At first, there were only one or two moms.
They came to the community center on Saturday afternoons, unsure of what to expect, sometimes hesitant to stay. They often had plenty of reasons not to come: busy schedules, competing needs, the weight of everyday life.
But they stayed. And slowly, something changed. Week after week, they showed up. It started as a small gathering and grew into a committed group of five women. They call it their tardes de café, coffee afternoons, and they rarely miss a Saturday.
The ladies started treating the Saturday gathering as something special, taking time to put on makeup and wear their favorite outfits. They each take a turn bringing coffee and setting the space, knowing they have something to offer. What once felt uncertain has become something they look forward to, something they’ve made entirely their own.
Mindy Mauricio, Back2Back staff, is with them each week, guiding the conversation. There are times they’ve created together through a craft; other times they’ve opened Scripture or talked through themes like relationships, their past, or working to understand God better. Something is always prepared, and most importantly, there is space. Space for questions, for honesty, for connection.
It also became a space that has led to growth. Mindy has witnessed each woman grow in her self-confidence, eagerly engaging and more willing to share. Every Saturday, the women congregate in a space of belonging.
One Saturday, Mindy wasn’t able to be there. In the past, this meant they would just cancel and wait until the following week, but the ladies didn’t want to pause their rhythm; they didn’t want to cancel.
Mindy invited one of the moms, Sophie*, to lead. She prepared questions ahead of time and offered guidance, but ultimately left the discernment up to Sophie as the leader.
And she led well.
Sophie led the conversation and asked questions. She even guided the group through a Bible study. She later sent photos and shared what they had talked about, evidence of something deeper taking root.
And as she shared with Mindy about the day, she heard something new and clear in Sophie’s voice: confidence; ownership; growth. What began as a staff-led gathering is no longer dependent on staff presence, but has become something shared among the women. It’s led from within and is sustainable.
This is the goal – not dependence, but interdependence; a community designed to thrive on support, one that continues to grow because people have grown into who they were made to be.
What started with one or two hesitant voices has become a circle of women who show up, lead, and belong. Even when no one is leading from the front of a room, the circle doesn’t fracture. The women stay, they speak, they carry this community they’ve built forward.
