We met Jose Fernandez at Lifestyle Holiday resort in February 2011. He works as a salesman there and uses the money he earns to provide schooling for children. He told us about the school he had created and invited us to accompany him there. He is pictured here in front of one of the churches where he is Pastor.

The front of this building is a church, the back a school.

February 2011, we went to the school for the first time.

We met his wife, his mother-in-law and children.

We saw some of the homes where the students live.

He showed us the area where he wanted to build a playground.

Our president,Sandra Nelson met some of the children on the street.

Jose showed us the library of the school with all their school supplies for 100 children.

Jose and his wife, Diosmarie in the kitchen of their home.

In one of the churches where Jose is Pastor he shared with us his dream to feed the children a meal each day as they come to school very hungry.

Not long after, the lunch program started in the school. Members of Dominican Starfish Foundation send some of the money needed each month to support the program.

With his own earnings and the help of people in Canada and the United States, Jose started an expansion of the school.

When we went back in November of 2011, everything had changed.

The new playground was built.

Many rooms had been added to the school. Some haven’t been used to this day because Jose felt in his heart that he would need them in the future.

Many school supplies were delivered fromour group in Canada.

More guests visited and more people started

helping with the project.

The students were wearing little donated uniforms.

Others fell in love.

A new kitchen had been build and others made donations.

Apartments had been built above Jose’s home for “future missionaries”. He didn’t know where they would come from.

Sandra Nelson, President and Louise ZoBell, Executive Director of

Dominican Starfish Foundation

We were greeted

warmly in the fall of

2012. Lots of changes

had occurred.

November 2012, a lunch room with tables and chairs had been added.

The children were adorable in their little donated pink uniforms.

Jose and family had a new kitchen in their home large enough to host “extra guests” in the future.

The playground

was expanded

again

February 2013The starting of a school in

Montellano—Jose’s next dream.

Two tiny rooms and60 children waiting to start class

Classes started in Montellano, February, 2013

They grew out of that school in a month. Donations were received and new construction began.

By November 2013, a kitchen had been started.

November 2014

Children eat their lunch at Montellano School.

One of many classrooms

Parents waiting outside

the school to pick up

their children

Jose is a man with a huge heart, a huge dream and a huge vision. He now has 312 children enrolled in his two schools. He is so grateful to have International Language Programs coming to his schools. He has been preparing for this day for many years.