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PathLight

PathLight Staff Retreat

Last week we had a wonderful PathLight staff retreat at our home. Over half the PathLight staff were able to attend and it was an incredibly productive time. We set out to build the team spiritually, have plenty of fun and fellowship, and leave with tangible skills to help us in our work. All three felt achieved.

I opened the retreat with a new word that I recently learned. Pronoia is “the delusional belief that other people are plotting your well being, or saying nice things about you behind your back.” It brought a few laughs, but it also set …

Belize, PathLight,

Buy a Backpack!

Every year about this time, students and their parents go on “back to school” shopping trips. I remember the days when my two kids would get so excited at the prospect of new clothes, shiny binders, and the latest (and coolest) backpack. The start of school is exciting for students in part because it comes with chance to get “geared up” for another year of learning, experiences, and fun. It is a great way to start a new year of school.

For the PathLight Sponsorship+ students, the start of a new year of school is a different story. Families in …

Apocryphal, Belize, PathLight,

Reflections

The past week has been a thoughtful one for me. If you look at my calendar you’ll wonder how I could ever find the time for reflection! The combination of travel and hosting guests has been hectic. But I spent time with some fascinating people who inspired me, challenged me, and encouraged me.

For instance, I met with a successful businessman in Belize City on Thursday morning. We were talking about ways to create job opportunities for at-risk youth, and in the midst of the conversation he said, “If we are all made in God’s image then we are all …

Belize, PathLight,

Joseline, Quincy, Abel and Ashjonae

One of the best parts about this time of year is the new PathLight students are chosen. These are boys and girls who recently completed what we in the States would call Eighth Grade. Now they are ready to make the big step to High School, and PathLight has admitted them to the program. It’s fun to see the potential in each of these young faces!

This year PathLight offered the Sponsorship+ Program to three schools. Sixty-three students completed an application. After reviewing recommendations from teachers, checking grades, and evaluating test scores, PathLight staff interviewed 26 students and their parents. …

Belize, PathLight,

PathLight Graduation

“Schools are the fabric of our culture,” said my friend Chris as he made announcements in church. Indeed they are, I thought, as memories of the past week went through my mind.

June is graduation season. We often take that for granted in a country where education is commonplace. But graduation for a PathLight student is truly a momentous occasion.

Last week D’Aun and I led a group of about 20 people to Belize and celebrated the accomplishments of some amazing young men and women. These students are the first in their families to complete high school, and by estimate …

Belize, PathLight,

Lightning Quick

I love fast paced trips. It’s fun to pack things into a short period of time and then just run on adrenaline. That’s an odd thing for this introvert to admit, but it’s true. And perhaps my introverted ways are exactly why I love the whirlwind — there’s no time for small talk!

In late May I flew to Belize on a Thursday, arriving about 3:30 PM. I bought a SIM card, rented a car, drove to Belmopan, checked into a little B&B, and then went to dinner with two PathLight staffers. We enjoyed great conversation over good Italian food …

PathLight, The SOLD Project,

The Other Half of the Sky, Part II

I recently heard about a friend going through a very difficult divorce. She is married to a man who has done some despicable things and he doesn’t deserve her. It saddened me, and it once again made me think, “How can we get men to hold up half the sky?”

No, this isn’t a book review of the latest from Nicholas Kristof and his well known book about women holding up half the sky. It’s a follow up to a post from 2011 when I was in Thailand with The SOLD Project.

In that post I stated that we had …

Belize, PathLight,

Inspire a Teacher

Have you got $10? If so, you can make a huge difference for a teacher in Belize. Here’s how.

Belize is officially an English speaking country. But in large parts of the country — especially where PathLight works — English is a second language. It might be Spanish, Mopan Mayan, Ketchi Mayan, Belizean Kriol, or Garifuna. Helping those students excel in school takes a special effort.

We want to provide Belizean teachers with a highly acclaimed book that will help them structure lessons to engage both English and non-English speakers.

And get this. It’s only $10.

The aim is to …