Fantastic News:
We would like to let everyone know that our now former student Yarisleidy has graduated. This would not be possible without the on going support of the Union Church.
A letter from Yarisleidy…
To: Union Church of Waban
Dear Sponsors,
It is a pleasure for me to write again, and take the chance to wish you a year full of success, love, peace and everything that God wants to fill your hearts with.
Thanks to the foundation and all of you who are the inspiration for young people, today I can say that I have a degree in Business Administration with an average over 80% during my entire career. I am currently analyzing the possibility to study ecotourism of environmental engineering in Chile, I have some scholarships references but apply is now my challenge. Why Chile? Because it is one of the countries with advanced environmental education, obviously after Brazil, but they speak Spanish (hahahahaha).
I am currently working on Comunidad Connect, coordinating the environmental projects and I like it a lot, it is a topic that I am passionate about and I want to professionalize in everything of social and environmental work.
Talking about the “Community Service Program” that the foundation promotes, I have a project with kids that I am thinking on keep on working although I already graduate. In the project we are teaching English to the kids, we are also giving talks about values, education and motivation, also doing activities where they learn and reflect.
I hope to keep in touch with you all, and someday soon I will be able to say “Hello, I’m here.” My English is not perfect but I learn more every day, and with practices it gets easier.
Greetings to all! God bless you!
With love,
Yarisleidy Cortez
Nicaragua Outreach
The Union Church in Waban may physically reside at the corner of Beacon and Collins streets in Newton, but our love, work and joy span the globe.
Growing out of the Newton Sister City relationship with San Juan del Sur, the Union Church first visited Nicaragua in 2002. Recognizing the importance of our congregation’s service work in Nicaragua, not only in our own lives and those of our children, but also for so many Nicaraguans whom we have come to know, cherish, and help, the members of the Union Church in Waban voted at the 2005 annual meeting to make this relationship with Nicaragua and the city of San Juan del Sur an official church-wide undertaking.
The purpose of our work in Nicaragua is to promote the education, health and welfare of San Juan del Sur, and we give thanks for ways that we have helped contribute to freshly painted schools, clean and safe drink water, classrooms stocked with supplies so that teachers can teach and children can learn. But our relationship with the people of San Juan del Sur is about so much more. It is about realizing our common humanity, the joy of giving and receiving, and the deepening of friendship across border of nation, language or economic circumstance.
In the words of one of the travelers “When I first thought of Mission work, I thought about the word “give.” How can we help others and what can we give them to help. But what I found was that I, personally, have received tenfold in return to what was given. The positive personal relationships which have developed as a result of these trips are immeasurable.”
Now. more than a decade later, with over 65 member of the congregation having gone on one of our intergenerational mission trips, the relationship has never been stronger. The Nicaragua Outreach Committee chaired by David Spertner serves as the liaison between the community of San Juan del Sur and the Union Church community. It is tasked with educating the congregation on the ongoing needs and life of our Nicaraguan neighbors; planning and organizing the bi-yearly trips to San Juan del Sur (during February school vacation week ); coordinating annual fundraisers including our Christmas greens sale; and nourishing and strengthening our friendship and partnerships in Nicaragua through regular communication and visits.
Nicaragua 2010 Mission Trip Video
More Information
More photos/videos and more information about the trips over the years visit our mission outreach photo gallery on the home page. For more information about the Nicaragua Outreach Committee and how you could get involved email the church office or chair, David Spertner (617-549-1200).
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