The Trade School Ministry Site

A little about the Trade School site:

The Trade School serves as a platform to cultivate relationships and spread the gospel. In this educational space, men and women of all ages hailing from the communities of Magdelena, El Gorrion, and San Miguel can acquire valuable practical skills, delving into carpentry, welding, and glasswork. LIFT and SI participants actively engage in trade school classes, home visits, and the sharing of devotionals, fostering a holistic and enriching experience. 

Hello all,

Over the past week, I (Shane Wahlberg) and four other LIFTers (George Poynter, Andrew Barce, Daniel Camp, and Gabe Ciccarello) have had the opportunity to assist with the work at the Trade School ministry site run by Students International (SI). Samuel Gomez, the site leader, welcomed us with open arms, and we jumped to work right away. 

The trade school opens up its doors to all members of the community, regardless of age or gender. On our first day, we worked with young teenagers in the morning, learning welding and woodworking with them. In the afternoon, we worked with young women and mothers on carpentry, carving unique chicken sculptures that were meant to be used to hold eggs that they could then sell to make a profit. 

One of the main goals of the Trade School is to empower the community to be able to make a living for themselves. On Monday, the 8^th, we visited Tino, a former student of Trade School. Through the classes and training he received, he was able to save up little by little for his own set of tools. Now Tino is commissioned by members of his community for several carpentry projects. He was also able to raise enough money through his carpentry business to raise eggs and sell them or their eggs for another form of income. 

Another way that Trade School is empowering the community of Magdalena is through their electrical classes. Samuel and SI have told us that there is a huge need for electricians in the community. Most of the trained electricians live far away, and most of the work done in the community, while it works, runs the risk of injury due to lack of proper training and safety knowledge. To address this, the Trade School has partnered with a senior electrician from the government named Jorge, who teaches a class every week to men, ranging in age, about electrical work, covering topics from safety to regulations to techniques, and how electrical power flows. Upon completion of the class, students will receive a diploma certifying them as trained electricians, which is a huge accomplishment! This will legitimize them, making it easier for them to obtain work in their community, proving that they are trained and trusted. 

Samuel told us that Trade School should not simply be a place where people come and receive training and hear a devotion in the morning. He wants it to be a place where people feel loved and cared for, seeing the love of Christ. One way he accomplishes this is by visiting the homes of his students, young and old, checking in on them and praying alongside them, regardless of if the circumstances are good or bad. He has told us stories about how house visits have deeply impacted students of Trade School, helping them on their walk with the Lord. Samuel cares deeply for the youth that come and attend the classes here. Often during our lunch and/or coffee break, he will go to the store nearby and come back with snacks for everyone. He is always pouring into the youth, checking in on them and having meetings, wanting to help them grow not only in their potential career, but also their spiritual walk with the Lord. 

It has been very encouraging to see the youth here dive into Trade School, absorbing as much as they can and always asking Samuel how their work is. One day when we were doing house visits, we saw two kids sitting outside the workshop. They were hoping Samuel would let them in to do some extra work to practice their carpentry skills! When we were painting a cabinet for Women’s Social Work, I asked some of them what job they wanted after finishing school: they all said jobs related to trade school, be it welding, carpentry, or painting. Not only do they see the value of the work they do, but they really enjoy it. 

The time at Trade School has been encouraging and really impactful, both physically in regard to the work we assist Samuel with, and spiritually with the prayer. Every morning before work, we prayer as a site, sometimes even praying between classes or visits. I’m excited to see how the Lord works during our last few days working alongside Samuel and SI. 

Thank you and I hope you all have a blessed day.

Grace and Peace,

Shane Wahlberg

Prayer Requests:

-  Provision of electrical tools for electrical class

-  Health and safety of Samuel and his family

-  Continued safety of students using/learning machinery 

-  Current students will be able to purchase/obtain their own tools so they can start their own business upon completion of the site