It's graduation time in Guinea Bissau

She's baacck!

Maritza is home from Guinea Bissau for her summer break.  Just as she promised, she brought lots of photos.  As you know, we had a difficult year and were not able to get as many photo updates of our projects as we usually do because of the transportation issue with Maritiza's car.

Now that we have remedied that situation and Maritza is back home until the fall, all is well.

and....there is sooo much to share.

Let's start with graduation at Casa Emanuel

I could rewrite what Maritiza sent to me, but why bother.  She does an excellent job in her own words.

After six years of educating the kids, it was fun to see that finally Liceu Comunitario Emanuel had its first group of graduates. There were only fifteen kids, yet they are a group of amazing kids, they are not only handome, kind, polite and respectful, but they are very intelligent.

Right now, all of them want to continue studying, we are hoping they could get scholarships from the Brazilian embassy who has been most generous to Guineeans, as far as offering them scholarships to study in Brazil.  There are two types of scholarships the first one is the most desirable, it offers free room, board, and all five years of college free of charge and it includes their round trip ticket.  The second one is good, but more difficult, it offers free college, free room and board but the kids have to pay for their round trip ticket to and from Brazil.  A one way ticket is $1,000, which is about as easy to get as paying for a trip to the moon!  It is impossible for them to get the money for the airfare.  The other country which offers scholarships is China.  Again, they do offer a sweet deal, all expenses paid and five years of college. 

Among the students, about five want to study medicine, a few enginneering and others, want to be lawyers.
 

The situation in Guine bissau has been most difficult financially, setting educational dreams aside due to the difficulty the country faced with two years of a military imposed government.  Right no , the hopes are up again, we want good things for our kids and they may just happen.

I will the Lord willing, go to the Chinese Embassy to see if we could get a scholarship or two for my little kids..all taller than me,


Congratulations to all of the graduates! Here's hoping those scholarships come through.  And a BIG thank you to Maritza for making a difference in their lives!