New Year for Building My Horizon!

The BMH children are back at our Shekinah Center for the sixth year. They started back in June, bringing new life and energy to the center. They come eager and happy, and ready to learn.

First, they received their new at-home English/ Bible workbook and learned about the topics included. Later in the month they came for an English reinforcement class and hands-on Computer Science class. As the pandemic is still affecting Guatemala, the children only receive regular school classes once or twice per week, so this chance to leave the house for a while, gain new knowledge, and see their classmates is a highlight for them. Other advantages of this program in view of infrequent regular education are –

• They keep learning
• Our small class size gives them much-needed one-on-one attention

The parents also are pleased that their children have a safe place to go where they are accepted, treated with love, and taught knowledge and skills that will guide them along the right path academically and spiritually. We had a great parent’s meeting where the responsibilities that the parents and children have were outlined and the children’s information was updated. Laughter ensued as parent’s shared what the children had learned, especially when saying some words in English. It is evident that this education is making an impact in these families and they are grateful for this.

BMH Mother: 

“Thank you very much for the support you are giving to my daughter. The Computer Sciences class has made it easier for her to do online investigations that she needs to do for her school homework. Without difficulties, she can use the internet and help her younger siblings with their homework also. I’m very grateful for this education.”

Let’s have a closer look into the program for this year.

English:

We’ve totally revamped the curriculum for the beginners and novice group. We’ve made it even more practical and focused on the children being able to have basic conversations. We’ve added more games and crafts to make the learning more interactive and fun. We’re already seeing good results from this. We have some children who struggle learning in a traditional classroom setting. These children were shy and barely spoke new words, but now they are more openly speaking English while playing a game. All the children are enjoying the activities and learning more without really feeling like it’s a big task. We look forward to see the sum total of what they learned by the end of the year.

Bible:

We’re also using new material for the Bible education. Currently the children are learning about the lies that the world and Satan tell us. Such as when we feel like or others tell us that we’re not good for anything or that no one loves us. They are learning how to recognize when it is a lie and how to respond to it. We are teaching them Biblical truths such as the deep love God has for us and the great plans He has for us. We are showing the children Bible examples of people who had victory over these lies and how God then used them for His great purposes that brought God glory. The children continue having Bible verses to memorize so that God’s word is sown in their hearts. We are also challenging them to read portions of scripture daily that relate to the month’s topic. This is a great challenge for the children as they do not have a culture of reading. However, we pray they will persevere and develop a love for reading and especially for delving into God’s Word and connecting with Him. We so appreciate you joining in prayer for this and that the children see their worth in Christ and share this with their families and friends.

Computer Sciences:

We continue to have a beginners and novice group as we have students who are brand new this year and others who have been with us for multiple years. With the novice students we’re going more in depth with previous learning. For example, they’re doing more involved investigations of topics and searching for images online and creating a report on these topics using different features of word. This something they will be required to do at school at some point. This further increases their computer knowledge and skills in typing. This class continues to be a highlight for the students as they have fun with hands-on learning and build confidence through learning a new skill. They may not realize it, but both the parents and we know that being part of this world of technology is so important and will greatly serve them now and in the future. We are very thankful to have the tools to be able to pass this education along to them.

 

Occupational Education:

This part of BMH will take place in October. First the children have a baking class. They’ll how to make cupcakes and decorate them. We are sure they will love this and they’ll learn how to read a recipe and measure ingredients, improving their reading and math. Also, it’s a chance for their creativity to blossom.

Next, eighteen of the BMH mothers will learn how to make soap and shampoo. They can then sell these items and partner with their husbands in providing for their families. Most of the women are stay-at- home mothers, often with up to eight children. This opportunity is meeting a great need the women have to be empowered in caring for their family economically. The workshop they will be attending is four days long and will be taught by a specialized instructor. We are thrilled that they will have this life- changing opportunity!