The Yáñez Family Website
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About us.
Felipe:
I was born and raised in Santiago, Chile and after some years in the army, left and worked for a Telecommunications company. It was at this time I became a Christian. After a few years I travelled to Birmingham, England where I was involved in mission training and short-term events. This was followed by a year at Capenwray Bible College and a return to Birmingham to work with an inner-city church, St Johns, Sparkhill, in youth and community work. While here I also completed a degree in Youth and Community work with Applied Theology.
During the past 12 years I have been involved in various community and church projects, working alongside many young people from mainly Pakistani, Carribean and African backgrounds. In recent years we have come into more contact with refugees and those seeking asylum. The opportunity then developed to move to Malaga to work with El Centro de Encuentro Cultural where I am involved in teaching Spanish and IT, as well as providing practical support to those we work with. I am also involved in El Centro Biblico, a local church which meets on a Sunday afternoon and whose congregation includes mostly people who have immigrated to this part of the world.
Sarah:
I was born in England but raised in Pakistan where my parents had worked for many years. On returning to the UK in 1991, I studied Occupational Therapy at Oxford Brookes University and then moved to Birmingham. During my time there I, too, was involved in St Johns with homegroups, Alpha and worship leading. On leaving Birmingham in September 2006, we attended Gloucester's Redcliffe College for 8 months, and from there moved to Malaga in May 2007.
In Malaga I in help in El Centro de Encuentro Cultural by teaching English to anything from 1 person to 6-8 over 3 classes, depending on who turns up. I also assist with music at El Centro Biblico, and we host a small-group in our home which has seen 12 people from 11 different countries attend on one evening, with translation into 4 different languages (Spanish, French, Turkish and English).
Sam:
I was born in Birmingham and also attended St Johns church. My best friends names are Caleb and Nicole, and I miss them a lot. I go to a local school here in Malaga and am learning lots of new words and phrases in Spanish. I am also getting to know new friends at the flats where we live and at our church. My favorite activites are running, climbing and talking. I have a new teacher at school and am starting to enjoy drawing and writing letters, which makes Mama very pleased.
Aaron:
I, too, was born in Birmingham and attended St Johns. My best friend is my brother, Sammy, who loves to play with me, especially wrestling with pillows on the bed. One day I want to be able to do all the things he does, but Mama says I'm too small still. I am learning new words all the time and just starting to recognize animal noises as well. Of the 10 or so words I know, about half are in Spanish.