Salvadoran Children/Students
Antonio
“The scholarship program offered me opportunities to change my life I otherwise would not have had.” Editor’s Note: This young man (I shall call him Antonio) is mature beyond his 23 years. Whenever we speak with our scholarship coordinator, he always mentions Antonio with joyful pride. Antonio is quick to volunteer to help this pastor in whatever capacity he can with any type of need regardless of.....
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Antonio - the April 1st upcoming story
A student himself, he has agreed to assist in our scholarship program by organizing community events such as trash clean-up days.
Little Pixie
SUPPORT FOR LITTLE PIXIE “Helping one person might not change the world, but it could change the world for one person.” Anonymous Written by Caroline Sheaffer Esta historia se escribe en Español = This story is also written in Spanish. Click here. Being in accompaniment with families in El Salvador has been especially fun to watch the children in the communities grow and develop over the years. One particular little.....
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Little Pixie - in Spanish
"Ayudar a una persona puede no cambiar el mundo, pero podría cambiar el mundo para una persona". Anónimo “APOYO PARA LA PEQUEÑA DUENDECILLA” Translation provided by Professor Tony Bianchi Estar en acompañamiento con familias en El Salvador ha sido especialmente divertido ver crecer y desarrollarse a los niños de las comunidades a lo largo de los años. Una niña en particular probablemente tenía dos o tres años cuando la conocí......
Little Pixie - the September 1st upcoming story
Accompanying Salvadorian families over a long-term basis has been our privilege. It is especially fun to watch the children grow up over the years.
Beyond the Classroom
Beyond the Classroom Amid the abundance of negative stories flooding U.S. media about Central American youth leaving their countries behind due to threats of gang recruitment, violence, and poverty, we find hope. Education offers hope to youth. A strong scholarship program to support education to El Salvador’s youth is our task force’s number one priority at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in central Pennsylvania. We realized the program is best served.....
Beyond the Classroom - the May 1st upcoming story
Our scholarship coordinator makes certain our students receive a well-rounded education by serving in their community.
500 Hours of Intensity in a Prison
Editor’s Note: Humble, caring, dedicated, filled with dreams for a future, our university scholarship students work extremely hard while managing on limited funds and traveling to and from classes on dangerous public transportation. Above all, these committed youth show an unceasing appreciation for the privilege to study. Esta historia se escribe en Español = This story is also written in Spanish. Click here. We heard casual references made about.....
500 Hours of Intensity in a Prison - Spanish
“QUINIENTAS HORAS EN LA VIDA DE UNA PRISIÓN” Translated by Santiago Sanchez Nota del editor: Humildes, afectuosos, dedicados y llenos de sueños para el futuro, nuestros estudiantes universitarios becados trabajan muy duro mientras se las arreglan con fondos limitados y van y vienen a sus clases en transporte público peligroso. Sobre todo, estos jóvenes comprometidos muestran un aprecio incesante por el privilegio de estudiar. Nos habían hablado de un requisito.....
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500 Hours of Intensity in a Prison - the April 1st upcoming story
One of our scholarship students volunteers in a Salvadoran men’s prison. photo by google
Local Teacher
Esta historia se escribe en Español = This story is also written in Spanish here Local Teacher Editor’s Note: We received permission to interview this teacher, Oscar, at a small rural school during his very short daily break. Teachers in El Salvador teach morning sessions to one group of students followed by afternoon sessions to a totally different group of students. We are appreciative for Oscar’s kindly agreeing to give.....
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Local Teacher - Spanish
“A LOCAL TEACHER” Translation provided by Profesora Espanol Jeannette Fogarty O. Acevedo Local Teacher Una nota del editor: Recibimos permiso para entrevistar a este maestro en una pequeña escuela rural durante su breve descanso diario. Los maestros enseñan sesiones matutinas a un grupo de estudiantes seguidas de sesiones vespertinas a un grupo de estudiantes totalmente diferente. Agradecemos que Oscar haya accedido amablemente a ceder su almuerzo y su tiempo de.....
Cultural Childhood Traditions
On a trip to Copenhagen, I enjoyed learning about the Scandinavian tradition of three-year olds giving up their pacifiers. They write notes, place them and their nuks in plastic bags to hang on “Pacifier Trees” -- one of which we found somewhat off the beaten path in Fredericksburg Have (Gardens) near the zoo. We had fun taking photos of the notes written not only in Danish, but in Chinese, English,.....
Graduation Photos
TROPICAL STORM AMANDA plunged into Central America without warning Saturday night. It hit El Salvador especially hard with its torrential rains and mudslides taking everything in its path. Our scholarship coordinator sent 20 photos yesterday of people in water up to their shoulders searching for the missing swept away. The storm is expected to remain stalled for the entire week. We have been busy sending notes of concern to all.....
Mateo
Esta historia se escribe en Español = This story is also written in Spanish here. (Mateo is a pseudonym for his/her personal safety) An adoptee connects to his land of heritage “I went to meet myself" Editor’s Note: Seated around the table for our meal serving as a backdrop for this interview, the harmony of this family is palpable. Each of them speaks for himself while carefully checking with the.....
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Mateo Spanish Version
Translation provided by Juan Escobar (Por su seguridad, usamos un seudónimo.) Un adoptado se conecta con su tierra de herencia. “Fui allá para encontrarme conmigo mismo”. Nota del editor. Como contexto para esta entrevista, estamos sentados alrededor de la mesa esperando que nos sirvan nuestra comida; la armonía de esta familia es palpable. Cada uno de ellos expresa lo que quiere decir, pero se preocupan de obtener la aprobación de.....
A $1.25 Short of an Education
I shake my head in disbelief. This is not the first time we have heard these figures. Perhaps I didn’t believe it the first couple of times or simply discounted it. I thought it an exaggeration. But hearing it again and again finally sunk in. It is one more injustice within a country so full of injustices. Dealing with scholarships for needy Salvadoran students is a process providing much gratification.....
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Salvadoran Children
El Salvador remains a country where the Roman Catholic Church and its legal system have one united voice – NO ABORTION – period! No exemptions and no debate. Birth control is not widely accepted or practiced in all areas of the country. Latin American machismo attitude often prevails and although efforts are made, women have not yet been empowered to voice their choices regarding their bodies in all areas of.....
Cameron Vasquez
CAMERON VASQUEZ “I belong to a world of loneliness . . . Where loneliness is my best friend and my worst enemy.” (adapted from “I Belong to a World of Loneliness” by Cameron) Editor’s Note: I typically jump to conclusions and make accusations about the guiltiness of someone who is accused of murder when I read a clip in a newspaper or see a hyped story on.....
Mario Roberto Vasquez Lopez
STORY OF MARIO ROBERTO VASQUEZ LOPEZ With enriching contributions by Michael Lysek and Cory Bronenkamp, Former students at Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama And a special thanks to Lindsay Hughes, the college’s Associate Director of Communications and Marketing, who facilitated these contacts and shared photos Editor’s Note: The executive director of CRISPAZ, Francisco Ugarte, suggested we interview Mario. We knew nothing about him before sitting down together.....
Children's Play in an Under-developed Country
Salvadoran children must learn to fill the large amounts of unstructured and unsupervised time they have. Education, like most everything else in this country, is terribly under-funded, resulting in half-day school schedules. The younger students attend school from 9-12 A.M. and the older ones from 1-5 P.M. Their parents are either working a job or working to survive and unable to entertain them the rest of the time. In addition.....
Celia Marina Vasquez Luna
CELIA MARINA VASQUEZ LUNA (nicknamed :MARINITA") “Being here (at the finca) is my FAVORITE part of my day!” To the Reader: Although I choose to tell Marinita’s story in first person, I gleaned much information from her grandmother who is raising her. Due to her age and the graphic content surrounding her mother’s death, Marinita herself is unaware of parts of her own story. They will be shared with.....