Many thanks to all the TLLC members who helped make the beginning of the new school year better and brighter for the children of the Agua Viva Lutheran Mission in the colonial of El Cenizo, outside of Laredo. On Sunday, August 10th, after Pastor Mariana Mendez’s church service, we handed out 130 great looking backpacks and all the supplies needed according to grades for every student from pre-school to high school students and several college students. The students were excited to receive the supplies as they put them into their new backpacks.
For over ten years, Josh and Jon Martin have known Angel Garza. At Christmas two years ago, Jon asked him where he wanted to go to college. At that time he said either U.T., Rice, or Stanford. Last summer Jon asked him again, and Angel said he got accepted at Duke University in Pre-Med with a full four-year scholarship which includes everything except textbooks. He said that, after he becomes a doctor, he wants to return to the valley to help his people. Angel’s sister, Denise, will be starting at TX A&M International in Laredo this fall. There are now six students from Agua Viva who are now going to college either full-time or part-time. Laredo Community College South Campus is only about 20 minutes from El Cenizo, and the students are able to get financial help, but also need to work.
Many thanks to Jon Martin, Josh Martin, Pat DiSanza, Russ and Carol Miller, and Rick and Karen Steans who helped count, sort all the supplies, and put them in boxes. Josh and Jon then got what else was needed from financial donations. Also thanks to Dave Polzin who pulled the trailer, and to Nick and Barbara Ferriola who also went to Agua Viva.