Cuiaba Gateway of Faith School

GATEWAY OF FAITH - CUIABÁ
"Gateway of Faith" is run by Pastor Jaime and Cecilia Cruz and is a school for underprivileged children in a very poor suburb of the town of Cuiabá, with some 35,000 families. There are not enough places in State schools for all the children and private schooling is out of the question. Without schools like this hundreds of children would be without education. Meals are provided every day in the school. For many of these children it is the only substantial meal of the day. Pastor Jaime Cruz is at the market by 5.30am to claim unsold items from the day before. A queue of children greet him every morning as he arrives at the kitchen, to see if there are any "hand outs".
 

Cecilia Cruz, Pastor Jaime's wife, is the headmistress of the school. She has seen traumatized little ones starting to speak again under her care. 

They have Spanish classes for the older children of the area;next to English this is the most important second language for good jobs. There is also a computer class, with equipment lent by a local bank. In 2002 Latin American Ministries supplied the funds for a new, covered, sports area for the children.  As well as providing shade from the blazing sun, it also serves as a meeting place for adults and older children from the district and many are hearing the Good News of the Gospel along with a "Sports Session".  Later a new Junior School section was built by LAM also.


Latin American Ministries - Cuiaba