John and I see huge improvements at the University of the North in San Pedro Sula (CURN). But sometimes we sense a legitimate question lingering in the minds of some of our friends: Are we really making any difference?

Interest and temperament profiles, psychological counseling, academic tutoring, daily snacks for sick, malnourished children, a pleasant garden on campus where students can study and socialize, a movie night, a talent night, and programs in which students share the Gospel in the city. According to an article titled “Student Movement, Renuevo, A Hope For The Universities” that appeared recently in Student Focus, a University of Honduras Alumni Publication, all these things are happening because of the combined efforts of Ministerio Renuevo and Professionals to the World.

In March, two groups of professionals from Colorado and California traveled to Honduras and Costa Rica, and taught classes at three national universities. The results:

Barb Hermanson, who trains teachers in the instruction of expository writing, held seminars for 150 middle and high school teachers. She and her colleague, Heather Warakomski, have been invited back in June to train 300 more teachers in this method. Those teachers, in turn, will train all 12,000 school teachers in the state of Cortez. Jim Hermanson taught philosophy of education at these same sessions.

Nutritionist Shawn Plowman continues her snack program for more than 200 extremely poor, malnourished children at the Catarino Rivas Hospital in San Pedro Sula. Shawn trains Ministerio Renuevo students in the work of delivering snacks and befriending the children.

John and Charly Potts drove to Tegucigalpa with Renuevo leader, Jose Ordonez to encourage Arnulfo and Sylvia Matute as they start a new chapter of Renuevo on the campus there. We visited the US Embassy to tell them about our program. The embassy expressed an interest in a future leadership conference, and in encouraging friendships between universities in Honduras and the United States.

Caley Prichard joined the Colorado team, making friends on campus. Jim Lynn taught classes in architecture in Costa Rica. Californians who joined us were Glen Plowman and Dan Holden, both in Computer Science, and Shelby Thorpe, a psychologist. Students responded enthusiastically to their classes. We returned home truly excited about the changes being wrought by Ministerio Renuevo and PTTW.

To the question we asked above, “Are we making a difference?” we can answer with a resounding YES! And - we’re having the time of our lives!

Charly