In my mind, I can still hear her cries of defeat and see the tears pouring down her face. I can see the “I am stupid” notes she had written on her school worksheets that day.
My precious eight-year-old daughter was fighting to overcome dyscalculia – basically the math version of dyslexia – and we had no idea. It was breaking my heart to watch her feel so defeated and worthless for not being able to keep up with her classmates.
As soon as we discovered her challenge, we pursued resources to help: tutors, new curriculum, online learning apps, teacher support, and even an Individualized Education Program.
I’m humbled and thankful to live in a country with resources like this so my daughter can thrive in her education. Yet I’m sad to know that a quarter of a billion children in this world don’t have that same opportunity.
According to the UN’s Global Education Monitoring Report (GEMR), of the 385 million children living in extreme poverty, 258 million of them aren’t in school at all, and the other 127 million have virtually zero resources for special education.
For example, when Forward Edge’s Nicaragua program, Villa Esperanza, rescued girls from a local garbage dump, some came with learning disabilities, and all of them were years behind in school. And there were no special education programs in Nicaragua to help.
But that didn’t stop our staff from finding tutors and receiving specialized teams to help the Villa girls overcome their learning challenges. Each girl received a customized plan toward success. Without this level of support, they never would’ve been able to build a better future.
The ability to go deeper with each child in our programs is one of the things I love most about Forward Edge. We may not be reaching millions of children like other child sponsorship programs, but the depth of investment we have with our children is unmatched. Our location staff mentor each child, and learn their unique gifts, challenges and circumstances to find the best route for them to thrive. There’s no one size fits all with Forward Edge.
Poverty experts around the world agree that education is the most important factor in overcoming material poverty.
Poverty experts around the world agree that education is the most important factor in overcoming material poverty. (Although, I would argue it is second to spiritual transformation through Jesus Christ.)
Even just the ability to read makes a huge difference. According to GEMR, 171 million people could be lifted out of extreme poverty if all children left school with just basic reading skills. That’s equivalent to a 12% drop in the world total.
Sometimes people ask me how Forward Edge practically carries out its mission statement, which is “to create opportunities for people to discover their true value and pursue God’s extraordinary purpose for their lives.”
“We help vulnerable children get Jesus and an education.”
My answer is often simple: “We help vulnerable children get Jesus and an education.” Those are the two most important factors in changing their future. First they need to know that they matter, then they need to know they were made to matter.
And these two things must go hand in hand. If we were to declare the Gospel to these children, and see their needs in this life but do nothing to help them, as James tells us, “what good is that?” (2:16 NIV).
Conversely, just helping them get an education also falls short, which is why we work through local churches and focus on spiritual discipleship as a core piece in each of our programs.
As CS Lewis puts it, “Education without values, as useful as that is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.” Knowledge without purpose is dangerous, and the only purpose that is truly good for mankind is God’s purpose. Our pursuit of knowledge and wisdom should always be in order to learn more of God and share more of Him with the world.
This past year, my wife and I decided she would take on the noble task of homeschooling our children. This allowed her to weave Scripture into their learning and give more direct attention to help our daughter.
It didn’t take long to see results. My daughter’s confidence in herself and love for learning has taken off. Not too long ago, after finishing a new addition and subtraction game, she looked up at her mother and shouted, “I love math!” We both cried tears of joy over this breakthrough.
As a parent, there’s nothing more heartwarming than to watch your child overcome a challenge. It fills you with joy, pride, hope and love all at the same time.
It makes me want to fight even harder for the children in our programs who are faced with much greater challenges than my daughter. I want to see them overcome. I want to see them thriving in confidence and purpose, because I know the result of that will be deep joy.
That’s why we’ll keep doing whatever it takes to get them Jesus and an education.
When you think of the word freedom, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? Free speech? Pickets and rallies? How about a soldier in uniform, fireworks, or even the American flag? As Westerners, the idea of freedom often leads us to the rights of every individual. Because every
“If I look back and see what I was, I can see a nefarious, and even a little perverted, young man. I was someone aimless, without knowledge and without any foundation.” Medardo grew up in an open-air garbage dump called La Chureca in Managua, Nicaragua, and then later, in Villa
The past two years have been particularly hard for children in Uganda. Schools remained shut through most of the pandemic. Light a Candle, our program there, worked tirelessly to help these children succeed in their education despite the seemingly impossible situation. Despite school closures, children have remained committed to pursuing
Berenice was used to seeing the same narrative play out around her growing up: a life marked by poverty, wealth inequality, and barriers to education. Most families in her area in Oaxaca, Mexico have traditionally come from smaller villages in search of a better life and are facing severe unemployment
12 yrs. old
Entered the program: January 2019
Trevor's parents and 4 siblings share a two-bedroom burnt brick and cement house in a busy community. The home has electricity and water is piped; they have a tap behind the house for drawing water. The toilet facility is ventilated and plastered. His family is well-established in the community and his father has a growing passion fruit business. Trevor and his sister live most of the time with their uncle Bonny who runs the LAC program and helps support his nieces and nephews.
Trevor's cousins Joram, Belinda, Simon and Bridget are also part of the LAC program.
