From the Office of the Executive Director

Friends of the Fundación Social El Encuentro,

As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we reflect with gratitude on all the ways that we see God ministering through the Fundación to hundreds of families in our communities, upholding human dignity and making the Gospel visible in an organizationally responsible and professional way.

As a faith-based non-profit organization we have chosen to align ourselves with five of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. In pursuit of these objectives, we have seen encouraging results that that motivate us to continue developing sustainable projects in collaboration with our partners, low-income communities and leadership team.

Our work culture is defined by people who take initiative, are organized, dynamic, transparent, collaborative, results-oriented and dedicated to their work. We are a good place to work, grow and serve, with a loyal work force that is passionate about what they do and driven by the impact they see their work having in the city.

Our work is built upon two main pillars: the Missional Church, the idea that the church should be active in ministering in their community, and Mastermind Programs, the research and development of innovative projects.

Mastermind Programs

The first year of Encountering Peace, our FSE peace program, deepened our relationships with various vulnerable communities and generated new allies in the development of projects that advocate for the family, for peaceful coexistence and for supporting low-resource entrepreneurs. It also opened opportunities to participate in decision-making processes with the national government and the city with regards to religious issues that support the construction of a better society.

Our other Mastermind Program is the Liceo El Encuentro, a Christian elementary, middle and high school that was named the best Christian school in Colombia on Calendar A and ranked 55th overall based on students’ ICFES scores, putting it within the best 20 schools in Bogotá. The Reporte de la excelencia 2016 (2016 Excellence Report) published by the Ministry of National Education generated comprehensive indicators that ranked the Liceo El Encuentro as “muy superior,” or exceptional.

Various graduates have received scholarships to prestigious universities, two of them receiving perfect scores in English on the ICFES exams, a score superior to various schools that are considered bilingual. For the first time, the Liceo El Encuentro participated in the Math Olympics with outstanding results and this last year our first group of students, grades 6th to 10th, participated in a new electronics and robotics lab.

In these programs, we have had the support of more than three hundred volunteers, Christians and non-Christians who participate yearly in diverse ways in support of our mission.

Missional Church

Living out the principles of a Missional Church is one of the most holistic ways that the Christian Church lives out the Gospel. These principles are lived out when the church develops relevant ways to live out the Gospel in their communities, provides spiritual accompaniment to new believers, cares for the vulnerable, offers tangible responses that go beyond a Sunday sermon, and is a prophetic voice proclaiming the Word in every moment of history.

It’s possible for the Christian to embody the Gospel of Christ and make it evident in the way that they live, revealing it to be true and powerful in the way that they approach business, community work, modern ethical challenges, their concepts of family, academics, the realities of their cities, postmodernity, the worship of brands or sports, antireligious movements, and even including their approach to forming Christian leaders with a greater vision for ‘kingdom building.

The goal of the Missional Church is to go beyond inviting people to church. It is being the church in middle of the people, in middle of the city, outside the walls of the church. This makes us visible Christians—living testimonies that are consistent and transformative.

For 13 years, I have been engaged in finding creative ways to make the Missional Church a reality with friends from all over the world. We as friends reflect and preach, but also look for practical ways to respond the new questions that are constantly surfacing in our ever-changing society. We look to present the eternal truths that the Gospel has for humanity in a way that makes them relevant in our present reality.

Next Steps

As pastors, we feel an inherent responsibility to bring peace to our cities and to ensure the well-being of our neighbors. This responsibility translates to a deep commitment to the transformation of families and communities. We pursue this transformation in partnership with other entities in our city that have the same heart and mission to reach people in need. These joint efforts produce an impact in the areas of academics, post conflict reconciliation and leadership development, and always reflect our Christian values.

Today as always, we would like to invite you to unite with us in supporting the efficient construction of our city and the holistic transformation of our communities.

Ps. Dr. Alexander Fajardo S.
Executive Director