To:   The entire Proyecto Fe “family” (that includes you, the one reading this letter right now!)

First and foremost, I want to thank God for Proyecto Fe; for its founder, for its name, for how it came about, for all who serve and have served on its board and for all who in one way or another participate in supporting the mission and vision of Proyecto Fe. 

We serve a great and mighty God who so many years ago touched the heart of a mere mortal man, a representative for Compassion International, to travel to Guatemala seeking to find the need in the schools supported by Compassion International.  He found them and even involved his friends back home to meet those needs.  Joe LoMonaco’s story is lengthy and beautiful and leads to the reason for Proyecto Fe.  He was deeply touched by the faith of a simple man and woman in San Pedro La Laguna, building a school with the  limited resources they had, to be able to educate children not only for their daily life but for “eternity”.  In his heart he felt the need to join in this Project of Faith.

I give thanks for all that our great and mighty God put in the heart of Joe .  Not only have I been an eyewitness to God’s work through Proyecto Fe here in San Pedro, specifically Colegio Bethel; I, along with all the students and families, have also been a recipient of God’s love and mercy here in Colegio Bethel.  You… donors, sponsors, board members; the entire family of Proyecto Fe… have been used by God to allow His everlasting love to penetrate the hearts of children and I, on the ground here, am privileged to see some of the results, for which I am extremely grateful and at the same time wishing you could SEE it too!

…Not long ago, the father of two elementary school children died at the age of thirty.  The tradition of mourning, wakes and funerals is a long process and can be hard on children.  After talking with their mom, encouraging her to allow her kids to come to the school at least for a change of scenery, they came two days later.  As I brought them up to the cafeteria where their classmates were having their snack, I witnessed, through tear filled eyes, the love of Christ as their classmates unexpectedly saw them enter.  They completely dropped what they were doing and focused their attention on receiving them, they could not hug them enough!  They did not even continue with their snack; they gathered their stuff and hurriedly ran off to the playground/basketball court, arm in arm, to play with them. 

…Having just washed her hands a kindergartener turns the corner to reach for the paper towel machine when she sees another student carelessly removing much, much, more paper towel than needed to dry his little hands.  She looked him in the face ever so lovingly and said:  “God lets us have this paper here, we shouldn’t waste it.”

…A little boy is sent to me from the office because he doesn’t feel well.  I go through all the routine questions and get his answers only to find out he hasn’t had anything to eat.  We go up to the cafeteria and as I prepare a PB&J sandwich for him, I notice his eyes getting bigger and bigger and ask him if there is anything wrong…his answer:  No, it is just that I don’t like peanut butter.  My response:  Oh, would you like me to fix you something else?  His answer:   No, no, there are lots of people who don’t have anything to eat, I will eat it and be happy!

…Walking out of class to enter another one, a student walks up to me and says with tears in her eyes:  My family is going through a really hard time, I know in this school you pray for people, please pray for us. 

…A little first grader enrolled in Colegio Bethel insists that her family, bring her to Iglesia Bethel…they bring her to the door every week and drop her off.  She marches herself up to the front row, picks her seat and participates in the entire service as well as the children’s choir.

Believe me, these are just a few of the everyday things that God allows to happen here at Colegio Bethel for the purpose of eternity and by means of education.  Things that my heart wishes you could experience first-hand.   Let us never forget how it all began and its ultimate purpose.  

Build a school to educate for eternity (Colegio Bethel) … join this Project of Faith (Proyecto Fe).

Thank you all, for your love for me and the community of Colegio Bethel, 

Pamela Chevalier