Life-changing chance for young man in Chaco
For Hermenegildo Torres, education seemed a remote possibility – something for other people but not him. Yet now he is learning with confidence and helping to build bridges for his community.
Hermenegildo is a young man from the Angaite indigenous community in the Paraguayan Chaco, a region that is home to many indigenous communities. The region suffers from geographical isolation, lack of infrastructure and extreme weather.
Many parents in these communities long for their children to have an education, but getting to schools teaching at secondary level is very difficult. Like many young people from remote indigenous communities, pastor’s son Hermenegildo struggled to complete his schooling.
Insurmountable barriers?
Travel around the Chaco is not easy. The Chaco is a vast area. Routes are made impassable by heavy rains at certain times of year, and these long journeys are expensive. Yet connecting for education remotely is also difficult, as many in the Chaco simply don’t have access to online materials. This means that just a tiny handful of indigenous students from the Chaco tend to make it to university, and young people have fewer options for future employment.
Hermenegildo faced another barrier to learning – the educational and Christian resources were in Spanish, his second language. (Hermenegildo’s mother tongue is Guarani, the national language of Paraguay.) All of this meant that even when he could get hold of resources, Hermenegildo didn’t always feel able to contact teachers when he needed help or clarification.
After hearing concerns from parents and church communities, a CMS-facilitated indigenous mission team, Misión Indígena, has made education one of its key focus areas. This is important both for equipping young people and for ensuring that the next generation of church leaders do not face obstacles to theological training because of a lack of study earlier in their lives. Increasing access to education will also enable church members make use of Christian resources to help them grow spiritually.
Scholarship and spiritual growth
Through Misión Indígena, Hermenegildo received a scholarship to continue his secondary school studies. The grant covered the cost of study, materials and the availability of a phone to access online resources. This made it easier for Hermenegildo to learn Spanish, and he was motived by the reassurance that he had all he needed to complete this stage of his education.
Alongside learning academically, Hermenegildo has grown in his faith. Now that he can access Christian literature in Spanish, he has come to know the gospel more deeply. He is moving into a leadership position, and is now a member of Misión Indígena, bringing the voice of young people to conversations about mission in indigenous communities.
Opening doors and sharing faith
Hermenegildo now has much better employment opportunities – his ability to speak three languages means that he can work as a translator. Hermenegildo can help others in his community get the information they need. This also means that Hermenegildo can share his faith with more people.
Hermenegildo’s comment on this transformation of his opportunities is to point to Jesus: “I have no words to express my gratitude; I thank God.”
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