Sandy's Scholarship

Soon after moving to Honduras, Sandy and I became buddies and she was the one person I felt comfortable chatting with in Spanish.  Not asking for directions or making small talk, but actually having a conversation.  Nick even mentioned when he came to visit how he noticed that I actually tried to tell funny stories to her in Spanish!  Sandy's subtle and sly sense of humor along with her patience with my endless mistakes made her a fun person to learn from -- not only speaking Spanish, but about life as a Honduran girl my age.  I ate meals at her house and visited with her family often, and our friendship really grew throughout my time in Honduras.

(Sandy and me under her birthday sign back in April)

After learning about the educational system and experiencing firsthand the difficulties of the application and entrance process, I felt that God was really asking me "Well, what are you going to do about it?"  I was hesitant at first, knowing it would be difficult to deal with sending money, especially since it was a friend and because I was moving back to the States.  But those excuses were just ways I was looking for the easy way out.  I decided to start a scholarship fund for Sandy which is similar in the setup to the scholarships of the other missionaries in the area.  Sharon Washburn, administrator at the Christian high school, has graciously offered to help with the distribution of the funds on the Honduran end of things so the money is more secure.  Plus I get her added experience of having dealt with this endeavor before.

(Photo taken during first week of living in Honduras!)

 Sandy and her family are very excited that she can continue her education at the public university in the city, which is about an hour away from Rio Viejo.  What a special and extraordinary opportunity for her – the first to attend college in her family!  Sandy is interested in studying business with a focus on tourism industry studies.  She wants to return back to the river valley where she grew up to be involved and affect her community. 

Necessary funds which include tuition, books, housing, food, bus fare, and a little spending money have been estimated and adjusted by missionaries who support students in similar situation as Sandy.  A check will be sent to the administrators of IER who will directly deposit Sandy’s funds in the Honduran baking system.  In this way, Sandy will receive money on a monthly basis directly into an Honduran bank account.  She will therefore be responsible to pay her bills, budget for upcoming expenses, and learn to responsibly manage money.  

I spoke with her the other day on the phone for the first time being back.  We had so much fun catching up and could have talked for longer!

If you're interested in donating to the scholarship, or in more info about the logistics of the process, feel free to contact me at allisonippel@yahoo.com.