“On a typical Mission Trip, participants feel a sense of accomplishment…afterward, they talk about what they DID and who they HELPED. On a Help One Now Pilgrimage, participants feel a sense of tension and unrest…afterward, they talk about what they LEARNED and what they HOPE to accomplish moving forward. They become advocates. The end of the trip becomes a starting line.”

– Lamar Stockton, Help One Now International Director

The Help One Now ethos is to remain invisible on the ground, and to focus efforts on resourcing high-capacity local leaders.

Help One Now empowers local leaders through friendship and partnership. We partner with leaders who are already working effectively in their respective communities. These leaders are friends and allies in the fight against extreme poverty. They are our greatest resource, and without them, sustainable change is impossible.

For this reason, we don’t typically do “mission trips,” as they can distract from the work of locals to influence change in their own communities.

Instead, we will lead a limited number of Learning Journeys for committed, long-term supporters of Help One Now. On these Journeys, emphasis will be placed on connecting with the community, building lasting relationships with the local leaders, and brainstorming how you can unlock your human capital to partner together and support their work moving forward.

Goals

On a Learning Journey, we hope that you will:

• meet and fall in love with our local leaders and the children they serve

• learn from our local leaders by hearing their stories and engaging in their communities. Doing this helps us, the visitors, understand the unique issues in different cultures and environments

• see the impact of Help One Now programs firsthand and gain a new understanding of how complex working in these communities can be

• Understand how it is possible for short-term missions and volunteer trips to unintentionally do more harm than good; but through deeper partnership, we can have an empowering effect on locals who are uniquely capable of bringing transformation to their own communities

• become advocates of the children, families, and communities that you experience when you return home! You are the Help One Now Family; we need you to run with these stories and partner with us to make a lasting impact.

Local Leader: Merceded Malpartida

Mercedes is the director of Kairos Ministries in Iquitos, Peru. Nearly 20 years ago, Noe & Mercedes Malpartida launched Kairos Ministries. Since that time, they have been tirelessly empowering their community by providing quality education and care for vulnerable children, and counseling and support for struggling families. Kairos and the Malpartida family suffered tragedy a few years ago when Noe, Mercedes’s husband, unexpectedly passed away. Mercedes, a strong and passionate woman, and her son, Willie, have now taken the reins of Kairos Ministries. She is a passionate leader and has a big vision for the future: to provide a place of restoration to women rescued from trafficking situations.

Community: Kairos Village

Kairos Village is an anti-trafficking initiative in the Amazon Region of Peru. It is a place of refuge, healing and renewal. Our team works in partnership with local authorities to provide the best care possible as young girls work toward healing and discovering new life. Kairos Village is meeting an essential need in Iquitos. The girls are guided through the work of recovery and restoration, allowing them to build a vision of hope for their future. While visiting Kairos Village your team will have the opportunity to connect with the leadership and staff, as well as government officials, working in rescue, care and recovery of trafficking survivors. In that time, you will be able to share your own valuable knowledge and experience in the area of trauma and trafficking, while learning from them as well. Learning from each-other in this work is key in addressing the multi-faceted global issue of trafficking.

Adventure! Machu Picchu

Built as a citadel to the Inca emperor Pachacuti in the 1400s and abandoned during the Spanish conquest of Peru, Machu Picchu is one of the 7 wonders of the world and boasts epic views! On the last day of your trip, we will travel to Cusco and spend a day exploring this internationally cherished landmark.