Guatemala (MNN) — Guatemalans and HANDS teams from Worldwide Christian Schools worked side-by-side for three years to finish constructing a school building. Recently, they celebrated its completion with a fiesta.
Because of the building, 280 more children will be able to attend Colegio Juan Wesley, a Christian school. It is the nearest school to the Quiche tribe that lives in an area of the country known as the Western Highlands. The school was established in 1997, but it quickly outgrew the three Sunday school rooms it occupied. Because of its location, the schools in the larger cities took the children hours of bus travel each day.
So, in 2006 construction began on a new building on three acres of land donated by a nearby church camp.
For Loren and Helen Anderson who initiated the project, one of the greatest things they saw during the process was the acceptance of the HANDS teams by the Guatemalans. Instead of viewing the teams as taking work away from local builders, they realized that they are simply helping to make a positive change in the welfare of the community. At the end of one day, the Guatemalans bought Pepsi and cookies to thank the mission team for their work. This is uncharacteristic of the local residents, and was viewed by the Andersons as an indication of acceptance and appreciation for the new school.
Many local politicians and educational dignitaries attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Pray that God will use this school to educate and equip students who are dedicated to spreading the Gospel.
