2015 Year End Review

It is with much joy that we publish our first annual year-end review. 2015 saw the beginning of the Dénia Bridges Foundation, supporting the work of the three branches of Alfa y Omega (Colegio Alfa y Omega, Iglesia Evangélica Bautista La Trinidad, and Centro de Encuentros Cristianos Montgó) in order to advance the Kingdom of Christ in Spain.

In September, we held a launch event in Northern California, featuring testimonies from our board members and a video from Jorge Pastor, the director of Alfa y Omega.

Update from Dénia

This fall, the school year began with very full classes at Alfa y Omega! The primary school is under renovation to allow for bigger classes and more collaborative workspaces. At the end of November, Alfa y Omega celebrated Thanksgiving as a part of the focus on English language learning and cultural immersion that is emphasized in the curriculum. Additionally, the high schoolers from the church are putting on a program called Metamorfosis with children from the school and around Dénia. The program focuses on Christian teachings, and there are 25 children enrolled.

Construction has begun on the building that will house the new two-year Bachillerato program. The Bachillerato is a mandatory college preparatory program for those students who wish to continue their academic studies beyond the primary and secondary education Alfa & Omega currently provides. Until now, their only option was to attend one of the public institutes in Denia.   By adding the additional two years, the Colegio will provide the only complete K-12 Christ-centered education available in Spain.
 
The bachillerato building will also house a new kitchen and dining room for the students, as the current dining facilities have been outgrown. Many students who attend Alfa y Omega receive meals as a part of their scholarships. The renovation is a big project for the school, and there is substantial funding needed to complete it.

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DBF also supports the volunteer program at Alfa y Omega that invites young adults from around the world to come and serve in Dénia. This fall, there are 20 volunteers working at Alfa y Omega, living in community and assisting with the many tasks necessary to maintain the daily operations at the church and school.  

We are very thankful for God's provision as we worked to build DBF this year, and we ask you to keep Alfa y Omega in your prayers as we look forward to 2016.

As you plan your end-of-year giving, we hope that you will consider making a financial contribution to support the school and especially the bachillerato project. 

From Dénia and California, our team sends you warm greetings and wishes you a healthy and happy 2016. May God bless you in all that you do! 
                                Feliz Navidad and Happy New Year! 

DBF Launch Celebration in Northern California

DBF Board Members Scott, Sue, Eunice, Christina and Jack

DBF Board Members Scott, Sue, Eunice, Christina and Jack

On a beautiful September evening in the San Francisco Bay Area, friends of Colegio Alfa & Omega in Dénia celebrated the launch of the Dénia Bridges Foundation. We enjoyed Paella and Rioja under the autumn Northern California sky and heard testimonies from Christina Huntzinger, Jack Reis and Susan Johnson, about their experience as volunteers in Denia.

Eunice explains current needs at the Colegio and introduces her father Jorge's video.

Eunice explains current needs at the Colegio and introduces her father Jorge's video.

Special guest from Denia, Eunice Pastor, head of the primary school of Colegio Alfa & Omega and DBF Board member gave a current status of the school and introduced a video about the colegio that her father, Jorge Pastor, founder and head of Colegio Alfa & Omega, created specifically for this gathering. Another special family who joined the gathering was the Campbells. Tamar Campbell, who grew up in Colegio Alfa & Omega where her mother Rut is the music director, gave a simultaneous translation of the video and her husband Paul, recent graduate of the Duke Seminary and current intern at the Oakland CIty Church gave the blessing.

At least half of the almost 50 participants have spent time in Denia and have visited the Colegio. It was a terrific launch of a foundation whose basic mission is to support the very special institutions in Denia that are changing the lives of children and young men and women around the world.