2018 Guatemala Education Scholarship Update

The English ConnectionGuatemalaLeave a Comment

In 2014, we sent Matt Ferguson and Daniel Canvas to Guatemala on a vision trip to see how the English Connection could be involved in serving the local church and community in San Juan Moca, a rural community near the southern coast of Guatemala. We learned from our friend, Pastor Rafael Puac of Mt. Sainai Church, that education is a consistent need for children in this area.

Because of this need we started the Education Scholarship Program which equips the church in the community to help children go to school. God has been faithful and allowed us to sponsor more children for an opportunity to go to school.

We sent Daniel Canvas with his wife, Emma, to Guatemala in mid-January of 2018 to deliver scholarships to our friends at Mt. Sinai and visit some of the growing children who have benefited from the program. One of those children is Lucia, who has been a recipient for three years now.


From Daniel and Emma

We stopped by Lucia’s house to visit with her family and pray with them. Lucia’s mother, sister and three brothers were there waiting for us. Lucia’s mother informed us that she was in a nearby town doing some extra work to support her family before returning to her studies, but she always keeps her family photos close when she is away. Her father works in the plantation fields and was unable to be there for our visit.

Lucia’s mother expressed her gratitude for the help the scholarship has been for Lucia and shared some of the story of her family. Lucia had two other siblings who both passed away, each before they were a year old. Two of her brothers are currently sick, and her sister is disabled. It is an incredible gift for Lucia to receive the education scholarship because many kids end up leaving primary school (around the age of 10) to go work in the fields and support their families. Many children never get the opportunity to continue their education and break the cycle of hardship in their family.

Lucia’s mother told us, “We give thanks to God for the church, our pastor, and the English Connection for the help and support you have given us so that Lucia can continue to study. It has helped us very much, and we ask God to bless you. We thank God for you and ask him to bless you.”

Although Lucia was not home when we stopped by, she made a surprise visit near the end of our time in San Juan Moca and we got to visit with her for a brief moment. She is excited about finishing her third year of basic school this year and is continually serving in the local church. She is both encouraged and thankful for the opportunity to study, and gives thanks to God for her friends at the English Connection.


We want to say, “Thank You” to you, our education scholarship supporters. Without you, it would not be possible to help children like Lucia. Lucia will complete her third year of basic school (similar to sophomore year of high school) and will have opportunities to continue education in a “Carrera/Career” which more or less accounts for the final two years of high school education. She can then find a good job, or continue studies in a university.

The Education Scholarship Program renews per student every year. Your support helps keep a child in school until they graduate basic school, and can also help to sponsor more growing children in the village.

Visit our donation page to join us in providing scholarships to the children of San Juan Moca.

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