Puente del Pueblo

Several years ago God gave us a vision for some new ministry initiatives in West Chicago. In September 2008, the dream became a reality. That was when WBC and Iglesia del Pueblo embarked on a three-year ministry pilot program, Puente del Pueblo, based out of the Timber Lake Apartment Complex in West Chicago. We invite you to be part of this important ministry.

The success of this ministry, of our bridge building, depends upon volunteers, people who know God's grace, love and justice and are eager to share it.

What is Puente del Pueblo?

Puente del Pueblo (PdP) literally means, "Bridge of the People" and it reflects our vision of people reaching out to people in the community. An outreach of Wheaton Bible Church and Iglesia del Pueblo, in partnership with Outreach Community Ministries, PdP aims to serve the residents of the Timber Lake Apartments (formerly Westwood) of West Chicago. The goal is to build a strong sense of community by assisting people in making changes that benefit their personal, family and community lives. PdP does this through case management services for families and an after school program for children, Puente del Nino, at Wegner Elementary School.

Our Local Impact Team spent eight months learning what the needs were in West Chicago and praying about how WBC might be able to build bridges of love and compassion into the community. We believe the Lord led us to this answer. Puente del Pueblo enables both our English- and Spanish-speaking congregations to share God's grace, love and justice with the people in our own neighborhood. Puente is focused around two important missions: reaching children and reaching adults.

Timber Lake (formerly Westwood) is just three miles from WBC!

View Puente del Pueblo in a larger map

After-School Program for Children

In the fall of 2008, we started an after-school program in Wegner Elementary School, adjacent to Timber Lake (formerly Westwood). One full-time teacher and two part-time teachers run the program, and it is supplemented with volunteers from WBC and Iglesia del Pueblo.

ESL Classes at Timberlake

What would it mean to Hispanic or Middle Eastern immigrants to be able to fluently communicate in English? Everyday transactions would be simplified, workplace instructions would be clarified, private medical and legal conversations could take place without assistance, and in emergencies—when no translator is nearby—vital information could be communicated accurately. For some of our neighbors in the Timber Lake Apartments, the ability to read and speak English would empower them to function independently in a culture where English is the primary language of business and government.

For that reason, the need for ESL (English as a Second Language) classes at Timber Lake has long been dramatically clear—with members of nearly 100 households signing up for the instruction even before plans to offer the ESL classes were finalized. For one Spanish-speaking husband and father, learning how to read and speak English would change his entire outlook on the future. “Yo sería un vencedor,” he told a Puente staff member. Translation: “I would be a conqueror.”Another saw English proficiency as a key step on the path to U.S. citizenship. For still others, it would be the end of miscommunication through translators and misunderstood messages at work. ESL Is Up and Running!

Today, thanks to a partnership with Literacy DuPage, our North Avenue neighbor Community Fellowship Church—and an outpouring of volunteers—ESL students are meeting weekly, in groups of one to three, with a newly trained ESL tutor. When the volunteers stepped forward to serve as tutors, most of them were raw recruits. In fact, being an ESL tutor requires no special background in education or language studies. But thanks to their willingness to participate in a six-session training program taught on Sunday afternoons, they are now fully certified tutors—and nearly 25 teacher learner groups are meeting each week! “I am delighted to say our facility is getting maxed out as we use every bit of space to accommodate our learning groups!” said Puente del Pueblo Director Matthew McNiel. “It has been a joy to see the tutors’ enthusiasm and courage. The students are so eager for knowledge! We have never advertised this program in the community, but even so, new prospective learners approach us every week.

Compassion Care for Families

Timber Lake is the largest apartment complex in West Chicago and located just three miles from our church campus. It is the home of 2,000 tenants. Ninety percent of those tenants are immigrants from Mexico. They are families struggling to make ends meet. They are children trying to navigate a new culture and education system. They are people who desperately need relationships with people who will love them. Most importantly, they need to have a relationship with Jesus.

"The people in Timber Lake Apartments have already expressed so much interest and need for the services our fledgling ministry is offering," Puente del Pueblo Director Matthew McNeil says. "The community has already given us feedback on case management services to develop in the future. Local educators have affirmed the goals and outcomes of our after-school program. Early indications such as these convince me that God has connected Puente del Pueblo with the right people in the right place at the right time. At Puente I sense Christ working through us with passion and tenderness."

There is a waiting list for the after-school program because it has been so well received by the community. We hope to open up another classroom within the next couple of months. Word is spreading about this ministry and every day people are coming to the Puente del Pueblo offices for help. Our staff and volunteers are caring for and ministering to these individuals and families.

Praise God for His Provision

It is no coincidence Wheaton Bible Church started a Hispanic ministry years ago and watched it grow to more than 450 attendees every week. It is not pure luck Wheaton Bible Church purchased land in West Chicago 10 years ago and just completed an amazing campus on the land. It could not have been just smart planning to hire two pastors to start planning local outreach into the community. God has had a mission, and He has brought all of this together for His glory.

What Can I Do?

Pray: This is one way anyone can be involved in supporting PdP. Pray for the volunteers, the people being served and for God's sovereignty in every aspect of the ministry.
Serve: This ministry would not be possible without many volunteers to help care for and minister to these families. Consider giving of your time to help with the after school program, transportation to WBC or with compassion care for families. Contact , 630.876.6684, to volunteer.
Give: We are asking God to provide this ministry with a little more than $200,000 needed to transform this community in 2011. Ask God to prepare your heart and the hearts of others to be part of giving to this goal.