Arkansas
Fuerza Transformadora hosts first-ever youth retreat – Arkansas Catholic – July 6, 2022
Almost 90 teenagers attend Hispanic retreat that enables them to voice emotions, anxieties
courtesy of Serio Torres
Almost 90 youngsters, ages 13 to 17, got here from everywhere in the state in addition to a from Louisiana and Tennessee for the first-ever youth retreat Could 27-29 hosted by Fuerza Transformadora.
When one teenage boy walked into the first-ever youth retreat hosted by Fuerza Transformadora Could 27, chief Serio Torres stated the younger man was hostile.
“There was this child who stated, ‘I don’t imagine in God. I don’t wish to know something about God.’ That’s when he got here on Friday,” Torres stated.
By Saturday, he was laughing and hanging out together with his fellow retreatants. On Sunday, the teenager shared a sworn statement about how a lot he cherished the “Remodeling Pressure” retreat.
“After Mass he was ready for me exterior, and he stated, ‘I wish to say one thing.’ ‘OK, inform me.’ He stated, ‘I wish to ask for forgiveness about what I stated after I got here to the retreat. As a result of I did not know what I used to be saying and now I do know that Jesus does exist,’” Torres shared, including he stated he’d be attending the following retreat this summer season. “He stated, ‘I wish to study extra about Jesus and assist others.”
“Since its founding in 2006, Torres has led Fuerza Transformadora, which ministers to individuals who battle with habit and violence, to find out how God can change their lives.”
He was one among 89 youngsters, ages 13 to 17, who got here from everywhere in the state in addition to a handful from Louisiana and Tennessee, to attend an Hispanic youth retreat targeted on sharing about their struggles and listening classes led by Torres.
Since its founding in 2006, Torres has led Fuerza Transformadora, which ministers to individuals who battle with habit and violence, to find out how God can change their lives. At the moment, there are six retreats every year, in addition to weekly conferences in Rogers, Springdale, Conway, Little Rock, Texarkana, Hope and De Queen. A big part of the ministry on the time was outreach to gang members, a life Torres knew properly as a former gang chief in California. He discovered Jesus’ presence after a launch from a Rogers jail that modified his life.
Immediately, Torres stated not many leaders of the Fuerza Transformadora teams within the state perceive the way to minister to gang members. The group pivoted to deal with individuals who battle with addictions and violence.
Because of a $50,000 grant, Torres is making a youth part to Fuerza Transformadora. There can be retreats and a gaggle of Hispanic teenagers in Holy Spirit Church in Hamburg started assembly weekly June 15.
For the reason that COVID-19 pandemic started, Torres stated he’s acquired calls from dad and mom about suicide makes an attempt, despair, medication and gender idenity struggles.
“A number of the youngsters are feeling lonely, they’re feeling lonely of their homes. They will’t exit, they’ve to remain at their homes and a few of them began utilizing medication,” in the course of the peak of pandemic isolation, Torres stated. “Despair; a few of them began considering they have been going to die due to COVID-19. And the dad and mom didn’t know what to do, so the one factor they stated was ‘Let’s go to church.’ And a few of them don’t know something about church.”
The weekend retreat, held at Camp Beaverfork in Conway, consisted of actions, reward and worship, Mass on the camp by Father Tony Robbins, pastor of St. Joseph Church in Conway, and Mass the ultimate day at St. Joseph on the midday Spanish Mass, in addition to testimonies from retreatants. Price was $90 per individual.
Torres led all of the talks, which included his personal private story and discussions concerning the seven lethal sins. Torres stated the retreat was completely different from different youth choices as a result of they waited till the ultimate day to debate how Jesus walks with them on their journey.
Valeria Mares, 14, a parishioner at St. Theresa Church in Little Rock, who will attend Mount St. Mary Academy this fall, stated she attended the retreat as a result of her father, newly ordained Deacon Juan Mares, really helpful it. She stated this retreat was completely different in that the leaders spoke on their degree and gave them an area to debate their struggles in an sincere method. Mares stated, from her perspective, culturally, “Hispanic or Mexican dad and mom do not understand about psychological well being till it’s delivered to their consideration.”
“I’ve struggled with despair and nervousness for a extremely very long time and after (the retreat) I advised my dad and mom I used to be suicidal, it lifted this weight off my chest as a result of I didn’t have to carry onto it any longer. … I used to be scared at first to inform them, however on the finish of the retreat we had a sworn statement half. I made a decision to construct up the braveness although I used to be shaking loads, I went and advised them,” in the course of the testimony, Mares stated. She stated the retreat helped her see how a lot she is cherished.
“We’d not be the richest in cash, however we’re the richest in household bonding,” Mares added.
Torres stated the retreat is an efficient alternative for Hispanic teenagers to learn to hear and share, and convey these instruments residence.
“(Mother and father) say, ‘You must do that’ and that’s why they hate church. They’ve to sit down down with them and listen to what they assume, what are their ideas as a result of from our tradition, the factor is typically your voice does not depend if you wish to say one thing … (it’s) ‘Don’t say that. I’m an grownup,’” Torres stated. Following the retreat, he acquired a name from one mom who thanked him for his work along with her son.
“He advised her ‘You recognize, I discovered this at that retreat. We now have to sit down down and I wish to share one thing. That is what I believe. So what do you assume?’” Torres stated.
The subsequent retreat can be held July 22-24 at St. John Heart in Little Rock. For extra info, electronic mail .
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