Pure Words Academy

“Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school.”

Albert Einstein

This past September the Lord allowed us to open Pure Words Academy. The Lord laid it on our hearts to open a Christian school as there is a need here for quality God-centered education. So along with learning to read, write, add and speak English we pray the Lord uses us to teach his gospel! A lasting education of the love of Christ will truly shape a child’s life.

It has been an interesting but good year for us. Due to all schools here still being closed for covid we have just a few children and have been working from home but it has been a good small place to start.

I have been teaching the English classes for 1st grade and Kindergarten this year. And we have a Honduran teacher who is teaching all of the Spanish classes. We have just one quarter left to this school year – which I can’t believe.

“What we learn becomes a part of who we are.”

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I was looking forward to the chance to get to see these kids learn and teach them about the Lord but I didn’t realize I would enjoy it so much. I have loved everything from the planning to the crazy full mornings. It has been a joy to see them put sounds together and learn to read. To see addition and subtraction click. And to see their confidence climb with each new little skill.

I am thankful for this opportunity and pray the Lord continues to bless the remainder of our school year.

Please continue to keep the paperwork process in your prayers as we are told it takes many years to complete the whole registration process. Also, pray that the Lord will lead us in regards to a building. We have been rented a building this past year but we will be needing a new place for this coming school year.

Thank you, friends!

Christian School Coming

The Lord is leading us to start a school here in 2020, which is quickly approaching. There is a need for more schools here in Honduras. We also have a major lack of good Christian education.

We have a desire for the Lord to use us, teach us & grow us as we strive to start a School centered on Him & quality education for each child.  A place where children can learn about the wonderful world God has given us, about how he then send his Son to die for their sins, and how he desires to be their guide.

Please pray for the Lord to pave the way & also provide the funds we need. (Lawyer, Paperwork, Building, Set up, Books… ect.)

Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday. In 2012 this day started with the idea of giving back around the Holidays – esp. after Black Friday and all the shopping. It has grown into a day in which many plan to give & we were hoping to use this as the opening of our campaign for school costs.

Do you think we could raise $1,000 tomorrow towards this new school? Or maybe two?

If the Lord leads you please join us this Tuesday in giving towards a new Christian school. Every $ counts. No amount is too small.

120 Books

When I posted in May about wanting to get some books while I was in the states for the children I imagined coming home with 15-20 new books!

But God did above my expectations again & I came home with around 120 books.

A huge thank you to so many of you at Liberty Baptist Church that donated so many books & cash as well. Thank you to our friend Amy who purchased a bunch of new totally awesome Spanish books for the kids. And Beth-Ann Smith for sending money. Thank you all

I was able to get so many books on sale & dirt cheep at thrift stores & used book stores. Even new books are cheaper than what we pay here. The Lord was so good. It was a ton of fun to shop for these books & then to see the children so very excited about them! I wish those of you who gave could have seen the excitement – but here are some pictures of them soaked into their new books. They read books as often as we let them! Thank you for helping us in this way!

Last but not least – A HUGE thank you to my Aunt Paula who made personalized beautiful quilts for all of us. The kids were beyond words happy to get theirs! THANK YOU!

A World Without Books

A world without books?  – Well, ya, that is a poor country. That makes sense they can’t afford books. They seem to make do. Generations of them have passed without books.

Are books really that important? Can’t people just get by without books? Have you ever seen a bookless society? I hadn’t until I moved here. It took time – a lot of time looking around & processing what this bookless world of theirs is like. At first, you feel bad for them & what they are missing. Then you realize they aren’t missing a luxury – they are missing a need. We all NEED books in our lives.

A large percentage of the adults we work with are illiterate. Education is being pushed here, in recent years. Yet so many of the teens and preteens we know can’t read or they read at a first or second-grade level. These kids have finished the first six grades of school & have a certificate to show for it – but can’t read. (No, children cannot be held back in the government school system.) Now finished with their schooling years they struggle. So many wish they could get better work – but they can’t. These people do the best they can – but life is hard.

Books are the foundation of education. Children who are read to at young ages grow to love books. This love is what gives them the desire to learn to read. Once they know how to read they can read to learn. Once they are learners there is no limit to what they can achieve. It is this group of learners that leads a community, leads a nation. These are the ones who become good teachers, preachers, doctors, etc. Honduras has plenty of hard workers. Honduras needs hard workers who are also readers to help them move upward as a nation.

Children must have books before they can gain a love to read. Can you really imagine a world without books? Children in Honduras are given one book for reading per grade. (The ONLY textbook they are given in elementary school.) A 50-page book. The book can easily be covered in 1/4 of a school year. They read it over and over as it is the only reading material they can afford. They read it so much that a young girl came to us for school help at the end of first grade unable to read – not even knowing all her letters. But, she could quote half the 1st-grade reader.

“Why should I learn to read?” I have heard them say.  Adults all around them get by fine. There are words on signs but that’s about it. There are no libraries or book stores in our city. They have never set eye on a shelf full of books. There is so little written word in their lives & yet everyone pushes them to read & advance themselves in this world. Honduran children need a reason to read. Storybooks that will make them smile. Chapter books that will encourage them to learn more so they can read even more fascinating stories & learn more about this beautiful world God has given all of us. Books are the foundation of education.

Here in our home we only have a few children’s books. There are very few books for sale here in our city – We have purchased the not even 20 children’s books we could find. We would like to change that & provide them with a reason to read. Our friends from our community who visit are also blessed by our books. Even adults sit for the longest time just enamored with the pictures & asking what the storyline is about.

Would you help us get more books? Would you enable us to raise learners & to encourage learning in our community?

Two of my sisters & I are going to the United States this month and we would like to be able to bring back a bunch of books. I have found a lot of Spanish books online averaging $10 apiece. So, for every $10 that is donated this month I will be purchasing a new book for these kiddos.

HERE is a link for using a debit card or cash app. And my PayPal email is jillian@1611.org

(Also, our kids are bilingual so if you have any English books you no longer need you can contact me about donating some. Books for children ages 3-12.)