1. Vanessa's Story

Hi friends and family!
As most of you may already know, I just graduated from Azusa Pacific University with a Bachelor’s in Biblical Studies. Woohoo! I’ve been praying about where God is calling me next, then my Pastor suggested mission work in Guatemala and working alongside the social worker at an all-girls school for the next two years. The opportunity is to join Mission Impact, a U.S. registered 501(c)3 non-profit Evangelical Christian mission agency. This presented opportunity seemed perfect because my ultimate academic goal is to receive my Masters in Social Work! This past May, I was able to actually go to Guatemala for the first time, meet the staff of Mission Impact, and visit their work sites – including Próximos Pasos, the school that provides a Christian education to the young girls in the village of Santa María de Jesús.

Mission Impact has accepted me into their program and I will return to Guatemala in January 2017. During the first few months I will enroll in Spanish courses at Centro Lingüístico Maya in Antigua and live with a host family. After that I will live independently. I will be an English teacher at Próximos Pasos, as well as implement and supervise a reinforcement/tutor program for students, assist with the student/parent discipleship program, and work with some logistics of the scholarship program for the students.

I hope that you will keep me in your prayers; specifically as I raise support and seek to be spiritually strengthened by the Lord while I am preparing to head to Guatemala in just 4 months.

As a Missionary I am responsible to raise 100% of my support.  The expected expenses are approximately $2000/month x 2 years = $48,000. Two years sounds crazy! But I am ready to be utilized for God's will. Your support will go towards living expenses, transportation costs, and classes. Again, thank you so much for your support.

If you are interested in becoming a monthly supporter or donating you can go to the Mission Impact website at http://missionimpact.com/ and complete the following steps:

1. click on “Give” (top, right corner) 
2. fill out the online form 
3. choose my name – Vanessa Salcedo – in the drop down menu under “Gift Designation” 

You may also mail a check made payable to Mission Impact and include a note with my name (please do not write my name on the check for your tax purposes):
Mission Impact
P.O. Box 45797
Madison, WI 53744

I am extremely grateful for your support both prayerfully and financially. I appreciate each and every one of you!

You could read more about Guatemala and Mission Impact through the website: https://www.missionimpact.com . This website provides links to Mission Impact’s photo gallery, descriptions of their ministry sites, their staff, ways to get involved, and more. 

I would love to sit with you and talk more about this next chapter of my life before I leave the United States! Please contact me by email at vsalcedo111@gmail.com

Also, you may follow my journey through Instagram, under the name @vanessainguate

Thank you for your prayers and support! I love you all!
Sincerely, 

Vanessa Salcedo