The October 2017 meeting for members of GFWC-NC Mocksville Woman’s Club featured guest speakers, Patrick Brown, and his wife, Carolina,  who operate a ministry known as Samaritans International of Waxhaw that supports Pochocuape Christian School, located in Managua, Nicaragua.

Woman’s Club program chair for international outreach, Paulette Agha, introduced the speakers.         Originally from Waxhaw,  Patrick lived seven years in Nicaragua. The original board for the ministry was organized in Mooresville, after Patrick’s father began to support one child.

His father then flew to Nicaragua where they had over 40 children to feed. Later in 2001, after witnessing the children eating outside the church, Brown put a roof over their heads. By 2016, over 400,00 people and 14.8 million plates of food had been served.

Today, the school has over 240 students, starts with two levels of preschool, and continues through graduation. Located in a farming community, the school teaches students about horticulture and how to raise food for their families.

Many graduating students are the first in their families to learn to read, write or graduate from primary or secondary school.

To increase job opportunities, children are taught to speak English as well, which allows them to graduate with skill sets and ability to pass an English test so they can earn income to help support their families.

While the school teaches Christian values and prayer as well as allegiance to their country, the school maintains a mission strongly reflected in this quote by Patrick’s wife, Carolina. “Education is a great ladder out of poverty and out of ignorance. The greatest inheritance we can give these children is education.”

Nicaragua has a severe crisis in education. On teaching Christian values, Carolina said: “We want the children to hear the word of God and not be just empty hearts with intellectual knowledge. We teach them to have a relationship with Jesus.”

Prior to the presentation, the club meeting opened with an invocation by Alice Sineath followed by an introduction of club member’s guests. Brief reports were announced by chairs of community service programs. Club members take an active leadership role in responding to the needs of people through service programs focused on the arts, conservation, education, public Issues, international outreach and home life.

To show support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month,  Lu Anne Taylor and Sharon Murphy, program chairs for home life,  provided club members with a strand of pink hair to wear.

Women in Davie County interested in learning more about GFWC-NC Mocksville Woman’s Club are welcome to attend a meeting as a member’s guest.

For more information, visit www.FeedingNicas.org. To sponsor a child’s education, contact Patrick Brown at 704-288-4881 or email patrickbrown@siofnica.org.