When we see pictures of children in Guatemala at school in their shiny uniforms, it’s so easy to forget the what their life looks like when they’re not in the classroom.
Have you received Les & Rita’s Christmas letter in your mailbox already? I absolutely love the fact that Yeimi is finding a place to dream God-sized dreams beyond the walls of her home. I love that we can help children in Guatemala see that their future is worth it. And I love that until December 31st, you can double your impact in Guatemala!
Here’s Yeimi’s story from Les & Rita:
Yeimi and her siblings live in a rough house made of wood and tin. Her mother tries hard to feed and clothe six growing children, but the cost of everything is going up, and even the most basic of needs outstrip the family income. Yeimi’s father works off and on as a bricklayer, but far away, in the capital, so he is absent from Yeimi’s life.
By all accounts, Yeimi’s future looks bleak. But today I’m writing to tell you how you can build a brighter future for Yeimi and so many children like her.
Because children like Yeimi CAN find a safe place where they can dream beyond the tin walls of their home. And you can provide that place to dream.
Yeimi’s eyes shone with hope the day she proudly read her first sentence aloud in class. “In that moment,” her teacher says, “I understood that education can truly open a new path for her.” That same hope shines through every time Yeimi raises her hand to answer a question, every time she adds her ideas to a class discussion, every time she shares her beautiful smile despite all the struggles she’s faced in her young life.
It’s an uphill battle. Yeimi’s needs are many. Her father never had the chance to go to school, and her mother only completed a few years. At home, Yeimi lacks even the basic educational supports – books, school supplies, an adequate place to study and do her homework. As the oldest daughter, she’s expected to help with chores and take care of younger siblings.
But Yeimi wakes up every morning excited to come to school. There, she’s receiving a quality education. There, she’s learning that she has great value in the eyes of the Lord. There, her teacher teaches with love and patience, reflecting God’s love to her. And there, she’s learning that it’s okay to dream God-sized dreams.
This Christmas, will you build a brighter future for children like Yeimi? Will you make sure they have a school, a loving teacher, and the educational resources they need?
Expenses in Guatemala continue to rise dramatically – everything from pencils to teacher’s salaries cost more than they did even a year ago. But together we need to be there for children like Yeimi.
Until the end of the year, you can make your generosity stretch even further, because every dollar you give to build a brighter future in Guatemala will be matched. You will be building a future where Yeimi and children like her are able to learn to read and write – and to dream and hope.
“Today, you have the opportunity to change the future of a little girl,” explains Yeimi’s teacher. “Your gift is not only school supplies or a school meal – it is hope, the possibility of a different future for Yeimi and her family. One gesture of yours can transform generations.”
So please, will you give now? Will you double your impact? Because children like Yeimi need us to believe in their brighter future.
May your Christmas be Bright!
(The rising costs in Guatemala are a serious concern. But we know that when God’s people come together to do God’s work, there’s hope for a brighter future. This holiday season, let’s make sure that Vida Schools are there for children like Yeimi for years to come. Because we’re all dreaming God-sized dreams for kids in Guatemala.)