Christian Education – Missionary Ventures International

Two Very Different Paths

mvi — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 19:35:06 +0000

Two Very Different Paths

The girls took two very different paths.

Years ago, during a visit to a rural village in Belize, MVI missionary Elizabeth Ayala noticed two 15-year-old girls, Carmen and María, (not their real names), sitting under a tree. She approached them to chat and learn more about them, intrigued that they were not in school. They told her their families couldn’t afford to pay for the school fees, uniforms, books and all related expenses. In Belize, primary school is free and mandatory, but high school is not. As they continued to talk, Carmen expressed her interest in continuing school if there could be a way for her go.

By the grace of God, the following year, with the support of a generous sponsor, Carmen finished her freshman year. Maria, on the other hand, like most girls her age in their community, was pregnant.

Carmen was the oldest in her class, but thanks to the continuous support and prodding from friends, teachers and the school principal, she became the first person in her family to graduate from high school, and the first girl in her community. To reach school on time every morning, Carmen had to be ready for the 6 a.m. bus that took her into town and brought her back at 6 p.m. It was a completely new social and educational environment for her, with new relationships and different systems than what she had been used to, but she learned to navigate the urban context and completed her secondary education. It was not an easy journey for Carmen, but certainly not as challenging as for Maria.

By the time Carmen graduated, Maria was a single teenage mother of a three-year-old daughter with a second baby on the way, not unusual in many rural areas.

A few years later, at 24, Carmen married a young leader from her church. They are now both leading and teaching in their church and their community, working on their home and planning their family. Today, she is an assistant manager in a prestigious company where she continues to learn and to acquire new abilities, skills, experience and knowledge for a promising future.

“Around the world,” says Elizabeth, “it is a well-documented fact that an educated woman is an empowered person who will make a significant difference in her personal life, in the well-being of her family and the life of her community and country. Making education a priority results in multiple benefits in the short- and long-term for herself, for a healthier and stronger family, for society at large and for the improvement of the quality of life of her surroundings.”

In the last 10 years, the local scholarship committee has helped over 125 students, mostly girls, graduate from high school. The Ayalas have also helped support the high school education of several pastors’ children and others in need.

This is just one example of what Missionary Ventures is doing around the world to impact nations for Christ. You can help us continue the work of empowering God’s people by supporting our Core Mission.

The Last Scholarship

mvi — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 13:55:45 +0000

The Last Scholarship

In Belize, 16-year-old John was already older than most of the other upcoming sophomores. But without a scholarship, he would have to wait even longer to continue school, if it was even possible at all.

MVI missionary Alfonso Ayala explains the situation. “Primary school is mandatory and free in Belize. But high school is not mandatory or free. Not all families can afford to send their children to school beyond elementary school.”

Alfonso knew John’s story and the struggles his family experienced. They have four children and his father lost his job during the pandemic. “John’s father has been doing small jobs here and there,” Alfonso explains. “In the last two years, the mother has been the breadwinner of the family, selling fast food from their small house in town.”

They couldn’t afford school, but his parents still desperately wanted John to continue his education. They encouraged him to keep applying for scholarships and trusting God. For the final scholarship, John was close in the running, but Alfonso was heartbroken along with John and his family when someone else was selected.

Then a week later, a friend and university mathematics professor approached Alfonso. He was looking for someone to sponsor – someone who was good at math. John was a perfect choice.

“Our friend is sponsoring a scholarship for John’s high school studies,” says Alfonso, “and another person donated a laptop for him to do homework and school activities. A couple also contributed with school supplies, uniforms, and other related expenses. God is providing what is needed for John to go into his sophomore year. He is enjoying his school time, he is doing really well, he is making his parents proud and he is grateful to God for his love and opportunity to fulfill a dream.”

This is just one example of what Missionary Ventures is doing around the world to impact nations for Christ. You can help us continue the work of empowering God’s people by supporting our Core Mission.

The Good Doctor

mvi — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 20:26:25 +0000

The Good Doctor

By Alejandra Navarrete, Nicaragua Christian Academy

Dr. Jill (Aragón) Neely graduated from Nicaragua Christian Academy in 2004, and currently serves as the Global Health Fellowship Director at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Center. Jill trains physicians that want to be missionaries in other countries by teaching them the basic skills they need in order to become successful medical missionaries.

“God gave me the vision to start this fellowship, and it has been amazing to see how He has opened so many doors already.” In addition to training doctors, she has dedicated the last 14 years of her life to organize medical teams that come and serve in Nicaragua by providing medical, dental and eye care. These teams work with local churches, and many of the patients end up becoming active members of these churches.

When asked about her days in NCA, Jill brings back the memory of driving by the school all the time, “I used to pray that one day I would study there and when I was in the 9th grade, God answered my prayers in a powerful way…it was the education and people that I met there that altered my future for the better. I know for a fact that without NCA, I would not be where I am. Special thanks to Mr. Kynast, Joel Huyser, and Eric Loftsgard for giving me a chance when I could barely speak English!”

This is just one example of what Missionary Ventures is doing around the world to impact nations for Christ. You can help us continue the work of empowering God’s people by supporting our Core Mission.

A School for Alisbell

mvi — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 14:22:04 +0000

When Alisbell Ocón was born with Down syndrome, friends and neighbors assumed she would never go to school.

In Nicaragua, children with disabilities are often viewed as a burden, because it is assumed others will need to care for them their entire lives. Many families view an education as a needless waste of time and resources.

But Alisbell’s parents, Jonathan and Isabel, were different. They know Alisbell is a gift from God, and considered her disability as a blessing to them. They say they have grown closer to God since her birth.

Jonathan and Isabel enrolled Allie in a public school in the country near their home, but resources were extremely limited, and nothing was available to help children with special needs.

Then they learned about NCA from Alisbell’s aunt, who has another niece with autism who is thriving in the 7th grade. Greg Kynast, director of NCA Matagalpa and MV missionary, explains why Alisbell is so special. “We have had several students with Down syndrome apply in the past, but have never (until now) felt that all the pieces were in place for us to be able to serve the needs of the children and their families.”

On her first day of school, they took a picture of Allie with Greg. He later commented, “she may not seem all that excited to be photographed with her new principal, but I’m thrilled to have been able to say “yes” to her parents after they completed the application process!”

This is a pivotal time for the school. Recent political protests in Nicaragua have made it challenging to keep a consistent school schedule. They are continuing to adapt, and some online schooling has helped, but the entire country is in need of prayer.

You can help the ongoing development of schools like NCA Matagalpa through a gift to Missionary Ventures Where Most Needed fund.

The Empty Desk

mvi — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 14:14:47 +0000

The Empty Desk

Too often, Lizzy’s school desk was empty.

The teachers would call her name, “Lizzy Paola?” yet there was rarely an answer.

She became known around school as the student who hardly ever showed up at class.

Like many other young people in Honduras, Lizzy was struggling to find some peace and satisfaction within herself. No one, including her mom, knew what was really going on in her small world. She had desperately turned to drugs and other vices looking to fill that void.

But one day Liz had an encounter with Jesus, and through this powerful experience, found her true identity. She realized that she was a child of God and that God loved her and would give new meaning to her life.

Liz is now a positive, responsible student, and to the surprise of all, Liz showed her true potential when she was honored by the Department of Education for her outstanding participation in the Physics District Competition Exam, of which many schools participated.

We praise God for what he has done in the life of this young lady, and pray that the school will continue to be a powerful tool, pouring blessings into the lives of many of the students.

This is just one example of what Missionary Ventures is doing around the world to impact nations for Christ. You can help us continue the work of empowering God’s people by supporting our Core Mission.

The Crazy Adventure of Building a School

mvi — Wed, 17 May 2017 12:01:14 +0000

The Crazy Adventure of Building a School

Several years ago in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, we were prepared to purchase a piece of property to build a Christian school. Our dream was to help break the cycle of poverty through a Christ-centered education for the community. The price for the land was to be $60,000. But at the closing, the lawyer asked for $30,000 more. It was too much, and we had to walk away from the dream.

A few years later, our country director, Eric Loftsgard, was in Matagalpa having lunch and “happened” to run into the owner of the property. She expressed her disappointment that we hadn’t purchased it. When Eric explained about the price increase, she was shocked. All she had asked for was the $60,000. Then she said If we were still interested, she’d sell it for only $50,000. God provided!

When we started preparing the land, we needed a backhoe. A friend of the ministry said the local John Deere Company in Nicaragua would help. They told us to choose whichever unit we needed, and they delivered it to the site for free. Now we had another challenge. No one knew how to operate it. One of our missionaries just “happened” to ask if we could use a father and son team from Canada who had a land evacuation company. They were in Nicaragua for two weeks and wanted God to use them.

Within six months, God moved on hearts to pray and give, and the school, Nicaragua Christian Academy Matagalpa, was completed and opened.

Founding a Vocational School in Nicaragua

mvi — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 10:01:51 +0000

Founding a Vocational School in Nicaragua

In 2007, after serving as a teacher at Nicaragua Christian Academy and learning more of Nicaragua’s culture and struggle, missionary Mike Deibert prayed for God’s continued call for him in Nicaragua. God had always given Mike a heart for the arts, and his earlier training included blacksmithing and graphic design. He was given the vision of a vocational school, a building, and some interested students, and God set things into motion at a small village outside of Managua called Los Brasiles.

Mike soon found that the 35 young students had minimal critical thinking skills and weak foundations in both language and math. It became clear that Mike could use blacksmithing to teach critical thinking, walking students through the process of problem-solving. Also, the school and work environment opened the door to discussions, prayer, and study about what it meant to be a man of God both in and outside of church. The school began to shape its focus towards transforming the whole man in Christ.

In January of 2011, ESVO opened its second school in collaboration with Nicaragua Christian Academy Nejapa. This new ESVO school served as a central training location for apprentices and as the vocational program for the Nicaragua Christian Academy middle and high school. Mike Deibert and Dave Boone worked together to direct the school and apprenticeship program. The Deiberts were called back to the United States in 2015, and the Boone family continue to serve as directors of ESVO.

Now the school has expanded to include carpentry and welding. For women, there are classes in mosaics, jewelry, sewing, cooking, and candle-making.

On the shop wall are the words from Proverbs 22:29: “Have you seen a man skilled in his work? He will stand before Kings.” The purpose in teaching vocational skills to young Nicaraguan men and women is to encourage and equip them to live a life in Christ. This means the transformation of the whole person for Christ’s kingdom: within his or her family, church, and workplace.

We pray that God molds these students into leaders who have a heart for God. It is these leaders who will then work with God to transform this country and its people by sharing Christ with their families, their churches, their communities, and their co-workers.

Learn more about ESVO.

This is just one example of what Missionary Ventures is doing around the world to impact nations for Christ. You can help us continue the work of empowering God’s people by supporting our Core Mission.