International Partnerships: Rosa Elena

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For the many people who knew her, the memory of Rosa Elena lives on.  Dark-skinned, turbaned elegantly, and dressed in flowing white, she often pointed one thumb heavenward.  It was her signature gesture as she deflected all the glory to God. Rosa Elena inspired everyone with her amazing faith and her dedication to the forgotten, yet priceless to God, children of Hatillo—chained by ignorance, generational poverty, and immorality.

Shortly after she opened her heart to Christ, God gave her a passion for these children living in the Hatillo area.  Their location and poverty isolated them without access to education, without knowledge of God’s love, without hope for the future. Rosa Elena began educating 7 children in 1996, and labored faithfully with minimal resources for 10 years.

Joanna Berry (standing left), Rosa Elena (right), and children receiving new school supplies.

When STCH Ministries began to partner with the school in 2007, a former graduated student recounted, “We had to break a crayon in four pieces to share!”  In 2012, STCH Ministries received significant funding for this project.  With the help of partnering churches they replaced the deteriorating wooden buildings with new concrete structures.  The school grew to over 100 students.

Unexpectedly, Rosa Elena’s health began to deteriorate and on September 26, 2016 she passed away.  A crisis developed as the school struggled with decreasing attendance, teacher resignations, and financial stress.  STCH Ministries staff and donors, along with the IBQ church staff and a newly formed board, stepped up their support. New staff was trained, salaries were increased, additional investments were made in uniforms, computers, and other equipment. Gradually the school stabilized and began to grow. Today, the goals for the future of Rosa Elena’s school are excellence with self-sustainability.

Since the time Rosa Elena began to educate children and share the hope of the Gospel, many years have passed and countless children have been impacted.  “La Gloria a Dios,” was Rosa Elena’s refrain, as she pointed with her thumb to the skies.  Two years ago Rosa Elena left our planet to reside in that Glory-land to which she often pointed.

God Through the Eyes of Children

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The Dominican children are back in school. This year every sponsored child proudly carries a colorful STCH Ministries backpack, school supplies, and their uniform, provided by our Samuel’s Fund sponsors!

During regular visits, our Dominican staff ask them about their school progress and families. The children’s answers reveal their interests and pleasures, and their concerns. Many times their responses provide a small “window” into their spiritual development as well:

No matter what, God is always God. No one can laugh at Him.

God never leaves or abandons His children. I just need to have faith.

God is in every place. Anyone can know Him if they open their hearts to receive Him.

God will help me do all things, if I trust and believe.

I need to be patient and wait for God’s timing.

We must trust God no matter how difficult our situation.

I had to repeat a grade and I worked hard and prayed that God would help me. I passed!

I saw God’s hand when the brakes failed, and He protected my family.

The priority of the Samuel’s Fund sponsorship is to enable children to get an education so that they can overcome the obstacles that poverty has created. Of equal importance to that goal, however, is helping them to grow in their knowledge of God and to develop a faith relationship through Christ. It’s an investment that brings hope not just for today, but also for eternity.

Higüey Boys Home – A Better World

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Did you know that the average person who works 40 years will spend 2,000 hours in church, and 90,000 hours at work?   To be good stewards of the life God has given us, we must continually listen for God’s guidance. We must look for opportunities to bless others during the normal activities of each day.  And when God speaks to us, we must step forward in faith to follow His leading.

Cesar exemplifies someone who allowed God’s Spirit to speak through him during the ordinary activities of his work-life.  Cesar was a taxi driver in the small town of Higuey in the Dominican Republic. Every day was a challenge, as he drove up and down city streets, always looking for another fare, a few more pesos to meet the necessities of his family.  Lunch time was a prime opportunity for fares, and he often drove customers to eat at various restaurants. In the midst of his work pressures and responsibilities, God’s Spirit spoke to his heart. Cesar began to notice the ragged boys who hung out behind the restaurants, scavenging the uneaten food out of the trash.

Cesar had enough to worry about. Just making enough pesos to live was hard. And he wasn’t doing too badly in the serving God department, either.  He was a leader in his church, and supported a wife and several children.  He could have ignored the sight of the hungry boys, looked the other way, and busied himself with his own responsibilities.  But God’s Spirit continued to whisper, “Those are MY boys, my special creation.”  Compassion for the children grew, and Cesar shared the need with other church members.  In time they formed a board, found a rental home and the boys were accepted into their hearts and lives.

STCH Ministries was introduced to the Home, named “A Better World” about two years ago, and we began to help with food and maintenance projects. We slowly developed a relationship with the boys and the staff. Although their rent house was shabby, the owner of the house allowed them to live in the home for only $1.00 per year.  Last spring, however, the elderly owner became ill.  As a result her family required the orphanage to move out of the home by the end of 2018.

The board had acquired a small piece of land, and now they turned to STCH Ministries for help.  Could we help to build a permanent home for the children?  Plans have been drawn and the estimate to build a home for the 15 boys is $100,000.00. We have received donations totaling $30,000 for this project. We are trusting by faith for the remaining balance.


(Building Plans)

Cesar stepped out in faith when God’s Spirit stirred compassion in his heart for abandoned street boys.  We are also trusting God to provide this need.  We hope many of you will partner with us and with the boys home of Higuey to build a permanent home and to truly create “A Better World” for them.

Biblical Finances

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“In most cases the answer for a couple in financial difficulties
is personal discipline – not more money.” – Larry Burkett

Nothing can substitute for having personal discipline and self control, and that also goes for managing your finances. At times families taking our Faith & Finances class come expecting an easy-to-follow formula for solving all their financial woes. In class we share biblical guidelines from God’s Word, lessons like:

  • being content and faithful with your resources
  • the borrower is slave to the lender
  • having a plan for the future
  • having an accountability partner
  • providing for your family
  • generously giving

Fixing the root problem is more powerful than an easy-to-follow formula. And the best way to solve a problem is by first putting into practice the wisdom found in God’s Word. Sometimes it simply comes down to being willing to trust and obey Him.

Faith & Finances teaches that God’s plan for your money might be larger than yours! Biblical principles about money come alive in this highly interactive course, as students are equipped to conquer the “battle of the budget.” Classes are open to individuals, families, and youth, and start soon in Corpus Christi, Houston, and San Antonio. Learn more at www.STCHM.org/FF.

More Than Bare Necessities

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It is often true that what happens behind the scenes makes a big impact, and the commissary at Boothe Campus is a prime example. The commissary is not a store, however it does provide much of what the children living there need on a daily basis. It is stocked through a combination of donations from churches and organizations around the state and the STCH Ministries operating budget.

The primary function of the commissary at Homes for Children is to provide the eleven cottages on Boothe Campus with all that they require to run as smoothly as possible. Food, cleaning products, and even clothing for the children can be found on the rows of tall wooden shelves. Each Monday, housemoms fill out their shopping lists and Commissary Supervisor Patty Kinnamon (pictured here on the right) and her assistant Becky Martinez (pictured on the left) work together to prepare the orders.

Patty’s earliest memories of Boothe Campus come from childhood visits with her uncle and aunt, Floyd and Peggy Patterson, who served at Boothe Campus for decades. God then lead Patty and her husband, Marvin, to become houseparents in 1994, and Patty has now supervised the commissary since 2010. She says that having served as a cottage mom is extremely beneficial when working out routines and making decisions for the commissary.

After 24 years on staff, talking about STCH Ministries still brings a twinkle to Patty’s eye. She says her favorite part of her job is “when a little girl puts on a dress and twirls like a princess with a huge smile on her face.” (Many times when children arrive at Boothe Campus they bring very little with them. Each new child visits the commissary to be outfitted with all the new clothes that they need.)

Children drop in throughout the day to share some news or get a hug. The grins displayed by staff and students coming and going show that it is more than “the place to get stuff” on Boothe Campus; it is proof that love comes in a practical form.

When your church or Sunday School class participates in “Cans for Kids”, you help to stock the commissary at STCH Ministries Boothe Campus. Resources are available for download at www.STCHM.org/Cans-for-Kids.

Raising Highly Capable Kids

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STCH Ministries Family Counseling is pleased to announce a new 13-week course to help parents excel at one of life’s hardest jobs. “Raising Highly Capable Kids” will begin Wednesday, September 12 at Grace Point Church Medical Campus in San Antonio, and the class will be led by Dosely Antongiorgi, regional counseling director for San Antonio.

The curriculum was developed by RezilientKidz in partnership with Search Institute. Their “40 Developmental Assets” include attributes such as honesty, integrity, parental involvement, self-esteem, and religious community. According to the publisher, these essential building blocks “not only help parents raise healthy, caring, and responsible children but also equip kids with the power to make healthy life choices.”

Parents who have graduated from the course are highly enthusiastic about their experience. “The classes helped me learn how to treat others; how to treat my wife and children better. And now I’m another person; a good person. My life has changed completely. It’s an excellent program.”

“It helped us to interact and communicate with our children better. It allowed us to understand about their homework needs, and it was really enjoyable to change our daily routine and have ‘parent time’ to talk with other parents.”

Our mission at STCH Ministries is to care for children and families, and one of the ways we do that is by coming alongside families before they get into crisis situations that are unrecoverable. This class will empower more San Antonio families for success!

The Gift of Eternity

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Go into all the world and share the Good News. Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. These mandates “blow our minds.” It seems unachievable and beyond our imagination. That perspective, however, discounts what God can do—the God of all power and wisdom, who loves the world and knows when a sparrow falls.

There were many examples during the mission trips in the Dominican Republic this summer of God’s power to use Samuel’s Fund to share the Gospel and to love children in His name. One of the many blessings of a sponsorship is the opportunity to connect personally with a child—sharing emails, Facebook messages, letters, pictures, and above all a personal visit.

Mark is a sponsor who was able to visit his sponsored child, coincidentally named Samuel. He is an angry little boy, acting out at home and in school. Samuel’s dad has moved to another country in search of a better job and he knows that frequently fathers never return. “Do you have a Bible?” Mark asked. When the answer was no, Mark purchased a children’s Bible in Spanish. As he gave the Bible to Samuel, Mark asked, “Would you like another gift?” Mark shared the gift of God’s love and Samuel opened his heart to receive that gift, too. Mark comforted Samuel with the knowledge that no matter what happened, he had a heavenly Father who would NEVER leave or forsake. And a sponsor who would always love and never forget him.

Through Samuel’s Fund, we have seen how God is able to take a sponsor’s support and love for a child in a distant land and multiply the “little” we can do into the fulfillment of His mandate to each of us.

Licensed Professionals Provide Affordable Counseling at FBCC

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This article highlights our counseling office in Castroville and was written by Ginger Carnes. It originally appeared in the FBC of Castroville “Connections Newsletter” in August 2018.

Is your marriage in crisis? Do you have a concern about one of your children or your spouse? Has your family been fractured and you need help moving on?

Your church has a convenient and economical counselor available to help. Counseling can help parents be better parents and can help children communicate with the parents. The counselors also help couples with problems in their marriage and those who are going through separation or divorce.

Through STCH Ministries, a South Texas affiliate of the Texas Baptists that originally was called South Texas Children’s Home, a Christ-centered counselor is available every Tuesday and meets with individuals, couples, and family members in an office in the Chapel building.

But isn’t there a stigma associated with people who need counseling? What if someone sees me going to meet with the counselor? You might say, “I’m not crazy, so why do I need to go to counseling?”

But Dosely Antongiorgi-Green, Regional Counseling Director for the San Antonio area, says, “First, I’m going to send you back to Christ. Second, the counselor is going to teach you some coping skills, so when you have a situation that you’re dealing with that’s going to be difficult, you’ll have a toolbox and you can pull out the tool you need and use it.”

The current counselor at First Baptist is Maritza Garcia-Pulido. She will meet with you every other Tuesday so she can serve more people. During those two weeks, you work on assignments so you can practice the methods – “tools” – she has provided for you.

“We encourage people to pray, to stay in the Word, to spend quiet time to help them understand where God is leading them,” Green said.

Although STCH Ministries does not turn away anyone who needs help, the organization does appreciate donations, large or small. To help you understand the value of this counseling, a counselor who does not accept insurance could charge up to $150 per session. STCH Ministries does not accept insurance or government funding “because we would like to remain Christ-centered in the delivery of our counseling services,” Green said.

Make appointments by calling the STCH Ministries office toll free at 1-833-83-STCHM. The church does not set up appointments or know who is receiving services. Counseling is available to members of the surrounding communities, too. As more people express a need, they could add another day to the counselor’s schedule.

You can read more about STCH Ministries at www.stchm.org.

Summer Interns

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The summer intern program at Boothe Campus has been a major component of the activities calendar for over 40 years. Just before school lets out each year, three to five college students move to Boothe Campus for the purpose of becoming extra hands for Joel Bowden, Director of Student Ministries. The young adults remain on campus for 10 weeks, until just before classes are back in session again in August.

Joel began his career at STCH Ministries as a summer intern in 2012, serving three consecutive summers, and took on his current role once he graduated from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi. Joel is responsible for planning all student activities as well as coordinating volunteers. He describes his job as “a combination children’s and youth pastor – for kids who are here 24/7.” Summertime brings many volunteers to Boothe Campus: church groups spend days or even a week at a time leading vacation Bible school, hosting sports camps, and carrying out work projects. With so many things happening on campus, having the interns as extra help is beneficial.

Being a summer intern is hard work. The hours are long but the schedule is flexible, and there are so many things to do that no one gets bored. The most important work of all is the spiritual investment they make in the lives of children. The interns are encouraged to seek out friendships with the children and even lead Bible studies.

But it’s not “all work and no play” for the interns. The opportunities for residents and interns are plentiful: horseback riding, swim days, game night at the gym, and “dive in” movies at the pool are just a few of the options.  Off-campus activities this year included Hooks baseball games, summer camp, and even a mission trip to the Dominican Republic.

The team of interns includes members from across Texas. Each year two summer missionaries from Go Now Missions, a ministry of Texas Baptists, join the team. This summer, Jaci Fulton from Telephone, Texas, and Israel (Izzy) Pereyra, from El Paso, Texas, felt called to STCH Ministries.

Izzy says that God has given him a heart for young people. “To see so many kids and youth who have been hit by life at such a young age, and be able to show them the love of a Heavenly Father, is an amazing opportunity.” What impacted him the most, he says, was “the love the kids show you…even though they have every reason to shut out the world.”

Some interns have a personal connection to STCH Ministries that keeps them coming back, such as parents who work at the children’s home.  Intern Mark Nauman is the son of houseparents at Marshall Cottage. Benjamin and Leah Brewer are the son and daughter of a staff member from the development office. All three have served as summer interns previously and were welcomed back eagerly by the children on campus.

Leah says that being an intern has been a wonderful experience, and these experiences are what keep her coming back. “Living on campus gives me the opportunity to actively disciple the kids, to truly model the character of Christ,” she says.

These committed young adults have now completed their summer-long marathon of ministry. But even though they have returned to their college studies, they have left countless memories in the hearts of children in care at Boothe Campus.

Better than Light and Safer than a Known Way

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And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”  And He replied:  “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”
– From “The Gate of the Year” by Minnie Louise Haskins

How many times have you and I stood at the “gate” of the unknown?  “Lord, give me light and wisdom for the future.”  Not so long ago we “stood” at the gate of our summer 2018 mission trips—myriads of details unknown.  Great opportunities accompanied possible obstacles and concerns.

This summer many teams left the “known” for the “unknown” to spend the night closer to the orphanage sites—different food, different beds, sometimes no A/C.  Building trust and sharing God’s love with traumatized children required more time invested. How would that work?  By God’s grace…

  • Teams consistently shared that the time spent with those children was the most rewarding.

Our teams had higher number of participants than ever before. Could our staff manage the additional pressures and sacrifices required?

  • Additional Dominican translators were recruited, plus five American and Dominican interns.
  • Staff enjoyed good health for the entire summer.
  • Coordination between staff improved with additional staff meetings and the “WhatsApp” communication app.
Would the teams come prepared for more complex ministry opportunities?
  • Teachers, seminar and leadership presenters were of the highest quality.
  •  Medical and dental personnel, accompanied by an unprecedented number of Dominican personnel, had their best clinics ever.
  •  Artistically gifted members on several teams painted beautiful murals at the Santiago orphanage to brighten the children’s play area.
Construction tasks were daunting—with volunteer labor, unpredictable weather, and design-as-you-go building plans.
  • Experienced engineers, contractor, even an architect, were among our mission team volunteers.
  • Young summer interns stepped up and gave 110%.  Although not what they expected to do, they gave their best—a living sacrifice—to get the work done.
  • Completed projects included playhouses at one orphanage, painting roofs and ceilings at another, and rebuilding four homes for our Samuel’s Fund children’s families, in addition to beds, tables, and more.
We can joyfully share a smattering of results.
  • 346 participants from 17 churches and organizations
  • Over 450 prayed to receive Christ
  • More than 1,136 children were reached through VBS classes
  • 1,844 patients in our medical and dental clinics
  • We spent 22 days with orphanage children, compared to 10 days in 2017

We give God all the glory for what He has done.  We celebrate with you what can be accomplished through partnership between STCH Ministries and American and Dominican ministries.

Today the 2018 summer mission trips are behind us.  Now we stand at another “gate” as we plan for 2019 in the DR and continue to explore the possibility of ministry expansion into Peru, Costa Rica, or wherever God leads.  The future is unknown.  God’s hand and your prayers, encouragement, and ministry support are “better than light, and safer than a known way.”