American missionary Jan Burkey and Dominican Dolores “Miriam” Baptista together launched a preschool reading program in Palo Blanco in 2001. This program started with a few students and has grown into the Kids Alive Palo Blanco School, serving 280 children from preschool to grade 11 and supported by 40 Christian staff.
Jan: Seeing growth and changes in the students, their families, and staff and seeing children come to Christ! Helping meet the physical and emotional needs of people that the Lord brings in my path and in trying to make their lives a little bit easier.
Miriam: Sharing my time and experience with coworkers, mentoring students, and sharing the Word of God with families.
Jan: COVID-19 distanced children from the Palo Blanco School. Holding classes became impossible and online teaching became the norm. But online classes were challenging, especially for the younger children whose parents are illiterate, unmotivated to help with schooling, or didn’t know how to use online devices. The students missed their classrooms and teachers, and the teachers missed checking on their students.
Miriam: One of our girls whose family lived in critical economic, emotional, and spiritual conditions faced physical and emotional health crises. She was at the point of attempting suicide. We joined our forces to pray and love that family. Currently, she and her family are stable, and the girl has overcome her challenges and her family testifies to the strength that the ministry has given her.
Jan: Ministering to the whole person – physically, emotionally, academically, and most importantly spiritually! Checking on how they are doing while away from school and working with their families.
Miriam: Kids Alive program and ministry are carried out with integrity and good management of resources.
Jan: To have our kids back in school, add a senior year so students can finish schooling in Palo Blanco. Strengthen and build the capacity of educational coordinators, trauma care department, hire a medical and dental specialist, and foster greater team unity among our staff.
Miriam: Continue supporting our students, their families as well as our staff while protecting their health. May the Lord guide us and may we continue to seek him faithfully.
Jan: Separate elementary and high school into two sections, improve and expand technical specialty of our high school, improve discipleship and sports programs offering more mentoring and small groups. Hire counselors and social workers to enhance the orientation department’s reach to minister to children and families.
