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I tell you of this past situation, because while the parish school children wait for lunch after school, there is silence, for they know at home (what is left of it) there are still bitter tears. There is one lad whom I teach, who is my oldest student and an only child. His father disappeared in the war. His mother sells a hot cornmeal drink on the street corner nearby the church at night. If she should hear a loud noise, she jumps and drops everything. She is shell-shocked. It is beautiful to watch how Edwin takes care of her. There are many other school children with a similar family situation. When the school year ends, older children like Edwin will join the garbage truck teams so as to bring in pitiable earnings to help out or to try to finance the coming school year. I hate to mention this, but it's the truth. Here in the city there are a good number of Catholic primary and secondary schools, but as a general rule in Central America, they are prestigious institutes which only the cream of high society can afford. But this is not the case at our Padre Betanzos Escuela. Throughout its 72-year existence, it has always been a family school for those on the bottom of the social ladder. Tuition costs are considerably lower than the average private school. With 403 pupils, most of the families are able to pay out $300.00 for the yearly tuition. This scarcely covers the salaries of the schoolteachers, and we are forever begging for donations from the BasilicaÕs archconfraternities. This is not easy to come by. There are 36 kids from rock-bottom poverty who now can complete their schooling, thanks to many of our benefactors. Many of these kids are from one-parent homes. Their mothers ask to let all of you know that they bless your names in front of our Savior here in the Basilica. There is a beautiful personal touch among the teachers and the students. All are of humble origins and everyone knows everyone. On weekends I take Holy Communion to 86 elderly shut-ins, some are grand-parents or neighbors of the students, and many follow me on these visits with our Savior. Our Savior has blessed us with a substantial grant, and now we have completed construction on 16 new classrooms. They are located on the large old orchard gardens of the priory. The kids will no longer have to study in the dampness of the 200-year-old priory rooms. This coming school year, we will start the first year of secondary grade. They are banging the doors down to get in! We have to be very careful so that there is a percentage of paying students to cover the teacher's salaries, yet there be enough room for those whom we can get scholarships. Otherwise, we would be defeating the purpose and neglecting many whom we are to serve. One final point, before I forget. The school is named after one of the first Spanish Dominican Missionaries, Fr. Betanzos, who started a school for indigenous kids way back in the 16th century. This goes to show you that our Faith has been moving mountains for centuries. Perhaps more so now due to our wonderful benefactors who are completing the prophetical slogan of Bishop Gerardo Flores: "The faith draws all of us to a social commitment." God bless, Triduum of Saint Martin de Porres How can you help? Find out how to support the Western Dominican Missions. |
