Palacaguina Christian Academy
PCA is a bilingual christian school nestled in a small, green mountainside, on the NE side of Palacaguina, Nicaragua. PCA’s initial goal upon the school’s opening in February 2017 is to educate children from pre-k to kindergarten with a planned expansion, adding a grade level every year until PCA becomes a fully operating pre-school, primary school and secondary school for the students of Palacaguina. PCA will also provide space for community events, bible studies, college classes and a library that not only students will use, but will be available to the community at large as the only library in town. PCA is a needed and wanted addition to the town of Palacaguina for it’s unique status as the only bilingual school in the region. PCA will serve as a launching point to give students access to a brighter future.
PCA is bilingual: PCA seeks to emerge kids in an english language classroom, recognizing that exposure to a new language at a child’s young age, increases a child’s ability to learn a second language and greatly effects english comprehension once the student becomes an adult. The community and the government of Nicaragua aspire that their students learn english specifically as many of the better paying jobs as adults are reserved for those who can speak english as well as spanish.
PCA is a christian school: The region of Palacaguina lacks christian school options for students. We believe that true long term change for a student’s future starts with a relationship with Jesus Christ. While we do not require our students to be or become Christians, we do expose them to the love of Christ daily and equip them to make the decision for themselves when they are ready.
PCA creates quality facilities: We have gone to great lengths to create positive learning environments for our students, above and beyond what is usually required. We worked with quality building materials to reduce heat retention in the classrooms, we installed private toilets in every pre-school room, (The first private toilet installed in the entire town was in 2012), and we have painted children’s murals on the walls to help the school rooms shine. Around the campus grounds, PCA will eventually be shaded and cool, in thanks to the local governments donation of hundreds of tree shoots. PCA has plans as well for a garden in the future.
Community enrichment: The PCA facility will exist as a pre-12th grade school during school hours, to be used after the school day ends as a facility to meet various needs within the community. Some of the community needs to be met are as follows: after school english enrichment immersion classes, after school student activities such as taekwondo, english education classes for adults, trade school classes hosted by community members, and the possibility of a nearby university hosting evening classes once the secondary classrooms are completed (which would not have been possible without PCA in the community).
PCA NEWS
Because of You!
Palacaguina Christian Academy had an amazing year in 2023 of ministry and impact BECAUSE OF YOU!!!
Here is just a partial list of the impact your partnership had:
Provided 25 full-time jobs to local families.
Fed 35,077 meals at a cost of .31 cents per meal.
Educated 213 children grades PreK3 through 6th grade.
Celebrated our 7th year of Palacaguina Christian Academy.
Maintained weekly food programs for children in 2 communities beyond Palacaguina.
Invested more than $254,000 dollars into the local community.
Graduated 26 children from PCA’s Primary School.
Graduated 27 children from PCA’s Preschool.
Hosted 3 missions’ trips to Palacaguina.
2023 Graduation
This month, we celebrated not one, but two graduations at PCA: Our preschool graduation with 27 students and our first ever primary school graduation with 26 students. Praise the Lord!! This is a truly exciting and monumental moment for us as a ministry as well as for the 26 students who graduated from primary school. For many children in underserved regions of Nicaragua, this would be the highest level of education they would complete before beginning to work outside of the home. We are proud to share that 25 of our graduating 6th graders (96%) have committed to continuing their education in the 7th grade. This is a huge accomplishment, and we look forward to seeing these wonderful children graduating High School one day. Because we know an education will create the opportunity for these children to succeed. Thank you for all you do that makes monumental moments like this possible.
Walk by Faith
It was a timely reminder today that as believers, we walk by faith and not by sight. I know in my life, it feels so much more secure to only go where I can see. But that is not what God has called us to is it? No, God has called us to a life of faith. Which is a life trusting in God to lead and guide us in every step. Even when we cannot see the outcome or the destination. The starting years of PCA were such a blind leap of faith at every step. And I will be honest, it was a hope that future years would be more stable and visible. But today, being reminding of 2 Corinthians 5:7, it is clear to me that any venture, any ministry that is not consistently done in and through faith is probably more about us than it is about God.