SUMMER GROOVE

BAJA, MEXICO

SUMMER GROOVE

Hey amigos! Sorry it’s been so long between updates. May – September is our busiest season peaking with summer swim lessons and surf programs almost every other day! This year we definitely expanded programmatically but so has our personal capacity, which is exciting to reflect on. November will mark 4 years since making the move from San Diego to La MisiĂ³n. In our first year, if we had more than 5 kids on a program, I (Jess) would almost go into a panic attack. But we pushed through, and this past summer felt like we really found our groove. We don’t think numbers are the best measure of impact, but it’s encouraging to see the ways God has opened doors and grown our ability to serve the community.

2021

Trips total: 18
Participations: 138

2022

Trips total: 27
Participations: 195

2023

Trips Total: 28
Participations: 230

2024

 

Highlights

 

Relationships About a third of the kids that joined us this summer were brand new to Aleph programs. We celebrate that, and at the same time we love that the majority of the participants are returners. Every activity is a touch point where we can go a bit deeper and build stronger bonds with these kids. Seeing them advance in their skills has been SO cool but truly the best part is the connection that develops through time spent together.

 

I had an incredible moment with Nahomi, a girl we’ve known since our 1st year here, who absolutely loves the water. We had a few random weeks when the water was crystal clear at our local beach, so I took the opportunity to introduce her to the world of snorkeling. It took a bit to get used to but as soon as we passed a group of small fish below, I could hear shrills of excitement muffled through her snorkel… and she was hooked. (pun intended)

Leadership One of the main reasons we were able to serve more youth this summer, was due to the dedicated help of our leadership crew of young men age 18-23, most of whom had previously learned how to surf through Aleph. These guys worked hard with gear clean up, water safety, and helping push kids into waves. Dustin was able to take the point system (mentioned in our last post) to the next level and we now have a customized ALEPH mobile app the leaders can use see how many points they have earned, the trip calendar, and the catalog of all the gear they can ‘buy’ with their points! Check out this video to see it.

 


LEARNING TO SEW FOR A DEEPER PURPOSE

SKILLS TRAINING

LEARNING TO SEW FOR A DEEPER PURPOSE

I will be heading to Jordan next month on April 3rd, 2023.

My attention recently was captured by a documentary I saw on BBC about Domestic Abuse in Jordan.    It is an issue we see around the world but especially in the Arab world.  Domestic violence has increased dramatically with Covid when families were isolated at home. Jordan was the first Arab country to enforce a law against violence towards women in 2008.  Even with this law in place it is still very dangerous for women to speak out about what goes on at home in a society where men, fathers and brothers have legal rights over women. 

Only 18% of women have jobs in Jordan. 

There was one cases scenario in this BBC documentary that shared a story about a girl raped by her father and then when she told her family they beat her, breaking her arms and legs.  She left home when she could and is now trying to make it on her own.  But again, in a society that is not pro-women working – it has been extremely difficult for her to survive.  

The women I have worked with in Jordan are not (as far as I know) domestically abused but there is still a great need to educate the women on their rights as human beings and women created in God’s His image and designed to do works He has set out for them to do. 

Even in a home or a country that does not allow the same freedoms as most of the west – my hope is that through the work I do, these women can find purpose in providing for themselves and their families. Giving them these tools to become independent, is a vital resource for them and their families.  This I hope would give them the courage to seek help and if necessary leave home should abuse occur to take their children to a safer living situation.  

My hope is that the women that I get to have time with on this next trip will in turn teach more women tailoring skills and also build their own businesses.  The country of Jordan has an emphasis on workmanship and artisans.  Jordan is still not as industrialized as the West because people still hold onto traditions and customs which are beautiful.  

Would you pray with me.

  • For outlets to distribute the products locally.
  • For bridges to build between the Syrian women and the Jordanian women.
  • For opportunities to share about Yahweh, the God who created them, loves them, and can and will restore all things.
  • For safety for the women I will be working with, safety for Elbie & her team, and my safety.  
  • For the land of Jordan to come to know the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob as the one true God.  

Thank you for sending me out!  I am looking forward to whatever the Father has in store. 


SESSIONS | SURF THERAPY

EDUCATION

SESSIONS | SURF THERAPY

We are so excited for this year.  There was no better way to kick it off than with these beautiful children. 

Surf therapy combines surfing with structured individual or group activities as a means of therapy to promote psychological, physical, and social well-being.

benefits of surf therapy include improvement in: