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#125166 07/25/06 06:46 PM
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 865
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It looks like we'll have to wait a little longer for the Special Ed Unit as the need for Infant I and II and Standard I is overwhelming. I am in a sheer panic!!! We will open the Special Ed Unit as soon as possible but school needs to start in September. Thanks for all your support and prayers!
I am writing you with an impassioned plea for assistance in a project that is especially near and dear to our hearts. You might remember that Vernon and I moved from Belize City to the Island of Ambergris Caye in order to oversee the building of an Anglican school and Church. We made this decision in response to the desperate need for another primary school on the Island. Last year over 120 children weren't able to attend school because there was literally no room.
With the enthusiastic support of Bishop Wright, Mrs. Carol Babb, General Manager of Anglican Schools, national and local government officials and citizens of San Pedro, the project began to take shape. The Diocese was given a piece of land - mostly swamp but in a very needy neighborhood and we were able to purchase three wooden buildings to serve as temporary classrooms.
Of course this is Belize and everything happens at the last moment... Mayro Elsa Paz contacted Vernon last week and literally begged for the school to open this September.
There are almost 90 students (ages 5 to 8) who have no school to attend so we are now going crazy trying to get this school underway. In spite of the fact that the buildings aren't up, the land is still a swamp and we have nothing for a school - REGISTRATION WILL BEGIN THIS SATURDAY!!l CRISIS!!!
I hardly slept last night thinking of all the things we need. Starting a school from scratch is an awesome challenge! Now I know you guys with God's enormous help can move mountains... I'm praying that you can also help get this school open - in a month's time!!!
We are in DESPERATE need of financing - no amount is too small or too big - smile!
First of all we need to pay labor costs to get the temporary buildings erected (sure wish I had some available volunteer teams!!). We're estimating cost at $1,000 US.
Then we need to build a wooden walkway over the swampy area between the road and the school - another $1,000 or so. And then a bathroom - sure wish we had porta-potty services in Belize!
We have a source here in Belize that will sell us school furniture at cost. The owner is a friend of ours and really committed to this school but it still will be expensive. We need:
90 student desks at $20 US a piece - we are planning for 30 per class
3 teacher desks at $75 US a piece
8 bookshelves at $50 US a piece
Then we need textbooks at approximately $50 US per student, blackboards, tables and chairs, library books, chalk, and the list goes on and on and on....
Any help you could give would be wonderful!! And PLEASE keep planning on bringing volunteer teams. We want to start on the permanent building as soon as possible.
Much love and many Blessings,
Francis
Mrs. Francis Wilson
Anglican Diocese of Belize
Diocesan Office
Rectory Lane
Belize City
BELIZE, Central America
[email protected]

Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 865
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The School has an official name...HOLY CROSS Anglican School.

Those wanting to make financial contributions...

School account #23655
Belize Bank, San Pedro

Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
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As my Belizean friends would say, "Lawd, Lawd, Lawd, wat u wek!!"....

Holy Cross Anglican Primary School officially opened on Monday, September 4th at 8:30am. Bishop Philip Wright joined Principal and Infant I teacher, Ms. Sharon Hazel, teachers: Miss Monica (Standard I), Miss Germaine (Infant II), Miss Laura (English as a Second Language) and Canadian volunteer Heather Leslie (our school nurse for the next 6 weeks!) in welcoming almost 80 students and their parents to the first day of school - YEA!!! Bishop Wright blessed the temporary classrooms and the students and, SCHOOL WAS OPEN - thanks be to God!

Sounds good doesn't it???? Well, behind the scenes.....

our make shift toilet was installed only hours before Monday morning (plummer disappeared)
glad we're over the water!

not one stick of furniture in the school (all coming 'tomorrow', for the past several weeks!)

the school's cook, Miss Roselea, in the emergency room in Belize City with her sister
(breakfast!? snack??! lunch??? 80 hungry children!!!)

no electricity, drinking water in buckets, mud up to the knees, thirsty children, total INSANITY!!!

Did I mention the little girl who threw up four times (thank God for Miss Heather), lunch served an hour late to starving students, teachers working out of boxes - everyone on the floor????

Miraciously we made it through the week and not one child fell into the mucky water! Even more little ones showed up for school accompanied by grateful parents - 'gracias por la escuela!', 'thank you for taking my child', heard often.

This afternoon I listened to the Infant I children sing 'Jesus Loves Me' while gazing at the mounds of garbage (land fill?), mud and water surrounding our little classrooms, I knew that by the grace of God and with your help we will make it! Holy Cross Anglican Primary School will love and feed and nurture and educate as many children as possible!!! I pray that you will accompany us this in incredible adventure in ministry - smile!!

WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW:

1) Nurse Heather has taken a seriously ill five year old girl, Destiny, under her wing. Talking to the mother, Heather has pieced together a sketchy medical history of a chronically ill child. We want to take Destiny and her mother to a doctor in Belize City for evaluation and hopefully treatment. Nurse Heather would accompany them. Estimated costs: Transportation by water taxi: $30US per person round trip - $90US; doctor in Belize City and appropriate tests - Estimate $500US

2) Funding for our Feeding Programs - Since most of our children come from impoverished homes, we want to offer them a breakfast snack (cheese sandwick and milk for example) upon arrival, a fruit and juice midmorning snack and a nutricious lunch. Costs last week for the total program (the kids ate every bite!) was right at $500US for 80 children or $6.25US per child per week. We need sponsors...to adopt a child for the year (38 school weeks times $6.25 per week) is $237.50 - please help!

3) Most of our children cannot afford their school books - cost $30US per child or
their uniforms - cost $30US for child - 2 shirts and 2 pants or 2 jumpers.

4) English as a second language for children - supplies and materials.

5) First aid supplies, musical instruments - tamborenes, cymbals, bells, triangles.

6) Your PRAYERS, your SUPPORT and YOUR presence in Belize!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pictures are coming. Many thanks and blessings, Francis

Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 10,850
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Thanx for posting Marty. This is a very worthy cause and the readers of this board are the ones that can help make this work. I beg every board member/reader of this board, to make a contribution, large or small, hopefully large, to the Holy Cross School. The San Pedro Social Club has voted to donate any remaining fund from The RC School project to the Holy Cross School.

PLEASE HELP ANYWAY YOU CAN !

Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
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thank you very much for all your hard work IM

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zxc

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Joined: May 2006
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Anyone coming to San Pedro who wants to bring school supplies for the kids would be much appreciated I am sure.

Chalk, color pencils, crayons, markers, pens, regular pencils and erasers, rulers, stickers, pencil sharpeners, anything for arts and crafts, glue sticks rubber stamps/ink pads, paper, notebooks, paper, elastics, any library books ages 5 - 12 or so.

Beyond just school supplies to things like

Fist aid kits, band-Aids, topical ointments, children's vitamins, tooth paste, tooth brushes, drinking cups, as all that stuff is much cheaper stateside.

Anything that school kids and teachers would need back home they can use here.


San Pedro based Belize Blog since 2007 - great travel resources & discounts https://tacogirl.com/

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smile

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laugh laugh

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