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CACHS helps funding at Nicaragua school

“I think a lot of our society teaches us to focus on ourselves. So it’s an opportunity to see themselves serving others.” TRAVIS EGGINK
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SOMETHING BIGGER - Students

Last Friday, students, staff and supportive parents from Central Alberta Christian High School (CACHS) in Lacombe participated in a fundraising run to benefit a project through the mission organization EduDeo Ministries. The run was organized by students in CACHS’ Sports Performance course, run by Athletic Director Travis Eggink.

As part of the course requirements, students must do something to involve themselves in community leadership and personal development. This year, students decided to support a school building project in Nicaragua.

Last year’s project was a fundraising run to benefit the MS Society and raised more than $2,000.

Eggink said this year, students wanted to do something similar but also something that spoke more to their mission as a Christian school. While it is important to support local initiatives as well, Eggink said this project was about building and being part of the Christian community on a global scale.

“That’s kind of the idea, for the students to see themselves as part of something much bigger,” he said. He added that he thinks this is important for development of young people.

“I think a lot of our society teaches us to focus on ourselves. So it’s an opportunity to see themselves serving others.”

Eggink went on to say that the project also combines physical fitness with doing good on another level and gives sports and fitness a little more legitimacy.

He explained such programs are often dismissed as ‘jock classes’ when they are essential to personal health and can be used to benefit others as well.

“It’s important,” said Eggink.

Students enjoy being part of the project, he said, but often need a push to get going. He added that getting out into the community and fundraising for the run, what he identified as the personal development part of the project, was the most difficult part for many.

“That, I think, is the biggest struggle for students.” He added that while he understands not all the students will reach their fundraising goals, the important thing is that they try.

“I just want to see a full effort.”

Runners completed a 5 km, 7.5 km or 10 km loop for the run.

Funds raised from the run will go towards building new classrooms in the Monte Horeb Baptist School in Magua, Nicaragua.

Monte Horeb Baptist has committed to covering 20% of the cost and CACHS’ goal was to raise the remaining $3,100. Eggink said final counts for fundraiser were not yet finished, but he estimated CACHS exceeded that goal.

Monte Horeb serves approximately 105 students in Grades 1 – 6. Through EduDeo, it hopes to convert its auditorium into new classrooms for the school. EduDeo is a Canadian Christian organization focused on bring education to developing nations in efforts to reduce poverty and inequality.

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