Heather MacKnee
Category: Career Missionary
Project: Candelero Street Kids
Personal Journey | Heather became a Christian at age 5 in Sunday school and later, with the help of her parents, dedicated her life to God. In 1989 she spent six weeks helping with a Youth Centre project in Bolivia where she also visited a school in need of a music teacher. In 1991 she began teaching music and working with youth groups in Santa Cruz. In 1998 Heather began working in Tarija carrying out friendship evangelism through music, sports, and El Candelero Coffee House ministry. Heather joined the EFCCM (now ServeBeyond) in 2001.
Current Ministry | Since 2004, Heather has given leadership to the Street Kid’s ministry, Candelero Kids, which helps meet the spiritual and physical needs of poverty stricken kids who come from dysfunctional homes and who need much direction and love. In 2008, she and her staff of 5 Bolivians were able to rent a house to use as a Support Center, and they continue to show God’s love to the kids, ages 6 – 18, who come for up to 8 hours a day by providing them with Christ’s love and training, fun activities and a nutritious meal. In 2011, their ministry expanded by opening a Boy’s Home for abandoned boys, ages 7 – 20, outside of the city, and in 2013, they moved into their own Home in another rural area. Presently, there are a total of 11 teenage boys/ young men who are living there and who are being guided to trust and follow Jesus Christ.
