From the 2020 4th Quarter Report

“My name is Ana Gabriela Lino Galvis.

I am 27 years old, I am a secondary school teacher at the Quirusilla National high school in the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. I have been a chaplain for two years. 

Thanks to the topics in recent webinars, I believe that more than anything the word of God enables us to understand the parents of our students. Understanding as well as to study them, being their teacher, and being that we see them every day, we must know how to relate to them so that we can help them. In a way we guide them into the things of God and not just teach them required courses.

Personally, I’ve learned to change my attitude when working with my students, to interact more with them, and understand them. Most of all, putting myself in their place so that I can have empathy and understand what they might be going through. Being locked up all day at school does not prepare them for live unless they have a personal relationship with Jesus. All of the education in the world doesn’t do them much good because without the Lord. Taking the different courses the school chaplain program offers, I have learned to be more empathetic with my students and all of the chaplains I know have been able to learn to get more involved with them.

In times past we believe that it was enough to give students “everything” as far as material is concerned, when in reality what they need is ourselves as people, as parents, as friends, as teachers and to show them that they are not alone. When we share Jesus’s words they can trust us so we can advise and help them in all the ways possible and necessary.
The new thing I’ve learned from  myself is empathy with my children and students. Thank you for helping me be a better parent, teacher and counselor.”