On November 28, 2009 the Benito Montoya School in Honduras will graduate five students from the 6th Grade. Why is this significant? In rural Honduras most students drop out of school long before they reach the 6th grade. Graduating from the 6th grade in rural Honduras is considered a significant accomplishment and often makes the difference between having a successful life or continuing a life of poverty.
Messiah Lutheran Church is working hard to help break the cycle of poverty at the Benito Montoya School. Messiah Lutheran Church sponsors the school through the Lunches For Learning Program. This program provides the students with a lunch meal each day at school in order to encourage them to stay in school where they can receive an education. Messiah Lutheran Church recently conducted a Hand Made Market which raised $3000 for the Lunches for Learning Program.
To mark occasion of their graduation, Bene David Matule the principal of the school along with his five graduates wrote letters of appreciation to Messiah Lutheran Church to thank the Church for their support.
The five graduates are:
- Vanesa Colindres
- Juan Francisco Fuentes Zavala
- Yonni Javier Vesque Carcamo
- Hocner Marti Canales Cardene
- Maria Adelcia Canales Cardenas
Click here to see the original letters. A translation of Principal Matule's letter follows:
Lord! Give to us effectively to love and be good brothers, sharing what we are and have.
El Barrial, Nacaome Valle
July 3, 2009
Honduras, CA
Benito Montoya School
Pastor Peterson
Messiah Lutheran Church
Madison, Alabama
Through this we, students, parents and teachers extend a warm and cordial greeting. I hope that you are in good health and that our Lord put his hand on you, to continue your good work.
We thank you for having decided to support our school to supplement the diet of the students. Since you have done this, the students have improved in their physical and mental development and in their skills. As proof of this we invite you to the graduation of our sixth graders which will be held on November 28, 2009. We appreciate your help and hope that you will continue to provide support.
We say goodbye Lord! Our Father, by whom nothing is strange and with whose protection you look with pity on our poor brethren who lack food, clothing and health for the injustice and indifference and poor distribution of the goods of this earth because of the selfishness of men.
Sincerely
Bene David Matule
Principal
Alex Laines
Assistant Principal
Pablo Zavala
President PTA
Luis Antonio Gutierrez
School Government President
