An Incredible Year!

An Incredible Year!
By Paul and Laura Manship – General Directors for Shoulder to Shoulder

Paul and Laura

Dear Supporter of Excellent Education,For Laura and I, it is a joy to walk through our little town of Camasca. When school is not in session, about half of the children 10 and under that we see attend the bilingual school. They try out their English with us, “Good Morning. How are you? I am fine thank you.” The older children have conversations with us in English. They are so happy, bright and engaged children. The value of this education, of excellent quality and accessible, will yield fruitful opportunities for them, and is becoming the model for education in Honduras. Thank you for investing and believing in children who instill hope for a better world.

In Honduras, the school year runs from February through November and we are winding down the year. What a great year! We started the year by building and openning our third building of classrooms, and now have the capacity to house students from Kindergarten through sixth grade. We have opened our doors to many projects and programs in the community, including the Honduran Robotics Team that Shoulder to Shoulder sponsored for their international competition in Washington, DC. We are constantly adding new technology in our classrooms to make teaching more exciting, engaging, and effective. Our school has participated in many events within the community including dance and art competitions, parades, and even our first-ever marathon. We have welcomed talented and inspiring volunteers.

Our volunteers bring spirit and wonder to our school. Backpack Matt, his blog name, has traveled from Indonesia to Chile, but has returned to Camasca for his second volunteer experience. An accomplished videographer and photographer, he has captured the beauty of our shchool and the students. Please watch the many smiles of our students in Matt’s video, Facing the Future.

Peace,

Paul and Laura

September 20, 2017June 16, 2023

Here is Half a Sandwich

Jessica, an accomplished professional in the world of business, accepted an invitation to visit Honduras and see some of the work we do. She was having a great time visiting our bilingual school, playing with and meeting the children. But she didn’t know Spanish and had little background knowledge on Honduras or Shoulder to Shoulder. At lunch time she sat down alone and apart for a rest. Perhaps she was questioning, “What is my part here? What role could I play in this organization?” Karol, age 10, (far left in the photo) noticed her sitting alone; she went to her and offered Jessica half her sandwich. They talked quite a bit (Karol’s English is among the best), and in Jessica’s own words, “she stole my heart.”
Jessica may have been wondering what role she could play, but Karol inspired her. Jessica now sponsors Karol at the school. They correspond regularly. Jessica wants to bring her daughters to Honduras, and be part of an education service trip.
Don’t know your role with Shoulder to Shoulder? Meet Karol.

BONUS DAY

Thursday, October 5, 2017

from 9 AM – midnight (EDT)

For about the price of a “half a sandwich” at a nice deli ($15) you can give Karol and many other children like her the opportunities that come with an excellent education. Our partner, GlobalGiving, is offering $50,000 in incentives on Thursday, October 5, 2017. Your gift to Karol and the Bilingual Lenca School will be increased. Thursday, October 5, please take advantage of this incredible opportunity.

https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/inspire-150-honduran-children-to-excel/

Matt Tibbitts, “Backpack Matt,” has returned for the second time to the Good Shepherd Bilingual School as a volunteer. He has wonderful gifts. You may have already seen his first video with us, “Changing Camasca.” He’s put together a second one featuring the smiles of all our children. Just Click the title below to see it.

Facing the Future

$15

on Bonus Day, Thursday, October 5, 2017 at

https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/inspire-150-honduran-children-to-excel/

August 10, 2017June 16, 2023

Thanks For the Visit

Laura and I always try to be as present as possible to the medical service trip groups that visit us. They are the backbone of this organization, embodying an ethos of compassionate and just service to those in the most desperate need. Unfortunately, this isn’t always possible as other demands can draw us away. It has been a hectic couple of months for Laura and I. We have two social work intern students with us, and volunteers coming and going. The education mission is advancing. Duke University and Project HEAL has five students with us for five weeks holding investigations into some pressing social issues for Camasca and Southern Intibucá. But the real kicker was spending two weeks in Washington, DC and Ohio with seven high school students and two professors for the FIRST Global robotics competition. In the midst of this, Brown / Wingate came to Guachipilincito.

It was a very small brigade, seven, unpretentious if you will. The competent and veteran leadership of Dr. Wayne Hale and Shawn Taylor, a Doctor of Pharmacy from Wingate, led the small group. One pharmacy student, My Linh Tran, and one dentist, Herbert Vu, filled out the small team. David and Jack, two undergraduate students, also joined up with the brigade team. Both of them stayed on in Honduras for an additional week; Jack coming to Camasca and David staying in Guachipilincito. Joseph Swartz, a construction expert, who had come with the group last year, repaired and renewed the plumbing system at the clinic.
I was so happy to meet up with the group. If not for them deciding to visit us at the bilingual school we would have missed them entirely. According to Dr. Hale, with just one provider they still managed to see about thirty patients a day. Brown is so familiar with their community that whether they are a small group or a large one, they serve the people with ease and familiarity. They do what they do so well and have built lasting and meaningful relationships with the community.

We had the good fortune to show off the bilingual school. Judging from their smiles as they presented themselves in the classrooms, they enjoyed their time with us. They also saw Camasca and our house. It was such a pleasure to host them. Laura and I play such a small part in the incredible service Brown / Wingate offers. We are really nothing more than facilitators. But with each team that comes here, and especially Brown / Wingate, it is so nice to have the opportunity to extend our gratitude. We do this on behalf of Shoulder to Shoulder, but as importantly on behalf of the people they serve so faithfully. We were honored to have had the opportunity to host them.

Thank you Brown / Wingate for visiting us. We most certainly appreciate the steady, humble service you offer without a demand for recognition. Come back and visit us anytime. Our door is always open.