This library holds a very dear place to our hearts. It brings us joy seeing the children benefit from everything the space has to offer. The community of San Juan La Laguna is where Impacto first started Happy Tummies and Abuelitos ministries. We’ve seen great progress here, but we would like to continue seeing the community grow in education. The people here are smart and creative, but due to various personal and economic factors, they often do not reach their full academic and/or professional potential.
This is a main reason why we request donations of Spanish Bible concordances, Spanish commentaries, Spanish Bibles, Spanish Christian videos and other teaching aids in Spanish. We provide training to pastors and church leaders throughout the year. Some are attending seminary, too. Unfortunately, there is no place in the Lake Atitlán region of Guatemala that provides the books and resources they need. Pastors, church leaders, and seminary students many times do not have the financial means to purchase books in Guatemala City or pay for internet access. Impacto can help fill in the gap by providing these materials. If you have a desire to help provide the resources needed to support these servants of God, please contact us. If you cannot find resources in Spanish, one solution could be for us to purchase them on your behalf in Guatemala City. We know this would have a ripple effect by helping the congregations have a deeper understanding so that they can then share the Word of God with their extended families, neighbors, and community.
At the physical library location itself, the children are our focus. Our Happy Tummies children attend schools with limited resources. Their classroom walls are not lined with baskets full of books. There is a public library but new books rarely come in. Many Guatemalan children do not remain in school long enough to graduate high school. It is typical for parents to pull their children out of school, or the children sometimes decide to drop out themselves, in order to work or care for younger siblings.
We want to provide an environment in which our Happy Tummies children can develop a desire to learn and believe that they can follow their dreams. Through this library we want to advocate for a value of education here in San Juan La Laguna. A library sounds simple, but it can introduce children to new ideas, possibilities, engage their curiosity, and provide for a more well-rounded education. We hope the library helps students achieve academic excellence and become more self-confident. Some may graduate and leave the community in search of new and different opportunities, but many will stay in the community. With a broader and more comprehensive education, they can make the community flourish.
While we hope this library will benefit and empower many people, we pray most importantly that the love of Jesus will shine through everyone involved. Thank you for your consideration to donate toward this ministry.