Ministry Plan Part IX: Service Description

Service Description

The education that the students will receive at Christian Life Academy will be superior to what they would otherwise receive in the public schools.  The students will receive the majority of their classes in English, so that they will be proficient in speaking, hearing, reading, and writing the language.  The high quality level of their English learning will prepare the students to be marketable in any occupation they choose, as well as interim jobs such as restaurants, hotels, and translating while studying at the university level.  The Christian focus of the school will give the students an opportunity to hear the gospel on a regular basis, with the hopes that at some point they will understand their need for Christ and receive Him as their Savior.  Receiving Christ will be the beginning of the life transformation we desire to see in all the students.

Besides the superior quality of education, Christian Life Academy gives the advantage of providing this education for a very low cost, or for nothing more than service to the school.  The students that will be given this opportunity are those who could not afford to receive it otherwise.  It is a means to teach grace. Just as we have received the gift of salvation paid by the blood of Jesus Christ, so these children will receive a quality education paid by the generosity of sponsors.

Christian Life Academy is currently in the fundraising stage. The next step will be to identify a property that may be donated or purchased, followed by the building stage.

Ministry Plan Part VIII: Board of Directors

Board of Directors’ Qualifications

The major benefit of an advisory board is that it can provide expertise and an outside perspective.  The Christian Life Academy Board of Directors will be made up of at least four members who can be a mixture of Hondurans and U.S. citizens.  The Board members are:

Edgard Agosto:  Pastor of Christian Life Church and CEO of Christian Life School Board

Wanda Agosto: Pastor’s wife, Vice President of Christian Life School Board

Jennifer Mayes: Rector of Christian Life Academy

Greg Brewster: Treasurer

Janet Brewster: Secretary

Mario Funes: Vocal 1

Selvin Archaga: Vocal 2

Edgard Agosto, President

Pastor Edgard Agosto will have full authority over the school; however will not be involved in the day-to-day activities.  Pastor Edgard became the Pastor of Christian Life Church in 2012.  Prior to that, he pastored churches within the same fellowship in San Diego, CA, and Toronto, OH.  Pastor Edgard has worked for a pharmaceutical company, and has professional knowledge, training, and/or licensure in refrigeration, mechanics, barbering, and firefighting (trained at Texas A&M).

Wanda Agosto, Vice-President

Wanda Agosto will provide a supervisory role for the board, helping to ensure that things “get done” and move processes along when they seem to stall.  Wanda has her degree in business administration, with an emphasis on purchasing and negotiation.  She held a managerial position overseeing production and shipping at Ferro Corporation and worldwide commodity management at Hewlett Packard.  She is completely bilingual, frequently translating for events and individuals in church services.

Greg Brewster: Treasurer

Greg Brewster is a missionary from Louisville, KY, serving in Honduras.  He and his wife, Janet, moved to Honduras in 2010.  They served as supervisors to three programs with the Hogar Nazareth.  One program provides care to teenage moms and their babies.  The second program is for women with special needs.  The third program is a transition program for students studying in the University.  As Director of these three programs, Greg handled the finances for all three programs, as well as providing guidance and counseling to those living in the program.  Prior to coming to Honduras, Greg worked as an actuary.

Janet Brewster: Secretary

Janet Brewster, wife of Greg, is also from Louisville, KY, having lived in Honduras for five years as well.  With her husband, Janet also served a leading role in the three Hogar Nazareth programs.  Janet provided much of the counseling to the beneficiaries, as well as teaching the teenage moms how to be moms.  Prior to coming to Honduras, Janet worked in quality assurance.

Mario Funes: Vocal 1

Mario Funes has been a member of Christian Life Church since its inception in the 1990s.  He and his wife serve as Deacons in the church.  Mario also works as a professor of Agricultural Studies at the National University of Honduras.  As an educator at the college level, Mario will bring a wealth of knowledge regarding education and how best to prepare the students to study at the university level.

Selvin Archaga: Vocal 2

Selvin Archaga has also been a member of Christian Life Church for many years.  He and his wife also serve as Deacons in the church.  Professionally, Selvin is a manager for a major cement company in Comayagua.  He also has many years’ experience as a union representative, so he will be an excellent resource in dealing with Honduran employees, their rights, labor laws, and all things related to employment.

Principal of Christian Life Academy: Liaison between Christian Life Academy and the Board

The Principal of Christian Life Academy will be the main point of contact between the Board of Directors and the school personnel.  He/She will be responsible for attending all the meetings, and bringing pertinent information back to the school personnel.  The Principal will also bring personnel comments, concerns, and suggestions to the Board for review.

Jennifer Mayes: Rector

As founder and rector of Christian Life Academy, Jennifer will have a place on the board as well.  Although she may not be able to attend the meetings in person, she will participate in the meetings through video conference calls.  Jennifer has a degree in Elementary and Special Education, with nine years’ classroom experience, five years of experience as a bilingual school principal, and has served as Director of a local Compassion International site.

Ministry Plan Part VII: Salaries

Salary Scale

All employees of Christian Life Academy will receive wages according to the Honduran labor laws.  At the date of this writing (fall 2015), minimum wage was 7,543.44 lempiras (local Honduran currency) per month (approx. $343 per month), although it varies depending on the type of work performed.  Minimum wage is based on the number of employees on the payroll.  The number shown here is based on a school staff of 11-50 people.  Minimum wage increases each year, so salaries would increase according to the minimum wage increases.  All Honduran employees receive 14 months of pay for each year of work.  Therefore, the 13^th month will be paid in June in addition to the June salary, and the 14^th month will be paid in December, in addition to the December salary.  In addition to their salary, all employees are entitled to social security.  According to the Honduran Social Security Law published on July 21, 2015, employers are obliged to contribute 4% of the regular salary monthly.  The school is also obliged to pay into the teacher union dues for all certified teachers.  This amount as of 2015 is 12% of the teacher’s salary.  Finally, the school has the option of paying severance pay annually to the teachers, so that if a teacher is let go at any point, the severance pay has not accumulated to an exorbitant amount.

The one exception to the minimum wage salary will be the school director.  The director will earn the minimum salary requirement for school directors as set by the Department of Education.

Ministry Plan Part VI: Ownership Information

Ownership Information

Christian Life Academy will fall under the ownership of Global Outreach Mission, a not-for-profit organization based in Buffalo, NY and Ontario, Canada.  Although Global Outreach Mission will have ownership of the school, the pastors of Christian Life Church will act as proprietors, with the Rector having full responsibility for the administration of the school.  The pastors will have the ultimate authority in any hiring decisions, or decisions that affect the mission and vision of the school.  Their overall involvement, though, will be minimal in the day-to-day operations of the school.  The school will be funded through donations that will be managed by an accountant and administered by both the principal and the rector.  Donating money, goods, or time to the school in no way will be considered ownership in the school.  While donors’ comments and suggestions are welcome, they will have no authority in the decision-making of the school, nor should they consider themselves entitled to a say in administrative decisions.  Donors and sponsors are asked to trust the pastors, school administration, and board of directors to seek the Lord when making decisions they feel are in the best interest for the students, staff, and church body. All donors and sponsors are encouraged to pray regularly for the pastors, the school administration, and the entire staff, thus making the most important contribution to the functioning of the school.

The next section of the ministry plan describes the positions needed at the school including a complete description of each position along with the primary duties, responsibilities, and authority, as well as the education requirements, and any unique experiences and special skills needed to fill the position.  They also include the compensation basis and levels according to the labor laws of Honduras.  I will not include those pages in this blog, but if anyone is interested in those sections, let me know and I will send them to you privately.  The positions at the school will not be filled until a property has been identified, and funds have been raised for the first phase of the school.  All positions must be filled and submitted to the Department of Education no less than 6 months prior to the opening of the school.

June Update

June in Review: Getting Connected and Staying Connected Stateside Update: God has continued to encourage me throughout the month of June with new connections and reconnections. I want to take a few minutes to share some of the things that have been going on this month. New Connection I would like to start by introducing you to . . . Mary Beth Likkel. A few weeks ago, I received an email from Global Outreach Mission, my sending mission agency. GOM had received an application from a lady who desires to help children. They gave me the info they had on her and allowed me to connect with her. As I reviewed her info, I saw that she lives only 10 minutes from me. Next, I read that she has an interest in working with kids who speak Spanish. Then I read that she desires to work from home and organize mission trips that she could lead. Finally, I saw that she had studied abroad - in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. I contacted Mary Beth and we met for two hours that first meeting. I was excited about her previous experiences and what she saw herself doing. She was excited about the school project and started brainstorming ways she could possibly help me with fundraising for the school. We decided to take some time and pray about it; Mary Beth also wanted to discuss this with her husband and family. We talked again the following week. Both of us agreed that this seemed to be a divine connection and we are excited about partnering together. Mary Beth has decided to join me in the fundraising process for Christian Life Academy. She is still praying through her options of what that might look like, but she is excited to come on board. Mary Beth is a graduate of Calvin College, a local Christian college here in the Grand Rapids area. She will open connections at the college, locally, and in Indiana, where her family lives. I am excited to see what God will do with this new divine connection that He has provided. Reconnections I had the opportunity to have a mini-reunion with some former and current missionary friends from Honduras. I traveled for a weekend to Northern Illinois to visit two former roommates from the Ranch, as well as a family that still lives and works in Honduras. From there I drove three hours south to spend a week with my sister's family and my dad. I was able to be there for Father's Day. While in IL, I saw on Facebook that some friends of mine from college were in the Grand Rapids area. I was able to contact them and we got together for a brief visit. It was such a blessing to reconnect with these friends after almost 20 years.   Staying Connected In order to keep people better informed about Christian Life Academy, I have started a blog that includes my personal story that led to the idea for CLA, why a school is needed, and the ministry plan that I wrote in preparation for it. Check it out atwww.clahonduras.blogspot.com. Honduras Update: The supervisor of Christian Life Church arrived from Puerto Rico for a visit. He accompanied Pastors Edgard and Wanda Agosto to the five churches located in Honduras. He also spent some time with the kids from the Compassion International program at the main campus in Comayagua.  Progress has been made on the church clinic and is now being used for the Compassion International sponsored children. The clinic has been funded by a church in Switzerland, as well as doctors from Puerto Rico that come and do a medical brigade each summer for the local community.   Praises and prayer requests: Praising God for Mary Beth and the doors that will open for new partners with Christian Life Academy through her. I am thankful for the wonderful times I have had this month with friends - from college and Honduras - and family. In thanksgiving for new partners to the school project. To date approximately $7,400 has arrived or has been pledged. Please continue to pray that the Lord provides the land that He has chosen for the school. For traveling mercies as I go to Orlando, Chicago, and return to Buffalo in July. For wisdom for me as I pray about job options. I need to start thinking about a job as my personal funding as a missionary comes to an end in December. I am praying about jobs that might give me the flexibility to travel to Honduras as needed. I am not sure what that looks like yet, or if that is even possible. And please continue to pray . . . For the work at Iglesia Vida Cristiana (Christian Life Church) in Comayagua, Honduras - for the pastors, the members, and especially the children's project through Compassion International. As always, thank you for your continued prayers and support. Joyfully Serving Christ, Jennifer Mary Beth Likkel Mini-reunion with Val, Tammy and Sara Spending Father's Day with my dad, niece and nephew Amanda Gibson (Friend from SUNY Geneseo) with her three children. Her husband, Stanford, took the photo Give Global Outreach Mission thanks you for financially supporting theJennifer Mayes in Honduras. All gifts are tax-deductible, and should be made payable to: Global Outreach Mission. On a separate note indicate: Ministry-JenniferMayes.  Donations can also be made on-line.  Website: www.missiongo.org Stay In Touch Copyright © 20XX. All Rights Reserved.

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Additional Staff Roles and Responsibilities

Besides the teaching staff, additional peripheral staff will be needed to meet the needs of Christian Life Academy.  The following is a description of each position needed and their corresponding roles and responsibilities:

Accountant/Bookkeeper: An accountant will be needed to handle the finances of the school.  This person will also be responsible for overseeing the budget, making purchases (at the request of the Principal), maintaining records of all receipts and canceled checks, and tracking service hours for the families that must contribute through service rather than financial support.  Each year, the accountant, Principal, Honduran Director, and Rector will work together to develop an annual budget and operating plan based on the finances available to the school.

Sponsorship Coordinator: Every student attending Christian Life Academy will be sponsored by individuals or organizations.  It is of utmost importance that the sponsors are kept informed of the students and their progress.  Each student will be required to write letters to their sponsors as part of their English Language Arts curriculum.  The Sponsorship Coordinator will also send copies of the students’ grades to the sponsors so they can see how their sponsored child is doing in school.  It is the responsibility of the school to provide remedial help to any child that is struggling, and send regular updates to the sponsors about how the child is responding to any remedial help offered.  Sponsors have the right to know how their investment is making a difference in the life of their sponsored student.

Nurse: Since the school will be located close to the Christian Life Church, there will be a need to staff a full-time nurse at the church’s health clinic.  The nurse would be responsible for keeping all the students’ health records and being available to receive students who are sick or have other ailments.    The nurse will regularly check the height and weight of the children to monitor for malnutrition, work with the cafeteria staff to create healthy meals and snacks, and work with the teachers to demonstrate good hygiene practices to the students.  If the students are also part of the Compassion International program, the nurse would also be responsible for communicating with the CDI director about medications the students may need. Since the church’s clinic has been funded by churches in Switzerland and Puerto Rico, the nurse would also be responsible for communicating with the Christian Life Church Pastors about the school’s use of the clinic.

Facilities Manager: Any time there is a facility with a lot of children, there is also a high level of cleaning and maintenance needed.  The facilities manager will be a Honduran local who will be responsible for the general cleaning and maintenance of the school.

Cafeteria Manager: The students will be receiving breakfast, lunch, and at least one snack per day.  There will need to be a cafeteria manager who plans the monthly menus with the school nurse and helps to oversee the kitchen, prepare meals, and manage parent volunteers who need to complete service hours.  The parent volunteers will be responsible to help prepare the meals, wash dishes, deliver snack at recess, supervise the students, and keep the cafeteria clean.  Parents will be under the supervision and authority of the cafeteria manager.

Psychologist/Social Worker: All of the children attending Christian Life Academy will be coming from homes of poverty.  Most of these families are dysfunctional, with no father, or different men moving in and out of relationship with the mother.  Many of the neighborhoods are also crime and gang infested.  The children will be at high social risk, so having a psychologist or social worker on staff is essential.  Many of the children will need emotional healing as well as spiritual healing, and some may also be in situations of physical or sexual abuse.  Having some type of counselor on hand will be important to the healthy development of the whole child.

Human Resources Manager: Having Honduran staff requires a person who will oversee the rights and responsibilities of that staff.  The HR person will be responsible for ensuring that the staff receives their salary every two weeks, and that all their benefits and social responsibilities are paid, such as Social Security, RAP (retirement), INPREMA (union dues) and the 13^th and 14^th months, which are all rights for workers under Honduran law.  The HR person will also be part of the interview process for new hires, will maintain confidential employee files, and will monitor employee attendance, vacation, and maternity leave, if necessary.  If staff needs to be let go, the HR person will work with the Department of Labor to calculate severance pay.  Overall, the HR person will be responsible for making sure that Christian Life Academy is complying with all Honduran labor laws.

Administrative Assistant: The administrative assistant will have the most global role of all the employees.  She will be the first point of contact for parents or other visitors when they first enter the school.  The administrative assistant will answer the phone, write documents for both the principal and director, make copies for the teachers, and distribute notices to the teachers from the administration.  She will also create and maintain the confidential student files, making sure they have the required documents.  The administrative assistant will keep the attendance records, and call parents when a child has an unreported absence.  She will also be responsible for receiving the monthly contribution from the families, writing receipts for them, and reporting income received with the receipt copies to the Accountant.

Translator (English/Spanish): Since the students will be writing letters and receiving letters from their sponsors, a translator will be needed to translate the written correspondence until the students achieve a level of proficiency to read and write the letters entirely in English.

Ministry Plan Part V: Organization and Management

Organization and Management

Although owned by Global Outreach Mission, Christian Life Academy will be considered a ministry outreach program of the Christian Life Church in Comayagua, Honduras.  Because it is a ministry outreach of the church, the Pastor of the Christian Life Church will be considered the Chief Executive Officer of Christian Life Academy, and thus the ultimate authority figure, second only to the Department of Education.  The Pastor will have the final decision on selecting the Administration of the school, and will have the right to make recommendations regarding other staff members, although selection of the personnel besides Administration is not the Pastor’s responsibility.

Directly under the Pastor will be the Rector.  The rector does not need to be present in Honduras; however this person will oversee all aspects of the school, including finances, curriculum, management, etc.  The Pastor will rely on the Rector to advise and/or make decisions regarding the education of the students.

Reporting to the Rector will be the English-speaking principal and the Honduran Director.  Honduran law requires that every school has a Honduran Director that oversees the education of Honduran students.  The English-speaking principal will oversee the English-language curriculum, manage the staff of the school, handle discipline issues, plan and implement best-practices trainings, create class schedules, evaluate school personnel, create the school calendar, and set policies, rules, and regulations for the school.  The Honduran Director will attend all District meetings; handle all paperwork, including student registration, all books required by the Department of Education (Life book, preschool, kindergarten, and primary books, visitors’ book, acts of promotion, etc.), and ensure that the school is always in compliance with the most recent laws and regulations of the Department of Education.  The Director will inform both the Principal and the Rector of any new laws as they are presented to the Directors, so that all three as a team can implement any necessary changes.

The Principal of the school will be responsible for “hiring” volunteer English-speaking missionary teachers.  Missionary teachers must be strong, evangelical Christians, demonstrating their faith through their daily walk.  Missionary teachers will be asked to raise their own support, however, it is the desire of the Church to build and provide housing for the missionary teachers, so that their only expenses would be their daily needs, utilities, and transportation.

Together, the Principal and Honduran Director would be responsible for hiring Honduran teachers to teach Spanish and Social Studies classes, as required by the Honduran Department of Education.  Honduran teachers would also need to meet the same Spiritual criteria as the English-speaking teachers.

All teachers must be active in their local church and be living a good testimony.  Teachers should consider working at Christian Life Church a ministry rather than a job, seeking to serve the Lord instead of looking for a source of income.  This is the key to the success of the school, and must be a central focus when hiring Honduran teachers or seeking missionaries.