Back to School??

It's January, and that means Back to School for most Salvadoran children. The school year runs from January to November so most public and private schools and universities are headed back to class this week.  That is, for those who live in the right area...

Through our work in the Ezekiel 33 ministry we have discovered that Back to School isn't always an option for those who live in gang-controlled neighborhoods.  For them, receiving an education can be dangerous and almost impossible. 

In our small town, there are 3 elementary schools and one high school.  All of these schools are located within the heart of town and are controlled by the MS13 gang.  This poses a great challenge for children or youth who live in the rival gang's territory, as they are not permitted to attend school in town.  If they do enroll in these schools they are bullied, threatened, and abused until, fearing for their safety,they withdraw.  The children and youth from the rival gang territory do not necessarily need to belong to the rival gang, just the fact that they live within that territory makes them subject to these restrictions. 

In the Ezekiel 33 ministry we have been reaching out to a small area of our town called Nueva Esperanza. This area is controlled by the 18th Street gang, which is the rival gang of MS13. When we first started ministering in this area we discovered that most children and youth in this community were not studying, and those that were studying were going to a neighboring town.  Further investigation revealed that many of them have the desire to study, they simply cannot because they live in 18th Street territory and the local schools in town are controlled by MS13. Those families that do have a little bit of money are able to send their children to a neighboring town that is controlled by 18th street, therefore allowing the children to study there. 

Bobby and Darwin went out today to give out some school supplies to children and youth who would be going back to school.  While out, they were approaching a home when, all of a sudden, a gang member flung the door open to the home and came running out ready to attack Bobby and Darwin.  An acquaintance who was walking with Bobby and Darwin, jumped in front of the gang member and held him back.  The gang member was angrily asking them the typical questions, "Where are you from?", "What are you doing here?" etc.  Bobby quickly explained to him that they were from the church and approached the gang member and gave him an invitation to our service. The gang member eventually calmed down and Bobby and Darwin were able to talk to him. He was 17 years old and liked music so they invited him to our music classes that we offer free twice a week in the church and also made sure to invite him to our Saturday service.  Through all of this, Bobby noticed that there was a little girl inside the house watching everything.  Bobby gave her some school supplies and talked to her for a few minutes. We wonder what her life is like and pray for her future.

Several years ago an NGO built a school in Nueva Esperanza for the kids who live there.  The school was to be government run, but due to a lack of funds, the school was never opened.  So there it sits, empty, and there is such great need for it to be opened. We pray that someday God will open the doors to this school so that the children and youth from this community can have a better future. More importantly, however, we pray that the doors of their hearts would be opened to Him so that they may have the hope of an eternal future.