MARCH, 2016
I am out of my medical element and into an educational mode this week!
An amazing few days here with this first ever, "train the trainers", "teach the teachers", Christian Education task force! The participants that have come together from Virginia and Illinois are skilled, energetic, and very effective. Our target audience are the "teachers" mainly of the Compassion program, which is conducted in several remote villages here in Chiapas. 
It is a sponsorship program, and with the support the children receive food, routine medical care, and a Christian education. The program operates through the churches in the villages, and Pastor Pablo helps with administration. There are hundreds of children involved. 
The "teachers" for the program are village young people, themselves, students. Most are in their early teens. They are chosen by the pastors and deacons in their churches. We have come by invitation, to help, to ascertain what they need, to determine what the Compassion curriculum might be, and how to grow the faith and knowledge of both the children and the young teachers.
K The children attend 8 hours per week, in addition to their normal school hours. There are 25-35 children per "teacher" in a class. 
It is hoped that training these trainers will result in better prepared teachers who will then be able to teach others.
The task force workshop via this observation trip has been, so far, very well received.
We expected 15-20 teachers to come in for the introductory training. 38 showed up! 
Jan has been feeding nearly 60 people, breakfast, lunch, and dinner! 
The sessions have been enthusiastically conducted by Gina, Gaby, Christian, and Jackie. They are Sunday school and family life educators, children's minister, and story teller.
We opened with the participants singing "How Great Thou Art" in Tzeltal. Very stirring. Our main presenters have presented principles of how children learn, 
classroom management, and lively examples with drama, song, and story telling.
Instilling knowledge, love, creativity, confidence in these young people has been fun!
Tomorrow we travel to the first of 2 Compassion villages to eat and sleep there, and observe classes in action. 
MATZAM:
We slept in hammocks in the church building. I love my hammock, but it was cold this night! Wind coming in the open windows.
Hard to tell, but we are 8,000 feet up!
This is a new church building, for a new "church". They are now 100 strong and are a "baby church".
Typical highland dress, even the children. It is cold here, down to freezing at times, and windy. The wind blew a tin roof off last night. Coffee does not grow here.
She kept coming out of class to see me.
JOL SACUN:
Not quite lowland, but distinctly different People and climate than Matzam. They put ribbons and banners to greet us as we drove up. Sweet.
One of the cooks and family
A tortilla with beans cooked into it. We ate typical thin soup with a chunk of chicken or beef in it and a few chunks of chayote and carrot. Eggs and beans for breakfast.
The Compassion children eat with us this day.
Children's classes. Just a few to show us . Most classes have 25 children in them
Closing prayer
Coffee beans drying
We followed the locals through the woods to a small stream. Nice to wade in!
It remains to be seen what next steps will be!
Let us know if you have a desire to join the movement, travel with us, develop an ongoing plan, etc.
Hasta Luego.
Carolina and company.
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