Misión la Vid (The Vine Mission)

For the last 18 years, Pentecostal women have been working to prevent youth homelessness in the poorest neighborhoods of Barranquilla. Inspired by Liberation Theology and the work of Jesus, they offer medical and social services to women and children, as well as a small school in a refugee neighborhood.

After their own research showed that family violence forced many kids onto the street, La Vid began to educate women and girls about violence, women’s rights, and self defense. This experience inspired them to work with small children and pre-school education. Their new school serves children from birth through fifth grade, with special attention paid to family problems.

En Soledad, the barrio where La Vid works, boys often begin organized theft at 8, and girls as young as 10 prostitute themselves to support their families. Work with both families and schools attempts to prevent these problems, but La Vid would also like to open a rehab center for prostitutes and drug addicts.

La Vid is well aware that poverty contributes to all of these ills, so it runs employment programs for women -- but classes always deal with more than job skills. For instance, cosmetology workshops teach hair cutting and other marketable skills, but also foment self-esteem and provide a space to talk about abusive men. All the women who participate in La Vid are volunteers who work in other fields, and they also offer classes: doctors teach about health and hygiene, a chemist teaches how to make bleach and soap, and a business administrator teaches about marketing and accounting. In this way, La Vid creates and supports women’s micro-businesses.

In contrast with many other evangelical programs, La Vid neither judges nor preaches. These women want their lives to be an example to others, and they believe that self-righteous evangelism is a bad example.

Misión la Vid
Alicia López, Presidenta

Cra. 37 #27C-34
Soledad, Atlántica
Colombia

tel: 352 6096

alilopez10@hotmail.com
mrtl@hotmail.com