Purpose:

We believe that God wants to raise up a group of young men to be loving husbands and fathers, respected leaders, and godly men, who can break cycles of abuse – and absence of biblical family values – related to poverty in the village of Buena Vista, Guatemala.

Our purpose is to mold boys into young men that will lead their future families, and entire community, in a new direction – towards following Jesus, loving and providing for their families, and serving one another.  

The goal is long-term.   This is a completely different approach than other ministries we are overseeing.  For example, the 12x12 Love Project builds home for homeless families.  While the relational aspects are long-term, we are able to bless the families with a new home and see that impact immediately.  With the Boys Academy, the idea is to work for a long period of time – years – teaching, encouraging, and loving on these boys, with hope that their future families, and next generations, reap the benefit.

Vision:

After living and working in this community for some time, the trend among men has become obvious.  While there are exceptions, the overwhelming majority of the men are abusive, alcoholics, absent, or a combination of the three.  In general, their women are considered their property, and their kids are often wandering the streets all day, if not working the equivalent of a full time job.  As a result, the girls grow into women who accept abuse, abandonment, and unfaithfulness as “normal.”  And the boys… they grow up to be exactly like their dads.  It’s a cycle that has repeated itself for generations.

The primary emphasis of this project is to help lead the boys of Buena Vista towards adulthood having seen that there is another way.  The vision that God has led us to is to use a highly competitive sports program and intense training as the primary means to this end.  However, while sports programs and other areas of emphasis will be used to engage and provide opportunities, it is critically important to give the boys a daily example.  An example of men who are following Jesus, who love and respect their wives and children, and who display integrity, discipline, and values.  Our vision is based on the concept that boys learn how to be men by example.  The end-goal rests on the hope that these boys grow up seeing examples of godly men, husbands, and fathers that they will seek to one day become.

While providing educational training, life training, vocational training, and intensive sports training, our deeper purpose is engage into the daily lives of these boys.  Behind their tough attitudes and thick skin there is much brokenness.  Their lives are not easy.  In the midst of all the programs and hard work within the BVSA daily schedule, our greater task is to shape these young men into new creatures - lovers of Jesus and of people - and lead them the Hope that will never let them down.