A journey from Lima, Peru, into the nation’s rural provinces is no simple trip. It consists of moto-bikes, cars, buses, and everything in between. Some days, it can take up to 10 hours, yet the Peru team hasn’t let this hold them back. In fact, they have come to know this journey fairly well, all for the sake of visiting remote Edify partner schools. With the lengthy travel, it begs the question, are there really that many students in rural areas? The answer here is a booming yes, as the team has discovered hundreds of new schools through virtual connections made during COVID-19.
The Connections Made
“These schools would just appear in our virtual training sessions, where we would teach everything from classroom management to financial planning. They would discover us either online or from other school owners,” Christ-Centered Education Officer Jazmin Mendoza explains. As more schools began to join in via Zoom, the Peru Team began to discover many partnering opportunities. Once schools were allowed to reopen, the team knew it was time to make a move if they were to build long-lasting relationships with the schools. Joel Cuadra, Country Director of Peru, shares, “As we maintain contact virtually, we can use the trips to generate warmer relationships. This way, we can pray for them, walking alongside them in their various needs.” The team has only reached 40 percent of the schools in these areas, with a determination to cover more ground. Visiting each school is no small task, yet they know the importance of forming lasting relationships with the school owners, which can make a difference in transforming lives. As the Peru Team continues to grow, they know they will have even more opportunities to make an impact.
Mi Gran Universo School
Jazmin shares a favorite memory from one of her visits in August 2023 to Mi Gran Universo School. After a nine-hour journey, she walked through the doors of a school where she found nearly 200 students. Just down the hall, proprietor Luz Mary waited eagerly for her. Like many others, Luz had attended a virtual training called Your Christian Identity as an Educational Tool. “Luz was so impressed. After hearing about Edify, I remember her asking, ‘Is this real?’ She was in complete shock. She couldn’t believe that there was such an organization with Christian beliefs focusing on education.” For Luz, it was truly a gift to see the people she had been learning from right in front of her, willing to go the distance just to spend time together. Because of the trust built, the partnership with Mi Gran Universo was strengthened, and in October 2023, they joined the third cohort of Core Schools, committing to a three-year in-depth training and mentorship from Edify staff.
Many times, the longest journeys lead to the sweetest destinations. For Jazmin, it led to a deeper connection with the people of Mi Gran Universo, a school that is beginning to see the depth of transformation within its staff and student body. As our team goes the distance to meet the schools of Peru where they are, we pray that schools like these will flourish into their full potential as they discover the power of community.