Matt Brouwer is involved locally and internationally, a World Vision artist, and he is on the board of New Beginning Resources, Inc., a non-profit based in Houston that he envisioned and help start.
After several trips overseas, he returned home powerfully impacted by the things he saw. On a trips to Guatemala, he met a man named Eleseo who shared with Matt a vision for a school to be built in the small village town called San Pedro, which could provide a quality education for the young people of the village; to gain the skills and wisdom needed to improve their situation; rise above poverty; and aid in rebuilding the community after the 30-year civil war, which raged until stability began to be restored in 1996. Feeling compelled to help this man achieve his vision, Matt found himself sharing this story with a family in Houston.
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After talking about this specific project, they decided together to form a non-profit organization called
New Beginning Resources to help achieve the goal of building a school in Guatemala by raising funds through benefits, concerts, and donations. Things began to grow quickly as local events created awareness and the story of Eleseo began to circulate and inspire people to be a part of his vision. In 2004 the foundation was laid for the first phase of the project. Little by little money continued to pour in.
For three years, teams were organized to spend weeks during the summer months in the Guatemala mountain town helping local contractors mix cement, break rocks, move dirt, and lay bricks. Skepticism turned to hope, and hope led many of the town's residents to gather in large groups on weekends to pitch in doing weeks' worth of work in days.
It's been a slow and gradual process; there have been setbacks and roadblocks, but by January 2009 they will have their first classes in the new school building. The whole community is on the verge of realizing the dream Eleseo believes was given to him by God.