updated April 29,2022
Our Mission in San Salvador
Approximately 25 people in our congregation have visited San Salvador and have experienced firsthand the wonderful ministry of Pastor Miguel, his teachers and students at the school, and the people of his congregation.
While it is important that we look after ourselves in the work we do at Edith Rankin, it is important also that we reach out to those in our world who are in need, particularly those with whom we have a partnership that stretches back a number of years.
An interior shot of the church, Iglesia Bautista Emmanuel, on a Sunday when Candians were visiting.
Each year over the past 7 years we have forwarded between US$4500 and US$6000 to our friends in San Salvador. When you consider that a full year’s tuition for an elementary student at CBE (Colegio Bautista Emmanuel) is $150, and for a high school student $300, you can see that the funds we have sent go a long way to helping parents and students to receive the education they both want and need.
We have a great deal of respect and admiration for Pastor Miguel and his family, so leave it to them to make decisions on how best to use the funds from Edith Rankin.
Cal Pipil is a drop-in activity centre a few blocks from the church, and like the church, in the middle of the San Jacinto. It is also supported by the church.
Colegio Bautista Emmanuel Scholarship Fund
Colegio Bautista Emmanuel (CBE)(Emmanuel Baptist College) is a private school of 283 students from primary to senior high school, and located with the barrio of San Jacinto, one of the poorest, most gang-ridden neighbourhoods in the city of San Salvador. It was established by Pastor Miguel Tomas Castro Garcia and his church, the Iglesia Bautista Emmanuel (Emmanual Baptist Church) a number of years ago in response to the poor state of public education. It offers children and their parents a chance to escape the twin traps of poverty and violence of their San Jacinto neighbourhood. It is a faith-based school that offers students and parents, in addition to academics, a grounding in faith as well as peace. In contrast with the public educational system, many more students graduate from CBE and move on to post-secondary opportunities at colleges and universities. Some parents cannot afford the cost of CBE despite it’s low cost, at least by Canadian standards. Tuition is $150/year for elementary students, and $300/year for high school students. As a result, the scholarship fund was developed to assist parents who want their children to have this educational opportunity.