New Beginnings

Exciting news from Boothe Campus! Three of our students were recently baptized, taking a significant step in their walk with the Lord. Two of them decided to follow Christ just a month ago at camp, while the other, who committed his life to Christ several months back, had eagerly been waiting for this special moment. Seeing the joy in his heart was truly heartwarming.

The baptism day was wonderful, with family and friends joining us to celebrate this meaningful event. The entire campus came together to support the students. It was a beautiful display of our close-knit community!

All three students are thrilled about their new life anchored in Christ. Please continue to pray for them as they grow in faith and love. 

We Have Lift-Off

After months of prayer, and four vision trips with staff and select pastors and leaders, Schulenberg Baptist Church became the first official STCH Ministries team to serve in El Salvador!

They traveled to El Riel and met pastor Anselmo. STCH Ministries had previously assisted them to put a roof, and later windows on their multi-purpose church building. The Schulenberg team used that resource to impact the surrounding community. As the pastor shared, “The church building has given us a higher level of credibility and influence in this poverty-bound community.”

The children waited expectantly for the group to arrive, waving from the upper level of the rugged terrain, and the welcome continued in the newly windowed church building with banners, balloons and songs. The atmosphere of joy and celebration continued through the week as the mission team participated in a uniquely STCH MINISTRIES-SALVADORAN ministry event with children, family and leaders.

The group built tables, held VBS classes and taught ESL during school hours. In the afternoons, families came down from the surrounding hills and formed fellowship circles with the group. “We bonded instantly. We weren’t ready for them to return home as we loaded them up with a generous bag of groceries!” One group trudged up hills and down, over and around creeks, to visit a child on the waiting list for sponsorship. It was a unique God appointment for sponsorship. Three additional children were also chosen for sponsorship.

The following day they celebrated a PUPUSA FELLOWSHIP. Some of the moms taught the team how to make the Salvadoran national dish—a thick flatbread made of corn masa, and stuffed with various fillings. What fun they enjoyed as they mashed the sticky dough, patted and slapped it into the right shape, then grilled them and ate together.

In the evenings Pastor Dave brought the message in two different churches. “The Spirit of God moved freely,” one participant reported. “We had great translators, but even in situations where there wasn’t a translator, we realized that language is never a barrier for God.”

STCH Ministries is grateful for this first joyful mission week in partnership with the Peniel network of churches. Our goal for 2024 is to host small teams of 10-15 participants, especially in the fall and spring of the year. Please pray with us about this opportunity, and let us know if your church would like to join in this mission opportunity.

Mission Trip Guarantee

On every mission trip, there will be bumps on the road—100% GUARANTEED! Canceled, or rescheduled flights, miscommunication, a power outage and no A/C, noisy music, a mattress that is too hard, a child with a queasy stomach or fudge at the boy’s home that won’t firm up because of the heat. Teachers scheduled to teach canceled at the last minute because of illness. Gospel presentations were drowned out by trucks with loudspeakers blaring their wares. But GUARANTEED—on every mission trip God shows up in unique ways. We are challenged to yield our desires and plans to the sovereign God we serve. Families are blessed, pastors and leaders are strengthened, life-long connections are formed, children find their “forever-sponsor-family” and others are born into “God’s-forever-family” through faith in Christ. 

Pastors, leaders and wives from the eastern part of the Dominican Republic met for a day-long conference. Wives, who did not know each other, enjoyed fellowship and encouragement from God’s Word. They lingered afterward to set up a WhatsApp group and make plans for a future fellowship event. Pastors connected with other leaders, perhaps known in the past, but disconnected by the pressures of ministry. Through their interactions, the Holy Spirit provided healing sandpaper to smooth the calluses of distance and misunderstanding, and bind hearts in unity and common purpose.

A grandmother brought her daughter and two granddaughters on the trip. She shared what a joy it was to serve together. Not intimidated by culture and language, she saw growth in her granddaughter’s leadership skills.

A courageous mom with three young children eagerly signed up for the trip, returning from the year before. Tearfully, she shared the impact of the trip on her family. “We were surrounded and supported by love every moment.”

God showed up when a pastor invested in a STCH Ministries leader, and changed his perspective on leadership. He showed up in the dedication of an endodontist who courageously treated difficult issues with excellence, while also training Jose Regalado, our Dominican third-year dental student.

One of the most impactful experiences happened on the banquet night. A young Dominican translator, Elias, shared his testimony. He told of the benefits of sponsorship—his education in grade school and now in college, food deliveries from the Texas Baptist Hunger Offerings during times of duress when his dad didn’t have a job, and the time he received his own bed at 10 years of age. Elias’ testimony gave meaning to all of the investment and work that teams do! Some of the team members who delivered the bed to this young man over eight years ago were present. 

Yes, there are obstacles, as there are with any worthy endeavor. Ultimately, the efforts invested by mission teams are worthy, because HE IS WORTHY!

       

Living a Legacy

I hope today finds you well, thank you for taking the time to read through our Messenger! In this Messenger, you will read stories of great success from those we are called to serve. We all have a story and generally speaking, our families are a vital part of that story.

Our roles in our families vary from parent to grandparent, uncle to aunt, brother to sister and cousin to name a few. All these roles are important and should not be overlooked. The way we impact others is actually very simple, through our relationships with them in terms of quality time spent together. One of the stories shared in this Messenger is about Kisha; a mother with four children twelve years old and younger. Kisha had a cousin that went on an international mission trip with us and learned about our Homes for Families ministry. In this program, children and their mothers come into care together and stay together. This cousin then told Kisha and she eventually came into care with her beautiful children.

What if Kisha’s cousin had not gone to the Dominican Republic with us, what if he had not told Kisha about the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get the help she so desperately needed? I cannot answer those questions, but what I do know is that he did. When we are obedient, God provides opportunities where He can help us help ourselves and it all started with a cousin’s obedience. Now, Kisha’s cousin is a vital part of the family legacy that is being created in such a positive way!

Austrian communication guru, Paul Watzlawick is well known for his statement, “you cannot, not communicate”. Simply put, everything we do or do not do communicates something about who we are and what we value. If I say I love my children, but I invest no time or energy into our relationship, my actions indicate something altogether different. This truth will be understood by my children through my actions. I was recently given a book that was written by Trudy Cathy White called “A Legacy that Lasts”. In her book, she details various ways in which we can all build a legacy with our families. One idea she shares pertains to developing your “core values” as a family. In other words, what does my family stand for, what makes us who we are?

A key factor in developing our families and the legacy that we all stand for is understanding our identity and our purpose. I believe God created each one of us with specific gifts, and He allows us to have certain experiences. Exploring, developing and implementing these gifts and understanding the reason for our experiences helps us to understand our purpose. If you are reading this struggling to understand your own purpose, I encourage you to go to a trusted confidant, a pastor, a friend or a family member and begin to have this practical conversation. The Lord uses His people, and He uses His Word to open doors that we might have never dreamed possible.

So many times, the people that are used to bring clarity and connection are members of our family. In Kisha’s case, it was a cousin that had her and her children on his heart and mind. What a blessing! I also want to encourage all of us to understand that we are creating a legacy of some sort in our families. Let us commit to having that legacy built on the one true Rock!

A good name is more desirable than great riches – Proverbs 22:1

Rescue, Redemption and Revival

CHRISTIAN SINGER AND SONGWRITER LAUREN DAIGLE released her Grammy award-winning album, Look Up Child, in 2018. The second song on the album is titled Rescue, which speaks of God being our shelter and rescuer, even in the darkest situations like the one Kisha found herself in.

“In the middle of the darkest night

it’s true, I will rescue you.”

Kisha and her children lived in the chaos and fear of an abusive home for twelve years. Moved to tears, Kisha shared how tough her life was. She was also the only one working in the house and felt she missed out on significant moments in her children’s childhood.

Kisha also recalled that anything relating to God was rejected in their home by her husband. “If I did bring up anything to do with God, it got shot down immediately.” In the end, Kisha never lost her faith in the Lord during those twelve years. On the contrary, Kisha continued to pray for a way to leave their home with her kids in search of better living conditions and a better life.

Rescue

Kisha knew she was ready to get out. She took the step of faith to leave the abusive relationship with her four children in tow. Though uncertain about what would come next, she did not stop praying for God to provide. Shortly after, her cousin told her about Homes for Families. After doing mission work in the Dominican Republic with their home church through STCH Ministries International, Kisha’s cousin reached out to her and told her about STCH Ministries. As he shared details about Homes for Families, Kisha knew that was exactly the kind of place she and her children needed. She no longer felt helpless or without clarity as to where to go next. “That sounded exactly like what I was looking for to get me back to where I wanted to be, which is with God and for my children to know me better.”

So, when her cousin introduced her to Homes for Families, Kisha did not hesitate to take the necessary steps to get there. “He answered my prayers,” she stated about finding STCH Ministries, and in October of 2022, Kisha and her children arrived at the Homes for Families Bluebonnet Campus.

Redemption

Not only did God rescue Kisha and her children, but He has also redeemed her relationship with her children by giving them a safe place to bond further and grow together as a family. Kisha is a mom of four, Damien (age 12), Victoria (age 10), Caleb (age 8), and Gabriel (age 6).

“I was angry, very angry, when I first got here,” Kisha admits. However, with the help of staff on campus, she has learned healthy ways to control her anger. Kisha’s children have noticed the change in her as she has noticed a change in them and their relationship with one another as siblings. “STCH Ministries has been a blessing. God has done amazing work.”

The Homes for Families program allows families to remain together during resolution. It is a safe haven in a loving, Christian atmosphere with resources to help transition mothers and their children into independent living. “In coming here, I have seen changes in my kids; I’ve seen changes in myself.”

God has also redeemed Kisha’s time with her children. “I get to spend time with my kids, and I’m learning to be the parent that I didn’t get to be. I enjoy every minute of it.” One of the most significant impacts Homes for Families has had on Kisha and her children is the lessons they have learned while there. More personally, Kisha shared how her time there has taught her to forgive their father. “I’ve learned that me forgiving him is not for his benefit but for my own.”

Revival

“Revival begins when you draw a circle around yourself and make sure everything in that circle is right with God.” – Anne Graham Lotz

For months Kisha had been praying that God would speak to her in an intimate way, reminding her of how much He loves her. One Tuesday night in February, during Bible study, Kisha noticed a female cardinal fly down and land in front of the patio door. Soon after, the cardinal moved towards the grass where a male cardinal had just landed. Kisha noticed the two touch beaks. Upon taking a second look, she realized the male cardinal had also provided the female cardinal with a worm. “I knew at that moment that was for me,” Kisha shared. God was reminding her of His love and care for her as she watched the cardinals together. Through that moment, she witnessed the male cardinal providing for the female cardinal the way God had provided for her. She knew God had answered her prayer for reassurance of His love for her that night.

“I have prayed more than ever before,” Kisha shared about her time at Homes for Families and her spiritual growth. She has also reached out to hurting family members and friends, writing to them about her experience and about God. Where God was once a rejected topic in her previous living situation, Kisha now sees revival happening in her home. Her children are experiencing a closeness with God she never witnessed before.

Her older son, Damien, surrendered his life to Christ and got baptized in January of this year. That has led to the rest of his siblings also getting baptized upon learning about God and giving their lives to Jesus. “They all like to pray now. They each take turns. They won’t eat until they have all prayed,” Kisha shared. From dinner time prayers to seeing a change in how her children treat one another and witnessing them now identify as children of God, she thanks God for His work in their lives. “Recently, my oldest, who is in the 5th grade, came home from school one day and told me that he felt God was calling him to minister to kids in his school.” Kisha encouraged him to do what God had called him to, knowing the importance of helping others.

________________________

Kisha would like to go back to school to become a counselor in hopes of helping other women who currently find themselves in the same situation she once did. “I want them to know they are not alone and that there is help out there.” Kisha also looks forward to helping point others to Jesus, the only One who can truly rescue us from all darkness and all brokenness.

Without her cousin sharing about STCH Ministries Homes for Families, Kisha would not have experienced the rescue, redemption or revival she has now. “I tell him almost every time I see him, ‘Thank you’,” Kisha shared. “He sees that being here is doing amazing things in our lives, and he tells me often how he is very proud of me.”

If you or a family you know needs help during a time of crisis to transition into a successful, independent future, you can find more information about Homes for Families at www.stchm.org/care/#families.

From Desperation to Transformation

“THIS IS YOUR LIFE,” Nidia thought despondently. It was nothing like the life she had dreamed of when she fell in love and committed her life to Raul. Raul had drifted back to the habits of his alcoholic home. He sold chicharrónes (fried pork skins) from their rusted-zinc home and drank up the profits while she went to work for the government. She had to get past trash and empty bottles daily, picking her way around Raul and his drunken friends playing dominoes while their three children ran around unsupervised. Life was never meant to turn out this way.

Nidia could see the children suffering the consequences of their chaotic life. Esaul, their only boy, was especially affected. His father’s negative influence caused him to cling to his mother as his source of identity and support. Tormented as a sissy by friends and neighbors, he grew to hate himself. One day he heard of a neighborhood Bible class and began to attend. He was invited to the IBQ church, and he took his two sisters to escape the turmoil of their home for a few hours. “It seemed like heaven,” Esaul reported. Eagerly, he returned home to tell his mother what he had discovered. To his surprise, Nidia knew all about the IBQ church.

She remembered accepting Christ at the IBQ church in her youth. “I knew we needed God, but I was so ashamed by the mess I had made of my life when I walked away from God.” She recognized that she could not go on exposing her children to this lifestyle. In desperation, she asked a Christian neighbor to accompany her and the children to church. The following Sunday, they were dressed and ready to go.

That Sunday, Nidia re-dedicated her life to Christ, and the older children, Barlin and Esaul, followed her example. They began to attend church faithfully, everyone except for Raul. Their relationship and home life continued to deteriorate until Nidia started taking steps to separate from him.

One Sunday, Pastor Rudy urged all of the wives to turn in their unbelieving husbands’ names and contact information, and he would visit them personally. Nidia reported, “I was too angry and disgusted with Raul, so I refused. But someone else—I don’t know who—gave Raul’s information!” Shortly after, Pastor Rudy showed up at their home. “Good to see you, Sister Nidia, but I have come to visit with Raul.”

After Pastor Rudy left, Raul reflected, “I was already in the middle of another alcoholic binge, but I still heard his words as he shared the power of Christ to change my life. After that, I tried unsuccessfully to drink less. Thanks to God, Pastor Rudy returned to visit me again. This time I made the decision to commit my life to Christ. The change in me was so radical that I mark that day, now eight years ago, as the day a new Raul began!”

The drinking stopped, but friends and family scoffed, “This won’t last more than a few weeks!” In the weeks and months that followed, Raul’s heart transformation was unquestionable, as other aspects of his life gradually began to change. He became active with the men’s group in the church and became an effective witness to others of the changes God can make in a life. More recently, he has accepted a leadership role in the nearby community of La Ceiba, a new church plant from the IBQ church.

Nidia and Raul’s children were chosen for a Samuel’s Fund sponsorship, which they described as, “a blessing fallen straight from heaven.” As a sponsored family, they occasionally received groceries through the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering. In the past, their eating had always been haphazard, anything to fill their stomachs, but little by little, they learned to enjoy healthier food. “Today, we eat completely different than we used to,” Nidia reported.

Through the tutoring and home visits that accompanied the sponsorship, the children began to thrive in their education and in other ways. Esaul continued to struggle with his self-image, feeling empty and criticized by others as “not manly enough.” Gradually, he made new friends with other sponsored children. The staff of STCH Ministries also provided new opportunities for growth, including relationships with mission team members and exposure to English and music lessons.

The children became involved in the music ministry of the church. They joined the children’s choir and began music lessons every Tuesday afternoon. Esaul was drawn to the challenge of playing the violin. He began to play on a borrowed violin named ‘Lulu.’ “I felt happier than ever to be good at something that not everyone can do,” Esaul reported. His proficiency on the violin improved and he began teaching other children to play. One day he was asked to play for a mission team banquet. “I felt totally nervous, but as I felt the sweet melody of the songs, my anxiety disappeared, and I praised God for blessing me.” After five years playing on ‘Lulu,’ Esaul received a new violin provided by his sponsor’s donations. He named his new violin ‘Evangelin.’ “She has a color that is totally beautiful, and I want to show others the work of God through my notes on ‘Evangelin.’”

For those living in the neighborhood that surrounded the Figueroa family, the most radical change that followed their spiritual rebirth occurred through the construction ministry of STCH Ministries International. One day Russell Jerez showed up at their home to deliver a bed for each of the children built by a mission team. He was shocked to see the dilapidated, unsafe condition of their house. He was concerned that it could not survive the next tropical storm. Russell considered how to reinforce the roof, but its deteriorated condition made that impossible.

The STCH Ministries staff and the Figueroa family began to pray. Soon, funds were donated and at least six successive mission teams contributed to rebuilding their home into a beautiful, concrete home. As God continued the greater transformation in their family and individual lives, the rebuilding of the dilapidated wooden hovel into a modern two-story home became the talk of the neighborhood, for which God received all the glory.

Today, Barlin, Esaul’s older sister, has graduated from high school, and through the Christian Leadership Educational Program (CLEP), she is studying photography. Esaul continues his work on the violin, and the youngest sister, Niandra, excels in her schoolwork.

Barlin shared her vision “that the Lord continues to keep us on His paths, that He will be our Day and our Light in the darkness, and that through our lives, others will be guided to our Savior’s feet.”

What happens when, lost in the chaos of life and the results of our willful choices, we desperately grab onto the only sliver of hope that we know? Perhaps only a fuzzy, inaccurate picture of Jesus learned as a child, over the years disobeyed, ignored and disrespected appears in our minds. Yet now, in desperation, we cry, “Help me, Jesus!”

God promises, “If anyone be in Christ, they are a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) The new creation happens instantly when we accept Christ by faith into our lives. But the process of old things passing away, and all things becoming new, involves a sequence of events and the investment of many lives to accomplish.

How many teams and individuals invested in that family? How long did it take? Possibly as many as ten teams, including follow-up visits from the IBQ church and STCH Ministries staff, plus the donations from many more and the sponsors of the children. Is it worth it? Would time not be better spent sharing 500 tracts and testimonies door-to-door? Possibly. How much time and effort did Jesus invest during His short time on earth to disciple only twelve? Jesus healed, taught in the synagogue and fed 5,000 and crowds followed. However, the greater amount of time He invested in those disciples began a multiplication process that continues today.

“Go into all the world,” commanded Jesus just before He returned to His Father. Wait! That’s not the full commandment. What about the rest of His directions? “Make disciples… teaching them to observe all things I have commanded.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

Sharing the Gospel message takes minutes, and it is an essential beginning. Fulfilling all that Jesus commanded is much more complex and expensive in terms of resources and life investment. However, through many teams who return annually, building relationships, and partnering with Dominican ministries, Jesus’ Kingdom-building commandment can be fulfilled.

Week of Hope/Jack Green Counseling Center Open House

Week of Hope

STCH Ministries is very thankful for everyone that made Week of Hope 2023 a success. We had three main goals for Week of Hope, first to raise awareness of who we are and what we do, second to invite new churches, organizations and individuals to partner with us and third to raise $400,000. Not only did we meet and exceed our goal by raising over $455,000, we also built new connections that will continue to grow and help spread the impact of STCH Ministries. We are thankful for God’s provision and cannot wait to see how He continues to use STCH Ministries to heal hearts and share hope.

Jack Green Counseling Center Open House

On Friday, May 5, 2023, STCH Ministries staff members, board members, community members and city officials joined together for an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Jack Green Counseling Center in Victoria. Two years ago, to the day, many of the same people gathered for a dedication of the land where the new building would be constructed. We are thankful to everyone who made this building a reality, including the Petty family, the Velma Lee & John Harvey Robinson Charitable Foundation, Parkway Church Victoria and the Marsha Shanklin Foundation. The building is a refuge for individuals, children and families as they work through difficulties in their lives. We pray that God continues to touch the lives of those entering the building for counseling services.

The Greatest Relationship

WHEN CHILDREN ARRIVE on STCH Ministries Homes for Children campus, they receive a safe place to call home with warm beds, hot meals and clothes, if needed. More importantly than meeting the physical needs of the children on campus, Homes for Children is helping provide for their spiritual, mental and emotional needs. Caseworkers, houseparents, counselors and other staff work to help the children in care find true healing from their past. In 2022, STCH Ministries saw 193 people accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior through our nine ministries. On the Boothe Campus alone, we saw 14 children dedicate their lives to Christ, and Savannah was one of them.

Savannah moved to Boothe Campus for the first time at the age of 7. Like many children arriving on campus, she did not know what to expect or how her life would change over time at Homes for Children. Over the years, Savannah left and returned to the campus a couple of times and ultimately arrived back in 2021. This time was different for Savannah; she was older, more mature and knew what to expect. There was also a foundation started in her walk with Christ.

Something that makes the Boothe Campus unique is the ability to share about Jesus with the children on the campus. Each cottage attends local churches on Sundays, while Awana and chapel are hosted on campus on Wednesday evenings. More than that, the houseparents work to lead devotionals in the cottages and pray with the children. They live out daily what it looks like to have a true relationship with Christ.

Before coming to Homes for Children, Savannah did not have much knowledge about Jesus or what it meant to have a relationship with Him. “I definitely didn’t know Jesus back then,” Savannah shared. When she returned in 2021 at the age of 12, she was placed in Marshall Cottage. Her houseparents, the Fishers, shared, “When Savannah first came to us, she was enthralled with the world and the pull to follow the lost world’s standards.” Because of this, she acted out and sought attention in unhealthy ways. She needed to find her voice and discover healthy ways to communicate.

Savannah pushed the boundaries set by her houseparents in the cottage. She wanted to make her own path instead of following the one God planned for her. As time progressed, she opened up to her houseparents and their biological daughter, Ruby. Savannah started listening more intently during devotional times and asking Ruby questions about Christ and what it means to become a Christian. She could see something different in the lives of those around her and wanted to know more.

During the summer of 2022, Savannah attended Camp Zephyr, which became her favorite memory while at STCH Ministries. She started to feel God working in her heart during the week. “It was a really good experience, especially worship time, it just really hit me,” Savannah shared. Then, a few months later, Savannah made the life-changing decision to give her life to Christ.

While attending church one Sunday with her cottage, Savannah knew it was time to pray and ask Jesus into her heart. She asked Ruby to walk down with her. As Savannah prayed, Ruby stood there as a supportive friend and cried as she watched her new sister in Christ dedicate her life. “I think that’s just really sweet,” Savannah shared, “she just really helped me through everything.” Before coming to Homes for Children, Savannah struggled with making friends. She never had a true friend to support her, so Ruby being with her in that moment meant the world to Savannah.

At the time, Savannah did not realize how much prayer could truly impact so many different aspects of her life. For the first time, she felt free. “It felt like freedom like I wasn’t held captive anymore,” Savannah shared. “I can definitely do a lot more things now.” Since the day Savannah surrendered her life to Christ, not only has she seen a difference in herself, but her houseparentsand friends have also seen a difference. She now lets people in and shares her feelings, which allows her to heal from past hurts. “I am definitely a lot more honest,” Savannah shared. Savannah struggled with honesty before giving her life to Christ and would lie out of self-preservation. She no longer feels like she has to hide behind a mask and allows people to see her for who she really is, a daughter of the King.

In March 2023, Savannah’s housepop was able to baptize her at their church on a Sunday morning. It meant a lot to Savannah to feel the support of her houseparents and her friends. Savannah no longer feels like she has to be a follower of the world. She is stepping out as a leader in some areas, while in others she is following what is right and just. Most importantly, she is following Jesus wholeheartedly. “I enjoy being a better person and a better influence to other people, it’s better than who I was before I knew Jesus,” Savannah shared. “It’s just a good feeling.” Savannah’s housemom shared, “She is in the process of sanctification like all Christ followers and each day we see her growing more and more to be like Him.”

During the 2022-2023 school year, Savannah decided to show goats as a part of the 4-H program on the campus. She showed her maturity, honesty and determination during the season and because of this, Savannah received the opportunity to raise and show a steer for the 2023-2024 school year. This opportunity is not extended to all students, and it is an honor to be able to do so. This is just one example of how Savannah’s new identity in Christ is affecting other aspects of her life. She is excited to be a leader in her cottage and an example to the younger children on the campus. She wants her life to be an example, just like her houseparents and Ruby were to her.

Savannah is forever grateful for the many relationships she has built over the last seven years because those relationships led to the greatest relationship of all. She is especially thankful to her houseparents and their daughter Ruby for walking with her through this time of her life. STCH Ministries is thankful for the dedication of our houseparents, who work daily to help heal the hearts and change the lives of the children in their cottage. Ultimately, we give God all the glory for the work He is doing not just on our Homes for Children campus but throughout STCH Ministries.

The Profound Impact of Christian Counseling

STCH MINISTRIES BEGAN its counseling ministry in Corpus Christi in the mid-90s. Since then, the counseling ministry has expanded to seventeen locations across five different cities in the state. Since its inception, countless lives have been greatly impacted, and Anjulena is now living proof of that.

In 2016, STCH Ministries expanded its Family Counseling to the Houston area. A few years later, Houstonian, Anjulena, walked into her first counseling session with STCH Ministries alongside her boyfriend at the time to meet with a STCH Ministries counselor. STCH Ministries Family Counseling provides care when individuals, couples and families need help sorting through life’s challenges.

During that time, Anjulena found herself in a relationship she realized was no longer healthy. She and her boyfriend had many ups and downs and began seeking help. Her boyfriend found STCH Ministries Family Counseling online and they started seeing a counselor together. Following a few sessions as a couple, their counselor suggested Anjulena see another STCH Ministries counselor on her own to work through past hurts and trauma in her life. Through both couple and individual Christian counseling, Anjulena sought a better understanding of herself and others. “It opened my eyes to my past, my childhood and my background and maybe how I allowed myself to be susceptible to people hurting me.” Her counselors often recommend Christian books to her to read further. Through each session and her continued reading and researching, Anjulena drew closer and closer to God. As she drew closer to God, she became more aware of how God created her and how He wanted to heal her further and use her to help others.

Anjulena discontinued her counseling sessions after ending her relationship with her ex-boyfriend. Soon after the pandemic hit, Anjulena’s work as a ballroom dancing instructor was on hold, and she began to look inward again, reflecting on her life and the path she wanted to be on. “I knew that I was at a turning point in my life; I was turning 50.” Anjulena admits that during the pandemic lockdowns, “I had more time to ponder these things…where I’ve been, where I’m at and where I’m going.” Anjulena prayed for God to bring people into her life that would help her. She knew instantly she wanted to reinstate sessions with her counselor. Though there was a waitlist to get in, she knew it would be worth the wait.

Anjulena had experienced other forms of therapy before. She had seen counselors through her medical provider and quickly realized they would not give much advice to help guide her. “I always felt like I was running around in circles and couldn’t find answers.” Anjulena felt like her time spent with other non-Christian counselors was leading her nowhere. Her STCH Ministries counselor would share scripture with her and recommend other Christian books specific to her growth areas. Each session ended with prayer, and Anjulena soon began to seek out God more and more.

“I started to change daily habits in my life when I started reading the Bible more,” Anjulena remembers how she would end sessions with her counselor with a desire to pick up her Bible and further read verses and chapters her counselor would share with her. The more she read, the more she gained answers. The more she prayed, the more she could hear God’s voice. “The moment I said, ‘God, I’m ready to commit my life to you 100%…’ everything in my life changed so drastically,” Anjulena said. “There is not a day that goes by that God is not on my mind and that I’m not talking to Him or about Him to others.”

For Anjulena’s 50th birthday, she knew she wanted to do something very special and memorable. God brought baptism to mind; she knew it was the next step she needed to take. Through time in prayer, Anjulena felt God leading her to get baptized in the Jordan River in Israel. “I was not sure how it was all going to happen, but I kept praying for God to guide me.”

Though Anjulena had looked online for tours, groups and opportunities to get to the Holy Land, nothing was lining up. She quickly realized she did not have the money to go, no group or anyone to go with or anyone to baptize her. “I really wanted it to be someone I knew, trusted and loved God and Jesus as much as I did.” Though it all began to seem impossible and very complicated, she could not stop thinking about getting baptized there. Anjulena continued to pray, asking for God’s guidance. “God would not put this feeling and desire in my heart and not help me,” she believed. Then one day, God began aligning Anjulena’s every need.

“A man called me and asked if I had time to do a crash course dance lesson for him to surprise his daughter on her wedding day. He needed me to help him with the father/daughter dance for her wedding. He told me he was driving in from Austin and did not have a lot of time. My schedule was very full, but luckily I was able to fit him in during the daytime.” As their first dance lesson began, Anjulena learned he was a Chaplain for the State of Texas. Through further conversation, the bride’s father shared with Anjulena how he would also be performing the ceremony at his daughter’s wedding.

“As I was teaching him the dance, I would bring up conversations about God. And then I told him I had a wonderful plan to get baptized in Israel during Christmas.” Anjulena recalls he proceeded to ask her how she would do all of that and if she had ever been to Israel before. “I told him I had never gone, but God had put in my heart that I should get baptized there in the Jordan River.” He then looked at Anjulena and said he had a group from his church going around Christmas.

At that moment, both he and Anjulena realized that God had brought them together to answer her prayer. Anjulena shared how God started filling her schedule with work and opportunities that allowed her to save the money needed for the trip. However, she realized she still did not have anyone she knew personally attending with her to witness her miraculous baptism. God left no prayer unanswered, as her childhood best friend, Sarra, and her family were able to go to Israel with her, and they all got baptized together. “I cannot explain all that happened and what a miracle it was!”

Anjulena credits her healing from past childhood traumas and abusive relationships, as well as her newfound nearness to God to the Christian counseling she received through STCH Ministries. “What I have learned and experienced, I now want to teach others.”

Anjulena has implemented much of what she has gained from Christian counseling in teaching dance to her students. Teaching mainly couples, she has been able to share the wisdom imparted to her by her counselors regarding healthy communication, excellent problem-solving skills, working together and the importance of encouragement.

Anjulena began to realize all she had been through had been for a reason and to learn something. Ultimately, she knew all the wisdom she had gained from the lessons learned was to, in return, share with others and help others because most people she comes across are hurting in some way. Anjulena now lives to bring people the truth of God and hope in all she does.

Watching God Work

One mission trip, 3 teams from 3 churches—FBC Kenedy, Trinity Baptist Church in Kerrville, Parkway Church in Victoria.

A video set on fast-forward blurs with any attempt to view all they accomplished! A simple list is inadequate, even the imagination falls short of any attempt to convey multiple co-occurring ministries, with individuals of varied ages and wide-ranging skills. One common thread ran through every activity—relationships. The goal was not to have the perfect medical clinic, the most skillful drama of the Bible story at VBS, the artistic quality of a mural on an orphanage wall, devotionals and singing that inspired and motivated or even an impactful pastor’s conference. The goal was the people, and the relationships created and expanded through the ministries. Getting to know the Dominican pastors—their frustrations and obstacles—and sharing empathy through conversations around the table, as well as encouragement from God’s Word. More than hearing, participants truly listened, past the physical ailments, and connected with the fear and pain that patients shared. They offered love along with medications and advice.

Relationships were made while delighting in moments that matter, whether it was laughing over a game, hugging a child at the orphanage or sharing a meal with a Dominican family. While purchasing and delivering groceries, sharing new clothes and school supplies, sanding and sawing and hammering together with young and old, relationships were deepened. While decorating for ladies’ tea, or a banquet celebration, praying, clapping and singing, relationships were nurtured. In the background of all these activities, almost unnoticed, the REAL work of a mission trip goes on. Sharing love, time for meaningful conversations, encouragement and reconnecting with God’s purpose for our lives. Building relationships.