Impact Updates from Around the World - September
Take a quick trip around the world with us and catch a glimpse of what God is doing through One Collective communities.
One Collective Leaders gather in Ecuador
Our core strategy at One Collective is the Integrated Community Transformation (ICT) model. Every other year, leaders from across the globe serving with One Collective gather together in person for several days of cross-training and networking which is called the ICT Intensive. This spring the ICT Intensive brought our team of leaders to Quito, Ecuador. The time was rich with connection, learning from each other and spiritual renewal.
“The sense of home I felt among this group of people would be impossible for me to describe. I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn and connect with so many incredible people with huge hearts and even greater faith and vision for what will be. I left encouraged, with many new friends, ideas, and tools and hopeful for how our world is being transformed, one community at a time..” - Hope, Nicaragua
“I loved ICT, It was an enriching time! I felt so encouraged to see how big God is, I felt like I got a glimpse of what God is doing all over the world! To hear about ministries so very different than my own happening in a place very different then Alpine, Yet God is moving so intimately and profoundly in their peoples lives just like the people I get to serve among! It was really incredible and God was so present in it all!” - Christian, Central Asia
Vietnam - Celebrating 5 years of Entrepreneurial Training for NeuroDivergent Young Adults
This past July, the entrepreneurial training center for neurodivergent young adults celebrated five full years of training. We praise God for the growth and impact we have seen. It began in 2020 in a small studio apartment with 5 trainees, 3 partner workplaces and 2 local job coaches. They currently have 16 trainees on-site serving in a coffee shop, 5 trainees in workplace internships, 6 local job coaches and 10+ partner workplaces. This ministry is truly pioneering in Vietnam. They are opening doors of opportunity for neurodiverse young adults where none have exited before.
When Viet (name changed for security) first joined the program, we initially thought he might be non-verbal. He seemed very shy, didn’t smile and barely said a word. We worried that our lively cohort and busy partner workplaces might overwhelm him. We couldn’t have been more wrong. Within months, Viet found his voice—booming, confident, and full of life—and formed close friendships with the very trainees we thought might be too intimidating for him. Today, he works in a local business preparing fresh, healthy food, and rides his bike 40 minutes each week to join our social club at a coffee shop. Now when he walks into the coffee shop, he always has a huge smile across his face and he greets everyone he knows by name with his booming voice!
When we launched in 2020, we prayed for five trainees to get started. One of them, “Linh”, traveled a long way to join our first cohort. Linh is an outgoing young woman with Down syndrome. Her family had always advocated for her inclusion in the community, so after seeing a TV segment about our launch, they eagerly enrolled her. Her older sister “Minh” even volunteered to relocate to our city to help Linh adjust.
Early on, Minh—deeply committed to her Buddhist faith—asked if we could help Linh learn to pray and become a Christian. Surprised, we asked why she didn’t want Linh to practice Buddhism. Minh explained, “Christianity teaches that all humans are created in the image of God and that people like my sister have value and dignity. That’s not a message my faith tradition teaches, so I think it’s a better fit for my sister.” We connected them with a local church and within the year, both sisters came to faith. Minh later said, “At the training center, we saw people live out what they believe—kindness, unconditional love, and following Jesus. That’s the best gift we received on our journey with the training center.”
Chile - A Formal partnership with the Chilean government
This summer, the team in Chile reached a historic milestone in their orphan care ministry for at risk youth—one made possible only by God's faithfulness and goodness. They partner with the Chilean government by collaborating in children’s group homes run directly by the state. Although there have been valid concerns about a faith-based organization working with the government, they’ve rarely encountered individuals who oppose them because of their beliefs. The team is always respectful in how they share their faith, and the Lord has given them great wisdom in approaching this partnership in a way that is transparent and understandable to the government. Over time, their consistent presence and the visible transformation in the lives of the children have spoken for themselves. The government now openly acknowledges that they provide spiritual support—and they recognize it as a necessary component in each child’s developmental journey.
Additionally, their mentorship program has become one of the only relational programs available to at-risk youth. In other words, they’re not a short-term program that offers a service and then leaves. They are a ministry that prioritizes long-term relationships—ones that grow and evolve over time. This meets a deep need for the government, especially for youth who age out of the system and lack a support network. The government has humbly recognized the limits of their reach and has embraced our partnership wholeheartedly.
In June, for the first time, they formally signed a written agreement that outlines each party’s responsibilities. This is a really practical agreement that makes it possible for their program to officially be part of the group homes' care plans. It means they can follow up more intentionally, evaluate and grow the work together—with the hope of expanding the Significant Connectors model not just in Santiago, but eventually across the whole country. The team signed the agreement at one of the group homes, with both regional leadership and group home staff present. The event felt like a celebration—a moment to honor all they have accomplished together and to look forward with excitement about how their work can expand and become more effective over time. The hug shared by Alonso and Marcela Gaele, Regional Director, (picture below) right after the signing, captured the joy and deep sense of commitment behind this partnership.
After the signing the team received a note from a social worker saying:
"I feel deep admiration for you. What you do—with such commitment, love, and a desire to help others—is something that is treasured in the heart. I deeply share your mission and vision, and in the end, love is the feeling that transcends all barriers. I am so grateful to know people like you!"
—Yesenia, Social Worker
These are just a few snapshots of what God is doing across the globe. Thanks so much for reading!
Lindsey Vanzant
Global Giving Advisor
Lindsey serves as the Global Giving Advisor for One Collective, where her primary focus is to coach financial supporters by connecting their goals, experiences and passions to the work God is doing on the front lines in communities where One Collective serves around the world.
Prior to joining One Collective, Lindsey spent 15 years in various business development and account management roles with Rubbermaid Commercial Products where she most recently led the healthcare division. For the past 11 years, Lindsey has led a local ministry support group for young moms with unplanned pregnancies alongside her local church.
Lindsey lives in Indiana with her husband and four children and loves to travel, explore new places, meet new people, cheer on Hoosier basketball, grow flowers, and spend time with family and friends.
