Everything is happening very fast with the preschool the last week or so. The goal date for the first day of class is July 6th! Usually most schools in the Philippines start the beginning of a new school year beginning or mid-June, but because we are getting most of the preschool supplies and furniture shipped on a container that may not arrive until mid-June, we will need time to set up the classroom. Speaking of this shipment, if anyone has anything they would like to donate from shelves to toys to any kind of school supplies, the shipment will leave from my house in Kansas. My dad is in charge of gathering supplies to ship for the preschool and the other ministries in Mindanao. You can email me at madibennett11@gmail.com or email my dad at dougbennett@kidsim.org.
It looks like we will have two classes three days a week. Probably the three year olds in the morning for three and a half hours and the four year olds in the afternoon for three and a half hours. I have met with a preschool teacher/ administrator here that has a lot of experience with starting preschools and she is going to help the teacher I hire with some specific training for center based and play-based preschool teaching. She is also going to help with future permits and all the paper work that entails because paper work is so not my thing even though I am sure it will need to become my thing soon. 
The most exciting step forward right now is we have decided on a name for the preschool! The name will be: ‘Paglaum Preschool.’ Paglaum in Visayan (the language spoken here) means hope. A few months ago I was really trying hard to think of a name for the preschool and the only word that ever came up was the word hope. I have prayed about it and the word hope just keeps coming up all the time from my daily devotion to sermons. For me, it is the perfect name for the preschool because my goal from the start for this preschool is to give the children hope for a better future. Hope that their education in this preschool will help them for the rest of their school years and for the rest of their lives. Hope that they have an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and I pray that every single little child that comes to Paglaum Preschool will have hope in Jesus and will know His never ending love for them.
eightthousandmilesaway 
So excited about this, Madi, and love the name of the preschool. Are you able to use children’s books written in English?
We can use them! It is hard, well more like impossible to find books in Visayan so we will just translate the English books. 🙂
This is about the coolest things ever! I’m so inspired by you! Praying for you and the teachers as you prepare for this Wonderful God given opportunity to give Hope & a Future! Keep it up!
Moriah, thanks for the encouragement and thank you for the prayers!
How can every single one of the children be so stinkin’ cute? They are so blessed to have you working for their educational future. I am praying for your wisdom and strength through all of the decisions and activities in preparation for the new school. Love hearing about what JESUS is doing through your ministry!