Since 1996 our church has been in a covenant relationship with Arca de Noe, a small, rural church in Morelia, Guatemala, as part of a larger partnership relationship between our Presbytery and two Presbyteries in Guatemala. Members of our congregation have visited regularly, providing assistance with education, housing, drinking water and simply extending this relationship. In addition to these budgeted funds, non-funded, committed funds are donated to support educational scholarships.
Scholarship Update 2024
Our scholarship journey with our sister church, Arca de Noé, began in 2006 with a $2000 gift that allowed 20 children to stay in primary school and not have to leave school to work in the cane fields and coffee plantations. We pledged to send the money for three years to ensure that they could continue. This seemingly small amount enabled that these 20 families could meet the fees, buy supplies and even provide a pair of shoes for school.
2025 begins the 7th three-year scholarship covenant. When we began in 2006, all of the scholarship recipients were enrolled in primary school. Today, there are 36 recipients with 12 in primary, 9 in middle school, 10 studying trades or in high school, 3 in university and even 2 studying theology.
Every dollar contributed goes to the families. The Arca de Noé scholarship committee selects the recipients and receives receipts showing how the monies were spent toward the children’s education and they monitor each child’s progress. Our church is then provided a detailed annual report.
Having completed the sixth cycle – now 18 years, how can we assess the outcomes of our benevolence? In 2006, Danny Gonzalez, one of five children, was only six years old and was among the first beneficiaries of the scholarships. He excelled throughout school and finished high school with honors. His dream was to go on to university. He received the first Presbytery of Western North Carolina’s university scholarship. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration, but pursuing his masters was in doubt because there were no graduate – level scholarships available. Hearing about Dany inspired a generous member of our congregation to invest in Dany’s future. In January of this year, Dany received his master’s degree in business administration.
As a professional, Dany manages the Arca de Noé water purification business that helps support the church. He also developed the 7 – year business plan for the church to acquire land for a new, much needed church building and manse. Thanks to a $25,000 bequest by a member of our congregation, under Danny’s leadership and stewardship as a deacon, their plans are moving forward.
Meet Dr. Wendy Sanchez. On our very first trip to Morelia, she was four years old, the youngest of nine children. Her parents were wholly invested in their children’s educations. I remember a periodic table on a wall in their house. That made a serious impression. We learned that Wendy’s father had wanted to become a nurse – a dream he never realized – but he and his wife Albina were committed to ensuring that their children could realize their ambitions. Because of the benevolence of members of this congregation, Wendy will enter the final stage of her medical training and become a general surgeon dedicating her life in service where none was available.
Read about our 2024 fundraiser for scholarships, The Flood Brothers!
Primary grade scholarships are $25 per child annually.
Secondary grades scholarships are $50 per child annually.
Trade school scholarships are $150 per student annually.
Watch a 2024 video update about the scholarships and meet some of the recipients.
Our Partnership grows stronger each year. We visit Guatemala and have been blessed with visits from some of our brothers and sisters from our partner church as well.
Each time we visit, we purchase essentials for the poor of the community. The sisters of Arca de Noé bag them and distribute them as one of their most important ministries. We are so blessed to have the opportunity to have these wonderful people as part of our family in Christ.
The challenges in Guatemala are great, as the country is very poor and vaccination roll out has been slow. Please consider supporting our sister church through the scholarship program or monies to assist their village during these trying times.
Several members returned in October 2022 and plan a trip in October 2024.
Our partnership is part of the Guatemala Partnership with the Presbytery of Western North Carolina. The Presbytery has a longtime partnership with two presbyteries in Guatemala: Sur Occidente and Suchitepequez. Two of the priorities have been education and public health efforts in Guatemala. More than 30 western NC churches have a church-to-church relationship.
Read about our fundraiser to purchase stoves for Guatemalan families.