© 2008 streetkidsdirect.org.uk
UK Registered Charity No: 1102894
CHRIS & RICHARD RICE - MISSION AND GOALS
Our mission is to prevent the drift of children onto the streets of Guatemala by
providing practical and spiritual support to them and their families. Our goals are to keep families together; ensure that each family has an adequate roof over their heads and sanitary conditions; help provide education for their children; enable parents to be able to support themselves and their children; provide relief for chronic medical problems which inhibit the family’s, or child’s, progress; and, through Christ, bring hope of a better future to the people of Santa Faz
HOW THIS PROJECT WILL HELP PEOPLE
Our aim is to use the property that we have bought in Santa Faz as both a church and a point of focus for the community. It will be open during daylight hours, with an open door policy. We hope to use part of the property to run a small nursery for children whose parents can not afford, or can not find a space in, local nurseries; hence the need for toys, books and small chairs and tables. This will provide a caring, Christian environment for young children who would otherwise be left to fend for themselves at home or on the streets. They will also be provided with a hot meal lunch time and other snacks; hence the basic kitchen equipment. The area that is used for the nursery will also be used for the church Sunday school and this, too, will need small chairs. For older children we plan to offer help with their homework and include a time tabled “tutoring” service, i.e. times set aside for specific help with English, math etc; hence the tables, chairs and books. There will also always be someone available to chat, counsel and share the gospel with anyone who wishes to come in – for this, the most important bit of kitchen equipment will be a coffee maker and a biscuit tin!
HOW MANY CHILDREN WILL BENEFIT
We hope to have up to 20 children in the nursery. As far as the school help and “open house” policy – the possibilities are endless! There are currently about 60 children involved in the group that is forming the core of the church children.
CHILDREN INVOLVEMENT
The Sunday school will be run by teenagers from the church and community – all of whom are 13 yrs or above. We plan to check local employment laws and, depending on these, we may be able to offer work in the nursery to older teenagers who are studying in the evenings or at weekends.
WIDER COMMUNITY IMPACT
In the beginning it is more likely to be members of the church who will benefit. But our prayer is that, as time goes on, the word will spread and more families will come through the door. Our long term goal is to make it a true community centre and that, in time, the church and the work may grow to the point where we have to find larger premises.