We piled into our touring van with our experienced Honduran driver and headed to the poorest areas in the hills overlooking Tegucigalpa where we visited 3 of the public schools. Children usually only attend school to Grade 6 (if they attend at all) after which many are sent to work out on the streets to earn a living. Schools of Hope works with the public schools to provide educational materials and supplies, equipment and "the Gospel Message in cooperation with the teachers to complete a well-rounded educational experience". If you want more information on Schools of Hope CLICK HERE to be directed to their website.
We were blessed today as the Director of each school took us on a tour because of the relationship Judy and Randy have built with the Directors, teachers and schools.
The first school we visited put on a show for us with the children performing a traditional dance. These are 2 very short video clips. You will need to turn on or turn up the volume on your computer for best viewing.
Parents volunteer at the school. In this case the parents are clearing land to build a new play and meeting area. The land is mostly rock, no topsoil, and hard as a rock. Most of it looks like dried up river beds in Newfoundland. The work is certainly not easy.
I am amazed at how happy the children are! Each classroom today gave us a huge welcome. We all felt like royalty.
The sign on the second school we visited was made with recycled drink bottle caps.
It was a privelidge and an honor to pray with the Director for provision of supplies and more teachers.
Some of the work performed on and around the school is done by men and women of all ages.
At the third school, we had the opportunity to meet in a small group with the Director and the Teachers for the morning session. When asked what was priority on their "wish list" they asked for more Bible teaching for the children. The teachers have found that the children have become better students and citizens since the Gospel has been introduced to the school. They are also looking for more student desks, Bibles and other things on a more extensive list which they have shared with Judy and Randy but Bible teaching was on the top of the list.
Notice the Newfoundland flag on the wall. There is a church in Triton, Newfoundland who annually sponsor the school with Short Term Mission Trips.
Victor, the Bible Studies teacher, works for the 3 schools 6 days a week. The teachers want him at their schools all day every day! He is studying English himself but feels he will have more time to allot to teaching Bible Studies after April!
This is the playground!!
These are a few of my favorite pictures from the day!
Again, I took far too many pictures to be able to share within the Blog but to view the pictures in a Picasa Web Album just CLICK HERE . You do not need anything special nor do you have to sign up for anything to view the album. You should be able to play the pictures in an automatic slideshow as well.
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