I continue to be amazed by all God is doing through the Cadaniño ministry!
Though we've faced our fair share of challenges in our journey to serve vulnerable children and families, we can clearly see the fruit that our programs have in the lives of those we serve over the long haul.
Like so many past years, 2024 will be our best year ever. Thanks to your help and support, we've made incredible strides.
As of June 30th, we've enrolled 244 students from 176 families. Our teachers taught 389 Bible classes, gave 486 Computer classes where students completed 10,016 Computer lessons, and 97 Computer courses. We've also provided 321 Academic Reinforcement Classes, 147 STEM Classes, and 410 Educational Games Classes.
Our students have read 1,046 books and completed 2,244 reading lessons and 66 students participated in Leadership Training Classes. Additionally, we've conducted 75 home visits with the families of our students, served 19,468 plates of food, and carried out 24 outreaches and the youth in our mission's club have taught 20 Bible classes in their communities.
Each achievement represents a life touched, a mind enriched, and a spirit uplifted. Your kindness has provided educational opportunities, physical nourishment, opportunities for personal growth, faith in God, and a sense of community to those who need it most. Your support has directly led to these transformations, making a significant difference in the lives of vulnerable children and families.
Here are some comments by our teachers about the impact they have seen this year.
By Eduardo Lux
Coordinator Santa Fe
“This year, the program's impact on families has been remarkable, and I have seen the parent's interest and appreciation grow significantly. They now have a broader understanding of what we do and why we do it. They value it and are excited to take full advantage of the opportunities provided to help their children succeed.
Recently, a mother said, "I am so grateful for the after-school programs. My daughters have improved in every way—in their school grades and their desire to succeed. They never want to miss a day at Cadaniño; they love the classes. They come home happy and tell me everything they learn. Thanks to your support, my eldest daughter now has a purpose for studying. She had stopped studying, but with the motivation, advice, and support from Cadaniño, she now loves studying. She wakes up early, responsibly prepares everything, and goes to school. I don't know how to repay you for the support given. They love serving other children in the program. Now, my eldest daughter's goal is to teach Bible classes to others in our community."
By Jenny Beteta
Children's Bible Teacher in San Jose Pinula
“Some of the most impactful experiences this year have been the home visits. It is heartwarming to see how each family is so grateful for the support their children receive from us. They welcome us with so much love when we arrive. They often open their hearts and share their life stories and how Cadaniño has made a significant difference for their families.
As I learn more about the environment of each one of them and what they have been through, sometimes it overwhelms me to see the challenges they face. It is really touching when they ask for prayer for what they are going through, and we have seen many answers to prayer.
This year, the visits we have had from mission teams serving with us have been wonderful. I really enjoy taking them to see the children they are sponsoring and the impact they are having. I am so in love with my job and grateful for God allowing me to have it. I consider it a great privilege.“
Jonatan Zelada
Computer, IT, and STEM Teacher in San Jose Pinula
“What has impacted me the most is how much students have learned and how they have enjoyed learning robotics. I have seen progress in many areas, especially their ability to work together to solve problems and complete projects as a team. Many are becoming excited about learning and dedicating time to advancing their knowledge.
Students have improved tremendously in their public speaking abilities from the regular practice explaining to the class what they learn and I can see it is helping their self-confidence. They are creating larger projects and demonstrating great skill and talent. They have learned that there are no barriers to their learning and they can achieve what they set their minds to. I have seen how much more responsible they have become and how they now dream and talk about improving and learning more.”
By Yessenia Choguix
Reinforcement Teacher in Santa Fe
“Two of the students that have really impressed me this year are Alejandro and Denisse.
Alejandro is an 11-year-old student in seventh grade. He stands out for his interest and skills in mathematics. During classes, he is incredibly polite and really likes to participate. He is learning advanced concepts on the Khan Academy platform. Initially, he found it challenging, but his enthusiasm for learning new things grew as he persevered, and this is reflected in his improved academic performance.
Denisse is a 9-year-old student in the third grade. She has strong reading comprehension skills, which allow her to understand and retain what she reads. She is a very responsible and dedicated student, always submitting her assignments on time, and I am amazed at how this is helping her improve her grades in school.”
By Lilian Chete
Coordinator San Jose Pinula
“While all the work we do impacts the lives of those we serve, I have been amazed at how much it means to celebrate the birthdays of our students and staff.
Each month, we take the time to celebrate and pray for those who had their birthday that month. It's a simple but meaningful time with cake, gifts, and some decorations, but their eyes light up, and I can see their hearts filled with appreciation and gratitude. We sometimes play games and close with a prayer for them.
Some of our students have mentioned that their parents often forget their birthday, and others say they don't receive anything special on their day due to their economic situation. Recently, we celebrated the birthday of our technology teacher, and he mentioned that he felt very special and loved because no one had ever celebrated his birthday.
It is so touching to see how much it means to everyone that we celebrate with them, thank God for all He has done in their lives over the past year, and commit their new year to Him. It might seem like a simple thing that many people take for granted, but it makes them feel loved, important, and grateful that there are people who care about them.”
By Susan Herrera
Reinforcement Teacher in San Jose Pinula
“The reading program is one of the most impactful areas for me this year. Observing children's progress in handwriting, creativity, and reading comprehension each week during the reading sessions is rewarding. In the book club, we have noticed significant improvements in their reading speed, the information retained during oral reading quizzes, and creating book summaries with precise details and creativity.
I am deeply moved to see how the younger children in the reading sessions aspire to advance and become part of the book club. They are motivated when they see other children change books every week, present reports, and share information about the books they have read. They constantly ask when they will be able to join the book club. I tell them that it is a step-by-step process—they must reach the advanced level in the reading sessions before joining the book club.
It is interesting to hear what they like most about the books, how the story develops, how they discuss the characters, and how they give their opinions on the books they have read. For those students who progress slower due to the large amount of homework they have, we encourage them to read for at least 15 minutes daily to form the habit. This helps them understand that time management is key to fulfilling all our responsibilities.
Working in this area is a great blessing because I can observe children and young people's progress in learning through books and how books help them develop their skills. Serving the children and young people and being part of the Cadaniño family is a blessing.”
By Kenia Contreras
Bible Teacher, Santa Fe
"At the beginning of this year, I met the student Mynor, who is 9 years old. Initially, he had bad behavior; he was disruptive during class time, didn't pay attention, didn't collaborate in class, didn't learn the verses, and didn't follow instructions. I looked for ways to help him improve his behavior. I started by preaching the word of God to him, teaching him through games, songs, choreographies, and crafts. Little by little, he observed that it was fun to follow instructions and realized that what he was doing was wrong. After some time, I saw good results from the great effort in teaching him. The student began to change how he spoke, interacted, contributed more in class, paid attention, and asked questions when he didn't understand something. He also learned all the verses. I give thanks for transforming this boy's life. It hasn't been easy, but with God's help, we succeeded."
This is just a tiny glimpse into the impact your help and support has on the lives of those we serve. Thank you once again for your compassion and generosity. May you be blessed as you have been a blessing to others.
Sincerely, Timothy Martiny, President, Cadaniño
Partner with Cadaniño today and impact lives for eternity!
