Educate 200 Poor Children & Orphans in Nicaragua

Well it's official - Verbo Ministries is helping Nicaraguan schoolkids become extraordinarily better than average!  The average Nicaraguan only completes four years of formal schooling and only 10% of all Nicaraguan students who do make it to high school ever complete their schooling and graduate. On December 2 Colegio Verbo celebrated the end-of-year graduation  - 23 high school students graduated from 11th grade (the last grade in Nicaraguan high school) and 15 middle school students graduated to go on to high school next year.

Isamar, Klenis, Jonathan, Jakson, Lenin, and Fatima were six of the middle school and high school students who graduated or were promoted at Colegio Verbo last week.  What's special about these six?  They have all spent most of their childhood growing up at Verbo's Casa Bernabe orphanage adjacent to the school. Because of Verbo Ministries they have a safe home with loving caretakers and an opportunity to go to school - an opportunity which too many Nicaraguan children don't have.  We are grateful to all the Colegio Verbo staff for their hard work and to YOU for your support.  You are truly making hope real this Christmas season!

At the end of the U.S. school year we thought - what if we asked a few teachers to donate items from their classroom that they would otherwise throw away?  Wow!  We had no idea the response that we'd get!  We ended up getting more than 2,000 pounds in donations from four schools in Virginia Beach - Plaza Middle School, Linkhorn Elementary School, Trantwood Elementary School and John B. Dey Elementary School - and two Fairfax County Public schools!!  Teachers got their entire schools involved and we ended up with an overwhelming amount of almost entirely new and some gently used items....all of them were things teachers in Nicaragua NEVER get or even have access to.

We believe strongly that the teachers and administration should lead the work on the ground and we work to support them. So Principal Nolvia Morales displayed all of the materials in the school office and invited each class to come see the new items.  This was intentional - for the kids to understand the generosity of American donors, and to be encouraged in their academic pursuits.  She also talked with all of the parents to tell them the advantage their kids are getting by attending Colegio Verbo through partnerships the school has with American donors and schools. 

Afterward we worked with Nolvia and her team to assemble enough materials to give EVERY teacher a complete set of new math manipulatives and create a small classroom library for all the elementary-age class teachers. Nolvia also provided each teacher with a complete set of much-needed teacher supplies (i.e. staplers, paper clips, folders, paper, pens, rulers, hand sanitizers, etc.) and then created a "Treasure Box" that all students can choose from when their teacher recommends them for good grades, exemplary behavior, etc. 

On top of all that we had so many beginning level English-language books that we were able to give three other Nicaraguan schools on the other side of Managua with enough materials to start their own English language elementary school programs. That is a HUGE step forward for any Nicaraguan school.

Thank you for investing in Colegio Verbo in Veracruz.  In nearly 9 years I have never seen such a positive, hopeful environment.  The kids are inspired and the teachers feel deeply encouraged.  Your gifts are making real change possible.  Remember -- because we raise separate funds for our own salaries and operating expenses, 100% of your donation goes to the school.  Every dime and dollar is sent and well-invested! 

Thanks again for your continual support!