With praise and worship, preaching, gratitude and prayer two new classrooms were dedicated to God and presented to the community of El Limόn.
It all started over a year ago when a very generous donor responded to a request for funds to build the new classrooms. The old building which housed the preschool was rotten and falling down. The community of El Limόn had solicited help from the government as well. The department of education said that they would build the classrooms, but would not work in collaboration with missionaries. So, the community waited for the government’s assistance.
One year later we were asked if our offer to help was still good. We said ‘yes’, of course, but explained that, unlike the government, we could only help in purchasing materials, but did not have funds allocated to pay workers. The project would require that the people in the village volunteer their labor.
The community met together and decided to go forward, arranging a rotating schedule of volunteers. In all, about half of the people in the community participated in some way. Pastor Mateo is pastor of the only evangelical church in the village we helped plant a few years ago. He was asked by the community leaders to organize and supervise the work and was the only one to work every day throughout the project. He even donated materials to the project, which he had saved up for work on his own house. Then the four teachers at the school also pitched in about $200.
Toward the end of the construction when we were low on funds and materials, the mayor of the municipality got involved. She donated cement, sand and gravel to finish the floor of the building. Pastor Mateo had been in contact with her several times explaining the cooperation of everyone for this project and she was persuaded to help as well.
At the dedication event we had local leaders, municipal leaders, church leaders, local TV and Radio reporters. Because of Pastor Mateo’s persistence the community received more than they had anticipated when the Mayor announced that she would provide the student desks, chairs and chalk boards for the classrooms.
The project began with a single donation and ended with a beautiful collaboration of the different influences within the community. The giving from each one perpetuated more sharing of a common vision for providing education to the children in El Limόn.
Materials delivered to begin construction in early August. 
The old rotten building was torn down. 
The community of El Limόn work together on the classroom project. 
Pastor Mateo supervises and organizes the work. 
Progress on the classroom project. 
Two new classrooms completed early October. 
Pastor Mateo recognizing community involvement in the classroom project. 
We gave gifts of appreciation to the community leaders, Pastor Mateo, the teachers and the Mayor of Flores. 
Jim presents a gift of appreciation to Mayor Mayra Elizabeth Altán Palencia de Palacios of Flores, Petén.
