Courageous Leadership: Eyson, Karson, and the New Counseling Program

Eyson and Karson, Dreamers for Mission: Colombia

Eyson and Karson show up every day. In Filandia, Colombia, they run Fundación Pioneros with dedication, patience, and an abundance of faith. Their work isn’t glamorous. It’s steady, practical, and deeply needed in their community. They meet with kids, help families navigate challenges, and create safe spaces where young people can feel seen, heard, and loved.

For the youth they serve, life can be heavy. Broken homes, emotional struggles, and the pressures teens face everywhere collide with limited access to professional support. Self-harm and suicidal ideation are far too common. But Eyson and Karson refuse to let these challenges define the story of their community. They are stepping into God’s call to bring healing and bright futures for the youth of Filandia.

Fundación Pioneros offers a wide range of programs to support youth and families: afterschool tutoring, youth groups, youth and parent small groups, counseling services, youth leadership development, and Sunday School. Each program is designed to nurture the whole person—emotionally, socially, and spiritually.

This January marks a big milestone: Fundación Pioneros is welcoming a full-time psychologist. It may not sound revolutionary at first, but in Filandia, this is huge. Access to mental health care—especially for youth—is scarce, and the support of a trained professional can change countless lives. Village Reach helped make it possible by covering the cost of facility certifications required for the counseling program to run legally and safely.

Eyson and Karson said it best:

“We are super grateful for Village Reach. Just being there for us, to encourage us and celebrate with us. People don’t realize what a huge deal this counseling program is and you guys get it. You’re really there with us. It means a lot.”

This is the power of faithful leadership and partnership. Eyson and Karson’s commitment, combined with support from donors and Village Reach, allows real, tangible change to happen. We’ve loved supporting their young leaders through our annual Youth Leadership Retreat, and this new counseling program is another way we can help them thrive.

Lunch time at the Youth Leadership Retreat

Dreamer Eyson talking with a young leader

Looking ahead, we are exploring a community-serving business venture with our Dreamers. The goal is to help them generate sustainable income to support their programs, and, eventually, purchase their own building for Fundación Pioneros. These steps may seem small, but they’re part of a bigger vision: local leaders equipped, supported, and empowered to serve their communities faithfully.

Eyson and Karson remind us that faithful work—day in, day out—makes a difference. Sometimes courage is as simple as showing up consistently, trusting God, and taking the next right step. And when that faithfulness is combined with practical support, God’s Kingdom grows in ways that reach far beyond what we can see.

Your support makes these stories possible. Every contribution helps leaders like Eyson and Karson bring hope, care, and opportunity to communities that need it most.