One Collective

May the way we live point people toward hope and kindness 🌞

Meet Phil and Debbie
For decades, Phil and Debbie Douce have lived with one conviction: people don’t change because they are told what to do — they change when they feel safe enough to be known.
Their story stretches from foster care homes in Missouri, where over 250 children passed through their doors, to the streets of Quito, Ecuador, where they sat weekly with boys living on the margins and later walked with girls trapped in exploitation.
They didn’t start with programs. They started with presence. Pizza nights turned into relationships. Relationships turned into homes. And over time, homes became places where healing could begin.
Their approach was never about scale — it was about staying. Staying when it’s hard. Staying when change is slow. Staying long enough for trust to take root.
Because in the end, transformation doesn’t come from efficiency. It comes from love that refuses to leave.

Read their full story here: https://hubs.li/Q04gwyr30

Today we’re celebrating the incredible mothers in our communities around the world 💛
So many of these women carry so much—showing up every day with strength, love, and resilience for their families. Their stories may look different, but their impact is deeply felt.
We’re so grateful for each of them. Happy Mother’s Day 💐

Today, we join together in prayer — for our communities, our neighbors, and people around the world.

Prayer connects us across cultures and languages. May we continue to pray with compassion, listen with humility, and stand alongside those seeking hope, peace and restoration. 🤍

In Quito, Ecuador, Casa Gabriel provides a home and holistic training for young men coming off the streets — equipping them with faith, education, and practical life skills.
We are launching a secondhand store and transportation service to create employment and long-term sustainability for this proven ministry.
$25,000 recoverable investment
• 7 jobs created
• 270 lives directly impacted
• Capital recycled by 2028
This is an opportunity to catalyze both spiritual restoration and economic resilience.
Learn more here! https://hubs.li/Q04frJ_s0

To start your week, here’s another powerful story you should read.
In a small South Asian community, local leaders are partnering with us to unlock lasting transformation — from poverty to purpose, and from barriers to opportunity. This isn’t charity — it’s sustainable change rooted in innovation, community ownership, and real human connection.
👉 Curious how beekeeping, education access, and community-led solutions are reshaping lives?

Read the full story here:

Innovative Solutions that Create Lasting Change — One Collective In a rural South Asian community trapped in cycles of poverty, a bold vision and a simple idea are transforming lives. With your support, local leaders are creating jobs, restoring hope, and uniting people of different faiths through the ways of Jesus.

What does leadership look like when you choose not to be the hero?
In Episode 38 of the Lasting Change Podcast, Scott talks with Hector Chavez De La Rosa about a leadership approach rooted in humility, local ownership, and coming alongside others in meaningful ways.
Hector shares the concept of being a “window and a mirror” - helping people see new possibilities while reflecting hope in a way that feels attainable. His story, shaped by hardship, military service, and strong mentorship, highlights a powerful truth: lasting change happens when communities are equipped and empowered to lead themselves.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How to lead without being the hero and still create real change
- Why local ownership is the goal of sustainable leadership
- How to be a “window and a mirror” for others in your community

🎧 Listen to Episode 38 and reflect on your own leadership approach: https://hubs.li/Q049fP7t0

#38: How to Lead Without Being the Hero — One Collective When Pradeep, catalyst in northern India empowered one local beekeeper, it created jobs, and opened hearts for spiritual transformation. 

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” 🌱

Today we celebrate Earth Day by remembering our role as caretakers of creation and neighbors to the world around us.
Small acts of care can make a big impact. 🌎