The Hastings Family

As most of you know, AMG International has a large child sponsorship program, both here in Guatemala and around the world. Sometimes we are asked "Does child sponsorship really make a difference?" Well, for the few who have the opportunity to visit an AMG ministry location and possibly the home of their sponsored child, the answer is obvious. But for others, it may not be that clear.

As AMG has been in existence in Guatemala for more than 32 years now, we have the opportunity to look into the lives of sponsored children who are now young adults. Since arriving here in 2004, we have met sponsored children who are now doctors, engineers, nurses, accountants, full time ministry workers, God-fearing christian parents ...almost every type of career or calling that you can imagine. For example, right here in AMG Guatemala's central office, we have two examples of young ladies who were sponsored children here in two of AMG's childcare centers and are now productive young women working in our child sponsorship and accoutning departments. Recently, we interviewed them about their experience as sponsored children.

First, some information about the two young ladies:

Sandra Elias: Sandra is 20 years old and works as a Bilingual Secretary in our Child Sponsorship Department. Sandra is responsible for the administration of all of our new children including communicating with our 27 schools and childcare centers about new children, entering the biographical information into our system and corresponding with our sponsorship partners in both the US and Holland. Sandra also helps with translating children's letters.

Sandra came to AMG's Verbena school when she was 8 years old. She graduated from High School in 2006 as a Bilingual Secretary and came to do her practical work here in our central office. A position opened up during that same time and Sandra was an excellent worker so she was hired on at the conclusion of her practical studies. Now Sandra is 20 years old and has been with AMG for more than 12 years as both a sponsored child and an employee.

Nidia Hernandez: Nidia came to AMG's Amparo childcare center at the age of 3 as part of the preschool program. Nidia came from a very poor family and they needed a safe place for Nidia to spend time during the day. Nidia was a sponsored child all the way through her High School years and also needed a place to do her practical work to finish High School. As her "career" choice was accounting, she was placed in our accounting department as the accounts payable assistant. Like Sandra, Nidia learned very quickly and was also hired when a position became available. Nidia also began her studies at the University, 5 nights a week and on Saturdays, studying Accounting and Auditing. Three years later, she has held three different jobs in our accounting department and recently was named as our head Accountant. Now Nidia is 21 years old and has a total of 18 years with AMG!!

Here are some exerpts from our interview with them:

What is the Impact that AMG and child sponsorship has had on your life?

Sandra: The biggest impact in my life has been to see how God acts through others (sponsors) to help the most needy people here in Guatemala.

Now as an employee of the mission, how do you think you can influence the ministry of AMG in Guatemala?

Nidia: Well, before I was in charge of purchasing all of the goods and supplies for AMG’s schools and childcare centers, so for me I think the most important thing was to look for the best prices to buy all the things we need, so I could obtain the best product at a very good price to benefit our sponsored children. Now, I am the accountant in charge of 4 employees and responsible for all of the finances of AMG Guatemala. Now I need to be a good steward of all of the financial matters in order to help AMG minister to so many children.

Sandra: I think now that I am in the correspondence department, I am in touch with the letters and the biographical forms of the new children that begin attending AMG projects. So I think that doing my work well, entering the correct information and translating the letters well from the children to their sponsors is the best way I can contribute to this ministry of AMG, because now that I can see the effort of every sponsor in helping the children.

Nidia: Yes, and you know the sponsors are helping the kids that they don’t even know, and with the sponsors help, not only economically, but their prayers, specials gifts, etc; they make their lives very special.

What is the best time that you remember from when you were a student and sponsored child?

Sandra: Vacation Bible School, because we had a lot of different activities and we had a lot of fun and learned Bible stories about Jesus and his love.

Is there a teacher that you remember as an influence in your life?

Nidia: Well, she was not a teacher, she was the Social Worker at our center. Her name was Suzzette. when I came to know Jesus personally, she was the one who guided me and my family to a church and helped to care for all of us spiritually. I will never forget her.

Sandra: I do not remember any teacher, but the Counselors at Camp Canaan were definitively the people who changed my life through their spiritual guidance. I will always remember them, because they helped me to be near to God.

Did your families also benefit from your sponsorship?

Nidia: Yes. We prayed in our projects for our families, and they also received economical support. Also, the spiritual help has been so great.

To finish, is there anything else that you would like to say to sponsors?

Nidia: I hope they can know that it is worthy to invest in every child. I am a living example of what a blessing it can be. I know I would not be able to study without their help because my family is so poor. They never thought that I would have the opportunity to study, and now I am able to work and also pay for my college. For the ones who invested in my life, I know that I don't have any way to pay back what they have done, but there is a God in heaven who is going to reward everything they did for me.

Sandra: Yes, and the most important thing is that when they invest in our lives, they are changing the generations after us because now that I know the Lord and when I have a family they are going to know the Lord, too.

Thanks to all who sponsor children through the ministry of AMG International. If you'd like more information, follow this link: http://www.amginternational.org/www/docs/185

Thought I would send a few update pictures from our La Florida Childcare Center construction project. (see post from March 11)

Here at AMG Guatemala, we have several training events for our employees throughout the year. Sometimes they are for specific groups of employees like our School/Childcare Center Directors, or our Bible Teachers, or our Central Office Staff, but four times each year we try to plan training for all 200 of the employees who work here in and around Guatemala City. These events usually start by covering broader topics that apply to all of our employees, and then sometimes they have break-0ut workshops that may offer training in specific areas.

1. Juven-Fami: this Christian organization has been working here in Guatemala since 1978, teaching Biblical principles regarding the spiritual and physical health of the family. You might remember one of our blog posts from October 2007 entitled "Sexual Purity" where we talked about a conference we hosted for our students regarding Biblical Abstinence. Well, Juven-Famil is the same organization that taught that conference. On Friday, they spent several hours teaching our employees about the following topics:

- how to recognize the signs of physical/emotional/sexual abuse among children

All of these subjects were taught from a biblical perspective and were a great help to our staff as they often are faced with dealing with these issues.

2. IJM (International Justice Mission) - You may recognize this name as this institution is based out of the US and has branches of their organization throughout the world. (http://www.ijm.org/) IJM sent representatives to our training in the afternoon to talk about the following:

Dear Friends,

Yesterday, a friend encouraged me with these verses:

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed... so then death is at work in us, but life is at work in you... therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen...for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Verses from II Corinthians Chapter 4.

I'm sure you, too, find that at different times in your life it is easy to let the pressures and struggles of this world get the best of you. These verses help to remind us to maintain an "eternal perspective", not to look at the present only but to the future "eternal glory". Amen?

I hope these verses are an encouragement to you today as they were for me.

On another note, I wanted to share a few pictures with you of the new AMG Childcare Center that is being built here in Guatemala City. Our center named "La Florida" was old, underspaced and in disrepair. At the end of last year we obtained funds to tear it down and build a new facility with twice the capacity. What a blessing it will be to have a brand new two-level facility, complete with new furniture and fixtures! The new building will have a capacity of 200 children, 90 more than before, and will have plenty of classroom space and a multi-purpose room for activities, assemblies and meetings with parents. Here's a few pictures of the contruction progress:

Construction of the first level