Mission Life Teams Up With Concord Christian Academy to Help Raise Empathetic Leaders
“Students are lacking strong empathy muscles since the pandemic. There is a dire need to help rebuild this muscle in our students. The opportunity to connect with students in another country is one way to help build their empathy muscles.” - Lori Peters, Concord Christian Academy Teacher
Lori Peters teaches high school theology at Concord Christian Academy in Concord, New Hampshire. Her “Worldview” class covers a wide range of topics and this fall, the school is partnering with Mission Life for a Service Learning Pilot that focuses on empathy.
“Using technology in all of the best ways, we’re connecting students to our children at our center in Colombia so they can learn about a different culture. Through these interactive relationships, their eyes are opened to how their lives are different but also how they are similar,” says Mission Life Founder and CEO, Angel Galvis.
After learning a little more about Colombia, the classes select one child up for sponsorship who will benefit from attending Mission Life’s child development center to receive a hot meal, help with homework, biblical teachings and access to sports. By learning about the child’s background, they discover some of the challenges children face growing up in a second world country.
“Last year, Mission Life did a pen pal activity with a third grade class and our children in Colombia. Afterward, one boy told us he wished he could do more to help and that’s when God put it in our hearts to find a way for children like him to do that,” says Galvis.
Galvis partnered with farmers in Colombia to produce Mission Life Cafecito, a single origin specialty coffee. Through the project, students participate in a Cafecito fundraiser so the class can sponsor the child they get to know and give them the opportunity to attend the center.
The project wraps up with a final class project on what they learned and In the spring, students will have the opportunity to go on a class mission trip to Bogota, Colombia where they will visit the center and meet their child in person!
Learn more about Mission Life Cafecito (and how to help) and Service Learning and stay tuned as we bring you updates on the Service Learning Pilot with Concord Christian Academy throughout the year!