Mission Statement
We will partner with the poor, marginalized and exploited in Guatemala to help end the injustices of poverty and bring about sustainable communities
Philosophy and Vision
We envision communities and individuals transformed by the love of God and equipped with the skills and tools needed to self-determine their futures.
Following the command of Jesus Christ to serve the poor, we commit to care for and love the people we serve as though they are our intimate brothers and sisters. We will work to empower them to envision their own self-development as they break free of the dehumanizing cycle of extreme poverty and create a world of hope where equality exists; where people may become all that God intended for them to be. In order to avoid dependency and paternalism, all activities, strategies, planning, decision making and monitoring of projects will be shaped by the local people and their culture as we approach each other one person at a time. We will respect and be accountable to each other as we seek to achieve self-defined visions and objectives. Furthermore, we recognize that by working together to reconcile a divided world, we are helping to eradicate other types of human poverty, suffering, isolation and oppression faced by rich and poor alike.
Following the command of Jesus Christ to serve the poor, we commit to care for and love the people we serve as though they are our intimate brothers and sisters. We will work to empower them to envision their own self-development as they break free of the dehumanizing cycle of extreme poverty and create a world of hope where equality exists; where people may become all that God intended for them to be. In order to avoid dependency and paternalism, all activities, strategies, planning, decision making and monitoring of projects will be shaped by the local people and their culture as we approach each other one person at a time. We will respect and be accountable to each other as we seek to achieve self-defined visions and objectives. Furthermore, we recognize that by working together to reconcile a divided world, we are helping to eradicate other types of human poverty, suffering, isolation and oppression faced by rich and poor alike.
Goals
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The goals of SewHope are centered around the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015.
At the Summit in 2015, world leaders adopted the Agenda, committing their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and setting out a series of time-bound targets, with a deadline of 2030, that have become known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. It also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom. We recognise (sic) that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development." The SDGs are the world's blueprint for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions-income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion-while promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability. They are also basic human rights-the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter, and security, recognizing that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth.
SewHope has prioritized our goals around these SDG's as well as to our belief in the transformative power of Jesus Christ.
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Core Values
Serving |
We value the transformative nature of service in both the servant and the served.
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Empowering |
We value empowering the people we serve in working toward solutions to the problems that face them such that our focus is on community-led initiatives for which the community itself is accountable.
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Working Together |
We value unity among team members and those we serve. While the teachings of Jesus Christ are central to our work, we believe that religious and cultural beliefs should not be used to divide or alienate or separate.
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Healing |
We value the knowledge that it is only through the love of Jesus Christ and by following God's will that we can accomplish real healing of this broken world.
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Openness |
We value openness, flexibility and resiliency. We evaluate our projects, learn from our mistakes and attempt to adapt to the many challenges caused by poverty and decades of injustice.
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Promoting |
We value promoting long-term, sustainable, and comprehensive solutions to the problems of poverty and injustice. We are guided by the Sustainable Development Goals in designing our programs.
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Everyone |
We value all of creation as having worth and every person as having the dignity inherent in being a beloved child of God. We focus on initiatives that promote a well-being in the entire created order.
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SpiritualityAll of our work is deeply immersed in the knowledge that it is only through the love of Jesus Christ that we can accomplish anything of value. All of our projects are developed with this is mind and we seek His guidance in all we do. As we serve the poor through improvements in education and health, we know that these efforts will be fruitless if we do not show that salvation comes with knowing His love. While we bring bibles, have worship services, and pray with all we encounter, we believe that it is in following God's will for our lives that real healing of this broken world is possible.
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