An Education for the children of our center

In our efforts to ensure that each child in our center attends school, we drove through the dirt roads and alongside the dirty river where some of  them  bathe to visit with their mothers. We were shocked to hear that the local school district would not allow their children to attend school. As each mom told us their stories, I could not ignore the holes in their roofs. What happens to these children when it rains? My eyes wandered to the naked little boy running around in the midst of germs as if he had no cares in the world. I couldn’t help but notice the looks of despair as neighbors began to flock around us in hopes to be heard. “Will you please open a center over here too?”, they asked. “No one cares about those of us out here,” one mom griped, “how will we do better if no one is willing to come out here to teach us?” I must admit that my heart ached as I realized that these precious children walk such a long distance to our center each day and knowing that I sat in the back seat of a comfortable vehicle to arrive to their location.
“I can’t make any promises,” I told them, “it takes a lot to run a center, but I will do my best to get your children in school.”
I went home that day with new resolve. If a child attends the Cien Fuegos HOPE Center, they will also attend school!
I made this astonishing announcement to my husband as we settled in for the night. He agreed, “I will do everything I can for them honey, that’s why we are here.” I rested comfortably that night knowing that God was at work and that He would go before us as we did our best to defend the poor.
A few days later, my precious husband, our center’s psychologist, and the parents headed to the local schools in their district.
“These children are residents of this district, yet were not allowed to attend school,” the psychologist demanded, “they need an education!”
The school principal shook her head and told them that there was no room, the school was overcrowded and they absolutely had no place to put them.
My husband gently responded, “If they don’t receive an education, what will become of them? Look at their surroundings, if they can’t come here, where will they go?” He continued, “If you accept them, I promise that our center will be sure to help them complete all homework assignments and keep them up to date. I am here to serve you as well, how can our center help you?”
The principal smiled and accepted the children.
Each school in the district accepted our unschooled children that day! We are happy to say that all but one child in our center is now enrolled in school.  Students attend school for a half day in the Dominican Republic, the other half of their day is spent at our center.
WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO GOD FOR THIS VICTORY BECAUSE THERE ARE STILL MANY UNSCHOOLED CHILDREN IN CIEN FUEGOS.
Thank you for your support!