Beth Guckenberger is in Bloomington, Ind., speaking to a group of several hundred college students packed into a lecture hall at her alma mater, Indiana University. Beth earned her B.A. in education from the university and makes a point to accept speaking engagements there whenever she can.
At first glance, Guckenberger’s pace may seem relentless. In addition to helping head up
Back2Back Ministries, an international orphan care organization based in Mason, she travels internationally for weeks at a time, regularly headlines national conferences and is preparing to release her seventh book later this year — all while juggling the responsibilities of a large family. She admits she’s still learning to say no when necessary.
Yet somehow Guckenberger has the rare ability to be fully present in the moment, wherever that may be. There are no quick glances at her phone during a conversation. Whether speaking to a child at her organization’s after-school program, or to a girl she’s mentoring or to a packed arena, she is fully engaged.
It doesn’t always come easy, she confesses, but she works diligently to be fully present in each moment. And tonight, in a crowded hall in Bloomington, it’s no different.
Around the room, students silence their phones and slide them into their pockets and purses. A few lean forward in their seats. There is a sense of expectancy. All eyes are on the guest speaker.
Guckenberger shares three stories from her experience serving orphans and at-risk kids around the world. She speaks softly, yet her steady voice commands attention. She exudes a warmth and kindness that’s instantly endearing.
Cincinnati natives Todd and Beth Guckenberger founded Back2Back in 1997 to provide holistic care to orphans in Monterrey, Mexico. The organization quickly gained traction among schools, businesses, churches and families who were eager for a meaningful opportunity to participate in international service.
Guckenberger peels back the curtain on her life and shares lessons from her personal struggles and missteps with a brand of vulnerability, especially appealing to students raised on social media and reality television. Ultimately, she challenges the students to push beyond what they think they’re capable of doing in order to make an impact in their community.
“Each of you has something invaluable to offer,” Guckenberger tells the IU students. “You just need to figure out how to meet a need around you with your unique set of skills. No matter how you think you might have failed, it is never too late. Your story isn’t over yet.”
For the students and adults who have volunteered with Back2Back Ministries, their experiences were deeply personal and inspirational. Several referred to it as a turning point that shifted the trajectory of their life, heightening their awareness of need in their own community.
‘Any adult can be a mentor or cheerleader for a child’
Caitlyn Snyder remembers the summer of 2010, when she first volunteered at a Back2Back-supported orphanage in Monterrey. That’s where she met Lola, Alex and Daniela and realized that, while statistics might ring hollow, it’s difficult to remain unmoved once you’ve learned the names and faces behind a crisis.
Snyder gained a firsthand look at the unique challenges facing orphans. She also saw the profound impact that intervention of advocacy can have in the life of a child. By the time she boarded her flight home, Snyder was committed to somehow become a part of the solution.
“Serving with Back2Back internationally changed the face of the orphan and vulnerable children for me,” she says. “I became more convinced of the role that each individual can play in caring for vulnerable children. Any adult can be a mentor or a cheerleader for a child, even if they can't serve as the child's parent.”
Today, Snyder works at a local adoption agency advocating for orphaned children. She considers her experience serving with Back2Back a stepping stone in her journey and credits it with opening her up to new possibilities to advocate for vulnerable children in her own community.
Erin Schmerr shares a similar story to Snyder's. When she was 14, Schmerr first served with Back2Back on a service trip led by her high school,
Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy.
“It would be an understatement to say that my entire life shifted after my first day serving with Back2Back,” Schmerr says. “When I saw the children’s faces and held their hands, it completely changed me. I was awakened to the fact that I had the ability to make a difference. I learned that I could give love to people who needed love, that my life had purpose and that service was joy.”
In the weeks leading up to her trip, Schmerr faced criticism from friends who felt that the money she’d spend traveling to Mexico could be better used by donating directly to the organization. While some observers might question the value of participation in short-term service projects, Schmerr remains convinced that the ripple effect of the trip far outweighed the financial investment.
“Serving internationally with Back2Back created a lifelong advocate who is passionate about orphan care,” she says. “It created someone who has spent years teaching students about service and how to make an impact. My experience with Back2Back sparked a dedication to making the world a better place. I don’t know that I would be the person I am today or would care about the things I do if I had never seen the faces and made the relationships with the children I met 19 years ago.”
Schmerr returned to Back2Back’s Mexico sites several times before eventually pursuing a degree in social work. After college, she landed her first job at an after-school program in Price Hill, providing a safe place for at-risk kids.
She later worked in local high schools as a Student Organized Service Coach, teaching students how to lead their own service projects, inspire others and educate their community. Today, she continues to advocate for at-risk children as an instructional aide at an elementary school.
International volunteers return home to serve
Amy Tuell has served with Back2Back on multiple service projects. She says that her heart was captured for vulnerable children while volunteering in Mexico.
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Amy Tuell“You don’t need to go anywhere special,” Tuell says. “You can help others wherever you are.”
That’s exactly what she resolved to do when she returned home and left her job of 28 years. Friends said that she was crazy, but she said she’d never been more sure of herself.
Tuell took the leap to nonprofit work with
Safe Families of Cincinnati, an organization that provides voluntary respite care for families in crisis, and still works there today.
Social worker Hope Bertke grew up going on regular service trips with her family, forging lasting friendships with children in the orphanages, many of whom were close to her age. She discovered she felt most alive when she was helping others and building relationships.
“Serving with Back2Back directly impacted my decision to become a social worker,” Bertke says. “Through volunteering internationally, my compassion grew and at an early age, I was aware that I wanted to work with people. I realized a career in social work would allow me to really make a difference.”
The organization’s mission remains the same today, but its footprint has grown considerably over 20 years. With locations across India, Haiti, Mexico and Nigeria, and more than 1,500 volunteers each year, Back2Back has expanded at a breakneck speed.
Now, a team of 40 staff in the U.S. headquarters head up the organization’s operations arm, coordinating local volunteers who travel from Cincinnati each year to serve with Back2Back around the globe. They also offer operational support for 200 on-the-ground staff carrying out the day-to-day mission of improving the lives of orphans.
Through Back2Back’s student service trips, schools like Miami University, Sycamore High School, Roger Bacon and Kings High School are getting involved. The schools’ goal is usually to expand their teens’ horizons through a week of intense service that’s free from the distractions of texting and social media.
What the schools typically find is that students come back with stronger bonds with their friends and a newfound desire to serve locally across Greater Cincinnati. Some dive into volunteer opportunities at organizations like
Hands Against Hunger,
Matthew 25 or
City Cure. Others — like Snyder, Schmerr, Tuell and Bertke — find themselves pursuing professions such as social work or education in order to improve children’s lives.
Guckenberger exits the stage in Bloomington and the lights rise, signaling the end of the event. Students gather their bags and shuffle toward the door. A handful of people linger at the front of the auditorium, hoping for a chance to chat with Guckenberger and thank her for her encouragement.
Sarah, an education major, pulls Guckenberger aside. That night, for the first time, she begins to believe that maybe she has something valuable to offer to make a difference in her community.
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