Seeing children have time to just be kids brings a smile to our faces. (Photo by Rebecca Gant)

Wherever Janina goes, she is ready to listen, to pray, to offer counsel, and to intervene, meeting urgent needs that could easily otherwise be devastating and even life-threatening. (Photo by Rebecca Gant)

Guatemala’s Ministry of Justice building towers over La Limonada, which you can see in the background. Pray with us that justice will roll down like a mighty river (Amos 5:24) into this ravine we have all come to know and love. (Photo by Alejandro Matzar)

Photo caption contest. Go! (Photo by Rebecca Gant)

Gang prevention means provoking hope in the hearts of children who hadn’t believed another way of life was possible. It means looking past the graffiti and signs of gang presence, believing in them and the dreams they didn’t even realize were lying dormant in their hearts. (Photo by Rebecca Gant)

“Peace begins with a smile.” – Mother Teresa (Photo by Lizza Majus)

“We have so much to learn from the poor – like their sense of community.” – Tita Evertsz (Photo by Rebecca Gant)

“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 (Photo by Tita Evertsz)

Imaginations are stirred and outlooks are expanded as children learn to read, write, and reason. Education is essential for unlocking potential in boys and girls living in the heart of the largest urban slum in Guatemala City. (Photo by Rebecca Gant)

As the principal of the Mandarina academy, Yaneth creates a nurturing environment where children can thrive. And today happens to be her birthday! (Photo by Rebecca Gant)

Our hope for every child in La Limonada is to live a full, joyful, and abundant life. (Photo by Rebecca Gant)

Servant leadership is an important value instilled in the academies daily. (Photo by Rebecca Gant)

There is nothing better than a sponsor meeting his sponsored child. We are honored to facilitate these special relationships! #ProudLemonadeSponsor (Photo by Lizza Majus)

Child sponsorship looks past a community entrenched in poverty and sees a child with a name, a story, and a future. It says to each one, “We know your name. We pray for you. Your life matters – to us and to God.” (Photo by Rebecca Gant)

Our teachers are role-models for their students. They inspire, encourage, disciple, and influence the children in life-changing ways. (Photo by Tita Evertsz)

Precious sisters in La Limonada. (Photo by Tita Evertsz)  

Photo of the Week: Give School Shoes from Lemonade International on Vimeo. It is amazing what a simple pair of shoes can do. And even more incredible what a pair of shoes in the context of love and ongoing partnership WILL do for the children of La Limonada. (Photos by Lizza Majus)

Friendships are forged in the academies. (Photo by Lizza Majus)

We believe in investing in the children of La Limonada during their most vulnerable years. By the age of 7, many are struck by the reality of the deep poverty, prejudice, and lack of opportunities for a future. Will you join us in walking with them towards full lives in Jesus?

This little guy received a pack of school supplies last year to continue his education. School supplies like these can be tools for peace. (Photo by Silent Images)

Last January, Carlitos received a brand new pair of shoes through Give Christmas 2014. These weren’t just any shoes. They were quality, handmade shoes made right there in his community by Otto. Ready for the school year, he experienced the rare joy of a brand new gift purchased just for him!

What does it do to a child growing up around constant reminders of the violence that dominates their community? Walking to school in La Limonada means passing by walls littered with bullet holes and signs of the gang presence that surrounds them. (Photo by Silent Images)

Yesterday we shared a blog post about the opportunity to visit La Limonada in 2016 through a Service Learning Trip. Our very own Lizza Majus has a deep passion for hosting groups as they serve the vulnerable of her country. (Photo by Silent Images)

Yesterday we said goodbye to a very dear friend in La Limonada. Many years ago, Tania welcomed Tita into her story. A story filled with deep pain, loss, and darkness – yet shining the whole time. When she was eight, she began working to provide for her family and help raise her four siblings. One […]

Please pray for our dear Braulio is very ill, and for Mirna who is taking care of him as he recovers in the hospital. (Photo by Silent Images)

Rainy season in Guatemala affects some communities more than others. Many homes are vulnerable to rain and landslide damage. Please pray for the safety and health of the community. (Photo by Silent Images)

Today is World Food Day, a day dedicated to the global movement against hunger. A daily hot meal in the academies can mean the opportunity to concentrate on schoolwork and make better decisions. It can literally fuel a different future. (Photo by Silent Images)

We seek to build academy libraries and literacy in La Limonada! (Photo by Silent Images)

Children who attend the academies receive love, discipline, and discipleship. They learn to think and apply the principles they are taught. (Photo by Silent Images)

“We believe every human being is created in the image of God and has inherent dignity.” John M. Perkins (Photo by Silent Images)

On the prayer walk this week, an elderly woman began to cry with gratitude and hope when the group prayed with her, trusting that God would hear their prayers. (Photo by Silent Images)

Gadiel works with youth-at-risk in La Limonada. He asks for prayer as he works to build trust with those who have come out of prison and those who are trying to escape gang life. (Photo by Silent Images)

Considered a Zona Roja (“Red Zone”), a designation given to Guatemala City’s poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods, the ravine is home to well over 60,000 people. It is a mile long and very narrow, and forms a border between Zona 1 (where the government and national palace are located) and Zona 5 in the heart […]

As your children go back to school, what are your hopes and prayers for them? For good teachers? For them to study and do well? For them to make good friends? Whatever they are, will you extend those prayers to the sponsored children in our three academies? (Photo by Silent Images)  

Sponsored children are always overjoyed to receive special mail from their sponsors – notes filled with love, concern, and prayers brighten their faces! (Photo by Rebecca Gant)

La Limonada is a place filled with beautiful people who have not had the same opportunities we have in life. But even with lack of nutrition, sleep, and basic comforts, they do what they can. Even during rainy season, they climb the steep paths in and out of the community each and every day. (Photo […]