benchmark for family and for how we as leaders in our community treat others with respect, care, love and honor.

Our heart is to provide them with an open place to talk and trust, because our goals are based on building a culture that transforms and also impacts the community that is surrounding us

*Written by Ana

Goodbye 2022.

2022 for MARKED was a year focused on play.

The importance of play for both children and adults alike. In February of this year we soft launched the opening of “Casa MARKED” with our official launch in April with the Miller’s, local staff as well as government officials holding a ribbon cutting ceremony on Kid’s Day after many weeks of demolition and the remodeling of our beautiful new space. 

Throughout the year our staff has been training in different methods of play and education. Learning new skills and tools, to offer a safe refuge for anyone who enters our home. Hosting a semi-weekly class for around 30 new moms with children ranging from 0-3 years of age. But what is so fun is that we also have multiple grandparents who are in their late 70s coming regularly to play and share a meal together, who continue to remind us that walking through our doors was the first and only time they had ever felt safe in their entire lives. Of course every age in between also joins in on the fun, as our largest group of kiddos range from 8-13 years old. Daily our home is buzzing with nearly 100 children who rotate through to play, learn, share a meal together and find refuge. This past fall, we installed the first “park” in the communities on the back side of our home for all to enjoy. 

Our school lunch and sports programs serving over 500 children daily have continued to operate in the local schools and we are watching as the directors, teachers, coaches  and parents alike are starting to dream with us on how we can continue to grow and improve together for the sake of the communities. 

Multiple rescues have been successful this year, with those making the courageous decision to leave organized crime, and instead choose LIFE while pursuing full recovery. We have witnessed them draw a line in the sand for their futures and we could not be more proud. 

This next year, we have a desire to grow our reach as well as our impact. For us depth over numbers will always be our top priority, but as our depth grows, transformation comes and neighboring communities are taking note. We have an ever growing waitlist of those desiring to be apart. As you pray with us and for us in 2023, would you also pray once again about your role in your partnership with us? 

Thanks to the impact of your generosity, together we are 11 years in and building towards forever.

Cheers to a new year with endless possibilities, 

Jaclyn and Micheal Miller, and the MARKED Family

Reaching Generations.

Our home and base, Casa MARKED is located in a village where MARKED has been serving families and children directly for over eleven years.  The kids that have gone through our programs during this time are now adults and some, even have children of their own. We are now seeing a generation that looks different than the last one.

This is the case for one of the boys who grew up coming to MARKED for meals and who enjoyed our sports programs. As a young boy, he was rough and pushed limits. He was someone our staff prayed for often and deeply desired to see him thrive. As time went on, he had ups and downs, sometimes falling back into the things he was familiar with- violence and drugs and other times, running to MARKED to escape and find something different.

Thankfully, he did find something different. If you ask him, he´ll tell you that MARKED gave him things he had never had and never thought he would experience. He calls MARKED his family and happily shares that it was in this new family that he found acceptance, unconditional love, and discovered what a healthy community looks like.

Now, that little boy is all grown up and though he mentions wanting to be able to stop by Casa MARKED more, his work schedule makes it complicated. So, we don´t see him as often as we´d like to, but now, we get to spend time with his son who he makes sure comes to Casa MARKED as often as possible. That wild little boy was marked by love and now, we are watching with such joy as he defies statistics and writes a new story for himself and his beautiful family.

We know that as we invest in this new generation, it will bring a brighter future for the next. It´s for this reason that we are focusing on the kids in these communities so much. They are the adults, parents, and leaders of the following generation. If they are empowered with meals, education, and a new mindset, they can help empower those that come after them which is exactly our prayer and desire- that damaging generational cycles are broken and replaced with healthy, restorative ones. It isn't a quick or easy job but we are already seeing glimpses of the impact this approach will have for the years to come. 

If you aren’t partnering with us yet, would you consider? And if you are already a monthly partner, would you consider sharing us with a friend?

Become A Partner

Oh What Fun.

2022 for MARKED was a year focused on play.

The importance of play for both children and adults alike. In February of this year we soft launched the opening of “Casa MARKED” with our official launch in April for Kid’s Day after many weeks of demolition and the remodeling of our beautiful new space. 

Throughout the year our staff has been training in different methods of play and education. Learning new skills and tools, to offer a safe refuge for anyone who enters our home. Hosting a semi-weekly class for new moms with children ranging from 0-3 years of age. But what is so fun is that we also have grandparents who are in their late 70s coming regularly to play and share a meal together, who continue to remind us that walking through our doors was the first and only time they had ever felt safe in their entire lives. Of course every age in between also joins in on the fun. Daily our home is buzzing with nearly 100 children who rotate through to play, learn, share a meal together and find refuge. This fall, we installed the first “park” in the communities on the back side of our home for all to enjoy. 

Our daily school lunch and sports programs have continued to operate in the local schools and we are watching as the directors, teachers, coaches  and parents alike are starting to dream with us on how we can continue to grow and improve together for the sake of the communities. 

Multiple rescues have been successful this year, with those making the courageous decision to leave organized crime, and instead choose LIFE while pursuing full recovery. We have witnessed them draw a line in the sand for their futures and we could not be more proud. 

Thanks to the impact of your generosity, together we are 11 years in and building towards forever. 

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas. May 2023 be FUN & BRIGHT. 

Jaclyn, Micheal & Everly Miller, along with the MARKED Family 

Fall Sports Season.

This past fall, we were excited to have been invited to partner with a local elementary school to support their sports program. In years past, the school has always sent teams of 5th and 6th graders to compete against other schools but unfortunately, they came back empty handed. The teacher in charge of putting the teams together commented that not only had they not gotten a trophy the previous years but to other schools who came with jerseys and obviously more access to resources, this school was the laughing stock of the competitions.

So, this year, the teacher was determined to lead his students to victory, to seeing their own worth and to value their hard work. Our staff was of course more than willing to help as they were equally as eager to see the underdogs from a community we so dearly love have a new story to share.

Since September, each week our staff has gone out to the fields to work with the teams of students in both track and field as well as soccer. During each practice, they cheer from the sidelines and the stands and afterwards, they congratulate the students with snacks and lots of hi-fives and hugs. What a difference this has made.

At the end of October, the track and field team arrived at the regional competition, excited but a bit nervous. Our staff pulled out  a surprise for the team- some jerseys that a local church had donated and earlier that week, unbeknownst to the students, had been embroidered with the MARKED logo and the name of their school. Their eyes lit up and smiles stretched across their faces as soon as they saw. They were no longer the unprepared school from the poor neighborhood, they were selected athletes, prepared for the events and the only group with official jerseys. 

At that event, our MARKED-San Pedro team took home 28 of the 35 possible medals, more than any other school had that day or ever. In that same moment, so much more was won- trust, belief in themselves, and a new attitude of hope, looking forward to what the future holds for them. This was just the first competition but what an incredible start to the sports season and new season for these kids- one that simply started by someone who dared to say something different about them; you are capable, you are valued, and you belong here. Over the past few months, they have continued being the team everyone wants to beat.

Merry December.

This is a very exciting month for us, we officially started our Christmas season celebrations, hooray!

Last week we started with one of our favorite activities “buñuelos” with the kids and their families. A delicious and fun treat for all of us! Have you had one?

Our kids are full of so much joy and expectation for the holiday activities that we planned for them throughout the month. We love making this season for all of them a little more jolly and merrier by making special and new activities everyday with Christmas flare and the story of our Saviors birth.

We also had our very first celebration with one of our partner schools. In partnership with the school celebration we support them with any additional resource that they may need to make it a very memorable Christmas party for the kids and their families at the schools.

We also are so thrilled and grateful about all the donations that we are getting for the kids Christmas gifts. If you want to partner with us you can do it through this link . We appreciate your generosity!

May it be this season for you be jolly and merry!

2023 Travel. Whose Ready?

2022 has been yet another year of having a front row seat to miracle after miracle in the communities we serve. From the hungry being fed, the sick being healed, and the hopeless finding hope. It has also been a busy year- one of pursuing new projects, building new relationships, establishing new programs and moving into a new space. 

Of course, opening the doors to Casa MARKED was a major highlight of our year. When we first got the property, it did not look at all like it does now. The property had gone unused for years so nature had taken over and the house needed a great deal of attention to be the clean, functional, and beautiful space it is now. Our staff spent hours clearing out the land and working on the building but it was when a team of volunteers came that massive transformation took place. Thanks to the generosity of that team and their church, Casa MARKED received a new kitchen and other pending projects were officially completed, leaving our staff and community in awe.

In addition to volunteers that come in from the city or local towns, we also have been able to host some teams from abroad as well, something our staff missed dearly during the pandemic. In Mexico, Christians are a minority and out in the area where Casa MARKED and the communities we serve, places of worship are scarce and rarely Christian. This leaves our staff and all who form part of the MARKED family without a formal church to go to each Sunday or a Christian community nearby to pour into them. This only makes visits from teams all the more impactful. To be surrounded and encouraged by Christians is a huge blessing to our staff and so often serves as time to recharge and be refreshed spiritually. Also, to know that people traveled long and far just to be with our communities is a powerful message in itself.

Whether it be a handful of friends, a family, or a whole team, MARKED loves hosting friends from near or far and we deeply value the time they choose to spend with us. The presence of volunteers goes beyond practical help or extra hands to assist with projects; it is truly a blessing to our communities and staff. If you are considering coming down to Guadalajara to visit, please let us know. We would love to talk with you about current projects and needs MARKED has as the ministry continues to grow each day and are currently booking out our 2023 calendar! We hope to see you soon!

Alexis' Story. How a pair of shoes changed the story.

Our community center director and invited guest coach of the San Pedro Elementary´s track and field team, continues to practice weekly with the 6th grade team and the other staff members are devoted to being the team's biggest fans, cheering loudly and proudly. They´ve been sure to learn each kid's name to encourage each player individually during practices and games.

It's clear that the MARKED- San Pedro sports teams are surprising the surrounding communities this year. For so long, no one believed a team from San Pedro could win. Now that they are winning, some of the competing schools try to say the students have cheated but despite challenge after challenge, the team continues to thrive.

At one of the track and field meets, one of the students showed up excited to participate but the coach noticed the little boy had tennis shoes on that were multiple sizes too big. The little boy looked down and said they were his older sister´s shoes and he did not have any of his own to use. With just a few minutes before the event was scheduled to start, the little boy´s excitement started to leave him as he could hardly walk in the shoes, let alone run a race.

Our staff acted quickly, calling home to see if any of their kids could bring other shoes and without hesitation, one of our staff kids said, “Yes, he can use mine. I´m getting them now and I can bring them!”. Just minutes later, there he came on his bike, pedaling as fast as he could to deliver the shoes, and just as if it were a movie, arrived just in time for the student to put them on.

The tennis shoes were a perfect fit. Tears immediately streamed down the little boy's face. The coach gave him a hand up, a pat on the shoulder, and the little boy went running to his place on the field, wiping his eyes as he called out to his teammates excitedly. When the whistle blew, that boy ran like never before and much to everyone´s surprise, won first place. The team, our staff, and the parents present went wild, celebrating the boy along with the rest of the team.

Later that day, the coach along with some of our staff members were in town for a festival and they ran into the little boy from the team. He had taken a bath, changed clothes, but admitted he had not taken off his medal, and there it hung around his neck still! We can see how gifting a little bit of hope and taking part in a bit of celebration goes a long way and because of that, we continue to cheer from the front row, speak life, and dream with these children so that hope takes over where unjust circumstances and the looks of a dim future once held them captive.

Dreaming.

In education and psychology circles, it is well known that dreaming is considered a stepping stone to success. Dreams secure our focus and let us think freely beyond our reality. This is why at MARKED, we encourage kids to dream. Sadly in the villages, we often see children that are completely unaware of the capabilities and unique innate gifts they have. Their immediate fears or worries about basic needs being met hinder them seeing what makes them unique and how they can use their special talents and creativity to accomplish incredible things, even changing their reality.

Since MARKED began, leaders have worked hard to promote dreaming, encouraging children and teens to consider the future, asking them questions about what they hope for or what they dream of doing. Just this week, we saw some more fruit of these efforts over the years when a mother who has been involved with MARKED for years asked to talk to the staff. She grinned widely and spoke excitedly as she shared that her youngest daughter has decided she would like to be a stylist one day. The little girl is just finishing up elementary school this year and is already dreaming big about her future career and is sharing her ideas with her family.

Hearing this mother share about her daughter´s dreams represents a massive shift. Now, it's no longer just staff encouraging others to dream. Now, we see a mother empowered, equipped and guiding her own family in healthy practices- putting importance on dreaming, believing in her children and their abilities, as well as sharing, speaking life to this dream with others in the community. 

It was one of those moments where it seems like we caught a glimpse of heaven. We saw changes in a mother and how they are rippling into the next generation already. That's what it's all about for us. We want to see a new story being written; a story where hope prevails, love takes hold and children along with their families are made whole and set free, even if it's one dream, one conversation, or one family at a time. May the children and parents dream bigger each day, seeing beyond their circumstances and may those hopes in their hearts become a reality that allows them to see the immensely special purpose for their lives.

OUR WEEK IN REVIEW

Each week is packed full of activity and seems to fly by but this one seemed to go especially fast since the founder of MARKED, Jaclyn was in town. She also brought a couple of friends with her to see and experience what MARKED does so it was a full week of spending time at the base, preparing and delivering meals to schools, passing out sack lunches on the street, visiting families, praying over people, investigating new project opportunities and connecting with long-time friends of MARKED. Though it went by quickly, we were able to witness so many impactful moments and would love to share a couple of those with you!

Some months ago, a young man in one of the villages who has volunteered with MARKED, played soccer and been involved for years was in a terrible car accident. After being told he wouldn’t probably live to see the next day, we visited with him, now months after the accident and many surgeries later. He is walking, talking and we gave him a big birthday hug as he celebrated 20 years of life. He needs one more surgery to continue managing swelling on his brain but he commented that he knows God is not finished with him yet.

We also had the honor of celebrating our very own Morgan as she gets ready to welcome their sweet baby girl, Camila into the world. What a privilege it was to celebrate her and Chava as a staff, to pray over them and of course share a meal together.

This week, we also saw another young man who after being drawn into a specific organized crime group and drugs has realized that this is not the life he hopes to have. He willingly went with a staff member this week who safely transported him to a rehabilitation center so that he can recover and begin healing in a safe place.

It is incredible to see inward transformation become outward expression. The best part is, we aren’t the only ones who see it either. The families of these boys have also been impacted by these miracles along with other members of the community. We continue to work sowing seeds so that good fruit- signs of wholeness, growth, and love- are reaped not just this week or year but for the generations that follow as well. We know the best is yet to come.

A Few Snippets of Our Week

In reflecting with staff, we´ve laughed, rejoiced, and been moved this week by how God's goodness has been so clearly displayed through small moments at our base, Casa MARKED. There is such significance to the little, everyday experiences in which we see God move so we thought others might like to hear about some of those small-yet huge-moments we´ve lived over the past week. 

One thing our San Pedro staff has noticed that has become a daily occurrence, is more kids staying for more time. In fact, each morning when staff arrives, kids are already outside waiting for the front gate to be opened. Then, in the evenings when it's time for staff to go home to their own families, the kids beg to stay. To us, it's a great sign that these children want to spend time at Casa MARKED yet it also points to their desperate need for love. 

Even though there are daily scheduled activities and feedings, each day looks a little different. This is because during the day, people arrive to Casa MARKED at different times as well as for different reasons. Some kids come very clearly burdened or upset while others come happy and simply looking for attention. No matter the reason or time, there´s an open-door policy in effect meaning that anyone can show up and-as our staff so beautifully words it,- “can be hugged in the way that they need”. 

It's not unusual for kids to come teary-eyed looking for advice, encouragement, or maybe just a listening ear.  A little girl who is not a regular and who actually our staff had quite a long time without seeing, showed up one day and immediately began to open up to a staff member about struggles at home. She stayed for nearly two hours getting everything off her chest and then asking for advice. Of course, these moments are bittersweet. It is difficult to hear about someone's suffering but also, we are delighted to see that even people who are not involved with MARKED are aware that staff can be trusted. Since that day, the little girl still hasn't come into Casa MARKED but we´ve seen her around town and she always smiles, waving from afar as if the heaviness has been lifted off her shoulders. 

It's also not unusual for kids to come happy or even wanting to help. Our community center director, Sam, often jokes that if you come through San Pedro you´ll see the cleanest truck in town and that's because when he goes to wash it, lots of little hands want to help too! Even if the truck is washed one day, the kids who come the next day offer to wash it again. He promises he's not putting the kids to work but instead, simply lets them be a part of daily activities around the base and afterwards, they are invited to stay and eat. So simple, yet, a sense of belonging and purpose is found.

Similarly, when kids see the truck drive down the hill full of food for the week, they come running, all eager to unload the truck. Kids aren't the only group that show up. There are also several moms from the community that regularly come by Casa MARKED to volunteer. This team of women has grown into a little family of its own where the ladies come together to catch up, talk about how things are going, and encourage one another.  There are also grandmas who come under the guise of accompanying their grandbabies but pick up toys themselves and play or connect with other adults around. It's the look and sound of community and healing.

Just like the back of the MARKED truck reads, “Romper ciclos, empoderar vidas” or, break cycles, empower lives- that´s the mission behind Casa MARKED and that´s why there´s no one size fits all approach to interactions or activities. It´s not always about food or even handouts. Lasting change starts in the heart and that´s why our staff aims to attend to not just physical but heart needs of each person who enters, knowing that each need, each day, in each person may be different but at the root of it all, people need to be heard, seen, included, and feel God´s love in big as well as small moments. These are just a few snippets of our week but we can see how God is moving in the hearts of so many and we are thankful Casa MARKED can be a part of that process.

Earthquake Update.

In Mexico, each September 19th, businesses and schools alike take time to do an earthquake drill and remember those affected by an earthquake on the same day in 1985. As usual, the drill was held across the country this week but as you may have heard on the news, just hours later in the afternoon, an earthquake struck which was a massive surprise to many.

The region in which MARKED works is located in the state of Jalisco which fortunately, does not typically experience earthquakes like the rest of central and southern Mexico however this time, the epicenter of the earthquake was in a neighboring state, just a few hundred kilometers away so at Casa MARKED and throughout the villages the earthquake was actually felt quite strongly.

We are happy to report that our team is all ok and  the families in the communities surrounding Casa MARKED are all safe as well. To ensure structural integrity of the building and in case of aftershocks, our programs were paused for the rest of the afternoon on Monday and even the following day we closed our doors along with schools across the state. 

Since the original earthquake, there have been hundreds of aftershocks felt across the country at varying strengths and different hours, in the morning, afternoon, and even in the middle of the night. As you can imagine, this uncertainty of when another earthquake could occur has many afraid and as Jalisco as a region that does not typically experience so much seismic activity, the state is much less prepared than others. There are no sirens or warnings for its residents; instead, people must be ready with shoes and keys by the door to evacuate quickly. 

That being said, we know Jesus holds them all and can give peace that surpasses all understanding. We ask for continued prayers for Mexico and all of its residents but also, to rejoice with us that overall, compared to other earthquakes, damages have not been severe and that very few people in the entire country have been injured as a result of these earthquakes. We are so thankful for your on-going support and our staff appreciates those who have reached out to check-in and offered prayer. 

Of course, we don't know what will happen with earthquakes and aftershocks but we are thankful to have our doors open, ready to receive children and families and of course, use our kitchen to continue making delicious, nutritious meals for all who are involved in our programs. We wrap up this week feeling extra grateful- for safety, for community and that Casa MARKED is standing strong. We may not know what the future holds but we are looking forward to it, confident that our good God is in control of everything.

CASA MARKED update.

There are simply not sufficient words to express our gratitude and excitement. The construction at Casa MARKED has been completed and the transformation is truly remarkable. First, we would like to thank Más Vida church for their generosity and hard work they put to create more functional outdoor kitchen space but also, to beautify and upgrade the entire property. With fortified exterior walls, newly cemented interior ones, and a fully-operational industrial-sized kitchen, the staff is ready to start back up this week with daily feedings.

This new kitchen will immediately be going to good use as we are being welcomed back into partnerships with two schools who reached out for our continued assistance: a local elementary school in San Pedro as well as a kindergarten in a neighboring village, La Peña. These programs were piloted last school year and thanks to the diligent work of our staff and your financial support, they were huge successes. These programs provided around 2,500 meals a week to children and also, have been a foot in the door for more involvement with the directors, staff, and parents at the schools.

This first week of school, MARKED staff will be meeting with school directors, teachers, and directly with parents to discuss the feeding program as well as hear from them- what are their hopes and dreams for these schools and children? As we did last year, MARKED will continue to provide meals, help organize parent volunteers and oversee how food is handled and served. In addition to this, MARKED will also be offering incentives to school staff and students for participation, attendance, and academic improvements to place more value on education. To better support parents and teachers, MARKED will also be arranging workshops to offer practical tips and strategies, depending on what topics are requested. Our hope and prayer is that these added efforts will come together to offer a more holistic approach in supporting these communities and allow us to be more involved in their day-to-day lives. 

In addition to these feedings at schools, we will of course be continuing with meals at our base, Casa MARKED. This brings our current lunch goal to 550 meals a day! As you can see, meals are a significant part of our ministry but for us, meals are more than just giving away food. They are a time to sit around a table together, a start to building new relationships or a way to deepen existing ones, a digestible method of sharing good nutritional habits, and a guide to show us how we can better serve these communities. 

Thank you for your on going love and partnership in the work we do. We have said it before, and we will say it again, we wouldn’t want to do this without you!

If you are desiring to get involved maybe for the first time or increasing your monthly partnership, the door is always open and the need is there. In fact we have multiple schools on the wait list for this next school year (2022-2023). Our goal this year is to increase our daily meal intake to a little over 1,500 students which would cover the schools requesting our partnership.

1 Child = $6 USD a month.

To give: Visit MARKED.org

For more photos and updates visit us on instagram & Facebook @helloMARKED

As Summer Is Coming To A Close. Here is What We Have Been Up To!

As you may have heard, the first few weeks of summer were spent doing VBS camps for the school-aged children.These camps were three busy weeks for our staff and several days of fun for the children. Many got to make crafts for the very first time ever and were proud to take their creations home. During these weeks of camp at the Casa MARKED base, children also got the chance to participate in games and hear more about who Jesus is. About 80-100 children showed up each week which was a great turn-out considering many use summer breaks to help their families work in the fields or retrieve firewood from the forest up on the hills surrounding the villages for cooking.

However, the summer fun and surprises are not over yet! Programs are paused until school picks up in another week but the doors to Casa MARKED remain open for anyone in the community to arrive at, have a safe place to play, get a snack or to simply talk with someone and that's not all. While friends and families drop in throughout the day, there are construction workers from the area busy helping remodel portions of the base and the best part, build a large outdoor kitchen for our staff to provide even more hot meals to more children. A local church in Guadalajara organized and has generously gifted the construction of the kitchen, architects, and the hands to build this new kitchen which we cannot wait to show you. We look forward to welcoming a team who will add the final touches this week, just in time to pick up feeding programs in the schools!

This past school year, we began partnering with schools in the area directly to provide meals to their students and we are thrilled to have been asked to continue. Even other schools in villages nearby are asking about how they can partner with MARKED too which will put this new kitchen to great use and what a blessing it is to receive this massive gift to be able to answer the needs of the community. As a team, we are praying that through this kitchen, many bellies can be filled, lives can be touched, and more opportunities for sharing the gospel to families can arise. 

The last 6 months.

What an incredible 6 months it has been.

From team trips, launching Casa MARKED, to kid’s day and all the days in-between. We don't take any of it for granted.

Over the past 6 months, in partnership with the schools and the school lunch program created, we have served just over 30,700 meals to the local kindergarten and elementary schools. In addition, we have continued our weekly feedings at our local base for anyone else in need of a meal.

Before and after school programs have also been going on daily for those in the community to come play, learn about Jesus, find refuge, have a snack or be assisted with homework.

We are watching the community thrive like never before and could not be more grateful to each of you who continue to sow in, making transformation possible.

These next few weeks during summer break, we are hosting around 100 children daily for our summer camp/ VBS program. Which gives extra hours of safe play to the kids in our communities to come and be, learn, engage and laugh together.

We hope your summer is off to a good start and that you too are enjoying these slower moments together.

CASA MARKED | Part 3.

Since opening our doors, we have served already thousands of meals.

Each week, this home is preparing over 1,600 meals and quickly growing, with a goal of 2,500 meals a week by May 1st.

We are slowly adding space for free play and structured play. Help with homework and time with Jesus. We have already hosted a few parties for the local schools, kids day and have classes and workshops scheduled to begin in the coming months.

So what’s next in this space? And the schools? I’ll elaborate on our work with the schools next few weeks, but for this week, let’s talk about needs of the home.

Our largest need right now is a play structure. We have found a company locally that will come out and install a park like play ground. This would be the first in the community. The goal is to raise $8,000USD for this structure as soon as possible.

In addition, we are needing 12 more benches for seating, totaling $2,300 usd to help with our weekly feedings.

I have a few other items on our hope to have ASAP list. For the full list, feel free to email me at Jaclyn@MARKED.org and I'd be happy to send it to you!

Just so thankful for each of you that give and make what we do possible. I mean it when I say, an entire community is flourishing because of you and together, we are oh so grateful.

So here’s to home! We pray yours is thriving.

CASA MARKED | Part 2.

Part 2.

To most. When you saw the home the mama’s from the community brought us to, you would have turned and ran in the other direction. But for us, we saw the gold. We saw the potential, and we knew this was going to be where we put down new roots.

A few blocks from our current location, walking distance to the local elementary school. This location could not have been more perfect.

This tiny, 3 room house, with a big fenced yard was exactly what we needed.

The days turned into weeks as our staff was hard at work making it functional. Cleaning, painting, burning, sanding, bleaching, repairing walls, adding in doors, bringing in water and sewer pipes, and even electricity. It was beginning to resemble home.

Every day, kids were coming to sit, and be. Helping when needed, but ultimately they simply wanted to be in our presence. As the days went on, we noticed they would bring their homework for help, toys to sit in the dirt to play with, and even snack or two. We had nothing set up, ready to go, but we created home.

One afternoon as our staff was working on getting the space open for our first Friday feeding, one of the little kids yelled out, “Voy a la CASA MARKED” (“I’m going to MARKED’s house”). It was that moment that we knew exactly what this space was. It was home. It is a place to represent rest, family, safety and a model for the community as to what home can look like.

Since opening our doors on February 18th, it has become home to hundreds. It may not be fully set up, and we still need quite a few things, but even in its imperfections, it is home.

(Continued next week)

CASA MARKED | Part 1.

At the end of last year, we knew that our role in the San Pedro community was shifting. For the first time in a long time something significant happened. The government officially assigned someone to oversee the community centers. They took our program, even bettered it in ways, backed it with government funding and ran with operations. They opened up classrooms, began teaching all sorts of classes, even down to the barber shop and gym. No longer were we needed to fund operations, but the local community stepped up which for us was the goal all along. We turned over our keys in February and blessed their work, releasing it back to the community.

We have seen the pride they have taking ownership for what was theirs all along.

But for us, the conversation didn’t stop there. We knew our strategy was to empower —> sustain —> transform, and that it was then we would initiate our exit plan to repeat in a new location. But we didn’t quite feel the full release. We knew there were still a few things that we wanted to see take place in this community before starting a new. And so that was were the conversation turned discussing with our staff.

Our goals before we fully released everything back to the community was that we wanted to confirm kids were being fed at home, that the community had a place to feel safe and encounter Jesus, and that we would see a 90% or higher rate of kids staying in school once they were enrolled.

We weren’t sure how we were going to do that, but God did.

The week we turned over our keys to the center, a few mama’s in the community found us a new home. The directors of the schools reached out and asked if we would be in partnership with them on bringing in school lunches to the children enrolled in school. (Something we had already been praying about). And the next step was history.

Casa MARKED was born.

(Continued next week!)

Group Trips | First team since the pandemic

2 years ago we had a trip planned, and for 2 years we had to keep postponing one trip after another, after another. But the timing as they say, really couldn’t have been more perfect.

I got a phone call a few weeks before the trip from the Rojas family saying that they really felt like it was our staff that they were to pour into on this trip. Little did they know the 2 years they had had. A pandemic, transitions, significant loss and so on. So when they said, it was our staff that was being highlighted to them, I could have cried.

Upon their arrival, it really was our staff and their families that they took into consideration. Every detail from gifts, to conversations, but most importantly their time.

We planned a surprise staff day to take our staff and their children to the zoo! Marcie surprised the kids with little animal figurines, lunches were packed and off to the city we went. For most of our staff kids, they had never left their little village town let alone go to the zoo. Their eyes were filled with wonder. The smiles beamed from ear to ear. You could hear the little whispers and the uncontrollable giggles. It was one of those moments that you want to give every little (and big) kid. It was a dream come true.

They helped shop for the groceries, make, pack and pass out over 1,000 lunches in a 2 day window.

They prayed over, shared their hearts and worshiped with our staff. They created a safe space for them to land.

We shared meals around the table, walked the city streets, and laughed so hard we cried.

Did I mention they also brought their 4 year old and 11 month old? They understood missions.

The weight of an entire family coming together, carries a different kind of significance, and after 2 years of no teams, it was a breath of fresh air to our souls. A family was coming.

Thank you again, Rojas family for investing in our staff and their families. You have MARKED their hearts and lives forever.

Interested in going on a trip this year? Or want to plan something for 2023? Send us a message!