Our two main goals are to see their lives transformed as they come to know and follow Jesus Christ, and for them to be released from the cycle of poverty.
To accomplish this, we show the love of God in a tangible way by providing consistent aid and support through daily meals, educational assistance, and the teaching of God's word.
Hope in the Dark is directed by a group of regular individuals who are passionate about serving the poor and the voiceless, whose motivation for this ministry is to show God's love to people in need.
Hope in the Dark’s main belief is that God should be the main priority in our lives and only through the knowledge of God can a person be completely free.
Hope in the Dark strives above everything to pursue God’s will, not conforming to the patterns of this world, and seeking to become less so that Christ’s name is exalted.
Hope in the Dark believes that pure religion is remembering the widow, the orphan, and the poor. Giving to others out of the abundance we have is a responsibility since everything we have has been freely given to us by God.
A large problem in these slums in Bucaramanga and Cartagena is not only the extreme poverty that much of the population live in, but also the lack of social supports for these families, many of whom are single mothers. There is too often a lack of stability in the lives of these children as well as a lack of affection, and numerous cases of violence, neglect, and sexual abuse towards the many vulnerable children living there.
Very often the perpetrators are their own fathers or step fathers. In some cases, these kids in their desperation turn to drugs, crime or decide to leave their home and live on the streets at a very young age.
All this stems from the fact that many of these kids live in dysfunctional families where only one parent is present and there is little to no social support available to the parents. This leaves the children vulnerable, often lacking love, affection, security, as well as lacking in basic needs.
We are located in a conglomerate of slums in Bucaramanga called Villas de Girardot, Camilo Torres, and Sarabanda. In Cartagena, where our newest centre opened in May 2022, we are located in Barrio Nelson Mandela.
In both locations, there are several “illegal” settlements where, as previously mentioned, displaced families from other regions of Colombia as well as those living in extreme poverty live.
Typically, these marginalized slums–often called “Invasiones” (Spanish for invasion or illegal occupation)–are located in the outskirts of the city and thus are lacking in the basic needs such as domestic drinking water, natural gas, sewage, and wastewater disposal. Very often, these communities do not have paved roads and only a few places have electricity. Additionally, gangs and drugs are also common in these communities.
Teenage pregnancy and prostitution is always present in these communities.
Hope in the Dark’s targeted population sector includes:
1. Children ages 6-15 living in vulnerable economic and social conditions.
2. The parents of these children, who in most cases, are single mothers.
Mission, Vision, and Guiding Principles
Hope in the Dark will not incur any debts, but will only work with the resources that are available and funds that have been raised. This is responsible stewardship of the money given to us.