School Supplies Change the Lives
and Futures of Children in Guatemala

The little girl's eyes lit up and she clapped her hands with excitement when she saw what the woman brought into the classroom.  She could hardly stay in her seat as she waited for the announcement to be made. Mrs. Patty Arzu, wife of the mayor of Guatemala City, shared with the children in the classroom that they were receiving a very special gift. That gift had come from hundreds of people in the United States who wanted them to each have their own school supplies.

"For most of these children, it is the first and only school supplies they have ever owned," says Amy Nortorn, director of programs for Orphan Outreach. "These are children who live each night on the street. They come to Mrs. Arzu's schools from all over the city, where they are fed and can enjoy a homelike environment while receiving an education. So, it is no surprise that these children could not believe they were each receiving their very own school supplies."

As the sixty mothers and daughters passed out the supplies to each child, they gave each girl a hug. 

"They could not stop staring and holding the school supplies," said Melinda Schmidt, Midday Connection co-host. "Brand new packages of crayons, glue, pencils and spiral notebooks were given to each child. They were so excited when they realized that they were their very own. There were enough school supplies to last each child an entire school year."  

More than 500 homeless children received school supplies and the message that they were loved and they had hope in a heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, stated Norton.

The women and girls who passed out the supplies and played with the children had traveled to Guatemala from all
over the United States and had all come on the trip through the Moody radio program, Midday Connection and in
partnership with Orphan Outreach.  At the conculsion of the trip, more than 600 children had received the much needed school supplies purchased with the $10,000 raised by listeners of Midday program. The supplies were purchased in Guatemala through a local Christian business.  

"School supplies are required for each child who attends school in Guatemala," said Norton. "However, many poor children do not go to school because they do not have the means to purchase the school supplies."

"It truly made a difference in the lives of the children," said Schmidt. "Before we could leave, the girls told us that they were so blessed to have our team come and spend time with them and to give them the school supplies. They gave us a very special thank you card they had made and begged us to please come back and see them again.

Mrs. Arzu shared with the team later that day that she truly saw them as the hands and arms of Jesus as they passed out the school supplies to each of the children. The joy on the face of each child was a vivid reminder to each one of the participants of the love that Christ has for the “least of these.”