Education & Empowerment

   For the past eight months, I have been working with our Adopt-a-Student program. This is a child sponsorship program designed to empower children and youth to achieve their dreams and passions by removing barriers that prevent education and to open doors for higher education.

   I have been so encouraged to see how this program is giving children the opportunity to receive consistent education and to dream for their futures. I have seen so many success stories come from our Adopt-a-Student program.
   This month, as Nicaragua is celebrating their independence day, they are celebrating the top students in each class. I was so proud to see so many of our students included among the top of their class (like Marileyssi and Jespin Vega pictured right). There were huge celebrations September 14-15th filled with parades, marching band presentations, and celebrating the top students from each class.
   Many students here in Candelaria are constantly in and out of school depending on whether or not their parents can afford the school supplies and uniforms that they need. Our Adopt-a-Student program covers the costs associated with their school allowing students to consistently receive education. This program also provides free medical and dental care for students who are sponsored. We are still looking for additional sponsors. For only $25/month, you can help a student achieve their dreams!

   In other news… WE'RE EXPANDING! Our Adopt-a-Student program is expanding to include the children from two of our outreach villages: La Isla and Nuevo Amanecer.

  La Isla is a tiny village located deep in the sugar cane fields. It is known as the "village of widows" because so many of the men have passed away from renal failure. Renal failure is the most common cause of death in our area of Nicaragua. This is due to a combination of dietary and work-related factors. Pinnacle Church in North Carolina sponsors our church in La Isla. They are searching sponsors for the eight children there in La Isla (pictured left with their new school supplies). The children are so sweet and more shy than the kids here in Candelaria. They were so excited to receive their school supplies.

   We are also going to begin expanding to Nuevo Amanecer. This is our newest outreach village. We began working in Nuevo Amanecer last August after the gang riots. This village is known as the "Village of Gangs"; it is a village filled with drug use and gang violence. We have a small church plant in the middle of the village. Pastor Bismark, who has been working with the church plant there, asked me if we could expand our program to include the children at Nuevo Amanecer.  Many of the children are extremely impoverished, malnourished, and in need of help in order to attend school (some of the children pictured right). Next week I will begin visiting homes along with the Sunday school teachers in order to collect information on all of the children's family situations, school, and future dreams. Please consider helping us to empower the children in Nuevo Amanecer to rise above the poverty and to have a future free from drugs and violence.

  I love to see the way that the Lord is moving in the midst of this program! Please consider joining with us and sponsoring a student for only $25/month. Email me (link on the left side of this page) if you would like to choose a student to sponsor.