Storyteller Series - A Student's Perspective
Families that live in extreme poverty often see school as an impossible cost. Even public school carries costs, including books, uniforms, and transportation. Because parents have not experienced the increases in earning, quality of life, and personal dignity that come from education, they don’t know what they are missing by pulling a child out of school to work instead.
This is why it’s a cycle: children who grow up without education are less likely to send their own children to school.
By providing a generation of Guatemalans with a quality education, we hope to replace a vicious cycle with a virtuous one.
Here is what this looks like in reality: (names and distinguishing characteristics have been changed to protect the child’s identity)
Matías and his siblings came to Casa Bernabé about 4 years ago. Shortly after arriving, he entered 2nd Grade at Casa Bernabé Christian School. The average age for this grade is 8 years old, and he was 11 years old at the time.
Prior to coming to Casa Bernabé, he had been at another children’s home in Guatemala. It was there that he was able to first begin studying. He completed 1st grade that year. Prior to that, he had been living with his single mother and has a story like so many other children in Guatemala. Living with his siblings in a state of extreme neglect, his mother had never enrolled them in school.
All of our children at Casa Bernabe must attend the Casa Bernabe Christian School. However, Matías is a very enthusiastic student and was excited to be able to continue to go to school at Casa Bernabe.
The National Education Ministry in Guatemala has developed a program, Adult Education Program by Correspondence (PEAC,) to come alongside students who are over-aged at the primary level. This program is specifically aimed at young people and adults who for various reasons could not finish their primary education. It is an accelerated education program that allows students to complete their studies in two stages (two years) through the development of productivity-oriented skills.
In 2019, the National Education Ministry officially authorized the program to be implemented in Colegio Cristiano Casa Bernabé. This gave Matías the opportunity to make up for the lost years of studying during his childhood.
This means that for the first time in his life, Matías is able to study with students within the same age range as him. He is a young man dedicated in his studies and has set a goal to obtain good grades and continue to grow in his studies!
As he dreams of his future and sets goals for himself, you can see how his education and love of Jesus are forming a solid foundation for him to go out into the world and make a difference.
These are the goals he has set for himself.
· Graduate Middle School with good grades.
· Study “Bachillerato en Computación” (A High School level Diploma with studies focused on Computer skills) and graduate with good grades.
· He would like to go to Medical School because he likes to help people and see them healthy and well.
· He would very much like to be able to travel to other countries as a missionary, share the message of salvation and support poorer countries.
When asked what he would like to share with you, this is what Matías had to say:
“When I was little I did not have an opportunity to study. I suddenly entered First Grade and discovered that I had huge desire to learn and study. Today I am in Middle School with a passion to continue learning to reach all my goals and dreams!”
Instead of poverty sowing seeds for still more poverty, education today will create an environment that leads to opportunities and education for successive generations as well.
Instead of leaving school to work, children will have the chance to raise their income, engage their intellectual curiosity, and live in a more stable society.
Will you partner with us in changing a child's life through the gift of an education?
We are in need of education sponsors for our Casa Bernabé kids and the children we work with in the community. Your monthly sponsorship will help interrupt the poverty cycle in this generation of children.
