Site spotlights: Special Education and Education - Los Higos

Special Education

Site leaders:  Maribel and Courtney

Team Members:  Karina, Brittany, and Arianna

“Genesis, a private Christian school for special needs kids, teaches kids from ages 5-22 with a variety of different needs.  Tutoring, playing at recess and P.E., assisting art classes, reading in the classroom, creating worship music, and home visits are activities done daily with the children. 

In no time, the kids have found their way into our hearts and continue to bless us as we spend more and more time with them each day!  It’s going to be hard to say goodbye!”

Education – Los Higos

Site leader:  Hector

Team Members:  Daniel Saucedo and George

“Mis Primeros Pasos is a preschool started by Students International located in the city of Los Higos.  The preschool teaches three and four year old children how to read, write, and count in order to prepare them for the public school in the city (K-12). 

However, the main goal is to love the children in order to show them that God’s loves, too!  The teachers, Hector and Yessenia, teach the students about the Bible, God, and His love for them; and it has been blessing to be able to be a part of their ministry these past two weeks!”

Site Spotlights: Women's Sports and Media

Women’s Sports

Site Leader:  Esther and Mabelisa

Team Members:  Hailey, Valerie, Stevette, and Truly

“The purpose of the Women’s Sports site is to not only inspire girls to be active physically, but spiritually as well.  We have had the pleasure of not only helping out with local PE classes, but also practicing with a middle-school volleyball team.  We have noticed cultural differences, such as how it is common for young middle-school aged girls to run away from home to get ‘married’ (which is more like moving in together).  In response to this, the ministry’s goal is also to encourage girls to rely on God and seek his acceptance instead of the acceptance of guys. 

We have also had the blessing of sharing our testimonies with many of the different classes and different teams of girls and are praying that God continues to work in the lives of the girls through this site and SI’s ministry!”

Media

Site Leaders:  Micha and Mateo

Team Members:  Lauren and Blake

“In the media site, we help make the mission of Students International come alive through pictures.  We are in a group of 6 with 2 Horizon members, Zach and Jon, and 2 leaders, Micha and Mateo.  We travel around to each site and take videos of what each team member is doing to display God through what they do.

Every day we post a ‘Jesus moment’ to show how God is working through the teams.  Additionally, we post a video of how God is working through one member each week.  Lastly, we make a video (6-8 minutes long) including every site to display what God has done over the span of our trip.”

Site Spotlights: Social Work - Young Men's and El Callejon

Young Men’s Social Work

Site leader: Jim

Team Members: Joel, Robert, Cory, and Señor Brache

“At the Young Men’s Social Work Site, we aim to minister to the shoe shiners of Jarabacoa between the ages of 11 to 18 through vocational training as well as other programs.  We have faced many challenges this past week including putting an armoir into the second floor of the building where our site is located. 

Over the last couple of days we have presented a microfinance program (partnering with the SI bank), conducted an English class, did some handiwork, played with the kids, and participated in devotionals.  We also had the opportunity to paint a mural, and above all we have continued to bond and make friendships with not only the youth we are ministering to, but also many others in the community.  Please continue to pray for Jim Ralstin, our site leader, and his amazing ministry here.”

 Social Work – El Callejon

Site leader: Daisy

Team Members: Grazie, Clarissa, and Miss Dueck

The young teens' group

Melissa translating for Grazie's lesson for the little girls

“At Women’s Social Work, we’ve been privileged to be able to serve with Daisy (our site leader), Melissa (one of her daughters), and Paige (the site’s summer intern) in reaching out to women and girls in the small community of El Callejon.  At different times during the week we meet with each of the different age groups, helping them with projects, teaching them about God, and talking through everyday issues.

Daisy starting our Mothers' Day celebration

Being with the women and girls has opened our eyes.  We have seen that even though we are all coming from very different places, they still have the same questions about God and many of the same life struggles.  Also, we have had many opportunities to get out into the community, visiting women in their homes and walking around learning about where we are serving.  During these times, we’ve been able to encourage and pray for them, but we’ve also been challenged by their strength and perseverance and faith in the midst of very difficult circumstances.  Those that are saved have a hope that is not dependent on their situation or on material things, but on the love they have for one another and most of all for the love of God.

Site Spotlights: Education Mata Gorda and El Callejon

Education - Mata Gorda

Site leader: Yohana

Team Members: Carla, Taylor, Adilis, and Rachel

“To begin with, one of the first things we noticed at Education Mata Gorda was that although the children are being educated in less than ideal conditions, they are still very happy.  This has taught us to appreciate the opportunities that are offered to us in America, and seeing their happiness makes us happy because they have so little but are yet so joyful. 

In addition to the school the teacher, Yohana, has a women’s group on Thursdays and teaches them about the Word of God and how they are special to Him.  We have learned through this that God is powerful and works in many different ways, all over the world!”

Education - El Callejon

Site leaders: Joel and Apenisa

Team Members: Lauren, Brittney, Nona, Wendy

“Each day when we arrive, we start by helping clean the classroom.  Usually within 10 minutes of our arrival, the children come to school.  The children are very affectionate, and we can see that a lot of them simply want to play and receive love.  Despite the difficulty with the language barrier, we  are able to have drama skits and read Spanish books to them. 

It’s amazing, very unusual (coming from American culture), and challenging to see how independent the children are along with the fact that the older kids take care of their siblings.”

Sunday

Some of our girls with some of the little girls from the church

This morning, we were able to go as a team (minus a few that are feeling a bit under the weather) to a local church, La Vid, which several of the SI staff attend and where the doctor of the medical site is the pastor.  It was a blessing to worship and take communion with the local congregation and to be challenged by the sermon from John 4 about Jesus and the Samaritan woman and what true worship should look like.

When we got back to the base, the kids were able have an extended period of free time. Some enjoyed good long naps while others cleaned and did laundry, rested and hung out.  Some of the kids even had time to play some volleyball and throw around a football.  Dinner tonight was a special treat with chicken fingers and tostones with ketchup, pasta salad, and banana pudding!  With the extra time today, we're hoping the kids got enough rest to give them strength to finish their time here well!  We're excited to get back to serving at our sites, but we do miss you all!  One more week :)