Announcing the launch of New Hope Girls Academy!

When we first arrived in the Dominican Republic and for months after we struggled with our purpose here. The environment at our school is much like that of the US and so we questioned why we couldn't serve somehow in the states. Then one day Chris had a after school meeting with a mom from her class about the mom's daughter but conversation soon led to this same question. "Why are we here???"  This particular mom, Joy, is a missionary who has been here for 7 years with her family working as a director in a barrio of a Pre-K- fourth grade school. She and Chris became fast friends as they share many common interests (namely coffee!!!) and within a month or so Joy said "You are going to work with me someday. I just know it!"  She was right!

What began for us in November has been a dream of our friends, Joy and Vidal Reyes for years. On Easter Sunday we officially announced (after MUCH prayer, tears, and bumps along the way),

Nueva Esperanza - New Hope  Girls Academy!

We cannot even begin to explain the excitement here!

If you watch the video on http://www.thegirleffect.com/ , you will see why this is an exciting adventure.

So, a short recap because our school blog says so much more. A property with a small home on it was donated by a woman who lives in the barrio of Maria Auxiliadora in La Vega. Her name is Delia and, wow, what a woman! What a heart for these girls...

The path to the school

Delia unlocking the door so we can get to work!

We spent a weekend afternoon cleaning out the house to get it ready to be renovated.

The front of the property currently used as a garbage dump.

This will someday be a patio.

Noah mopping DR style...pour five gallons of water ont he floor and go to town!

Adam and Helena, Joy and Vidal's daughter, cleaning up the yard.

Tim tearing down walls...Go Timo!

The inside, after the walls came down.

Once the house was cleaned out, Joy and several women had a "vigilia," a prayer vigial late into the night.

Powerful night for all of the women involved. We have never been around so many women so obedient to God and committed to prayer...what a blessing!

Soon after Carolina Diplan, a former SCS student who founded Home of Change (http://www.site.homeofchange.org/ ...check it out! Awesome ministry!!!) was in touch with Joy about meeting up and talking about how her organization could help us raise funds stateside for this school project. In God's timing Carolina needed to come the DR for a wedding and we were able tomeet and to plan out a fundraising campaign, logo, printed material, etc. What fun to dream for these girls but to get out of the way and let God work!!! He is on the move in this barrio...

Massi, Grecie, Joy and Carolina outside of the school

We launched our blog (http://newhopegirls.wordpress.com/) and Facebook page (New Hope Girls Academy)  on  Easter and began a campaign to "Buy a Cup of Hope" by encouraging 10,000 people to donate $5 (the price of a gourmet coffee) towards the construction and operating expenses of the school. So far we have sold close to 400 "cups."

Once construction is underway, we will begin a scholarship program for the girls. People will have opporunity to send a girl to school by sposoring her with a monthly donation. This scholarship program is going to be Chris's baby. Her goal is to make this a very personal relationship between the girls and their scholarship donors.

Yesterday Chris and Joy went out into the barrio with Delia looking for girls to enroll in the school. Wow...she was brought to tears by the excitement of the families as we arrived in their living roms to offer education to there girls. As Joy says, "To them it is like winning the lottery." In fact, when we left the last house, the family cheered with excitement! Some of the girls are 9-11 yeard old and have never been to school.

This mom (holding the baby) has 8 children, none of which are in school.

So there you have it. God is on the move and we are blessed to be his hands and feet in La Vega, Dominican Republic. We pray you join us in "dreaming for the girls of the barrios the same dreams we have for our own daughters."

Love,

Tim and Chris

http://newhopegirls.wordpress.com/