Tree of Life Ministries

 

S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R   2 0 1 0  

Tree of Life Ministries Finding  the  Need,  Meeting  the  Need,  Revolutionizing  the  Nation!!    

Business  Seminar   Brings  Vision  

     This  year  has  brought  many  new  discoveries  at  TOLM,  perhaps  due  to  all  the  changes.    They  have  all  been  for   the   better,   because   with   changes   and   discoveries,   as   the   “pot”   is   stirred,   it   is   inevitable   that   you   will   come   across   areas   that   need   improvement   and   fine-­‐tuning,   which   is   exactly   what   happened   in   one   of   the   latest   “discoveries”  &  a  solution  was  needed  FAST.            One   of   the   degrees   offered   here   at   Plan   Escalon   is   in   Business   Marketing,   but   after   several   less   than   completely   successful   attempts   at   incorporating   micro-­‐businesses   into   the   infrastructure   of   TOLM,   using   graduates   from   the   Marketing   class,   it   became   shockingly   apparent   that   the   application   of   the   theory   that   they   were   learning   had   somehow   been   lost,   a   problem   which   was   very   necessary   to   solve.       It   is   especially   important   to   us   because   it   is   one   of   our   goals   to   see   the   students   succeed   in   the   workplace   and   to   be   that   much  further  ahead  than  the  other  new  graduates  entering  the  job  market.    It  is  also  our  desire  to  see  them   managing  or  owning  the  businesses,  not  just  working  for  the  owner.            It   is   probable   that   the   solution   is   multifaceted,   but   we   started   by   asking   for   help   from   a   retired,   but   successful,   business   consultant   from   the   United   States.     He   came   and   offered   two   days   of   teachings   and   workshops,   to   both   the   Marketing   class   graduates   and   the   ministry   staff,   the   value   of   which   no   one   could   afford,   if   required   to   pay.     The   teaching   did   review     some   of   the   basics,   but   it   also   offered   many   new   concepts   covering  the  proper  forms  and  paper  work  that  create  accountability  and  responsibility.            Overall,   the   seminar   was   a   success   as   many   were   inspired   and   encouraged.     Those   that   participated   received   a   certificate,   which   gives   the   students   more   credentials   for   future   applications.     However,   there   will   be   a   growing  anticipation  over  the  next  year,  because  the  true   success  of  the  seminar  can  only  be  measured  a  year   from  now,  when  we  evaluate  how  many  new  business  ventures  there  are  and  their  overall  accomplishments   and  stability.  May  they  all  succeed!  

 

 

 

MECHANICS  WORKSHOP        It  became  very  clear  during  a  “Life  in  Action”  outing  that  as  a  whole,  the   youth,  well,  to  be  more  specific,  the  young  men,  at  TOLM  are  lacking  in  basic   mechanical  skills  that  are  taken  for  granted  in  societies  that  have  had  vehicles   for  generations.          In  truth,  a  group  of  students  struggled  for  close  to  thirty-­‐  minutes  trying  to   change  a  flat  tire  on  one  of  the  ministry  vehicles  when  someone  finally   intervened  and  began  to  walk  them  through  it.    Thus  was  birthed  the  idea  to   hold  annual  workshops  that  will  better  prepare  them.    Their  education  is   preparing  them  for  positions  in  the  workforce  that  will  actually  allow  them  to   afford  such  luxuries,  but  obviously  many  of  them  will  be  the  first  in  their   families  to  accomplish  this  and  will  not  have  had  any  experience  working  on   the  “family  car”.            Naturally,  we  feel  a  responsibility  in  helping  them  in  all  areas  of  success.    As   part  of  the  leadership  staff  at  TOLM,  our  head  mechanic  jumped  on  the  idea  and   was  able  to  find  a  basic  class  on  the  subject  being  held  in  the  area.            We  can  never  take  anything  for  granted  in  a  society  that  hasn’t  had  the   privilege  of  evolving  with  technology,  but  rather  has  been  thrown  into  it  and   forced  to  either  sink  or  swim.    Our  goal  is  to  help  the  students  at  Plan  Escalon  to   not  only  swim,  but  to  swim  with  excellence.    “Find  the  Need  –  Meet  the  Need”  

INDEPENDENCE  DAY  PARADE    

     Honduras  celebrates  their  Independence  Day  on  September   15th  and  each  year  the  student  body  participates  in  the  day’s   events  in  a  local  parade.    They  divide  themselves  into  various   groups  and  grade  levels,  including  a  marching  band  that   learns  a  handful  of  songs  and  choreographed  moves.     Another  group  pays  tribute  to  the  different  districts  that   comprise  the  countries  land  mass  and  the  “honors”   students  also  march  together  behind  a  designated  sign.     The  senior  classes  wear  their  business  uniforms.    And   usually  those  students  that  won  first  place  during  our   Limpira  Day  native  dress  competition  wear  their  winning  costumes   and  walk  along  as  part  of  the  procession.  They  all  meet  in  the  town  square  for  a  final   program,  which  includes  the  national  anthem  and  a  traditional  folk  dance  with  the  dancers  in   SENIOR  COMPUTERS  CLASS  INTERNS  THRU  OCTOBER        In  our  August  Newsletter  we  mentioned  that  the  Business   Marketing  students  were  being  sent  out  for  their  internship   requirements  for  graduation  and  now  the  Computers  students   have  been  sent  out  through  the  month  of  October.    They  will   return  in  November  in  time  to  take  their  overall  final  exam  before   graduation.  The  photo  to  the  right  was  taken  during  the   Independence  Day  parade  and  they  are  wearing  one  of  their  two   required  business  uniforms.  

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STUDENTS  RECEIVE  RECOGNITION          After  seeing  a  negative  pattern  develop  in  the  goals  students  were  setting  for  

themselves  in  regards  to  their  grades,  we  felt  the  need  to  raise  the  standard  as  to   what  was  considered  a  passing  grade  to  maintain  the  requirements  of  our    scholarship  system.        The  government  of  Honduras  requires  students  to  have  a  60%  in  each  of  their   classes,  in  order  to  pass.        We  found  that  this  was  the  highest  goal  that  many  of   them  would  set  for  themselves.    Instead  of  realizing  that  they  were  starting  with   100%  in  each  class  and  then  had  to  maintain  it,  they  focused  on  what  they  had  to   do,  to  not  go  below  a  60%.    Not  surprising  at  all,  but  after  we  raised  the  standard  to   70%,  the  number  of  students  below  this  percentile  decreased,  considerably.              We  continue  to  look  for  ways  to  motivate  them  to  better  their  grades.    So,  after   all  of  the  grades  were  tallied,  we  took  a  couple  of  hours  to  hold  an  assembly  to   recognize  each  student  that  received  percentages  at  a  70%  and  above.    We  awarded   different  color  ribbons  to  the  three  different  levels.    A  green  ribbon  was  awarded  to   those  receiving  a  70  to  79  percent,  a  blue  one  was  given  to  those  with  an  80  to  89   percent  and  a  gold  one  to  those  with  a  90  to  100  percent.    We  did  have  four  young   ladies  that  had  a  perfect  score  of  100%.    We  also  held  a  raffle  based  on  each   percentage  level  to  further  motivate  them  to  try  and  better  their  grades.    

 

REACHING  OUT  TO  THE  COMMUNITY          Social  projects  are  an  important  part  of  each  student’s  yearly  activities.    Each  class  

sponsor  is  responsible  to  come  up  with  ideas  or  find  needs  in  the  local  community  and   its  surrounding  areas,  to  help  the  youth  learn  the  importance  of  giving  back  to  society,   to  impart  in  them  that  they  are  the  next  generation  responsible  to  care  for  their   communities  in  the  future.    These  projects  range  from  cleaning  areas  of  trash,  painting,   building  flowerbeds,  planting  trees,  etc.    These  projects  are  designed  to  help  them   remember  our  responsibility  to  give-­‐back.        The  included  photos  are  of  a  particular  group  of  students  that  went  into  different   areas  checking  to  see  if  infectious  strands  of  insects,  such  as  mosquitoes,  were   breeding  on  there  property  and  in  their  water  tanks.    Many  homes  do  not  have  water   24  hours  a  day  and  so  have  to  fill  large  containers  with  water  during  the  hours  it  is   made  available.    Many  of  them  will  also  have  large  50-­‐gallon  containers  outside  to   collect  rainwater.    The  students  examined  the  homes  and  its  surrounding  area  for  the   correct  breeding  conditions,  as  well  as,  tested  the  water  to  see  if  the  bacteria  or  larvae   were  present.    They  then  offered  the  remedy  to  solve  the  problem  as  they  were   discovered.    It  was  a  great  learning  experience  for  all  who  were  involved.  

GYMNASTICS  DAY  COMPETITION        This  year  the  teachers  arranged  for  a  licensed  Physical  Education  instructor  to   come  and  be  a  part  of  the  panel  of  judges  during  the  gymnastics  day  competition,   which  scored  21  teams  on  their  use  of  exercise,  aerobics,  and  rhythmic  dance  in   choreographed  routines.  It  was  especially  surprising  to  hear  her  responses  after   watching  the  day’s  competition.    She  commented  that  in  her  own  school,  of  over   1,000  students,  they  are  only  able  to  get  8  groups  sign  up  for  this  same  type  of   event.    She  was  extremely  impressed,  not  only  with  the  participation  of  21   groups,  but  also  in  the  quality  of  routines  that  each  group  had  put  together.    She   mentioned  interest  in  possibly  having  some  of  the  groups  come  to  her  school  to   perform  or  to  have  a  combined  event  to  help  motivate  her  own  students.      

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MISSIONARY  UPDATES:     The  Henry  family  has  safely  returned  from  a  visit  to  the  States  in  October.    They  visited  churches   in  Wisconsin  and  Michigan,  as  well  as,  took  some  extra  time  to  visit  with  their  parents  and  family   in  East  Michigan.    They  are  preparing  for  the  many  activities  that  make  up  the  end  of  the  school   year  here  at  Plan  Escalon,  with  interviews  for  next  years  new  students  taking  place  right  after   Thanksgiving.         Joseph  and  Jeanna  took  trips  to  the  States  as  well.    Joseph  itinerated  in  September,  on  the  west   side  of  Michigan,  at  their  home  church,  based  out  of  Muskegon.    Jeanna  and  Jewelayna  visited   family  in  Illinois  during  October,  allowing  Jewelayna  to  experience  autumn  for  the  first  time.     One  of  the  last  mornings  there,  after  the  winds  had  come  through  the  area,  she  asked  what  had   happened  to  all  of  the  trees.    Joseph  and  Jeanna  are  celebrating  their  25th  Wedding  Anniversary   on  the  16th  of  November.    To  God  be  the  Glory!!    

  Staff  Leaders  Graduate   from  University  with   Bachelors  Degrees  in   Education.  

64  Students,  including  a   few  leaders,  were  water   baptized  in  September.  

©  2010  Tree  of  Life  Ministries,   All  Rights  Reserved,     2084  W.  Thompson  Rd.,   Fenton  MI  48430,   810.750.54533                                                                      

We  are  often  asked  to  make  the  needs  of  TOLM  better   known;  the  following  is  a  current  list:   Electric  Guitar   Effects  Pedal   Keyboard     4  

Founded  by     Thomas  &  Wanda  Shaw     In  1989