October 2018 If you didn't see the mention in the letter on the first page, then this intro: on my trip now
this month I plan to talk through options for this project that has been on hold for two years. If you want to build an anonymous donor building, get in touch with me! I'd love to tell the folk there of something that would be a HUGE encouragement to them; while once they made an estimate of $110,000, I would say that
number should be doubled now! Anyone with a quarter million dollars?!
this month I plan to talk through options for this project that has been on hold for two years. If you want to build an anonymous donor building, get in touch with me! I'd love to tell the folk there of something that would be a HUGE encouragement to them; while once they made an estimate of $110,000, I would say that
number should be doubled now! Anyone with a quarter million dollars?!
(Mid - 2016) This is exciting, and an answer to many prayers! On May 18, Pastor Joaquin Ordonez phoned with news; the vacant lot (the only one on the entire square block) right next to the Huizucar Church is available! The lady representing the inheriting family came to him with the "first right of refusal " for the church to buy the land.
Now let me back up twenty years. Mid-1990s CRWRC did a visioning exercise with the church; highest on the desired list was a Christian School. The next year I came as church development missionary; neither agency does schools, so the hope went nowhere...except to the church's and my memory. As a product of and supporter of the concept of Christian Schools, and seeing the great potential for good in that setting, the possibility of obtaining land - that precise lot, since the church lot while deep is not wide enough for a school - has been in my mind and prayers with every visit I have made over the last ten years since retirement.
On his visit to Michigan in 2001 Pastor Joaquin and I already visited the office of WorldWide Christian Schools. The challenge that agency gave at the time was "show that you can start a school, if even on the church benches, and we will consider assisting." With neither land nor funds to begin, and I no longer in the country, that did not happen. NOW looks like the time something may come of this; I have given the pastor my word to help raise money for the purchase: $30.000! Already the same person who donated for the Santa Tecla reconstruction after the earthquake has agreed to meet a matching amount.
[September update: they dropped the price to $28,000 and the pastor still awaits answer to the counter offer of $25,000. And we have $3,300 toward the matching gift! You can give that a boost!)
So the campaign is ON! ... UPDATE: CAMPAIGN CLOSED, FULLY FUNDED AND THE LOT WAS PURCHASED. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF A SCHOOL IS ON HOLD UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THINGS LOOK MORE FEASIBLE TO PROCEED; YOU MAY PLEASE PRAY ABOUT/FOR THAT.
Now let me back up twenty years. Mid-1990s CRWRC did a visioning exercise with the church; highest on the desired list was a Christian School. The next year I came as church development missionary; neither agency does schools, so the hope went nowhere...except to the church's and my memory. As a product of and supporter of the concept of Christian Schools, and seeing the great potential for good in that setting, the possibility of obtaining land - that precise lot, since the church lot while deep is not wide enough for a school - has been in my mind and prayers with every visit I have made over the last ten years since retirement.
On his visit to Michigan in 2001 Pastor Joaquin and I already visited the office of WorldWide Christian Schools. The challenge that agency gave at the time was "show that you can start a school, if even on the church benches, and we will consider assisting." With neither land nor funds to begin, and I no longer in the country, that did not happen. NOW looks like the time something may come of this; I have given the pastor my word to help raise money for the purchase: $30.000! Already the same person who donated for the Santa Tecla reconstruction after the earthquake has agreed to meet a matching amount.
[September update: they dropped the price to $28,000 and the pastor still awaits answer to the counter offer of $25,000. And we have $3,300 toward the matching gift! You can give that a boost!)
So the campaign is ON! ... UPDATE: CAMPAIGN CLOSED, FULLY FUNDED AND THE LOT WAS PURCHASED. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF A SCHOOL IS ON HOLD UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THINGS LOOK MORE FEASIBLE TO PROCEED; YOU MAY PLEASE PRAY ABOUT/FOR THAT.
NOV. 20, 2015 UPDATE: ON TO PHASE II, THE CHRISTIAN VOCATIONAL SCHOOL
(If you are new to this site, first go to the Home Page, please, to "get your bearings.")
On Oct. 1 Pastor Joaquin informed me that the price for the vacant lot next door to the Huizucar church dropped to $27,000, although the goal continued to be the $30,000 to cover associated closing and other costs. I worked hard at fundraising and gifts came in during October, and after a short presentation to my former church, Niekerk in Holland MI, they took an offering Nov. 8 of over $10,000! This put us "over the top" to meet the matching donation. This week I met with that donor here in California, and it looks like we will be able to have the full amount for purchase by the end of this month. Praise the Lord! And thanks to all who helped!
This also for prayer, please. I will be travelling to El Salvador Dec. 3 - 14 to work towards Phase II which is the Christian Vocational School. In a phone call last night Pastor Joaquin told me of plans to hold a consultation with a group on December 5. Lots to plan for... we are trying to arrange the visit of a Christian School leader from Nicaragua to also help with all this.
So grateful at this Thanksgiving time.
Sincerely, Pastor Lou
(If you are new to this site, first go to the Home Page, please, to "get your bearings.")
On Oct. 1 Pastor Joaquin informed me that the price for the vacant lot next door to the Huizucar church dropped to $27,000, although the goal continued to be the $30,000 to cover associated closing and other costs. I worked hard at fundraising and gifts came in during October, and after a short presentation to my former church, Niekerk in Holland MI, they took an offering Nov. 8 of over $10,000! This put us "over the top" to meet the matching donation. This week I met with that donor here in California, and it looks like we will be able to have the full amount for purchase by the end of this month. Praise the Lord! And thanks to all who helped!
This also for prayer, please. I will be travelling to El Salvador Dec. 3 - 14 to work towards Phase II which is the Christian Vocational School. In a phone call last night Pastor Joaquin told me of plans to hold a consultation with a group on December 5. Lots to plan for... we are trying to arrange the visit of a Christian School leader from Nicaragua to also help with all this.
So grateful at this Thanksgiving time.
Sincerely, Pastor Lou
These are children from Huizucar; Sunday School and visitors. This picture is a couple years old; some of the young ones are now finishing grade school, and some in the back row have gone on to high school in the city...IF they can afford the bus and the lunch, and IF the parents allow them to travel on dangerous buses. So some of these are candidates to attend the local Christian Vocational School that is being planned.
It doesn't hurt that this photo is a bit out of focus. This wonderful project of starting a Christian Vocational School on the now purchased vacant lot next to the church is in that stage: sharping the FOCUS. A Board is being formed, a Plan must be further developed and consulted, and of course, more funds raised. (Early 2017- I informed the Huizucar Church Council that for a couple of weighty reasons I have put my fundraising efforts for this Vocational School Project on hold. There were some funds over and above the property cost, which are now being given to the Committee to start some initial activities such as leveling and fencing the lot. At the proper time, hope is to move forward with this ambitious effort.) Dec. 2017 Any visionaries "out there?" (Below is more background on all this from the last 2 years; FYI) |
Late January 2016. Just a brief summary of where things are "at" regarding the process of the vacant lot purchase and planning for the Christian Vocational School in Huizucar. On my December trip the National Council told me of their meeting with the sellers and the notarized buy/sell agreement. They were delighted to know that the funds are "in the bank" for when the closing takes place, hopefully in a few weeks (please pray for all to go well). I was able to turn over $1,000 toward those costs.
Mid-January an application ("Query form") was submitted to Tent Schools International (formerly WorldWide Christian Schools) in Grand Rapids; the request is for support for the start-up process. A School Board must be formed, and a plan developed; the leaders are coordinating with a former WWCS employee in Central America, Mr. Daniel Aragon of Nicaragua, to come and assist with his expertise. While I have committed to come alongside for helping with fundraising, I am counseling a realistic pace for this development. Since the availability of this lot came as a (happy) surprise, no real groundwork had been done. To the contrary, over the last year the two Christian Reformed Churches in El Salvador have been involved in an ambitious new church planting effort with Multiplication Network Ministries. While Pastor Joaquin would love to move ahead quickly, there is much to do first. An initial response from TSI will be coming in March. Hopefully the lot purchase will have been finalized by then. |
"Huizucar" is Nahuat for "thorny path." A school project was envisioned already over 20 years ago; so the path has been long, and the "thorniest" is likely yet to come. But please read how difficult life is for Salvadorean young people on the next tab, and understand why this Vocational School is important NOW. If "we" don't want a "wall" we should help with this school.
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