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...]

Our fifth annual Christmas Store was a smashing success again this year. More than 150 children were able to receive gifts through our Christmas Store. The festivities included coffee, pozole, and lots of holiday cheer and excitement! For an explanation of the Christmas Store and why we do it, please click here. Kids get in the mix too by using their Launch Pad bucks to buy gifts for their parents and other family members. They get so excited to spend the “money” they have saved diligently during the weekly program! Strong family bonds The best part of the annual Christmas Store is seeing … [Read more...]

What is more exciting to a child than Christmas morning? Waking up, knowing there are presents under the tree is almost too enticing for even the biggest kid in the family. In our Launch Pad after school program for elementary school students, we have a money and banking program that makes Christmas an even more exciting event for our students—they get the opportunity to buy presents for their family as well! The program runs all year long and has different aspects to it, but one of our favorites is that the children get to share their hard work all year long by spending their Launch Pad … [Read more...]