Marco quit school this year.
It’s not that the 12-year-old didn’t like school. In fact, he’d been doing reasonably well in his sixth grade class.
But Marco couldn’t concentrate. His mom was sick and he was worried. She was having trouble doing the washing she takes in and collecting firewood – their only income, since his father had abandoned them last year.
So Marco came up with a solution. He went to the principal to tell him he wasn’t going to continue studying. He wanted to help his mother work to help her earn a little money.
Yes, in Guatemala, 12-year-olds quit school because the few quetzales they make sustain their families. Marco is prepared to make sacrifices of his own future to help his mom right now.
The school came alongside Marco and his mother. They provided grocery packages and encouraged Marco to stay in school. School became Marco’s refuge and support, and he attended classes for a few more months. Valuable months of love, care and attention from his teachers and valuable months of learning and stability.
It ultimately wasn’t enough. Sometimes it isn’t. This is the reality of life in Guatemala, the reality for too many children, whose contributions are vital to their family’s economics.
Our teachers pour their heart and soul into students like Marco. Sometimes it’s enough to keep them in school. It’s heartbreaking when it’s not. But our teachers continue to offer each child a respite from life’s challenges and the love of a trusted adult, and, most importantly, they continue to bring the hope of Jesus to the children in their care.
You can give this hope to kids like Marco by giving education and so much more.
What did Marco leave with? He now has a relationship with Jesus. He is literate and has a basic education. The love and care of his teachers have instilled a sense of self-confidence. He didn’t leave feeling like a failure; he left with the confidence to take on a man’s role at a young age. Marco feels equipped to partner with his mother as the main breadwinner of the family.
Marco is now working alongside some uncles for his family’s daily sustenance. We pray that he might be able to return to his studies one day, but even more so, we pray that he will continue to walk with the Lord as he learned in his years at Vida Nueva School. We know that what he learned – both academically and spiritually – will continue to bear fruit in his life.
The teachers continue to visit Marco and his mom in their home. In situations like Marco’s, children have come back to school after their family finances have stabilized.
But even if he doesn’t, Marco’s story is a success story. Sometimes everything isn’t fixed in a single generation. Marco’s parents were illiterate; Marco has a Grade 6 education. He will likely become a father who will remain with his family and encourage his children to stay in school. He will share what he learned about God’s grace and provision with his family. Change happens in baby steps: one life at a time, one generation at a time.
Thank you to all of you who pray for children in Guatemala. We trust that God is touching the heart of every child who comes through a Vida School and that lives and generations are being transformed.
Thank you to all of you who give towards programs that are impacting kids like Marco. School meals, food packages, vitamins and health checks allow families to send their children to school, often months and years longer than they would otherwise. Education, loving care, and Christian mentorship impact a student’s future long after they’ve left the school programs. The cycle of poverty and illiteracy is being broken, one life at a time.
During this back-to-school season, would you include Vida Schools in your back-to-school budget? You’ll be helping kids in Guatemala stay in school as long as they possibly can. You’ll be impacting lives and generations:
Thank you for your love for children and families in Guatemala 💙