Project Update

This writing is on Mothers Day in El Salvador (Monday May 10). Schools are closed and some businesses have the day off. As a national holiday, the pace and noise of daily life in the city is lessened. May 10 is also 6 months exactly of our time here in El Salvador.

Following is an update on projects we have been working on since we started in solidarity with the people of El Salvador.

Four years ago, the students of Holy Angels School, West Bend, WI collected $1,000 for books for the public school at La Granja. A year later, West Bend Sunrise Rotary donated another $1,000 allowing for each student in the public school to have the full range of text books for their studies in grades K thru 9. The benefit of these gifts has provided awesome results among the children, including their staying in school until graduation and some continuing to the second level, (high school) for professional development.

On Thursday we learned the text book program has become sustainable. With modest support from the government, they are able to allocate funds to replace older books or purchase a new series of texts. They could not have acquired the initial texts with their usual funding. But a hand-up (not a hand out) has allowed this school in a community outside the major city to greatly advance the education of rural children.

Five years ago, Our Saviors Lutheran Church West Bend implemented a scholarship program. On Sunday, we worshiped with our community at Fe y Esperanza. After service 14 families received scholarships for 39 children. This support has had significant impact especially with the young girls of the community who commonly drop out at the 6 grade to work, care for their siblings or have babies. This program provides the families alternatives so the children can remain in school and the youth can focus on careers.

Last week, Pastora Ana Rosa, the coordinator of the eastern region of the Lutheran Church, Danny, the local coordinator from Volunteer Missionary Movement, and the Slindes signed the agreement that binds us together into shared ministry for the next two years. What does this mean? We are missioners with Volunteer Missionary Movement (VMM) which has placed us with the Salvadoran Lutheran Church (ILS) which has placed us in the region of the east to be in solidarity with all people in this region.

Volunteer Missionary Movement focuses on relationships before projects, thus we will begin in accompaniment with three pastors having multiple communities, missions and churches. While our skills and talents focus on education and community development, we remain flexible on providing support and encouragement for issues most important in the lives of the people of the communities.