"Reparando"

CRWM Missionary in Guatemala, Joel Van Dyke, on "Reparando"

"Reparando" is a documentary rooted in the Guatemalan historical context that follows the lives and ministries of two members of the Estrategia de Transformacion (EdT), or Strategy of Transformation in English, network in Guatemala City. The film is framed around the micro-enterprise work of a woman who works in the Garbage Dump (the ministry she gets her loan from is another member of our EdT network) who is affectionately known as the "doll lady."  She buys discarded parts of destroyed and mutilated dolls from the landfill and then carefully and meticulously washes, restores, redeems and "repairs" them (hence the name "reparando") which frames the Gospel metaphor for the film. This metaphor of scandalous but beautiful grace is woven in, out and through the stories of two absolutely amazing leaders from our EdT network whose lives and ministries during the course of the film project have formed into a strategic alliance of work in the largest slum in Central America. It has been two and a half years in the making and it is a thrill to finally see it come out into the light of day.

Strategy of Transformation

The situation of the younger generation in Latin America is critical, with thousands of young people participating in violent street gangs and others prisoners of grinding poverty, homelessness, alcoholism, drugs and the effects of sexual promiscuity. The Strategy of Transformation is a leadership training program designed to mobilize a new generation of grassroots leaders participating in the transformation of their communities by serving the least, last and the lost of their respective cities and nations.  Read more...

Host the Film

"Reparando" was filmed and produced by Athentikos, a creative media organization created to tell culturally authentic stories of inspiration. To host a showing in your church or a local theater, or to promote the film, contact Paul Dekker. Why should you host it? No one says it better than CRWM missionary in Guatemala, Joel Van Dyke. Watch this brief video of Joel talking about Reparando and Athentikos. 

What are other people saying about Reparando?

• You can't sit back, enjoy this film, and then go home thinking all is well in your city and community. -- Suler
• While watching Reparando, there comes a point when the viewer is no longer seeing a film about a dump and the people who live there. The film transcends beyond its subjects and opens a window into the deep mystery of God’s amazing love for a sin-stained world. The viewer of Reparando may not live in the dump, but he is nevertheless broken by the same dirty sin and is in need of redemption, of reparation through Jesus Christ. I was moved to tears as I watched, not because the subject made me sad, but because I had an encounter with the God who rescued me. -- Nathan
• After seeing Reparando, I felt inspired to get up and get moving. -- Rindy
• Watching Tita and Shorty give of themselves in such a simple, unconditional way inspired me to do the same in my life. -- Manda