March 2010 Letter from Roy Goble

Dear Friend:

In just 15-months the first PathLight sponsorship students will graduate from high school. This will be a milestone in their lives. It will be a time of great celebration for all involved, including parents, teachers, sponsors, and of course the students. The PathLight staff will certainly be excited!

It is easy to overlook just how amazing it is for these kids to complete high school. Most of them grew up in a rural village that has one of the most under-resourced schools in the region. It is estimated that forty-percent of their peers dropped out before their 8th year of school. For those who got through that 8th year, few went on to high school. Not one of the PathLight sponsorship students has a parent who graduated from high school. These kids were born into homes that spoke Spanish or Mayan, yet they were thrown into their first year of school with the requirement to speak English. They experienced an undercurrent of racism because of their ethnic background, and that undercurrent often undermined their self-worth. Most of them live in homes where the per-capita income is $2 or $3 per day.

Talk about overcoming challenges!

Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself because graduation is still 15-months away. But I’m amazed at the perseverance, hard work, and eagerness that these kids are showing us. The PathLight staff is proud of them. You should be too.

As exciting as this is, PathLight’s work is not complete at graduation. PathLight is already considering how to help these students transition into colleges, vocational schools, or jobs. A high school degree is an amazing accomplishment, but the long term PathLight mission is to see the student transformed so they in turn transform their community. That’s why the sponsorship program offers a holistic program that provides spiritual, social and emotional transformation alongside of academic excellence. PathLight aims for these graduates to truly be prepared for a life of faith, learning and service.

You can help. Your gift will help these students overcome the obstacles. With their hard work and your support, they can be transformed spiritually, academically and socially. You are a key part of that because without your help, few of these students will have the opportunity to reach their potential. I’m hoping you will help by clicking on the Donate link above and donating what you can to this effort.

Thank you for your support, your prayer, and your encouragement. All of us at PathLight appreciate you a great deal!

Blessings,

Roy Goble

President and Co-Founder