Oct / Nov 2024 Newsletter

It’s all about the paint

It is a race against time to get these walls painted so that they are sealed and protected from moisture damage when the rains begin next January.
 
The University of Life needs funds to purchase paint and hire local labour to complete this task.

A lot of sand

If you know Marc, you know that he is relentless in finding solutions to benefit the project in cost effective and sustainable ways.

Recently he has been visiting building sites in the city and managed to find himself a company willing to bring 54 lorries of sand, not only into the favela, but into the project, to level out the field and area behind the gym. This is ultimately another very important flood prevention measure.

For a good price, Marc returned the goodwill of the building company by offering free parking for the large machinery for several nights. The whole process was fascinating for our children to watch (from a distance!) and Marc even used the opportunity to speak to them about vocations in the building industry.

Expelled from the community by gangs

The gangs around the University of Life continue to exercise control over every aspect of life. We recently had a student who had to leave and go to another area of the city because the whole family was being threatened. 

Before they left the child’s mother came to thank us for the tremendous difference the project had made to the life of her daughter. We were encouraged by her words but it is heartbreaking that families are treated like this by the gangs.

Paulina

Paulina is 7 years old and lives with her mother and father in a small home close to the project.

She is in year 2 but didn’t begin to learn to read or write until she became a student here 8 months ago. Today Paulina is making good progress and is enjoying her studies even though it is challenging. She says that when she grows up she wants to be a teacher.

We asked her what she likes the best about CBC and she said “making friends and learning about Jesus.”

Paulina enjoys playtime and is discovering the joy of laughter and play with her new friends.

Super Saturday

It has been many years since we have had a fun day for all our students at once. The pandemic changed so much for us.

On 26th October we will welcome all 260 students into the project at once, for a children’s day party. Our worship team will be in fancy dress and we are all going to embrace our inner child with bright clothes and decorations.

We want the children to enjoy and make memories that will last forever. For so many childhood fun and games are stolen by the limits and lethargy of poverty.

Our team from Essex will be with us for this event and will be helping us with obstacle courses, water games, making hot dogs, and much more!

Motivation

Despite the many activities and opportunities at the University of Life, the challenge of helping our older students to believe that life can be different is ongoing.

Teenage life is challenging enough but our students constantly face disappointments and dilemmas that force them to put their education into second place.  At their state schools promises of new courses are often empty and even their parents struggle to believe in them.

It is so important for us to model hope and expectation as we teach subjects like financial education to these students. Please pray for all the teachers and staff as we try to motivate and lift these students into self-belief each day.