Recruiting Missionaries for La Vega School

La Vega Christian School is celebrating 13 years of giving instruction, from pre-school through high school.  Today nearly 500 students are enrolled in our program.  From humble beginnings in a four bedroom house to a three story structure with 32 classrooms and a staff of 75, the school continues to expand.    This is the first year that Debbie has left the directorship (her new director is Ada

La Vega Christian School

Santana), while she concentrates on the Ruthie Martinez Children's Fund (RMCF).  RMCF is a program that provides aid and education scholarships to needy children. 

But I am getting sidetracked.  The purpose of this entry today is to recruit US volunteers to come and help us with our English program.  

Below is a video that is great to show anyone who is praying about working overseas as a missionary. 

Our school year is from August through early June. We offer a daily class of English for all grades, and intensive English classes in the afternoons.  One of the keys to making a good English program is to have missionary volunteers teaching these classes.  A key to good language learning is to hear the language spoken by a native speaker.  Every year the Lord touches someone's heart to

help.  The school provides a modest food and lodging allotment and also an in-country medical health plan.  Missionary teachers are strongly encouraged to raise additional support from churches, family and friends.  These are funds which they oversee themselves. We help with finding housing and getting settled in and understanding the new culture.

Why do they come?  Some want to learn Spanish and are adventuresome.  Others feel a call to missions and see this opportunity as a test of their call, or at least they are looking for a confirmation before committing to a full-time missions career.  La Vega Christian School has a simple application process.  You don't have to speak Spanish to teach here.  Yes, a good recommendation from your local pastor is very important. A bachelor's degree is a plus, or at least some college. An education background certainly helps qualify you.  The truth is that many volunteers without the education background have done excellent work.  We use School of Tomorrow (ACE) materials for our advanced classes. One week preparation workshops are held in different parts of the United States during the summer.  I remember one year we had four volunteers helping us. None had ever taught in a school before.  After their experience, two of them felt called to teach and returned to the States to get their degrees in education and are teaching in the public school system there today.  A key to good teaching is a genuine love for children and young adults. Others have gone on and worked overseas as full-time missionaries.  Some of these volunteers stay with us for a number of years, some a year or two.  

Please take time out to view the video in the link above. In it our current volunteers express their own experiences and observations.  Please forward the link to your church.  If your church is encouraging missions, this is a wonderful first step for the missionaries you are developing.  If you feel called, or know someone that may be wrestling with the missionary call, let them know about this opportunity.  If you need more information about the school or us, please visit our website at www.dominicanmissions.org, or email us at lavegaschool@gmail.com. Pray that the Lord sends just the right people to love, teach and reach our students. Thank you.