As is the case for many this fall semester, schools in Juarez, Mexico are not opening for physical attendance but are offering classes online or via a television channel. This is a challenge for some of the families that we serve since some don’t have an internet connection at home and some don’t own a TV or even a device that will connect to the internet, so these children would be unable to receive their lessons.
In light of this dilemma, we have had to get creative and come up with some solutions. One thing we did was to take a room, bring in a few school desks and set up a TV that one of the parents loaned us. Two or three children can come at a time to watch their class. The kids come at different hours depending on what grade they are in, and this way they can socially distance and not be deprived of their schooling.
Another challenge has been getting basic school supplies for the children whose families can’t afford to buy them. Usually we ask for donations from people who attend our prayer meeting in El Paso, but since we haven’t had a gathering since March, there was no opportunity to do that. Thankfully, in the providence of God, some good friends of ours gave us money to purchase what we needed so we headed to Walmart and stocked up on notebooks, pens and pencils, binders, paper, etc.
It’s going to be an interesting semester with some unique challenges for our students, but we’re committed to helping them get the best education they can in these uncertain times.