Running a scholarship program is so much more than buying a uniform and enrolling a child into school. Many of these children have to overcome the giant lie that they are worthless. Many of them think that they belong in a trash dump for the rest of their lives because that is what they have been told. They often have a great fear of failure and rejection so they self sabotage as a form of self protection. Our kid’s journeys have many bumps in the road. Often times they will drop out of school and run back to the trash dump. Many of their homes are filled with hopelessness, brokenness and sometimes violence. Often times they feel pressure from their family to work and make money; not to waste time in school. It is a battle that we face everyday. We go and find them in the dumps and remind them who they really are. My amazing team brings them back into family and sits with them for hours speaking truth and love over them. The reality is that this isn’t a scholarship program. It is creating Kingdom family and teaching these children who they are in Christ and yes we also do homework ? When they graduate it is no small accomplishment. It is years of sacrifices and overcoming lies and breaking poverty cycles. This is Victor. Victor graduated from the 6th grade last week. If you only knew the battles he fought and won over the last few years. The mistakes he made and learned from. The places he came from to where he is now. Proud doesn’t even begin to explain how we all feel for Victor. Next year he is choosing to continue school and he wants to get his high school diploma which is a huge accomplishment. Moments like these make it all worth it!
Next month we will also be welcoming 4 new children from the Nueva Vida trash dump into our discipleship and scholarship program, Niños Con Destino (Children With Destiny). We are grateful for the opportunity to see these children thrive and grow in their true identity and see beauty rising from the ashes.