As I look at our full January calendar and can't believe that we are now into our 3lst year. After our short break it's so nice to once again hear the sounds of our leadership team working in the shop. It has been an honor to watch them continue to grow as mature, wise and effective leaders. Today 16 college scholarship students and their parents will be coming in for an assembly to sign their commitment contracts for the 2023 academic year. That group of 16 includes our first scholarship student working for her masters degree and a new university scholar who just months ago was held without cause in a Salvadoran prison. This week formation groups have started meeting and Murphy Field will be hosting women's health training. Our English Academy and First Learners teachers are also in preparation for classes which will be resuming in a week. We are definitely into the new year.
TIME OF REFLECTION
As we begin year "31* I reflect on the opportunity the first thirty years have brought to all of us. I know so well that your generosity, friendship, prayer and love have made that possible. I keep thinking about the beautiful passage from St. Paul, "…..and the greatest gift of these is love." How true that is. Without love all we do here would have little meaning. We can't thank you enough for inspiring that love in all of us. We are so profoundly grateful for all your generosity in 2022. When I think about the miracle of our first 30 years I also reflect on the grace which has brought so many special people into our lives. It was 27 years ago when our first delegation from St. Pius came and Clara and Stafford Pile traveled here for the first time. That relationship has become the pillar, catalyst and model for all of our relationships and future projects. It has been the building of those enduring relationships that has made the Tamarind distinguishable from other efforts around the world. So many of you, our friends and supporters have been with us from the beginning, you might say, once we are Tamarindos, we will always be Tamarindos.
CREATING RELATIONSHIPS IN GUARJILA
Knowing that lasting relationships are the bedrock of the Tamarindo Foundation, we would like to extend an invitation to you and your friends to come back and visit us. With all respects to Zoom, we know there is no substitute for being physically together and it is in breaking bread (or tortilla) that we share our faith, resources, inspiration, knowledge, friendship, and love. This year we will be offering four different travel dates to our community in April, June, August and November. We hope the trips will reunite old friends and new friendships will be made. The trips will also offer a combination of Tamarindo community life, faith, culture and history. Each trip will also offer opportunities to experience the beauty of El Salvador's beaches, volcanoes. mountains ripe with Salvadoran coffee and colonial charm. El Salvador has something for everyone.
Please look to our website for further details on Tamarindo Travel 2023. Please help us grow the Tamarindo family by introducing your friends to this
life changing experience. So come and
see us soon
My love and thanks to all of you,
John G.
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