“I have discovered that faith is a lifelong journey where I sink my feet deep into the warmth of God's love and trust Him to lead the way.” – Leila Grandemange
The road to iTeams NL
In 2023 I was in Tijuana Mexico for discipleship training. After the 3 month teaching period, I experienced that God wanted me to stay longer in Tijuana to share hope and love there in Zona Norte (the neighbourhood where the red light district is also located). I came into contact with two local organizations working there. One organization focuses specifically on reaching children to teach them how to provide food. The other organization is a prayer house in the red-light district where God is worshiped, where intercession is made for the neighbourhood and where outreach is made to the women in the red-light district. In order to also be guided and supported from the Netherlands, I looked for an organization that could provide me with this and wanted to work with me to reach the children, women and families in Zona Norte with the Gospel. That's how I ended up at iTeamsNL. With and in them I found a warm team that thought along with me, guided and trained me and also offered remote support and wanted to think along with me.
God's love in Zona Norte
Zona Norte is a neighbourhood known for drug trafficking, prostitution and violence. In this district many people venerate Santa Muerte, the Holy Death. In this neighborhood we share God's love with the children who come to us every day before they go to school. We share the Gospel with them, prepare them to go to school and give them breakfast. Because we can take the children to school and they receive education, they build opportunities for a more stable future. In addition, they have a place where they can tell their story and where they have moments of peace in their chaotic, unstable and uncertain lives. I also enjoy building relationships with the women on the street. By being present every time, trust grows and they open themselves more and more to listen to the story about God's love for them. In this harsh reality where women see no other way to provide for their families than to sell their own bodies, there is nothing left but to hold on to God. He shows the way, He gives the right words or He shows that being present at this moment is the only thing that counts. He does the real work. I just need to be present and share His love and thus make a difference for the children, the women and the families in Zona Norte. Because He is at work! A great testimony to this is that currently an entire family (father, mother and children) come to the house of worship every week and have chosen to provide income in another way. This is not easy, but they trust and testify that God provides and will provide.