Partner in Mission-Project Genesis, Guatemala
Missions and service are critical tenets of the mission of Oak Grove. We started a partnership on one of our mission trips with Project Genesis in Guatemala nearly 10 years ago. This mission began in an impoverished village with a dream of one man to help the children that sat in the streets of the village day after day. What began as helping 7 children a day with basic teaching and some supplies provided in simple desks has now blossomed into serving 80-100 kids twice a day, 5 days a week! This outreach serves a 25-mile radius in which the staff pick children up and deliver them safely to a variety of local villages. Part of the vocational tech program teaches kids and adults how to do basic skills. Project Genesis is not just food and teaching and tutoring, but backpacks and supplies, iPads, and internet service. There are doctor visits and dental visits and the women are learning to bake and work in the towns. Life changing things!
This past year, through simple fundraisers such as the sale of candy canes, beanie babies, and coffee sales, Oak Grove bought Project Genesis a new water heater! What a gift!
However, they had another critical need-a bus. Transportation is critical! If the kids can’t ride a bus, they can’t get food, backpacks, schooling, and safety. They needed us! In 2018, Oak Grove students purchased a bus to help. With a lot of use and wear, however, the mission needed a second bus. Our hope was to raise $5000 to help them purchase a much-needed second bus. The amazing community of Grovers blew that goal out of the water through the unique and engaging strategy of “Coin Wars”. In the end, the students and staff raised a total of $9409.34 from April 11 – April 19th .
Certainly we are fulfilling the mission of “loving service throughout the world”. Great job, Grovers!
