"With God, the impossible does not exist!"
Those are the words that are inscribed above the playground where 7 year-old Stanley attended school in Managua and for his parents, those words still hold true. At birth, Stanley was diagnosed with Down Syndrome, a diagnosis in Nicaragua that most times means a life of confinement to home and family. His parents vowed that their son would live a life contrary to his circumstances, and that's exactly what he did. Stanley thrived....he had a smile that would light up a room and his love of life and the sport of basketball was contagious.
In May of 2016, young Stanley passed away from a tragic accident, but his parents did not want their pain to be wasted. Their loss has turned into a ministry for children in Nicaragua who, like Stanley, deserve to be able to live life to the fullest. Stanley's Kids began in November 2016 in the classroom where Stanley attended. When we began, parents shared the difficulties of raising these children in a culture where they are shunned and forgotten. Transportation is very difficult for these children who have both physical and emotional disabilities as crowded public transportation is the norm. There are also few schools or educational programs in Nicaragua that will allow children with special needs and abilities to attend.
In other parts of Central America, where education is provided, the students are only allowed to attend school until they are 21 years old, then most return home to little or no socialization. Our goal is to assist these students by providing opportunities for them to grow more confident in their life skills, so that they will be able to thrive in society outside of public education.
Just as Stanley's parents vowed to give Stanley the opportunity to interact socially, to learn and to thrive, these parents want to see that their children have the same opportunities. This is why we GO, this is why we GIVE....THE NEED IS GREAT!