Helene Christian English School - Update on our Progress
Great news, we are making solid progress with our Helene Christian English School (HCES) 2016 funding objective of $15,000. To-date, HCES donations have been recieved totalling $3,815. As a reminder from our February newsletter, our enrollment this year is past our record enrollment from last year of 105 students. Your support will help us meet our funding objective.
We are asking you to prayerfully consider supporting our HCES Ministry or increasing your current HCES donation. As a guideline, for $200 a year, you can co-sponsor a child to have a better life through education.
To provide hope and support HCES with your tax-deductible donation: 
HCES Background
For the past 13 years, Mission Encounters International (MEI) has provided the only English speaking school (Grades K to 6th) on the island of Helene, Honduras. In the early years of the Helene mission, the islanders requested an English speaking school for their children, mainly because English is the primary language for Helene.
As part of the community development over the years, HCES has moved from 100% MEI funding to a 40% funding partnership with the parents of students for the tuition expense, which pays for teacher salaries. MEI also provides facilities, operating expenses, materials, one new curriculum each school year and annual teacher training.
With your past generous donations, you have helped create success in these children’s lives, “a future and a hope” as the Lord desires (Jeremiah 29:11). Not just in the academics, but godly character building. MEI is honored to partner with your support and be a part of Helene’s community commitment to their children’s education.
To see HCES in action and hear from some of our local teachers, please view our new HCES video.
Providing Hope for Another Continuous Year
By Sheila Benson
Welcome to the 2016 school year in Helene! So many goals have been reached, and there is an amazing hope and future on the island of Helene.
Our 2015 Graduation brought parents to the front at the end of the ceremony with testimonies and encouragement to the students. It was said in many ways. "People can steal your money, your food, your things, but no one can take away from you the things you have learned about Jesus and how to read and write, that you learned in this school." It was unplanned, spontaneous and a dynamic evening!
Earlier this year, our local teachers sucessfully participated in our annual teacher training program, which is held each year before school begins. As with prior years, we are blessed with some of our past graduates returning to “give back” as teachers and assistants. Last year's attendance hit an all time high; now after seven weeks of school, we are surpassing this record.
There is not room or time to tell you the story of every school child. Every year there are children that come to HCES who experience the love of God and learn about the grace of Jesus. They are taught that each of us is created in God’s image, and we respect one another because of this. Last year a student in 6th grade needed that introduction to the Deliverer in his young life. He and his brother had never been to English school, so they did not know how to read. They were abandoned to an aunt already in a difficult life for her own children. The young man was constantly in fights or instigating them. At times he had a servant spirit in the classroom. Restless, energetic, yearning for affirmation, he finished the year. The smile and hope in his face are still there when we meet on the path. God continues to pursue him.
Our goal is that the school be self-sustaining and able to continue without outside assistance. If you have been able to hear Larry speak while we were on break, you know much of the work that is going on in Helene. It is being said on the island, “hope is risin’ on Helene.” The infrastructure is being established with electricity coming to the island, a new public dock to bring heavy equipment to build a road, agricultural plots for each community, a lobster farm, and trash pickup including transport to a landfill that has been established. One of the most exciting things is the new vocational training center for young people to learn skills in plumbing, electricity, etc. It’s going to be a busy year!
To provide hope and support HCES with your tax-deductible donation:
Thank you for your support
About Mission Encounters International
Mission Encounters International is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit in the United States and is 100% funded by donations. Our primary serving mission is located on the island of Helene, Honduras. We continually strive to keep our overhead low without sacrificing the structures and staff needed to maintain a high level of ministry. As a result, on average, 94% of your donation goes directly to the mission field. We take seriously our responsibility to be good stewards of the funds entrusted to us. We are accountable to our donors, the recipients of our ministry and God to use them wisely.
To make a tax-deductible donation to MEI, please click here.
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