Drifting to Success: Courtney & Josh's School

In February 2006 we met daughter, Courtney, husband Josh, and four-year old Althea at Big Bend National Park near the Texas-Mexican Border. We were heading toward the West Coast. They were camping in a VW Vanagon on their way to Belize, where they had contracted to work on a farm—an atypical goal for two Summa Cum Laude college graduates with a small child. Their plan was to tour their way through Mexico. We were the quintessential worried parents, wondering if this young couple had lost it.  Whatever happened to getting a good job, finding an affordable home, and raising a family in a safe, traditional environment? What would become of little Althea? What if we never saw them again? We did not attempt to meddle, as they were optimistic and adventuresome. Courtney reminded us of our lifelong teaching: “God will provide.”

Mexico was a bit safer in those days. The fearsome trio took two months to make it to Belize with minimal problems, soon to discover that they were not farmers. Humidity, crocs, insects, and heavy rains caused them to move on to Guatemala after a couple of months. Their vehicle needed a new head gasket that would require mechanical skills and parts not available in Belize. They lived in an apartment in Guatemala City owned by friends for a month while awaiting repairs. One weekend they elected to visit San Marcos located on lovely, tranquil Lake Atitlan. The local people were humble, friendly, hard-working, and gentle. When the Vanagon was finally repaired, they decided to live in San Marcos for awhile in a rented tree house. Fortuitously, they met a lady who was planning to be away for a few months. She offered free rent in turn for their caring for her property. During that time that they decided to settle in and start an elementary school for local Mayas and children of resident Internationals, Public schools are not all that good, and the average child drops out after the third grade. 

By 2007 this bold, good-looking, carefree couple in their twenties—the same couple we had considered aimless risk-takers in 2006—had sold their vehicle and borrowed enough money to purchase a school property and a small home high on the rocky side of a mountain. By this time they had mastered the Spanish language which they had studied in high school. In March 2008, we saw their one open-air classroom with a thatched roof in full use with 25 attendees. Their school, Escuela Caracol, embraces the Waldorf method which originated in Germany in 1919 following WW I. That system is popular throughout the world with over 1000 primary schools and over 600 kindergartens in 60 different countries. Children are taught life skills, to think aesthetically and analytically, to value their culture and environment, and to appreciate nature and the arts. High-tech skills and television are deemphasized. The school has even been highlighted by the national newspaper published in the Capital.

We were pleased to attend an art exhibit featuring student work and a terrific play performed by the third graders. Nearly all of the proud parents and many friends were in attendance. Three languages are taught at Escuela Caracol: English, Spanish, and Kaq’chikel, the local Mayan language. There are now 50 students with 75 projected for next year; a second kindergarten will be launched. International families pay full tuition, while Maya tuition comes from sponsors like us—professionals and retirees with a heart for the less fortunate children of San Marcos.  One can become a contributing sponsor with a donation of only a dollar a day—about the price of a quart of fuel. Full sponsorships for a given child cost more. Periodic updates on that child’s progress are provided to the sponsor. It’s a joy to learn the many ways the girls we sponsor, Estrella (see our photo with her and her parents) and Sophia are advancing socially and academically. Twenty new sponsors will be needed next year. Some donors contribute much more than do individual sponsors, and grants for special projects and capital improvements sometimes come from Germany. 

Strolling through the school grounds is like a botanical garden tour. Cats, caged rabbits, and chickens reside among lovely trees, huge plants, flowers, and blooming shrubs. Coffee and fruit trees produce an abundance of produce. Three open-air classrooms have been erected since 2008, and a second floor for administrative services has been added to the original classroom. There are no bathrooms—just compost toilets--but Waldorf children learn to commune with nature and protect the environment. A healthy school lunch is provided each day by two cooks. Dishes are washed by hand.

We are so proud of what Josh and Courtney have accomplished in just a few years. At the age of 33 they are now seasoned entrepreneurs, who have learned the skills necessary for education, leadership, school administration, and fundraising. They oversee a staff of nearly 20 and are impacting the lives of many children who otherwise would be out of school working with their parents. They may never be wealthy, but they are developing dreams for children who otherwise would have no dreams. They have taught us to never underestimate what God can do in the lives of our children. *NOTE: Click photos to enlarge them. Use back arrow to return to view.