COVID-19 Update

We believe that the key to seeing God’s promises realized in El Salvador is by reaching the youth and so that is where we have focused. However, as the current Covid-19 crisis began to bear down on El Salvador we quickly realized that God has been laying the groundwork for us to step beyond just the youth and to meet the urgent needs of their families and the broader community. The El Salvadoran government has ordered strict lockdowns prohibiting the population from leaving their homes to work. In a country where most live hand to mouth, buying today’s food with yesterday’s earnings, this has quickly led to hunger and panic.  Within the first week most families had used up what little food and money they had saved.  The Community Build is in a prime position to intervene in this current crisis to provide relief. 

The Community Build Story

The Community Build was born in 2017 as a way to help the youth in the town of EL Zonte, EL Salvador. The Community Build is non-profit organization designed to help continue the education of the children in El Zonte, El Salvador. In the town of El Zonte the schooling only goes to 9^th grade. Other neighboring towns offer a high school education but the children need to travel up to 30 minutes to get to these schools.  The distance is one obstacle for these children to try to overcome, but there are even greater obstacles that come with traveling to high school to continue their education. Recruitment by gangs, sexual assault, and drug pedaling are just a few. In El Salvador there are little, if any, repercussions for these offenses.Families are left to take on the responsibility to protect themselves and their children.  With all these dangerous obstacles to overcome, families are left with no real choice other than to not send their children to high school. Most of the children finish their education at 9^th grade or earlier and began looking for work. This leads them into a world that is very difficult to navigate in their poverty-stricken country. Without an education they have very limited job opportunities and become susceptible to a violent life.  Our goal and hope are to offer these families a safe way out of this cycle and make an impact in the community of EL Zonte through education. 

One of my favorite stories illustrates our goal beautifully…

One evening a father and son were walking down the beach, and as they came around a bend into a cove. The son saw thousands of star fish washed up on the beach. The son became saddened and said to his father we have to do something. The father said son there are too many of them we won’t make a difference. The son then ran down the beach picked up one start fish and threw it as far as he could back into the ocean. The Father asked what are you doing. The son said I just made a difference in that ones life. Now he is going to live.

It does seem overwhelming, like there is nothing we can do to make a difference, but we are confident that we can!  I want you to know that every contribution you give makes a difference in these kids’ lives. So please join us in prayer and financial donations to make a difference.