[spacer height=”20px”][spacer height=”20px”]BelPres Alternative Gift Market Buy gifts for your loved ones that are packed with purpose and meaning! Bellevue Presbyterian is again offering an Alternative Gift catalog. The hard copy catalog may be picked up at the kiosk in the lobby on December 3rd, 10th or 17th. Cash or checks will be accepted for purchases in the lobby, and you will receive a gift card that can be given. The AGM catalog is also available online. NFE Alternative Gifts include a gift of library books in Spanish ($10) or musical instruments ($25). Through purchasing an AGM gift, your generosity allows the recipient to feel great knowing that their gift provided necessities that help educate youth in the Ixil region of Guatemala![spacer height=”20px”][spacer height=”20px”] AmazonSmile If you purchase a more conventional gift through Amazon, did you know that you can support NFE by purchasing that gift using AmazonSmile? AmazonSmile offers the very same items as Amazon. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile. The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to NFE! To get started, go to www.smile.amazon.com and log in using your current username and password. Be sure to designate Nicolás Fund for Education as your charity of choice in the spot “Or pick your own charitable organization”. Then begin shopping![spacer height=”20px”][spacer height=”20px”] Corporate Matching Make Your AGM gift or #GivingTuesday Donation Go Twice as Far! Does your employer match charitable contributions? If you aren’t certain, today is a great day to find out! Many companies match charitable gifts made by their employees. Check with your company’s Human Resources department to learn more and to obtain forms needed to execute the …
2017 Nicolás Christian School Graduation Trip
By Kathy Riper[spacer height=”20px”] The NFE November 2017 Impact Team consisted of Jan Snyder, Ruthie and Gerry Cravens, Linda Brewer, Bea Morrison, Stephanie Filipiuk and Kathy Riper. The primary purpose of our Ixil visit was to attend the Nicolás Christian School graduation of Junior High and Senior High students. It was a lovely ceremony and a joy to witness these young people receiving their diplomas and stand with their proud parents for photos. María Castro, the honor student of the Senior High class, delivered a moving speech. She was articulate, spoke with confidence and spoke without using notes. The parents are proud of their children’s achievements. However, having one or more of their children attending the full day school program Monday through Friday means that these children are not available to help around the house or in the fields. Most parents have had little or no education but they understand the value of educating their children. Other trip highlights were the village visits to La Bendición, Belén, San Nicolás, La Esperanza, Los Angeles and Villa Hortencia Uno. Regina, a graduated sixth grader from San Nicolás, got permission from her parents to greet our team when we arrived. She had changed out of her work clothes and was dressed in a lovely huipil and corté (blouse and skirt). The San Nicolás tutor, Tabita, shared with us that when Regina started the tutoring program this past January she could not read. Regina worked very hard all year and is now reading and eager to start 7th grade at Nicolás Christian School in January. Pedro, the Belén primary school teacher, greeted us when we arrived. Two students who will be 7th graders at Nicolás Christian …
Feedback from Sprint Team
Nicolás Fund for Education received feedback from the five-member Seattle Pacific University SPRINT team that visited Nicolás Christian School in August 2017. The team stayed in the village of La Esperanza for the duration of their thirty-day visit. The team assisted teachers at Nicolás Christian School and one of their prime objectives was to assist our students in practicing English. What was the best aspect of their time spent at Nicolás Christian School?[spacer height=”20px”] “Their attitude and the way that they were treating the students were amazing.” “We share a lot – not enough – but it was a great time.” “There are so many memorable experiences that I will always continue to remember during my time in Guatemala. The first day that we arrived at NCS was amazing. They were all so friendly and welcoming.” “It was affirming for me personally to know that I was here intentionally and for a purpose.” “I also enjoyed getting to know the teachers and students there throughout the whole month.”
Would you like to Attend Virtual Graduation on November 15th?
Nicolás Christian School will be holding their annual commencement ceremonies from 7-10 am PST on November 15th, and you are invited to attend virtually! Suggested attire is a bathrobe with a cup of coffee. The graduation ceremony will be interpreted into English by Professor Moises in real time. Join us as we witness the joy of each student’s accomplishments and see the pride on the faces of their parents. For many families, this is the first person in their families to ever graduate from high school! Yes, I’d like to attend virtually! Loading…
Giving Tuesday: An Opportunity to Come Together as a Community
[spacer height=”20px”] Nicolás Fund for Education is participating in Giving Tuesday on November 28th. Giving Tuesday is a global giving movement where individuals can help others through volunteerism, donations, donation of goods or spreading a positive message about Nicolás Fund for Education through social media. Giving Tuesday hopes to counteract the rampant materialism of the holidays by celebrating America’s traditions of generosity, entrepreneurism and community! Every act of generosity counts! Please consider making a generous donation to NFE on November 28th! Donations can be made at NicolasFund.org. We are kicking off our campaign to increase donations through the end of the year starting with Giving Tuesday so that we can fully fund every student that wishes to attend Nicolás Christian School in 2018! Help us to make their educational dreams come true! NFE is actively seeking volunteers in the areas of hospitality, social media, communication and educational program development. Let us know if you’d like to help! I’d like to volunteer!
Empowerment of Women
[spacer height=”20px”]By Ivan España, Country Director of NFE [spacer height=”20px”]NFE empowers young women to step up as leaders in their communities and the world. We do this through programs that equip girls with the confidence, resiliency, and leadership skills needed to achieve their goals and improve their communities.
Evergreen Covenant Youth Experience Nicolás Christian School
Thirteen youth from Evergreen Covenant Church had a wonderful opportunity this summer…[spacer height=”20px”][spacer height=”20px”] Photo Credit: Sophie [spacer height=”20px”] …to meet Nicolás Christian School students, teachers and village families in the Ixil region of Guatemala. The ECC youth group was comprised of students of different ages and came from five different schools. They were united by a common mission for this trip, however. ECC Youth Experience Ixil Culture Accompanied by four chaperones (Ryan LaBrie, Scott Kuhn, Kendra Gil and Robin Rosenquist) and ECC Youth Pastor Brent Strobel, the youth carried out a mix of sports activities and classroom activities at Nicolás Christian School. The most meaningful activity that the team experienced was having the opportunity to talk to NCS students and see how happy they were despite having less materially and living under far more difficult circumstances than the ECC youth. In addition, the youth team visited Professor Noe, a teacher at Nicolás Christian School who had recently suffered a motorcycle accident. Noe was very touched by the ECC Youth’s visit to pray with him and the visit was an emotional experience for many involved.[spacer height=”20px”] “The beautiful thing about God’s work in our lives is to see how in giving we all receive. We don’t give to receive, but God is faithful and when we are open to His work and people and vision, he sustains us with meaningful purpose. Many of the kids were touched by a painting given with their name on it or a special recognition by another child. The ECC kids gave of their money, vacation time and energy on the trip and, in return gained local and Guatemalan friends, a new perspective on God’s work …
July 2017 Impact Team
[spacer height=”20px”]A team of eight NFE Impact Team members flew to the Ixil on August 21, 2017. [spacer height=”20px”]The team is praying for and encouraging junior and senior high students at Nicolas Christian School, and presenting information about DNA structure, hydropower, accounting, computers, lessons on frequency and amplitude, the physics of sound, gas laws and math. The team will also meet with students to discuss AlaTeen, a US based 12 step program to support children of alcoholics. As in the US, there are students attending our school whose families suffer from the scourge of alcoholism. We hope to explore the level of interest in developing an AlaTeen program at Nicolas Christian School. July Impact Team Activities The team and Nicolas Christian School will also sponsor a regional teacher professional development workshop and approximately 100 educators are expected for that event. The July team hopes to visit La Bendicion, La Esperanza, Villa Hortencia 1, Cajixay, Belen and San Nicolas. July Impact Team Members Traveling with the team will be Bill Safstrom, Heidi Reynolds, Becci Merritt, Gretchen Hawley, Hank Wysong, Cathy Bachmann, Albert Naranjo and Eastside Academy graduate Phebe Martinez. BelPres members on the trip include Becci, Cathy, Gretchen and Albert. Bill attends Evergreen Covenant Church. Phebe attends City Church and Heidi attends Menlo Park Presbyterian. This will be a first NFE trip for Hank, Cathy, Albert and Phebe. Please keep the team in your prayers! Travel with Us Virtually We hope to post daily on our NFE Facebook page: “Nicolas Fund for Education” so that you all can virtually travel with us!
NFE Begins Planning for New, Larger School
NFE Begins Planning for New, Larger School Nicolas Fund for Education currently has a lease on a property owned by a church in Nebaj. This has made a terrific starter home for Nicolas Christian School. Based on current enrollment projections, however, we will exceed capacity for that leased building in a couple of years. NFE has heard from school parents that they wish our school was closer to their home villages based near Cotzal, rather than in Nebaj. [spacer height=”20px”]NFE Board members on the July 2017 Impact Team will continue the process of looking at available property in or around Cotzal. Based on earlier investigations, there has not been property large enough in Cotzal that we could lease for the school. We also need adjacent property space for sport fields. This has led us to believe that we will likely have to build. [spacer height=”20px”]NFE will seek grants and individual donations to help fund the new school when our plans are finalized. Please pray for us during this process of investigation and planning, and that donations to build the facility will become available when the plans are finalized. We endeavor to be good stewards of every dollar donated!
NICOLÁS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL WORSHIP BAND FORMED
[spacer height=”20px”]Thanks to several generous donations from Nicolás Fund for Education supporters, the newly formed Nicolás Christian School Worship Band now has instruments, guitar amps, and a choir! This is a very exciting development that has been on the hearts of Nicolás Christian School students for some time. Devotions are held each day after lunch, and students participate in leading these devotions. Members of our July NFE Impact Team trip will have the first opportunity to hear the worship band as we worship with students and staff. The July team will be in Guatemala July 21-31.
