Difficult Decisions
By Rich Rice
As
the sun was dipping behind the surrounding mountains, Freddy lowered his eyes
to the ground and announced that he was going to drop out of school. I stared
at him in disbelief as his eyes, then mine, filled with tears. The harsh
reality of living in extreme poverty had caught up with this talented young
man.
Freddy will graduate with honors from trecero
basico (9th grade) in October. He is one of the brightest students
ever to graduate from Colegio Horeb - top in his class when he graduated primary
school in 2013. In basico (middle
school) he continued to excel in his education, scoring nearly 100% in most of
his course work.
Last
year he had shared his dreams and desires with me proclaiming that he wanted to
become a doctor or dentist. He set his sights on studying medicine in
university then returning to his community to help his neighbors. I have had a
chance to get to know hundreds of kids in the region, and Freddy is the real
deal. A long time missionary once told me, “I
try to help each of the children as best I can, but every now and then one comes
along who you choose to bet the future on.” Freddy is like that. I
refer to young students like Freddy as game changers. He has the ability to
forever impact the lives and the future of his community.
I visibly watched
the air get sucked out of Freddy’s hope and dreams for the future.
His
dad wants him to take a “rest” for a few years from his studies. As the oldest
of five children, it was time for him to start contributing more significantly
to the finances of his family. Completing 9th grade had already far
surpassed his father’s 1st grade education. What more could he possibly learn? His father
told Freddy he would begin working with him on the coast – picking pineapple,
sugar cane and coffee.
Freddy
understands the consequences. Matter of factly he told me that if he did not
return to school, his future would look much likes his father’s … away from
home for months at a time working the crops. As his father followed the work in
the fields, he had only been home a handful of times in the past year. He did
not discount his father’s role and love for his family, but he had dreamed of
something different.
Freddy
admitted it would better for his brothers and sister if he worked and supported
their future. As the oldest, he has a responsibility to those that come after.
The
family is forced into making difficult choices ... food, shelter or education.
If Freddy continued on in school, it would deny the family precious resources
today. Freddy could take a “rest” from his education and provide resources to
enable his siblings the opportunity of education. And it would be one less
mouth to feed while he is away in the fields. Freddy is resigned to honor the
request of his parents.
Families
if Guatemala is frequently faced with these difficult situations. There is not
a government program to turn to for help. The church is financially not
prepared to extend help – it is full of families just like Freddy’s. But Freddy
is a game changer. Any hope for transformation of a community like Cotzal rests
in the hands of the next generation. Education is a pillar of hope.
WIND
has offered the family another possible option to consider. WIND has offered
Freddy the opportunity of a scholarship to continue on to a private high school.
This will eliminate the financial burden which comes with education. We hope to
find him a part-time tutoring job that would contribute a little money without
going to the fields on the coast. Freddy’s future hangs in the balance; now we
wait and watch to see what the next chapter reveals.
www.WIND-Guatemala.org
