You’ve heard me say several times in this blog that efforts like our short term medical mission, are just bandaids for much bigger problems the Guatemalan people face. Long term solutions will come when the people have the right resources to work with. I’m sure you’ve heard the old “teach a man to fish” proverb.

Of the several key resources I could list, education is at the top. Whether it’s how to keep farm fields from eroding, how to fix a mother board, or how to purify drinking water, a person has to have a way to learn. That’s true anywhere in the world for that matter.

Being able to speak English is one of the most valuable pieces of education a Guatemalan can have. Why would this be true in a Spanish speaking country? The same reason it’s true practically anywhere in the world nowadays. English has become the universal language. The vast majority of information is most readily available in English. In tourism, industry, commerce, English is the common denominator. So any Guatemalan who is bilingual is much more employable there.

It’s a simple enough formula:
English = opportunity = employment = breaking of poverty cycle

The church our team worked closely with in Guazacapan in southern Guatemala has a vision for helping their city. Part of this vision is to offer classes to help citizens learn English. It’s a worthy endeavor.

I am praying about how to support their vision. Financially is a nobrainer. But I’m also considering going back to Guatemala to help set up this “school”, and to help teach.

Sounds like a big adventure to me. And as you know, my philosophy of life is that the older a person gets, the bigger their adventures should be!

Here’s a challenge for you: stop right now for a minute, and dream about how you could help these people realize their vision.

Remember the formula …