September 2012 - school supplies

Last month we told you about Aracely and the children we help with tuition so they can attend school. There are no free schools in Juarez — even the government-run schools charge fees, and the family has to buy uniforms and school supplies. This can be a huge burden on these very poor families that struggle to put food on the table, let alone purchase paper and pencils.

Even in the lower grades the schools are asking each child to bring 5 notebooks. While many people think that everything is cheaper in Mexico, a thin notebook costs $2.50 in Juarez while that same notebook can be purchased at Walmart in the U.S. for .17 cents. So every August we start asking people for school supplies. We tell them, “When you go with your children to purchase the supplies their schools are requiring, buy a few extra items to donate for the poor.” We then take what we have collected, and with the help of our willing volunteers, assemble bags with pens, pencils, notebooks, colored markers, glue, folders, and whatever else has been donated.

All the children that we are helping with tuition receive one of these bags. The kids are thrilled as they open them up and see the brand new items. Right away they start writing or drawing with their new pens and pencils.

We want to extend a huge thank you to all of you who sent in money to help us in this very important ministry of making sure children receive an education. Thanks to some generous donors, we were able to send even more children to school this year than usual — and all of them went equipped with their required notebooks!