Steve Richards, who works for the USD in Newton, presented to our Rotary Club the ideas and work of a group of volunteers who have been promoting an exchange of ideas and enrichments between Kansas and Paraguay for the purpose of changing lives.
Linkages that are occurring include:- Agriculture
- Cultural arts - music and visual arts
- Emergency Preparedness
- Health & medical
- Education & youth - American Youth Leadership Program exchange
- Kansans Can Vision - experimental learning in social awareness and interpersonal skills
- Teacher exchanges
- Teaching experiences in Paraguay
- University linkage in Paraguay - 88 students from Paraguay are attending Kansas universities (including 10-15 at ESU)
- Natural resources
- Women in Development
- International trade
Present at our club were several ESU faculty and students and local teachers who have been involved with this partnership.
Lee Alderman, representing the Emporia Rescue Mission and Abundant Harvest, and Fernando Goza, a recent resident of the Emporia Rescue Mission, told our club about the benefits of the Emporia Rescue Mission to the lives of the men who stay there. About 130 men utilize the Emporia Rescue Mission each year. The residents are homeless men who are ready to turn their lives around and need to be ready to live by the rules and participate in the programming, such as daily chapel and Bible study. Those who stay there learn from those of faith who are involved with the mission. Many residents are changed forever from their decision. Fernando Goza is a current resident of the Emporia Rescue Mission who also spoke. He was incarcerated in the Emporia area, and could not leave the area because of his probation. He recognized his situation, and decided that he needed to turn his life around..JPG)
Vern Henricks, Past President of the Manhattan Rotary Club, presented the international 
and cultural experience of the 2018 Toronto Rotary International Convention. This convention had the third highest attendance at 25,000. For Vern, this conference ended up being one in which great international connections were gained that he was able to use to the benefit of a couple of Haiti projects in which he is involved (a water project and an elementary school).
Rev. Phyllis Stutzman of the Emporia Presbyterian Church explained the purpose of Family Promise of the Flint Hills. This organization is looking for sponsors to assist the families of homeless Emporia students by helping provide relief and temporary housing needs.
