preescolar

SI began a preschool in Los Higos two weeks ago. Yohana, Andre's wife, who formerly worked at SI's preschool in Mata Gorda, is starting this new school. The kids' ages range from three to five years of age (as far as I know). Nine are from Los Higos, and three of them are from Piedra Blanca, a community just a little farther up the mountain than Los Higos. From what I know of the families, only three of the children come from Christian homes, so this is a great way to help these kids meet Jesus and reach out to their families.

The students have class five days a week. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, they have class from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and are served a meal, prepared my one of the preschooler's moms. On Tuesdays and Fridays they have class from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and return home for lunch.

This morning I waited outside with the kids and their parents while they waited for the door to be opened. One little boy started out the school year (last September) going to the public school's kindergarten. One day he had an 'accident' (bathroom related) and some of the older kids made fun of him. After that incident he refused to return to school and he never did go back. The mom said that when she heard that SI was going to open a preschool, she talked with Yohana about sending her son there, even though he is a little older than the other children. They decided to give it a try. After a few days of school her son said he will go to school at Yohana's school, but isn't so sure if he will want to ever return to the big school. We pray that his experience in Yohana's school will prepare him to enter into the public school with confidence when that day comes.

I pray that the children will be exposed to a different way of interacting with one another as they learn how the kingdom operates through their little school. I pray that it will be a safe place for them and a place of beauty for them.