In 2023 I took a leave of absence from USC to live in a small agricultural town called San Telmo in Mexico for 8 months.
Serving alongside a non-profit Christian missions organization, I taught at a school called 'El Porvenir' planted here subjects such as Art, English, Sports and Discipleship.
El Porvenir is a government-certified Christian primary and secondary school currently serving over 220 students in the local town of San Telmo. El Porvenir translates to ‘The Future’ and was started with a vision to raise up leaders who would impact the larger community with the love of Christ.
El Porvenir has become a beacon of light in this community to many families who are often stuck in the cycle of poverty and labor exploitation. Children who would otherwise stop their education after primary school to work have the opportunity to continue school (many by sponsorship) and pursue their God-given dreams.
During my time teaching here, the school has reached a huge milestone. Through several donors, El Porvenir was proud to announce the opening of their first computer lab for the school. Students have had little to no experience accessing computers meaning this would allow student to explore the world at the finger tips for the first time and gain the opportunity to reach higher education such as college.
Painting School Walls with a Dreams, Hope and a Future
I was commissioned by the director of the school and non-profit organization to design a mural for the staircase leading up to computer lab to help motivate the students as they step into learning, expanding their minds beyond the confines of generational farm work, and assisting the students to follow their God-given dreams!
Preliminary Sketch
Progress
Other Murals