OUR NEIGHBORS

guatemala

Guatemala is a poor country in Central America. Guatemala struggles with a variety of issues including infant, child and maternal morality, nutrition and literacy. In addition, Guatemala struggles with huge disparities in wealth distribution with more than half the population living below the countries poverty line. Since 2011, AIM, though its Guatemala Outreach! Team, has sent teams of volunteers to Guatemala each summer to work with local villagers to improve the conditions under which they live. In the past these teams have worked with local villagers in building housing, installing safe and efficient stoves, building latrines and installing a water distribution system.

POLAND

Poland is a country with one of the strongest Christian heritages in Europe. Despite this fact, Christianity has slowly began to fade in Poland with the influx of western influences following the end of the Cold War. Since 2006 AIM, through its Poland Day Camp Outreach Team, has sent multi-generational teams to Poland to work with local churches to host annual English as a Foreign Language/Vacation Bible Day Camps for kids ages 7 to 15. At these Day Camps, kids have an opportuntity to practice their conversational English and learn about God through Bible lessons, songs, skits, crafts and other activities.

LOGAN TOWN OUTREACH

Liberia is a country with a history of civil war and political unrest. From its begins as a colony of repatrioted slaves from the United States to its decade long civil war during the 1990s, Liberia has seen its share of turmoil and the after effects of such turmoil, including poverty, homelessness and destitute and abandoned children. Since 2005, Logan Town Outreach has worked with the Janet T. Toe Orphanage Home in Monrovia, Liberia to provide for the basic needs of the destitute and abandoned children in Monrovia's Logan Town neighborhood and to provide hope for the residents of Logan Town.

CHRISTMAS ON THE RESERVATION

Each Christmas CRYP collects Letters to Santa from the kids who participate in its children and youth programming. These letters are then sent to schools and other organizations around the country who work with CRYP to try to make these kids' Christmas wishes become true. Since 2009, AIM, through its Friends of Lakota Youth Team, fulfills the Christmas wishes of 600 to 700 of these kids by collecting the items mentioned in their Letters to Santa and shipping them to CRYP for delivery to the kids before Christmas.

SOUTH DAKOTA

The indian reservations of South Dakota are some of the poorest places in the United States. At the same time, the indominable spirit of the native people on these reservations stands as a testament to their will to survive and succeed despite the physical poverty that surrounds them. Since 2003 AIM, though its SWAMP-IN Team, has worked with the Cheyenne River Youth Project (CRYP) (a native run organization) to serve the needs of the people of the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation by sending multi-generational teams to the Reservation each year to assist CRYP in serving the children, teenagers and families of the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation. Since 2008 AIM, through its Lakota Light Team, has worked with the Blackbear family to serve the needs of the people of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation by sending multi-generational teams to work, play and share life with the families on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

SHOES & HOPE

Access to clean water, hygiene, sanitation and nutrition are a constant challenge for many people in the developing world. AIM, through its Shoes & Hope Team, works with communities in the developing world to address these challenges. By building lasting relationships with these communities and supporting community initiated, sustainable development, we are able to teach and encourage the people in these communities to use their gifts, resources and abilities to contribute to their own success.