GC - Centro Te Veo Team - 2018
Donation protected
Back in January 2016, Grace City members Matt Nowka, Dawn Lawrence, and Angie Ham traveled to the Dominican Republic with Project I See You as part of a team putting plans in place to begin building Centro Te Veo, a women's empowerment center on the border of La Canita and La Victoria. And now, just 2 years later, Matt Nowka, James Kamb, Autumn Bryant, and Angie Ham will travel back to the Dominican Republic with Project I See You in late April to celebrate the opening and dedication of the center.
[Nowka running an initial survey of the plot of land that Centro Te Veo would be built on!]
Centro Te Veo will provide the women of La Canita, a humble village on the outskirts of La Victoria, to meet out of the rain and above flood lines. The center will allow the women's cooperative business to securely store supplies and provide the means to implement new business ideas to make the center locally sustainable. This center will also be a place to reach out to the community and beyond with the good news that we are all seen by the Living God. We envision the center as being a light in the community to host educational classes (English and computers), youth meetings, more cooperative work for jewelry design and sales, and parties for the whole community.
The specific goals of our trip include:
Visioning and dream-casting for the future. The women of La Canita have prayed, dreamed, waited on the Lord as the center took shape. Now that it's here - how can we be good stewards of the gift the Lord has provided to bless the community? What goals will the women have - both corporately and individually for growth?
Build. The center currently has four walls and a roof. We'll assist with projects to finish the Phase 1 build (electrical, floor, etc) as we're able - but we'll also be building basic, functional furniture (tables, benches, shelving) to support the programs and work to be done in the center.
Empowering local ownership of the ministry. Our goal has always been to facilitate God's work in empowering the women of La Canita. Much of this work centers around raising local leaders from the women Project I See You has ministered to. We've seen God grow leadership in ways that only He can - and much of the ministerial decision making is now in their hands. To further support these efforts, during this trip, we will be meeting with legal authorities to explore the feasibility and benefits of filing for non-profit status for the organization within the Dominican Republic.
Strategic partnership. In conjunction with local leadership, we'll be meeting with organizations to explore strategic partnerships for continued growth in programs to benefit the women and children of La Canita. Specifically, during this trip, we'll be going to Atrasos with Esperanza International to explore microfinance, in addition to visiting and meeting with computer and sewing centers in country.
Celebrate. In concert with local leadership, we'll be hosting a dedication and celebration service and community open house to praise God for His generous provision. Our vision was always to draw the community to Him through events and programs at the center - and this community event will be the first of many.
Would you consider partnering with us in prayer and with a financial donation? Our GC team's collective goal is to raise $5000 for our trip. This will help cover our in-country costs and contribute to the cost of materials to accomplish the goals we have outlined here. Please note that as we ask for you to consider a financial donation, each individual team member has already contributed 50% or more of their total costs.
Project I See You creates cross-cultural experiences that invest in women’s worth and value, ultimately leading to change in our lives and communities. We empower women both at home and around the world by connecting lives, nurturing relationships with each other and God, and working on projects together for personal and economic growth.
“You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” ~ Genesis 16:13
[Almost done!]
[So close...]
[Nowka running an initial survey of the plot of land that Centro Te Veo would be built on!]Centro Te Veo will provide the women of La Canita, a humble village on the outskirts of La Victoria, to meet out of the rain and above flood lines. The center will allow the women's cooperative business to securely store supplies and provide the means to implement new business ideas to make the center locally sustainable. This center will also be a place to reach out to the community and beyond with the good news that we are all seen by the Living God. We envision the center as being a light in the community to host educational classes (English and computers), youth meetings, more cooperative work for jewelry design and sales, and parties for the whole community.
The specific goals of our trip include:
Visioning and dream-casting for the future. The women of La Canita have prayed, dreamed, waited on the Lord as the center took shape. Now that it's here - how can we be good stewards of the gift the Lord has provided to bless the community? What goals will the women have - both corporately and individually for growth?
Build. The center currently has four walls and a roof. We'll assist with projects to finish the Phase 1 build (electrical, floor, etc) as we're able - but we'll also be building basic, functional furniture (tables, benches, shelving) to support the programs and work to be done in the center.
Empowering local ownership of the ministry. Our goal has always been to facilitate God's work in empowering the women of La Canita. Much of this work centers around raising local leaders from the women Project I See You has ministered to. We've seen God grow leadership in ways that only He can - and much of the ministerial decision making is now in their hands. To further support these efforts, during this trip, we will be meeting with legal authorities to explore the feasibility and benefits of filing for non-profit status for the organization within the Dominican Republic.
Strategic partnership. In conjunction with local leadership, we'll be meeting with organizations to explore strategic partnerships for continued growth in programs to benefit the women and children of La Canita. Specifically, during this trip, we'll be going to Atrasos with Esperanza International to explore microfinance, in addition to visiting and meeting with computer and sewing centers in country.
Celebrate. In concert with local leadership, we'll be hosting a dedication and celebration service and community open house to praise God for His generous provision. Our vision was always to draw the community to Him through events and programs at the center - and this community event will be the first of many.
Would you consider partnering with us in prayer and with a financial donation? Our GC team's collective goal is to raise $5000 for our trip. This will help cover our in-country costs and contribute to the cost of materials to accomplish the goals we have outlined here. Please note that as we ask for you to consider a financial donation, each individual team member has already contributed 50% or more of their total costs.
Project I See You creates cross-cultural experiences that invest in women’s worth and value, ultimately leading to change in our lives and communities. We empower women both at home and around the world by connecting lives, nurturing relationships with each other and God, and working on projects together for personal and economic growth.
“You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” ~ Genesis 16:13
[Almost done!][So close...]Organizer
Angie Ham
Organizer
Denver, CO
