Everyone likes a great story. Even very young children will sit still to hear their favorite story. They even love to hear the same story over and over again. Stories shape our lives. They are a reflection of who we are and express our hopes and our dreams, our failures and our struggles. Most of us can remember many good stories as well as difficult stories from our childhood. For kids living below the poverty line, their stories are often marked by challenge and hardship. They often need to grow up early, taking on adult responsibilities in the home while parents are working extra … [Read more...]

In my last post, I explained some of the ways that Ciudad Nueva is involved in the broader Christian community development movement through the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) and through Micah Global. This investment in regional, national, and global movements that we wholeheartedly believe in is beneficial to our organization in many tangible ways. Many of our programs have been modeled after excellent examples demonstrated elsewhere. The sharing of information through various conferences is invaluable to solving challenges and keeping us aware of changes and innovation … [Read more...]

Ciudad Nueva takes its place in the big picture of Christian community development. At Ciudad Nueva, we sometimes take time to talk about leadership development and what it means. However, over the years, leadership development has most often come in the form of modeling and sharing. We learn from those who have gone before us and mentor those who are coming up behind us. From the beginning, when I started at Ciudad Nueva, I tried to visit and learn from anyone I could. If I drove through a city or was heading somewhere out of town, I would often try to track down and visit similar … [Read more...]

One time I planted some thyme in my garden. I didn’t really think much of it, but I had an extra space so I just stuck it there. Long after all the tomatoes and zucchini had become unruly and spent, that thyme plant looked great. So I left it there. For years that plant survived and was a very useful herb in our kitchen. The Downtown Church Connection had its beginnings like my humble thyme plant. I never envisioned what it would really become. Humble beginnings A few years ago I started meeting with a couple of other leaders who were investing in our downtown El Paso community. We would … [Read more...]

After years of working in partnership with other community organizations, I have learned that working with people is much more complicated than just getting in a room together and talking. All organizations have their own personalities and goals. Yet the great thing about working with nonprofits is that instead of competing with each other, we can maximize our returns by working together. At Ciudad Nueva, we seek to partner with other organizations on common goals whenever we get the chance. Our main strategy is to build relationships with different groups, understand what they do, and make … [Read more...]