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Education in Guatemala
When boys graduate from our middle school academy, they either go off to high school or start working.
Parents want the best for their kids. They want them to go on to high school, but it’s not always an easy decision.
High school is expensive. Even public high schools.
You have to pay for internet.
You have to pay for printing.
You have to buy your own books.
You have to pay for snacks and lunch.
You have to pay for a computer to do work at home.
You have to pay for school uniforms, gym uniforms, and very specific shoes.
Once a year, you have to pay for an excursion that can cost $300-$400, American money.
You have to pay for a bus to and from school in neighboring Chimaltenango. (El Rosario doesn’t have its own high school.)
Public high schools are tough to get into—you have to pass a test just to qualify. But even then, the education isn’t the best. Classrooms are overcrowded, often packed with 30 to 40 students. Teachers often end up managing the chaos rather than actually teaching.
Most kids end up going to a private school, which has all those same costs but adds registration fees and monthly tuition on top of it. What private schools offer is smaller class sizes and (theoretically) a better education.
How do families afford that?
Welcome to night four of our annual fundraiser!
Here’s where we stand:
As of yesterday, we had raised $11,240, which doubled to $22,480 with matching funds.
Today, seven donors contributed an additional $14,515.
With matching, our total so far is $51,510!
We still have a ways to go, but for now, can we just soak in the fact that we just raised $51,510 in four days?
Praise
the
Lord!
As you read this newsletter tonight, make tonight the night to give. It's going to take all of us.
How do parents afford private school?
Most families take out loans and put up land that has been in their families for generations as collateral. They’re hoping it gives their kids a chance to get out of the fields and into a "secure" job.
Unfortunately, many schools don’t provide an education that leads to the job they’re hoping for.
They study to be a teacher, a nurse, or an accountant but end up working at a gas station or a fast-food restaurant—if they’re lucky.
There are no accounting jobs. Teaching jobs are scarce and often pay less than minimum wage. You have to go to college to be a nurse; even then, the market is oversaturated.
When we moved to Guatemala, our kids went to a missionary kids' school in the city. It was run by Americans, and 90% of the teachers were American. It was a good education—probably comparable to the schools in our small Colorado town.
We pulled them out after a year because they still hadn’t learned Spanish. Since we were staying in Guatemala long-term, we felt it was important for them to learn the language.
Every Guatemalan family that was sending their kids to the MK school pulled us aside and told us we were making a mistake. We told them we were enrolling our kids in the best private school in nearby San Lucas.
"Don’t. Do it."
We moved out of the city, closer to our ministry in El Rosario, and enrolled them in a Spanish-speaking middle school.
It was brutal.
I’m not exaggerating when I say at least one of them came home in tears every single day. Sometimes all of them. They were bullied because they were Americans and didn’t know Spanish. They didn’t understand what the teachers were saying.
It was the hardest year of their lives in Guatemala.
At that point, we weren’t worried about their education. As long as they passed their classes, we would feel successful if they could,
just
learn
Spanish.
The tears eventually dried up and… in one semester, all three were fluent.
Our experiment worked. It was worth it. But the Guatemalans who warned us were right. The level of education was terrible.
My wife homeschooled them through high school, and they all got above-average SAT scores.
That’s the state of schools in Guatemala.
When we started our academy, we wanted to give the boys the very best education possible.
Every student is on a full-ride scholarship. They don’t pay for anything.
Parents don’t have to mortgage their land.
We’re one of the only schools in Guatemala (maybe the only school) that provides snacks and lunch. We have a full-time cook.
Because we’re a satellite school, we aren’t required to hire teachers. We hire "tutors." Why does that matter? They haven’t been indoctrinated into bad teaching practices.
All of our tutors are either college graduates or are currently attending university on the weekends. They love to learn.
We ask them to teach the way they learned best—or the way they wish they had been taught.
When we meet with families to offer the opportunity to go to our school, we tell them, “We have high standards. A failing grade is 70%. Scholarships are awarded one year at a time.”
The boys are generally shocked. Probably thinking, “What did I get myself into?”
“Do
not
worry.”
“If you show up and turn in ALL of your assignments, if you genuinely want to be here, you'll never go below 70%.”
I’m often asked, "How are the boys doing since leaving the academy?"
I never have a good answer.
When the boys leave, it’s hard to keep up with them. They’re either busy with school or working long hours.
So, for the first time ever, we invited all the academy’s previous graduates to a reunion.
The first thing I noticed? They were no longer boys. They were young men. The oldest was 21. A few had facial hair. I’m not gonna lie—it was a little weird. In a good way.
Most of them had gone on to high school. Some had started working after middle school. But every single one of them had a job. That’s why I never see them.
We had pizza, caught up on their families, and laughed a lot. It was a good night.
Then I told them I had a few questions. The room got quiet. Haha.
“When you left, did you feel prepared for high school?”
Unanimous agreement. They all felt very prepared. Those who went to school said they were ahead of their classmates—often helping other students with concepts they had already mastered the year before.
“How many of you are going to church?”
Three raised their hands. That was discouraging.
Then I asked, “How many of you are reading your Bibles?”
No hands.
My heart sank.
In my dreams, they would all be in church, reading their Bibles, growing in faith. But as I thought about it over the next few days, I had to ask myself—how many people in my own church, or in any church in America, are reading their Bibles?
A quick Google search gave me the answer. A 2021 study found that only 11% of Americans read the Bible daily. Twenty-nine percent never read it at all.
That’s not great news.
And it's also not an excuse.
Just facts.
But I took it as an opportunity to share the Gospel with them again.
“It’s great to have a good job, a beautiful family, even your own home someday. But if you’re not following Jesus, you don’t actually have anything.”
“When we pray, we’re talking to God. But if we’re not reading the Bible, we’re missing out on one of the most powerful ways He talks to us.”
“I’ve said it a hundred times, but I’m going to say it again—it’s easy to say you’re a Christian. They’re JUST WORDS. Watch… I’M. A. CHRISTIAN. That’s it."
“But it’s an entirely different thing to LIVE your faith. To seek after God.”
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." —Matthew 6:33
“We say we want to spend eternity with Christ, yet we don’t want to spend 20 minutes a day in His Word. That doesn’t make sense.”
The room was quiet.
Then I saw it—some of them nodding in agreement.
“Start by reading a chapter a day. Then two. If you don’t understand something, send me a message. I will always reply. If you want to meet, I’m here for you. Ok?"
“Let’s pray.”
It was good to see them. It was also good to know where they were spiritually.
Man, I’m passionate about reading the Bible. Studying deeply for the last 14 months has turned my life upside down.
In the very best way.
Classes at the academy start on January 27th. Once things settle down, I plan to invite the alumni—and their fathers—to an evening Bible study every couple of weeks.
I can’t wait.
This year, we'll be introducing a new focus at the academy: daily Bible reading. If students read one chapter each day—including weekends and breaks—they will have read the entire Bible by the time they finish middle school.
Somewhere along the way, the Lord reminded me—I’m not in the saving business. I plant seeds. I share the Gospel.
The Holy Spirit saves.
I just try to stay in my lane.
That was a humbling post to write, but I think it’s important to say—ministry isn’t always rainbows and butterflies. Some days… many days, we’re brought to our knees.
And honestly, that’s a good place to be.
We still have $19,245 to be matched! When we do that, we'll be at $90,000!
Here are the ways you can partner with us:
*** DO NOT PUT 'CUBA' in the memo for online giving. It will flag and delay the donation. ***
Credit card via Pushpay: https://pushpay.com/g/ordinarymissionaries
Paypal: [email protected]
Venmo: send to George-Sisneros
Zelle: send to [email protected]
Write a check to Ordinary Missionaries
Send checks to Greg Dix (President) 6021 Wild View Drive Fort Collins, Colorado 80528 Add "2024 fundraiser" in the memo (reply to let us know - we'll add it to the total.)
If you would like to pledge a gift for a later date, reply to this email, and we'll work out the details.
If you would like to donate monthly, let us know, and we'll work out the details. $100 a month = $1200 towards our goal!
If you would like to increase your monthly donation, reply to this email so we can count it towards our goal.
See you tomorrow night!
We love you,
George and Vonda
Ordinary Missionaries
George Sisneros is a full-time missionary in Guatemala and the founder of Ordinary Missionaries and the El Rosario Christian Academy for Boys.
He’s been married to his wife, Vonda, for 26 years. He’s a father to nine children, five adopted.
In 2024, George and his wife expanded to Cuba, joining forces with nine pastors committed to transforming lives through the gospel.