Education...

...the way up the social ladder and the way out of poverty.

The reality in Tacna is that "free" public education is a joke. The education is low quality; the teachers are not very interested in their students; at the end of the day if the students don't pass many can pay their corrupt teachers for passing grades. It is a sad cycle of corruption which seems impossible to defeat, impossible to overcome. At the beginning of each school year the teachers send out a list of approximately $50 in school supplies that each student must purchase in order to begin classes. For many families that only make $150, $200 or $300 a month, having a few kids studying can take up a month or two of salary.

What we can do for now is provide for the poor a helping hand to purchase these school supplies. Thanks to six different donors we were able to give out 30 scholarships worth $50 in supplies. The conditions are simple: the parents must make sure their children are studying hard and getting good grades, and next year they will be able to qualify for another scholarship next year.

We want to be responsible with the donations God has provided. This is why we want to work with the parents to make sure the children are well educated. It would make no sense at all to give away scholarships and have the children not learn. Our long-term dream would be to open up a school of our own to ensure good quality affordable education, providing jobs for many people and raising up a new generation from amongst the poor.

In the end corruption will continue. We can only hope in Him who has the power to overcome, for who are those who overcome the world but those who believe in Jesus the Son of God. Our hope lies not just in education or jobs or businesses, but in he who can provide them. This is the end of everything we do...that our Lord we be glorified and His creation restored.