Stories of Impact

The Impact of School Sponsorship

Many students in WWCS sponsored schools come from non-Christian families.  At school, they receive a quality, Christ-centered education and learn about Jesus and His love for them. School Sponsorship directly impacts children’s lives for eternity. Here is an excerpt from a letter written by a second-grade teacher in a WWCS sponsored school in Klaipeda, Lithuania:

A little child is a personality which needs to be prepared for life, for the future. A teacher’s job is interesting, colorful, but at the same time, it is difficult. When children smile and are happy, the teacher becomes more confident and joyful. Unfortunately, there are a lot of children who are unhappy. Some don’t have parents, they feel rejected, angry, not needed. It is very important to get in touch with such children, to help them, to understand them. I think the best helper in those situations is God. Children get to know God in this school. After some time they start to understand Whom they can call upon in the difficult moments. It is such a joy to have the great and unchangeable Friend in our hearts. It is a great joy to help a child to get to know such a Friend….

It would be great for our school to get some financial aid because the families of our children are not able to pay tuition for the teaching and maintenance of the school. Thank God that there is such an organization like yours that helps communities and gives hope to those who need your help.

God bless you,
Ruta

For many children around the world, education is just a dream. For others, teachers are just one more adult to let them down. But, when these children have the chance to attend a Christian School, something powerful happens. 

When Alexander arrived in El Verbo's second-grade classroom, he was a hurt and angry boy. Instead of socializing with his peers, Alexander would behave aggressively towards others. During classes, Alexander struggled to keep up with his lessons. If El Verbo was just an ordinary school, it is quite possible Alexander would have slipped through the cracks. But this story doesn't end that way. Instead, thanks to the dedication of his teacher,Miss Lesbi Matute Melgar, Alexander's life was transformed. 

Seeing beyond Alexander's bad behaviour, Lesbi saw the face of child who was hurting, a face she had seen in other students. Desiring to help, she went to visit Alexander's mother. During her visit, Lesbi learned that Alexander's father had left to find work in the United States, and had abandoned his family upon his arrival there. His mother was working hard to sustain her children, but often struggled to make ends meet. The children had been enrolled in a number of schools prior to El Verbo, and Alexander had difficulties at all of them.

Recognizing Alexander's need for personal attention and tutoring, Lesbi freely gave of her time to assist both him, as she has with many other struggling students, forming a relationship of trust and acceptance. Today, Alexander is a new boy. He no longer lashes out at others and is excited about school. "I like to do homework, like addition and substraction," he now confesses happily. "I like to multiply, especially the nines. During recess, I like to play chase and ball with my classmates and we race. When we start class we pray and sing - my favourite songs are Your Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet and Lord, I Lift Your Name on High."

El Verbo continues to reach out to students like Alexander. By showing them Christ's love and message of hope, teachers continue to transform the lives of children. Sponsor El Verbo Christian School, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.  

Christian Education Brings Hope

Sabana Grande de Boyá is a small town in the interior of the Dominican Republic. It is surrounded by many tiny bateyes (villages) made up of mostly Haitian immigrants who came to this country seeking jobs as cane cutters. With the fall of the sugar cane industry, however, the economic poverty of these bateyes has increased dramatically. Jobs are scarce, medical services are lacking, and hope can easily dwindle. Yet, there stands, not just one, but two thriving Christian schools in Sabana Grande! San Mateo Christian School, located on the edge of town, is reaching over 260 students from preschool through eighth grade. Juan Calvino Christian School, one of the first COCREF schools, and the first to begin a high school, now has almost 420 students. That’s nearly 700 children in all who are being impacted by a Christian education in that town! That’s an amazing testimony to the hope found in the Lord despite difficult and seemingly hopeless situations.

Gladis González Juan
Gladis González Juan knows first hand the hope and joy found in the Lord through the Christian education she received. Born in Sabana Grande, Gladis attended San Mateo Christian School and began to understand that God is always with her. After completing fourth grade (the highest grade in the school at that time), she moved on to Juan Calvino Christian School. There she continued to see God’s love for her, even when others made fun of her dark skin and wide nose. She looks back now and sees how God used the hurtful teasing to strengthen her character and encourage her to study even harder. Through a scholarship from Compassion International, Gladis went on to high school at Juan Calvino and graduated with honors in 1999. She enrolled in the university and pursued a degree in modern languages. Today, Gladis teaches English, French, and Spanish at Juan Calvino Christian School. Her love of learning and her gratitude to the Lord is evident in the joy she brings to her classes each day. As she says, “I am part of the teaching staff at Juan Calvino for the glory and honor of my beloved Lord!” Praise God for the hope He brings! Sponsor San Mateo Christian School, Sabana Grande de Boya, the Dominican Republic.