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By Bobbi-Sue Menard
SCHOOLS Beyond Borders (SBB) enables individuals in the
developed world to partner with impoverished schools in third world and
developing countries.
A registered non-profit society in B.C., the
organization got its start in a spring 2006 meeting at Emmanuel Church in
Westbank. William and Beverly Bate led the founding gathering of six
people.
Two years later, the ministry – joining schools
across the globe – has grown at a steady pace, which has seen the
establishment of relationships around the world.
Today, executive director Mark Wylie mans the
home front in Westbank – while the Bates travel the world,
establishing contacts with schools, and planting seeds of relationship.
“Somebody has to be on the ground, and I had the
administrative know-how,” says Wylie. A large part of his work is
building links with Okanagan schools – and giving them the
opportunity to donate time, money and resources to schools the Bates have
identified in the developing world.
Each local school has wide latitude regarding what they
can donate, and the nature of the relationship they would like to initiate.
The arrangement can be as simple as pen pals writing words of
encouragement, or major donations of laptop computers.
Mount Boucherie High School in Westbank has a global
awareness club, which has created a clear success story. On behalf of
SBB, Wylie’s son Zachary spoke to the club about the needs of St.
Phillip’s School in Nairobi, Kenya.
St. Phillip’s is a faith-based orphanage and
school working with children in dire straits; currently, the school has no
clear sponsorship. Mount Boucherie’s club responded in force, and
dedicated the money from recycling pop bottles to St. Phillip’s.
The result is a 10-month per year stipend of $450 per month
supporting St. Phillip’s – an amount that is vital to keeping
the doors open.
“It really is quite broad what the students are
able to do,” explains Wylie. “The students can determine the
manner in which they want to contribute. I know they are hoping to
send a team to Nairobi next year.”
Other recent successes include the students of the
private Glenfir School in Summerland, who shipped a container of
school desks to Guatemala.
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Each relationship remains unique. SBB is working
towards establishing scholarships and bursaries, and providing training
aids to workers in the developing world.
Schools Beyond Borders is markedly different from many
other ministries. Deeply Christian, it works with secular schools in
Canada and creates opportunities for those schools to give in a
non-traditional way, tailored to their abilities.
“Kids want to take care of the rest of the
world,” says Wylie. “It is just marvelous to see how they try.
You can see the heart of God at work. Our hope is that kids here can
experience that love. So very often, the needs that are being met overseas
are an exact response to what is needed. You get tingles about all of the
little things that fall into place.”
Through every school relationship, the Bates travel and
set up the initial contacts, and maintain the contacts in the developing
world. Currently, they are near South America, traveling in their
sail boat and reaching as many schools as possible.
Back in Westbank, Wylie has been part of a gentle
growth, where many involved can see the work of God. Wylie sees Schools
Beyond Borders on the cusp of tremendous growth in the coming years.
The organization has new volunteers coming on board for fall, with
plans to reach out directly to more local schools, and the growing ability
to reach schools across the country.
“The next phase – who knows? It could go,
‘boom.’ There are thousands of schools overseas who we can
connect with. But it doesn’t matter if there aren’t
schools over here.”
Contact: schoolsbeyondborders.com
September 2008
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