Kimberly Vasquez has served with Connect 2 Ministries for more than eight years, and she, along with her church (StoneBridge Community Church, Simi Valley), have faithfully helped and supported our Sheepfold Children’s Home over the years. We asked Kimberly to share today about her experience partnering with C2M.

I first became aware of Connect 2 Ministries through my work with the Global Missions team at StoneBridge Community Church in Simi Valley. One of the team members is a friend and long-time neighbor of Greg Barshaw, and our whole team met Greg for the first time in 2014. Greg shared the vision and work of C2M and asked us to consider a possible partnership with what is now called Sheepfold Children’s Home. Our first team traveled to Haiti that July, and “the rest is history.” We have partnered with C2M ever since.

StoneBridge Community Church has a long-standing history with international missions in Uganda, Mexico, and Haiti, among other parts of the world. Sponsoring children at Sheepfold has uniquely allowed our larger congregation to participate in international mission work. The congregation knows about, has a connection with, and prays for a part of the world they may not have had more than a passing knowledge of apart from this connection. Each trip to Haiti has encouraged others to take a mission trip, whether to Haiti or with one of our other partners, and knowing our Haitian brothers and sisters pray for us has enriched all of our lives.

A disciple is someone who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and shares this belief and hope with others through word and deed. To share one’s faith isn’t limited to only members of the congregation or local community; this testimony is meant to extend throughout the world. We do this by traveling outside of our comfort zone, outside of our own neighborhoods.

Not only do I and my husband sponsor children at Sheepfold, but I have been blessed to travel to Haiti five times. The preparation prior to such a trip, the time in-country, and the post-trip debriefing and church updates have all served to strengthen my faith, my commitment to living a God-centered life, and my hope for the future. To travel to Haiti has been to truly see God at work in the faces, hope, and joy of those I have encountered, despite the ongoing harsh reality of their lives.

International mission work is one of the most personally rewarding and challenging experiences a person can undertake. The first obstacle to overcome is fear of the unknown. Questions like:
“Will I be safe?” “Will I have enough to eat?” “Will I get sick?” “Will I make a difference?” “How will God use me?” are naturally top of mind, but the greatest blessing has been learning to be totally reliant on God. Once that happens, the fear subsides.

Taking that first step into international mission work can be scary. It is truly a leap of faith. Recognize your fears. Talk to others who have made a similar journey, read up on short-term mission work (The Hole in the Gospel and When Helping Hurts were helpful to me), learn about the culture beforehand, enlist support from family and friends, pray, and ultimately listen to and trust God. It is a decision I have never regretted.

My background is in social work, which emphasizes empowering others to find solutions and make positive changes that are client-directed and culturally relevant. To walk alongside and provide support; to do no harm. C2M’s focus on indigenous-led, compassionate care resonates with me. Many non-faith based organizations are making sustainable change around the world, but C2M puts God first and prioritizes a church-centered delivery system. That approach is incredibly unique, and uniquely effective. It is the hope of salvation through Jesus Christ and His resurrection that truly sustains the work being done in Haiti.