Those defining moments..!

I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk.                     By Tony Robbins                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             I spoke to the Richland Kiwanis Club about “Friends Of Copey” last week. This Richland club is one of several Kiwanis Clubs within my general community.

I enjoy introducing new audiences to the wonderful country of Costa Rica, to the very unusual community of Copey, and to the fantastic work and relationship which has developed between the Learning Center and “Friends”. I am particularly fond of Kiwanis because Kiwanis throughout the world is focused on improving the lives of “Kids”.

I continue to be asked “WHY” did I select Copey and the Learning Center to get involved in. And, why did I not get involved in something in America or another country or town?

During my first “fishing trip” to Costa Rica, I learned there was a tremendous need for English teachers. That sounded great to me and I was ready and willing to volunteer to

teach in Costa Rica. During my second trip to Costa Rica about a year later, I traveled to Copey to be interviewed to work as a short-term “volunteer teacher”. This was my plan even up until the morning I walked into the Learning Center to meet with its Founder, Seidy and Anne, a volunteer. There was no prior thought about anything except to volunteer if I was accepted.

During the discussion about the work of the Learning Center, how it began, and what it intended to accomplish, something very strange and powerful swept over me. I could feel their passion and their strong devotion to the mission of the Learning Center. They simply wanted children in their community to have the opportunity to realize their potential and learning English was the key. While sitting inside the Learning Center I could see first-hand the many challenges facing Seidy, Anne, and others  who believed in the vision of the Learning Center. I proclaimed to them both then and there that I wanted to help. For me, this was a defining moment!

That strange and powerful change in my original plans is what I call “divine intervention”. It only took about 15 minutes talking with Seidy and Anne, before I began changing my plans. I no longer wanted to teach for two or three months.

Just that quickly, I was thinking much larger about ways I could serve and support their mission. I knew then that whatever I did, would need to include my friends and family. We all working together would make huge differences that would go far beyond even the imaginations of many in the Copey community. I could not wait to get started.                               

Fast forward nearly five years, the evidence we have documented is clear and convincing. What happened during that short time while sitting in the Learning Center on my first visit, was “divine intervention”. So the very bold answer to the often asked question about WHY did I chose Copey, the truth is with the help of “divine intervention”, Copey chose me…and in many ways, it has also chosen many of you.

One more thing…! When we engage partnerships such as Pen Pals using local US schools or the work of the “Pathway” project where US students travel to the Learning Center and students from Copey travel to America, important connections are being made,

relationships are being develop, understanding of different cultures happens, and the list goes on confirming this is far more than a small rural community thousands miles away being helped by “Friends”. This is truly an international project impacting how kids and adults view one another from two or more countries while many other countries frequently visit our Blog and watch us each week.

I believe each of us have a “God’s Purpose” and many of us are fortunate to find and recognize the purpose when the opportunity comes knocking. My headline quote last week stated, “Opportunity doesn’t make appointments, you have to be ready when it arrives.” 

Anne G. Broady Scholarship Fund Drive           Goal=$1,500.00       Actual=$1,500.00

THANK YOU!  We are quickly moving to the end of our AGB Scholarship Fund Drive and this has been the very best year to date. We have reached our goal and can begin officially notifying parents that their students should be getting ready to attend the Learning Center in a couple of weeks. There are still a few past donors I have not heard from so there may be more AGB Scholarship recipients than we are planning on. We hope so! Our goal is based on a minimum level of support…not the maximum. There are still children being left out.

Executive Director Salary Support         Goal=$2,000                  Actual=$950.00

The pace has picked up with the ED Salary Support Fund Drive. This drive does not end on February 1, 2017 and continues until we reached our goal. Our first two years fell short of the goal with only donations. Both years we successfully supplemented the donations with “parking lot or yard sales”. I continue to encourage you to help support this effort and recognize how valuable strong leadership at the Learning Center helps to protect and ensure our investments in the education of the students attending the Learning Center.

How do you make a donation? Directions can be found by clicking on the following link.

https://friendsofcopey.com/2017/01/09/being-the-giver-is-being-the-receiver/

So much news to cover and unfortunately, to save you some time, I am closing out. Next week will be new information about our plans to help Copey build a new Learning Center, final update on the AGB Scholarship Fund Drive, the profile of our new E&H College volunteer heading to Copey, and much more. You do so much and please just take a moment to enjoy your success!