Photo and caption by Lorayn DeLuca

On a mission trip helping Oasis Ministry encourage kids with a love for reading by bringing a mobile library to the underserved Blackmon Eddy community in Belize, I felt the pain and pleasure of three fortunate schoolgirls who were waiting patiently for their turn to enter and select their reading for the month. When there are 10 children in the family, who gets to go to school? When there is no food left for tomorrow, how will they pay for registration? If the child can make $10 for the day, why should they pay for her to go to school? Education is not free in this place.

Location: Blackmon Eddy, Belize