On 2005-01-25 19:45:00, Anonymous wrote:
"I just came back from DR where I spent a week helping to build a new school for JCS (Jarabocoa Christian School) I had the oppertunity to... 1. work with an Escuela Caribe administrator
2. Have a grande tour of the facility
3. hear testimonials of 4 senior students
4. work side by side for 3 hours with one particular student who was escorted to Escuela Caribe against his will.
1, 2 The administration is very professional. They are bright, caring and loving. Infact, one of the site admins was a past student. They follow all the rules of the US and Canada based programs so this facility could exist in the US. The environmnet is safe secure but not a prison at all. If they run away, the folks in the town all help look for them and return them.
The rooms are all very clean, students are very well fed and appear healthy and clean. The classrooms are moders with a computer lab. Yes they work hard on the site, and earn each level raises based on behavior, academic achievement, leadership and treatment of others. Yes they are taught about Christ, and many leave non-believers, and many do choose to follow Christ. A person sometimes needs to be broken, before they can commit to real and lasting change.
3. I attended Church at Escuela Caribe and whitnessed the testamonies of 4 students who when on a local mission trip to another part of the island. There they administered medical aid, and fed and played with children who literlally live in a local garbage dump. These four students are changed. They belive in God, they see how thier behavior affected others, and themselves. They see the selfishness in thier lives, and clearly are better for thier experience. I think they have an excelent chance of staying on the right side.
4. When buildng the school (JCS) sever teens came over to help. I worked with this teen for several hours. He really was a hard worker. We talked at legnth about how he was treated, what he had done to get there, how he has grown. I was amazed how strong his resolve was to be good, and change is life. He new his weaknes and is working hard to overcome it. I was very impresed and listened very objectively. I was looking for "programed answers" but I didn't get them. I think I spoke to the real thing when we talked. I was skeptical but not now. He was also grateful that his parents did it.
I think this school is an excelent facility for kids that are on the wrong path. They even work with the parents alot. I think the saddest part is that so many parents let it get that bad where they had to go to this extream. Sure some kids just go bad, but I feel that most of the time, it is preventable if the parents trained thier kids well. If I had the need, I would send my own child there.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
wheres is your name?
? :
: "
THis is BS!!!!! They snowed you. When I was there they told us that the townspeople would bring us back with a machete to our back because they would get good money!
They manipulate and lie to parents, they did to mine, and they will admit it.
It is good to be broken before God, and to see how the rest of the world lives, and to see how your behavior affects others, but these people are so secluded that they get too wrapped up in their own power and influence. Pretty soon, it becomes about them and not about God. Some staff members do this without realizing, some do it on purpose because they have issues. Some students see through the crap, but all eventually are "programed", not changed.
God wants our wills to be broken. Not our spirits, not our minds, not our hearts.