Santa Isabel School Addition
In late May, a team (composed of folks from Nashville, North Carolina, New York City, and even the UK) partnered with JMA to spend a week on the Discovery, serving in several different villages along the Amazon. The focus of the week of ministry was construction, but a lot of time was also spent with our friends, both old and new, along the River.
One major project accomplished during the trip was the completion of a much-needed addition to a school in a village we have a long standing relationship with, Santa Isabel. The addition was funded through gifts to our “Build a School” fund, and could not have happened without the generous support of those who have given sacrificially to this cause. This addition will allow all the students of the school to have a full day of classes instead of just the half-day classes that had been taking place due to overcrowding.
Upon completion of the addition, we had the privilege of attending the building dedication with the schools’ students, parents, and teachers. The dedication was led by Professor Edgmar, a friend of JMA’s and a true hero of the faith who is dreaming Kingdom sized dreams for the families of Santa Isabel. Together, the teachers decided to officially name the addition “The John Paculabo Center for Science and Technology,” which carried special significance as Juliet Paculabo was along on the trip, all the way from the UK. Her first time back since the passing of her husband, John.
Terra Preta School Improvements
In July, a group of students, parents, and staff from Rolling Hills journeyed to the Amazon. They spent half of their week making improvements to a school in Terra Preta, a village that JMI has a long standing relationship with. The team from Franklin, along with families from the Terra Preta community, painted the inside and outside of the school building. Classrooms, bathrooms, and hallways all got a new coat of paint, as well as the outside of the building. Our friend and guide Milton was also able to do some re-wiring to fix the fans in the building. The sweetest part for the team was getting to labor alongside their Brazilian brothers and sisters.
There was a lot of sweat, and even some blood, that went into the construction and improvements of those humble schools. And here, as we watched little bare and flip-flopped feet run around the dirt floors of these newly improved buildings, there were also some tears. Tears that came from an overwhelming sense of the Lord’s faithfulness to His children. Tears from this reminder that He is indeed the giver of all good things, and that He is relentlessly committed to being known in every corner of every nation. Tears of gratitude that He would allow even sinners like us to carry the Very Best News to the ends of the Earth.
Thank you for giving to support the work of JMI around the world. Because of your generosity and love for the Kingdom, people are experiencing the deep love of the Savior. Your giving is making an eternal difference.
To learn more about how you can support projects like this one, visit
https://justiceandmercy.org/donate/
304 44th Ave. N
