Greetings,
Nido del Aguila (Eagle’s Nest) has several mission services just outside Solola, Guatemala. These include a children’s home for 32 children; a Christian primary school for 130 students (Colegio Nuevo Dia); a daily feeding program for about 50 neighborhood children and their mothers, a retreat center that provides recreation, meeting space and lodging for groups up to 100 people; and a church with a weekly attendance of about 75 parents and children. Nido del Aguila also hosts about 20 short term mission teams annually that provide outreach to the children and the community. Nido del Aguila is led by Larry and Claire Boggs and Pedro and Felis Patlan.
Thanks to you, The Goldendale Christian Fellowship this year donated to Nido del Aguila in Guatemala, over $12,000 thus far. (Annual financial data is available upon request)In 2011, we helped to:
1) provide support for several of the orphan children,
2) provide partial scholarships to several grade school students at the adjacent Colegio Nuevo Dia
3) provided a full time tutor for the children in the orphanage so they could catch up on their schooling.
We were not the only ones to provide scholarships to the students at Nuevo Dia. Unfortunately, some of the parents of the scholarship recipients came to believe that their participation both as parents and as financially responsible, was no longer needed. Since all the scholarships were partial, these few paid nothing more during the year, leaving the school with a large financial burden at the end of the school year in October. The teachers each have a "monthly " salary of about $265. However, although the school runs only ten months from January to October, the teachers and staff are paid receive 14 "monthly" checks in all; one for each month, plus two additional checks in December to pay for their retirement and vacation. This may seem unusual, but it is typical in Guatemala.
Therefore for the next school year, 2012, we are proposing something different than individual scholarships. Donors are being asked to help sponsor each of the classes. There are ten grades, preschool through eighth grade with a total of nine teachers. The donations for each class will assure that the teachers get paid in a timely manner and provide funds for teaching materials and possible field trips. The parents will be expected to participate in helping their children and financially. The class donations will also enable the school to provide lower costs for the "needy" students in each class.
Last year, each student scholarship that we sponsored was $250/student, about half of the student's annual costs. For the 2012 school year that starts next month, we ask you to pledge or donate to support the students and school, Nuevo Dia. If we can donate enough to sponsor helping one class, then we can use any additional funds to help sponsor continuation of a tutor for the children in the orphanage. For both, at least $3000 is needed. Please help if you can.
Last January, we were blessed with being able to return for four weeks to Nido del Aguila. At this point, it is unlikely that we shall be able to return. But our hearts are still there with the children and the staff. They have many other needs that are set forth in their websites above. We encourage you to follow their blogs and help as you can.
We pray that each of you is blessed with joy and peace now and through the New Year.
Love never fails,
Ron and Beverly