GIVING OPPORTUNITIES
Every now and then, the desire to make a difference in the world inspires us to do something out of the ordinary. That’s exactly what happened to a small group of Calgarians who established C-Quest almost three years ago, a non-denominational Christian organization committed to improving the lives of those living in poor rural communities through high-impact, grassroots service projects. C-Quest is committed to its vision of building hope and transforming lives by serving alongside friends and partners like you.
The impact of helping a small community in a developing country is profound in a world where gaps continue to widen between the wealthy and the poor, the health and the sick, the educated and the uneducated, the cared-for and uncared-for. More and more families are falling into the viscous cycle of poverty.
Good news : There is hope. You can help. Helping others brings not only relief to those in need, but value to those doing the serving.
Serving Cross-Culturally
Millions of children around the world suffer from the realities of life in poverty. Access to nutritious food, clean water, adequate shelter, basic education. Shoes for school, and sports. The ability to get a good paying job. The essentials which we take for granted every day.
Children and families not only need improved access to these basic necessities, they need a place to go to escape, connect, learn, laugh and grow. To be kids. To be with family. To find hope.
How is C-Quest sustainable? Everything we do at C-Quest has sustainability in mind. Our programs are directed and sponsored by local ministry partners who have earned the respect and rapport of the local people whom they serve. C-Quest works in a supporting and connecting role in order to ensure that efforts are sustainable and enable locals to help others in their community. We focus on teaching, enabling, encouraging and fostering long-term development, not one off handouts. We work with our partners to invest in projects that can ultimately become self-supporting, and that are lead by the community.
That’s why C-Quest is partnering with local church partners in the Yucatan to design programs that start with the basics : home, health, hope and heart.
C-Quest connects compassionate people like you, to the heart of the community that needs your help. We host short term aid teams to serve alongside C-Quest and its partners in building, teaching, leading, caring and developing stronger, healthier communities.
C-Quest needs your help to serve our partners and the people of the Yucatan.
Join us on one of C-Quest’s Mission or Aid trips. Or make a donation to one of our projects today.
Please give generously. And please come. You can help.
Sincerely,
Gary Edwards
Director – C-Quest
Project 1 : Family Camp for Needy Families
Project 2 : Mini Home Makeovers
Objective : Our objective is to develop and implement programs that make a difference in the lives of at-risk youth in areas of education, getting a job, staying in school, making life choices, leadership and vocational training … delivered in a camp environment.
Background: C-Quest is partnering with local community leaders to create a safe youth and family camp roughly 45 minutes from Progreso, that is open and accessible to hundreds of families in the surrounding villages, of all backgrounds. These children normally would not have the means to go to camp or sports programs, and the alternative of gang culture, drugs or other past times put these kids at risk. Camp John 3:16 will change that and provide hope for hundreds of children in neighboring pueblos.
Project Plan: Work with C-Quest and Camp John : 3:16 director, Gama Canul to advance the development of the Phase 1 building structure. Previous work teams have helped to build the initial structure, including painting and roofing. A full project plan and drawings are developed by EMI, a Christian engineering firm in Canada. Work is already underway and funds are needed to keep this project moving.
Suggested Donation : $100-$3000 to cover essential building phases or $200-$2000 for program development and to send kids to camp.
Objective: To generously transform a home for needy families in needy villages through acts of kindness that relate to their current home or shelter.
Background: Many people are physically unable or do not have the means to maintain a safe living environment for their families.
Project Plan: Families are prequalified and selected by our partners who are deeply engaged in the community and can assess need and ability to help themselves. Projects may include light roof repair, small home maintenance projects, painting, cleaning, installing shelves or other fixtures, bringing food and water, clothing, toys, books or other items needed for the family. Each project entails spending several hours or an entire day working on a home, sharing a meal together to celebrate and building relationships of hope.
Suggested Donation : $50 to cover supplies and materials
Project 3 : Orphan Care
Project 4 : English Programs
Objective: To improve the quality of life and prospects for a bright future for an orphan.
Background: The state of Yucatan suffers from a high number of orphans who are left to public systems that are inadequate to cover the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of a child.
Project Plan: C-Quest currently works with its partner to bring programs of hope to orphanages including sports, education, health, self-esteem and confidence building programs in addition to spiritual growth for orphaned children. We also provide clothing, toys and educational materials and need financial support to make this program work.
Suggested Donation : $25/month for supplies
Objective: To improve a child’s future by teaching basic English conversational and vocabulary skills.
Background: Children living in poverty have limited education to begin with. English conversational training is usually completely unavailable yet would create an advantage for these children in order to gain employment in higher paying jobs such as in tourism or business. C-Quest wants to give these children the best chance they can get to graduate from school with an educational advantage.
Project Plan: C-Quest works one-on-one or in small groups providing ESL tutoring and mentoring in poor villages where education lags. Materials such as flash cards, books, posters, music and DVDs are needed to support this program.
Suggested Donation : $50 for a set of teaching tools
Project 5 : Pancake Programs
Project 6 : Food Hampers
Objective: To spread joy by serving food and spending time with the lost and lonely.
Background: Orphaned seniors and orphaned families are two common scenarios in Merida at Casa de Los Abuelos and Hospital H’Oran.
Project Plan: C-Quest coordinates Pancake Programs through its partners and offers free Pancake breakfasts (and dinners!) to hundreds of people living on the streets or living in orphaned seniors homes. An entire day is brightened just by spending time with these people, and sharing the love of Jesus through ‘hands and feet’ service.
Suggested Donation: $15 / serves 10 people
Objective: To provide short term relief through food.
Background: Poverty is a difficult issue to tackle without addressing the basic need of food for a household. Tortillas, beans and rice are the basic necessities for a family. Meat such as pork, chicken and turkey are not as readily affordable and yet add an important component of diet for children living in poverty.
Project Plan: C-Quest currently works with its ministry partners to bring food to the neediest of families, within their church families who are often stuggling, as well as to others in their respective communities. Food hampers include basic staples such as rice and dry beans, as well as fresh fruit, meat, vegetables and dairy.
Suggested Donation : $45/food hamper
Project 7 : Plant a Church
Project 8 : Buy a Bible
Objective: To introduce people to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and to disciple new believers.
Background: Hundreds of thousands of people in the Yucatan may believe that God exists, but still not know and love Jesus as Savior. Ancient beliefs and cultural norms make religion something that one does out of tradition rather than as an act of submission and love for Christ. The underlying issue of poverty and hopelessness can only truly be addressed by knowing the love of Jesus.
Project Plan: C-Quest currently works with three ministry partners to bring programs of the heart to the darkest places in the state. Small worship services, Bible studies, prayer meetings and other Christian programs are made accessible and enhanced through the work of local church.
Suggested Donation: $100/month for Church support
Objective: To introduce someone to the Word of God in their own language.
Background: This one is simply the best. “La Palabra” is the Word of God, and the most important book that can one day be in the home of every Yucatecan family, to be read, cherished and loved.
Project Plan: C-Quest buys Spanish AND Mayan language Bibles from local suppliers. Children’s Bibles are also available.
Suggested donation : $25 for four bibles