“Hello, my name is Lorenni Matos and I am from the Dominican Republic”. A letter from a former COPA student.
Hello, my name is Lorenni Matos and I am from the Dominican Republic. I live in La Hoya, a small village in the Barahona area. I am 23 years old.
I began in the COPA school at 4 years old in preschool. In 2007 I graduated from 8th grade. After this I needed to continue my studies in the secondary school but during this time I was very worried because my parents couldn’t afford to send me to the private secondary school and my only option was to study in the public secondary school. I really didn’t want to go there as it was a disaster with lots of problems and strikes, etc. I didn’t want to study in a place with so many problems.
I remember the day I received the information that COPA was going to continue to help me with my studies and that I was selected to receive a scholarship to attend the private secondary school. When I read all the information, my heart filled with joy and emotion and gratefulness to God for permitting COPA to continue helping me. I spent 4 years in Licateba (private school) and they were 4 years of blessings for my life because one of my dreams had been completed, thanks to COPA.
In 2011, I graduated and wanted to go to the university. Thanks to God and to COPA along with my sponsors who continued to help me I was able to do so.
Thank you so much to every sponsor that had a part in the help that was given me to complete my other dreams
Thank you so much to every sponsor that had a part in the help that was given me to complete my other dreams and I am now in the university. Now I am in my last year of my studies and I am very emotional.
COPA taught me the importance of helping, to be a volunteer. When I see people that leave their country to come to the Dominican Republic for 1 or 2 years as volunteers, this touches my heart. In 2015, I went to Cuba on a summer mission trip for the church. For three weeks there I enjoyed very much helping to paint houses, helping persons with special needs and children in an orphanage. When I saw the faces of these persons in Cuba, I thought about how I felt the same joy when I was helped by COPA in my education.
Now I am volunteering teaching English in COPA and I love to work with the children. I have so much appreciation of COPA and my sponsors because without them I would not have had such a good education. I have even saved many of my cards and letters from my sponsors so I can remember all they have done for me.
Thank you very much! May God bless you forever.
Lorreni Matos x