Engadi Back to School

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Schools are a bridge to the community.  The Paraíso Neighborhood has four elementary schools with different levels of need.  By investing in the children we are helping them grow towards a brighter future. The academic school year in Guatemala starts in January and ends in October. Whether it be a single parent or there are multiple siblings, sometimes up to 8 kids in school, buying supplies for the kids is always a challenge. 

Engadi has developed a School Supply Program to help bring relief to these families.  Every year we reached between 50 to 60 families that represents about 120 kids that receive their school supplies bag. As more families hear about how our School Supply Program work more families want to get involved.  The numbers are constantly growing.

Having the supplies you need to learn is something many time we take for granted.  Putting these items in their hands at the beginning of they year can greatly impact their lives. 

Thank you to everyone that donated throughout the year! 

How does the program work?

Engadi invites parents to sign up at the beginning of the school year for the School Supply Program so they may obtain the benefit for the next school year. With the With this Program we hope to achieve three main aspects of our ministry within the community: 

  • Community Transformation: When parents sign up for the program they commit to work 20 hours of Community Service within the school their kids attend, or within their neighborhood. 
  • Family Transformation: Parents, also, have to attend four out of twelve Bible based value classes offered at the Engadi Center.  These classes help them learn how to be better parents and spouses.
  • Poverty Transformation: We don’t want to just give things away which can create dependency.  We want the families to buy into their own community. Requiring parents to complete 20 hours of Community Service and attending the 4 value classes they feel a part of the transformation in their own community.  They also become a living example to their kids.

Get Involved 

Here is a suggested list of school supplies you can collect along with your church, organization, or mission team Here is a suggested list of school supplies you can collect along with your church, organization, or mission team 

Student Supplies

Spiral Notebooks with Graph, Lined, Double-lined, and Blank pages.

Elmer’s Glue: Small Bottles or Glue Sticks

Erasers

#2 Pencils

Pencil Sharpeners

Kids Scissors

Pens (Red, Black & Blue)

Ruller

Color Pencils (Box of 12)

Crayons (Small individual boxes)

Color Markers (Box of 12)

Colored Paper

Geometric Rulers

Teacher Supplies

Hole Punch

Stapler

Whiteout

Whiteboard Markers & Erasers

Permanent Markers

Adult Scissors

Reward Stickers

Manila Folders with clamps

Tape – Masking & Clear

3-Ring Binders

Modeling Clay

Post-it Notes

Highlighters

Loose leaf paper – Blank and lined

Scientific calculator

English Classes Offered to Girls in Paraíso

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Engadi’s English classes have continued to grow and deepen in Paraíso this summer. We now have enough of the boys within the Derek Program attending to offer classes all day on both Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Engadi Transformation Center. Seeing the tremendous response from these classes offered to the boys in Paraíso, Engadi felt burdened still to do more. In response, Engadi extended the offer of English classes to not only the boys being mentored in the Derek Program, but also to their sisters. Last week, Engadi held it’s first “girls only” class first thing in the morning before kicking off classes with the boys.

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Several adolescent girls attended the classes taught by one of Engadi’s summer volunteers, Brenda. The girls learned basic English commands, some sight words, and also had time to peruse Engadi’s library of donated books. Through reaching out to the girls as well as boys living in Paraíso, Engadi hopes to continue bringing #hope and #brotherhood (or should we say #sisterhood for today?) to Paraíso!

#engadi

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Evidences of Hope- #3

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Engadi has recently initiated English classes as another way to bring #hope to Paraíso. While learning a second language may be a leisure pursuit for some, to the boys in Paraíso it could lead to new job opportunities, even some that they otherwise would have been disqualified from due to the neighborhood in which they were raised. In fact, in some careers in Guatemala, having a basic knowledge of the English language could almost double an employee’s pay.

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We have witnessed the renewed #hope and confidence these classes give the boys within the Derek Program as they strive to reach perfection in their class grades- dancing to every perfect score they get and being dissatisfied with any score below. These opportunities will allow the Derek Boys to be able to pursue their dreams, giving them even more possible breakthroughs to become Godly leaders to their families, community, nation, and church.

#engadi

Evidences of Brotherhood- #3

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Through the English classes that were initiated in Paraíso last week, Engadi has been able to create an even stronger #brotherhood within the boys in the Derek Program. This #brotherhood can be seen especially between Engadi staff members and the boys during their lessons. While working on the computers, boys have a mentor with them to guide and answer questions throughout the lessons. This has strengthened the bond between the boys and their mentors, and boys can often be heard saying, “Don’t leave me,” or “I want you to sit right here while I work.” This has provided Engadi an even greater opportunity to teach, disciple, and encourage the boys and focus on their individual needs. In addition, many of the boys can be heard encouraging each other, comparing scores of their recent work, and practicing their English together. We are excited to see #brotherhood growing within the Derek Program, and are continuing to create restoration and legacy in Paraíso through providing #hope and #brotherhood to the community.

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Engadi Initiates English Classes in Paraíso

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This week, Engadi piloted new typing and English classes for the boys in the Derek Program. Young men who had a desire to improve their skills in either of these areas were invited to classes led by Engadi staff members in the Engadi Transformation Center. Most of these boys do not have regular access to computers, and having even weekly classes on computers will help them gain skills that will be valuable when they begin seeking employment in the future. In addition, having knowledge of the English language can possibly augment, if not double, the salary that they are qualified to earn in many job markets in Guatemala.

More importantly, the classes give boys a time of one-on-one mentorship, encouragement, and discipleship with Engadi staff. The boys’ faces couldn’t hide their excitement and contentment to have a focused time of attention and learning with an adult they trusted.

Engadi is excited to expand the scope of the Derek Program that we are able to extend to boys in Paraíso who are motivated to succeed in spite of their current situation. These classes are scheduled to continue twice a week throughout the summer months for boys who are interested. Check back periodically for updates and photos of the classes throughout the summer!

#engadi #hope #brotherhood

Education In Guatemala

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Guatemala’s educational system is one of the poorest, and arguably one of the worst in Central America. Although literacy and schooling rates are growing nationwide, the country as a whole still lags behind most other Central American nations, and Paraíso is no exception. Nearly one quarter of the country’s population is illiterate, and many kids drop out of school at a young age to begin helping provide for their family, whether it be working to make a few dollars a day or taking care of younger siblings while parents work. Only about one-third of children will continue their education beyond sixth grade.

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It is for these reasons that Engadi Ministries places a high emphasis on improving education as a whole in Paraíso. Through a yearly scholarship program Engadi provides school supplies to families, teachers, and faculty who otherwise couldn’t afford them. We also provide periodical classes to educate and create a #brotherhood between teachers and also provide them with resources to enhance the educational experience of students. Over the past several years Engadi has also focused on cleaning up and repainting schools to provide an atmosphere of #hope where children can learn. Through these means as well as other programs that are still being developed, Engadi hopes to improve the overall education in Paraíso, making it an exception to Guatemalan statistics, and giving children a bright future full of opportunities.

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Statistics from: http://www.globaleducationfund.org/guatemala/

Teaching the kids songs and skits during an outdoor class time.

Paraíso School Outreach with Clayton King Ministries

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This past Thursday and Friday, with the help of our fist team from Clayton King Ministries, Engadi was able to host several days of outreach and educational support in local schools. Each day, the team divided up and taught songs, skits, and Biblically-based lessons to elementary and middle-school kids. With the help of four local translators, the teams were able to teach and play with the children while Clayton King delivered the Gospel message to their parents the very same day. Several hundred students, teachers and parents have been impacted by their work over the past two days.

We thank Clayton King Ministries for their investment into the children of Paraíso and for reaching out to show Christ’s love to the least, the lost, and the forgotten of Guatemala.

#engadi #hope #brotherhood

The turnout of parents during morning classes was great!

Engadi Partners with Clayton King Ministries

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This week is a very special week for Engadi Ministries Intl, as we are hosting our very first team from Clayton King Ministries. The week will be focused on working within the school system of Paraíso as well as hosting evangelistic community development events throughout the weekend. To top if off, we are pleased to have Clayton King, himself joining the team to share the Gospel message in Paraíso over the next several days.

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Yesterday, the team had an overall great day working in the largest elementary school in the area. In both the morning and afternoon sessions, Clayton King shared the Gospel with parents of students, where God provided an awesome turnout of several hundred parents throughout the day. The parents were extremely interactive and responsive to the message delivered, and those who dedicated their lives to Christ were encouraged to follow up with a local church or with an Engadi staff ember within Engadi’s Transformation Center which is located just across the street from the school. To close out the day, Clayton shared the Gospel with older children who were finishing up their school day that evening. The children were also quite interactive and loved having a guest speaker from the U.S. share his heart with them.

#engadi

Students at Elementary School 437 assembling to recognize the beneficiaries of Engadi’s Scholarship Program

Tools for Success

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This week, Engadi Ministries recognized students within the schools system of Paraíso who completed Engadi’s Scholarship Program for the 2016 school year. Over the years, Engadi has discovered that many children in Paraíso stop attending school altogether due to a lack of basic school supplies that their families cannot afford. In an effort to provide a practical solution to this problem, Engadi has teamed up with students, teachers, and families to help them obtain the necessary materials for success allowing children to continue pursuing the hopes and dreams they have.

Donated supplies were sorted, packaged, and provided to students and parents who had completed several requirements. Families first attended Biblically-based family values classes taught by Engadi’s Director of Discipleship, David Medina, followed by completing a number of hours volunteering within their community creating a brotherhood of parents within the community. In doing so, Engadi partnered with seventy students to help them earn the supplies needed to continue their elementary school education.

Engadi Ministries also partnered with directors, faculty, and teachers within the four elementary schools to allow them to earn supply packages for their classrooms, since teachers are often forced to purchase the majority of necessary supplies by their own means. Sixty-six teachers who voluntarily attended Biblically-based teamwork classes, also taught by David Medina were provided with a package of supplies to help meet their needs within the classroom.

Finally, to close out the day, Nathan and Claudia Hardeman along with Manuel Fajardo, Darlyn Iquic and Ellie Carr presented each of the boys within Engadi’s Derek Program with a package of school supplies at the newly renovated Engadi Transformation Center. Just another way Engadi is seeking to bring hope and brotherhood to Paraíso through the legacy of today’s children.

Thank you to all who donated supplies and made this year’s scholarship program a success in Paraíso.

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Back to School

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Engadi Ministries Intl. has partnered with families for the second year in a row to help families in Paraíso who otherwise can’t afford school supplies to earn them by giving back to their community. This week staff members worked together to package school supplies for children who completed Engadi’s scholarship program for the 2016 school year. In order to earn school supplies, children and families had to give back to their community through a variety of projects, and also were required to attend Biblically-based family values classes provided by Engadi.

When asked, one local boy said that he had quit attending school regularly because the teacher was always asking him where his school supplies were, and his family didn’t have the money to buy him any. He said that it was too embarrassing to not have the tools he needed, and he would rather not go than be embarrassed, in spite of the fact that he wants to become a lawyer when he grows up.

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It is our goals to work with families hand-in-hand to allow them to earn necessities such as school supplies. Through these small packages of school supplies, Engadi Ministries can continue building relationships and fostering the future hopes of students and teachers in Paraíso through improving the quality of education they receive.

#engadi #hope #brotherhood