by Lisa Steele,  FLM Executive Director

En Español

As we enter this time of Thanksgiving, we are so thankful to have the opportunity to serve the children at our Por Los Niños Christian Bilingual School. At the beginning of November, we ended the first year of our Montessori preschool. We were overwhelmed by the reception of this program! All 15 spaces were filled, and we had a waiting list. It has been exciting to watch the preschool children grow this year. Our outreach to the community is also increasing along with the growth of our school. In addition to the preschool and kindergarten, we added the 7th grade this year. In February, when the new school year begins in Honduras, we will add the 8th grade and continue adding upper grades each year.

We know that education is one of the keys to success and growth. In Honduras, public education is free, but parents must provide school uniforms, books, supplies, and transportation. Education is often impossible to pursue when a family lives off $1.90 a day. Many children drop out of elementary school by third grade so they can work and help their families economically. Already the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with two Category 4 hurricanes (Eta and Iota) in 2020, led to a sharp GDP decline of nine percent in Honduras, according to The World Bank. Income and employment declined, with about 400,000 people losing their jobs. A country already struggling finds itself struggling even more.

We have seen the residual effects of these crises at our PLN School. When students returned to class this year, most were behind despite the virtual education provided. Many children had behavioral problems and trouble focusing. Our PLN teaching staff did a remarkable job patiently helping each child adjust to a classroom environment while focusing on academics and spiritual development. Our Holistic Care Center staff also helped the children understand their feelings and to vocalize them instead of acting out.

In the past, we have mainly focused on providing for the physical and spiritual needs of the children who live on our campus. While we still provide for those needs, we realize it will take more than good nutrition and clothing to truly change the trajectory of these young lives. And it spreads far beyond the walls of our campus. While those things are essential, instilling Christian values within the family structure and providing solid academic coursework for children in our community, these children can grow and one day change the world around them. And this will bring true and lasting change to this country.

This Thanksgiving, we hold onto the hope we have in Christ for this change within families. For with him, we have true hope, and we give him thanks.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. — Hebrews 6:19a