If there is one child that exemplifies all that we desire for our children, it is Carlos.  He is a living testimony of how the Lord can transform lives if we would just believe in them and give them a chance to shine.  In such a short time we have seen Carlos achieve goals that people thought were unobtainable, such as walking.  However, as Carlos gets older, our next concern for him is his continued education.  He is now at the age where he should be starting first grade.  Unfortunately, in Guatemala the school system isn’t set up to include children like Carlos.  Rather than include children with disabilities, they segregate them into other schools that only focus on children with special needs.  There is a movement to change this and in fact a law has already been established to encourage schools to include children with special needs, but progress is slow.  As we look at Carlos and the incredible intellectual potential he has, this situation broke our heart.  Would this be the end of Carlos’ education?

We discussed this very issue during the most recent visit of co-founder Jennifer.  After a few days of thinking and praying, the Lord placed on our heart the idea of walking down to the Christian school that the older children attend and asking them if they would be open to the possibility of allowing Carlos to study there next year.  Of course, we knew exactly how crazy of an idea this was.  Not only were we asking this school to step into new territory, but we were also asking them to take responsibility of Carlos, to manage and deal with the questions and concerns other parents were sure to bring up, to make drastic changes to their curriculum and program, and to possibly hire on another teacher…and all of this just to accommodate one child!  But “what is impossible with man, is possible for God”, and in faith we ran down to the school.

Without a moment to spare, Jennifer and I walked into the school offices as they were about to close down for the week.  The elementary principal was about ready to leave and actually wanted to meet with us the following week, but Jennifer was leaving on Sunday and I was heading to the States on Tuesday.  It was now or never!  Thankfully, the principal agreed to meet with us and we opened up our hearts and began to share about Carlos, his situation, and just how incredible he was.  We spoke of his determination and how he had overcome such big obstacles like walking.  We shared about his intelligence and how bright he is.  Anything and everything we could think of we shared trying to persuade this elementary school principal to be open to the possibility of Carlos studying there.

As we finished up, the principal, tears in her eyes, leaned forward and said, “this is God’s timing.”  She explained that for the past 3 months they had been praying and considering opening their school to children with disabilities.  In fact, they already had a teacher on staff that is trained in teaching children with special needs!  The only problem was that the school had a potential child but at the last minute they backed out and were currently without a child that could come.  But now, in God’s timing, we came talking about Carlos!  Talk about an exciting moment!  To see two organizations with the same vision and same goal to be brought together in God’s timing.  It couldn’t have been more perfect.

Unfortunately, it was far from a done deal.  The principal and teacher were completely for it, but, as in any school, they have to answer to a board of directors that ultimately has to decide one way or another.  We left that meeting cautiously optimistic.  The following week, I went to the States to share with churches and small groups about our ministry and I was sure to share about this incredible story.  But most importantly, I wanted people to be praying for the school and the board of directors.  This would be a huge decision for them, one that financially and socially might not make any logical sense, but with an army of people praying we were confident that the Lord would prove his faithfulness again.

Three weeks later, I was back and we were at the children’s home sharing pictures from my trip with the children when a phone call came in from the school…Carlos had been accepted!  Next year, Carlos will be officially enrolled in a first grade class!  We were all extremely excited and overjoyed with the incredible opportunity Carlos is going to have this coming January.  But this isn’t just good news for Carlos, this is great news for all children with special needs.  God is opening doors in Guatemala and is going to use children like Carlos to transform education.  Carlos will be at the forefront of this incredible change and it will benefit hundreds if not thousands of lives in the coming years.

Over and over again, we have seen the Lord do amazing things in the lives of our children.  These children are so much more than just “orphans” in the hands of God and are capable of achieving the impossible.  This is just the beginning!

In May, Delmy our preschool teacher, organized a field trip to the zoo for the little ones.  We hadn’t been to the zoo in a while  so it’s always great to go back and let the kids see the animals.  We grabbed some pictures while we were there and wanted to share them.

Remember, once you click on an image and it enlarges, you can navigate to the next image by clicking on the right side of the image (a “NEXT” button appears) or return to the previous picture by clicking the left side of the image (a “PREV” button appears). When you are done, click the “CLOSE” button or click outside of the picture. Finally don’t forget to view the next page of photos by clicking the “NEXT PAGE” link below the pictures.

It’s done!  It’s finished!  We’re approved!   After almost two years of trying to open up our own accredited preschool program within our children’s home I’m happy to announce that yesterday we finally got approved! Hope Preschool is officially open for business!

From the beginning we knew that one of the foundations of our children’s home was going to be a quality education.   As we think of the long term growth and development of our children we know their education will be fundamental for their future.  Thankfully, God is good and he provided a wonderful Christian school (elementary through high school) just down the street from our home for our older children.  But as we began to look for a preschool for the younger ones, we weren’t extremely impressed with what we saw.   Couple that with the fact that Jennifer (co founder of Hope For Tomorrow) has her doctorate in Early Childhood Development and is an associate professor at the University of Kentucky, and it was obvious that we should just start our own preschool.   Little did we know the amount of time and the seemingly endless complications that would be involved.

I won’t bore you with all the details, but our application process included writing an 80 page overview of our preschool, having a room (yes one room!) of our home rezoned to be an public space, a God-inspired car accident with our sectors education supervisor, countless meetings with various city officials, a complete rewriting of the application, and of course lots and lots of waiting.   That said, even though it took a great deal more time than we expected, the Lord was in it all.   Looking back, many of the key pieces of our application and approval process came together because of what I can only call divine intervention.  The right people being involved at the right time.  God is good!

Now that we are approved not only does it allow us to officially “graduate” our children from preschool and makes our Children’s Home even more respected, but it means that we also have the ability to take in students from outside the children’s home.   Our vision is that in the near future, Hope Preschool will not only be a blessing to our children but also to the community.  And eventually we believe that this preschool could even become a means of income for our children’s home, helping to relieve the financial pressure we have month to month.   We’re not quite there yet, but our accreditation is the first step in reaching this goal.   Please continue to pray for this vision and for the future of Hope Preschool.

There are certain milestones in the life of a child that will always be remembered.  A baby’s first step.  His first birthday.  Her first spoken (and understandable) word.  Lidia reached one of these milestones this past January as she started first grade!  In the weeks prior to her first day of school, Lidia was really excited about beginning first grade.  At first I thought that her excitement might be because she was anxious to experience a new environment or because she was looking forward to meeting new people, but I quickly realized that it was due to something much more heartfelt: Lidia was looking forward to being close to her brother and sister, Miguel and Amelia.  For the past year, she had watched them leave for school every morning as she stayed behind in preschool, a disconnect that hadn’t ever happened before.  But now, finally, she was going to be reunited with them every day!  Lidia’s sense of family and relationships is so strong and the bond she has with Miguel and Amelia is truly one of family.

I remember back in October when Delmy, our preschool teacher, celebrated Lidia’s graduation.  It was an emotional morning and Lidia spent most of the morning crying, not because she was sad but because this accomplishment was so important for her.  Towards the end of the event, the children shared words of encouragement with Lidia and I’ll never forgot what Miguel shared.  He told her, “Lidia, next year you will be going to school with us, and I don’t want you to worry, because I am going to take care of you and protect you.”  Words that only a big brother could speak to a younger sister.

Fast forward a few months and it’s Lidia’s first day of school.  She doesn’t have her school uniform yet, but she pick the best outfit she has.  She packs her pencils, crayons, and other school supplies into her fuchsia colored backpack, grabs her Disney princess lunch box and she’s ready to go.  Going to school for the first time may seem to be an intimidating ordeal, but she’s confident; Miguel and Amelia are on either side.  As they walk out the door to school, she looks over her shoulder and tells Juan Jose and Carlos goodbye…she’s a big girl now.

Lidia with her principal (left) and teacher (right)

The school year is over for our children and we have put together an educational update for you.  Enjoy!

Preschool

Our 4 youngest children have experienced a wonderful school year with our teacher Delmy. Delmy created an active/hands-on curriculum, and attended to the individual needs of all of the children. She is an outstanding teacher who is eager to try any strategies we suggest. Below is an update of how the children are doing in preschool.

Moses (age 1) is developing right on target. He started walking at 13 months. Moses is inquisitive and enjoys playing with his brothers and sisters He babbles some, but we continue to remind the staff to talk to him and read stories to him. Moses is a very content baby and charms everyone who meets him.

Juan Jose (age 4) has made tremendous progress this school year. He is saying many more words and can even say his vowel sounds. He know his colors and can count in Spanish and English to 5. He is learning to trace numbers and letters. His favorite activities are listening to music, playing with blocks, and running!

Carlos (age 6) continues to exceed all of our expectations. Earlier this year he learned to go the bathroom all by himself. He is using a picture communication system independently and our goal is to get him an augmentative communication system. He can still walk independently, however, he is having greater difficulty due to his spasticity. We are hopeful that the physical therapy he has finally started physical therapy. His favorite activities are listening to music, working puzzles, and playing any kind of ball.

Lidia (age 6) will start first grade in January. According to her teacher she is socially and academically ready to begin. She knows most all of the vowel and consonant sounds and is beginning to read sight words. She knows all basic concepts (colors, numbers, shapes). Lidia’s social skills are improving and she is learning to engage appropriately in games and other group activities. Her favorite activities include singing and dancing, coloring and making crafts, and playing with her dolls.

Miguel

Miguel (age 12) has had the toughest year in school of any of the children. You may remember that he had never been in school before. He attended La Patria and was placed in the 4th grade. Initially he was going to audit the class because he had yet to receive his diplomas for grades 1 through 3. Throughout the year, he did, in fact, receive diplomas for grades 1 through 3. Because of that, he WILL pass 4th grade upon successful completion of his examinations this week.

We are very proud of how hard Miguel has worked and how school has helped him mature socially and academically.

Amelia

Amelia (age 7) was a star in her first grade class. She received the highest mark in her class in English. Her literacy skills in both English and Spanish are proficient for her age. Her favorite subject is math. In a conversation with the school principal in the spring, we were told that Amelia was one of their best students and that she was very intelligent. Amelia has made many new friends and recently “wowed” us bey telling us the telephone number of her best friends. All of believe Amelia might be the first female President of Guatemala.

Edwin

Edwin (age 9). Edwin attends Santa Sofia School for Children with Special Needs. The school uses a developmental approach to teaching children with disabilities. As well, all children participate in a type of therapy called Neuro Net. It appears to be a form of sensory integration therapy, which is helpful to Edwin.  Edwin is in a class of about 10 children. We were concerned about his ability to participate in a structured education program all day, but he has done wonderfully. The principal says that his behavior is excellent, something for which we are all grateful. On Wednesday’s Edwin’s school takes the children swimming which is one of his favorite activities.

This past week we received some incredible news regarding Miguel: he passed 4th grade!  Now, while any achievement is worthy of celebration, usually progressing from one grade to the next like this, especially in elementary school, is somewhat of a given.  But in Miguel’s case, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.  This was not just a normal show-up-and-go-through-the-paces type success, but rather an achievement that was won after a grueling uphill battle.

As many of you know, Miguel for the first 5 years of his life lived on the streets of Guatemala, homeless and helpless.  Instead of participating in kindergarten as other children of his age were, he was learning from the school of life.  When his peers were learning how to color within the lines and write their names, Miguel was begging for food and trying to survive.  For years, Miguel received none of the nurturing, care, and stimulation that are critical for development at an early age.  When he was picked up off the streets and taken to an orphanage, he was already way behind, but rather than try to get him caught up, he stayed stagnate.  Receiving an education in many orphanages is an afterthought, and in some cases seen as a waste of money and time.  So Miguel grew up, 7 years old, 8 years old, 9 years old…never knowing how to read a book or write his name.  Never having stepped foot in a school, much less a classroom.

So when Miguel entered fourth grade at the beginning of this year, he had 11 years of experiences telling him that the process he was about to commence was going to be impossible.  You see, he didn’t enter in 4th grade as a normal student, but rather as a sit in, because he had never been through first, second, or third grade.  Before he would be officially enrolled, he had to complete those previous grades, all while doing the same homework, projects, and tests as his fourth grade peers!

On top of his academic pressures, Miguel had to endure an entirely new experience.  Remember, he had never been to school before.  He had never studied for a test.  He had never been in a structured environment like a school.  He had never been thrown into a large group of prepubescent boys and girls.  The pressures he faced seemed insurmountable.

From January to June, he studied and studied.  His first grade test came and he passed with flying colors.  His second grade test came, and even though it was a bit harder, Miguel came out ahead.  But then came his third grade test.  At this point he was really feeling the pressure, and to be honest I think he was just tired of studying.  Unfortunately, his first attempt didn’t go very well, and even though he passed the second time, it was evident that he struggled.  And then it hit him, and us; if his third grade tests were this difficult, how would he fare with his 4th grade final exams?

Going into his finals at the beginning of October, Miguel was noticeably nervous and stressed.  On more than one occasion he had would sit down and tears would run down his cheek as he shared his fear of not passing fourth grade.  But he fought through.  He clung to Phillipians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Exam week came and went and then came the agonizing week of waiting to hear the results.  When we finally heard the news that Miguel had passed fourth grade, it was hard to hold the tears back.  Here is a 12 year old boy that has accomplished an incredible feat and we are so proud of him.

As I was writing this I was listening to a song by Chris Tomlin called “Our God”.  I think the words of the chorus perfectly summarize Miguel’s accomplishment, and how in Christ we can do all things:

Our God is greater, our God is stronger,
God you are higher than any other.
Our God is healer, awesome in power,
Our God, Our God.
And if our God is for us, then who can ever stop us?
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?

Despite incredible obstacles, pressures, and challenges, there was nothing that could stand against Miguel!

Miguel, we couldn’t be prouder of you!!

Independence Day is right around the corner here in Guatemala (September 15th) and the entire country is gearing up with festivities. Just like in the states, parades are a big part of the ambiance, and schools take to the streets with their marching bands and do presentations. On Friday, both La Patria, where the older children study, and our own preschool celebrated with Market Days. The children dress up in typical outfits and “sell” food to family and friends in a mock market. We were all present at both of the events and snapped the following pictures.

Remember, once you click on an image and it enlarges, you can navigate to the next image by clicking on the right side of the image (a “NEXT” button appears) or return to the previous picture by clicking the left side of the image (a “PREV” button appears). When you are done, click the “CLOSE” button or click outside of the picture.

The first set begins with the marching band which Amelia and her class took part in. The entire first grade dressed up as different central american symbols like national birds and currencies. Amelia was the currency from El Salvador. Afterwards we were directed indoors where the older children (3rd to 6th graders) were putting on a market. Miguel was with his class selling fruit, specifically Papaya.

After spending some time there, we returned to Hope For Tomorrow where Delmy had set up our own preschool market, albeit much much smaller! All the children and staff were in typical dress and we spent the morning buying and eating food from the children. It was a very colorful morning!