Jorge's Story
Hey, I’m Jorge. My mom sells candy and gum in Central Park. I’m 11 years old and I sell gum too.
I heard about Chispas of Change through soccer practice on Mondays. Estuardo invited me to start studying with them. I visited school for a few weeks last year and I liked it, so in January I started going to school every day. I am in first grade.
What I like most about Chispas of Change is the food because it is so delicious. I eat everything they put in front of me, and I eat lots of tortillas. I also really like PE class because we run and run.
When I started studying, I wanted to learn how to read and write. At Chispas, I learned how to read and write! Now I can read signs in the street and I can write my name.
In ten years, I will be working as a soldier. I will have a house and a car. Oh, and I will also have a garden with a big playground.
Jorge is one of our youngest and certainly our most energetic student. He loves telling stories, playing soccer, and being a teacher’s helper. Jorge’s first language is K’iche, a Mayan dialect, so Spanish is still a challenge for him. Luis, our tutor, speaks K’iche fluently and is a big help daily because he explains things clearly in Jorge’s first language.
Sometimes Jorge stays out in the streets of Antigua selling gum until midnight or later, so we have a mat at school where he can take a nap during class. As soon as he’s well-rested, he is once again eager to learn. This year at school, Jorge has learned to read and write in Spanish! He loves to re-tell Bible stories, but sometimes gets the details mixed up… (He recently told us that Jonah was in the garden of Eden, and that when God made Adam he just threw him out of the sky and landed on the earth. We will review that chapter when the quarantine ends. 😊)
What we love most about Jorge is his enthusiasm to learn. He comes to school ready to learn something new every day, and we sometimes struggle to keep him engaged in the lessons because as soon as he feels he has mastered something, he wants to switch subjects and learn something new. His biggest pet peeve is when Ms. Vivi doesn’t give him homework assignments. The child loves to do homework! Please pray for Jorge to have consistent attendance, for safety as he works in the streets, and for him to repent of his sins and draw near to God this year.
