Puerto Rico 3

Yesterday was our last full day and we leave for home this afternoon.  One of the members of our team continued to meet with the Wesleyan Academy, another with a government accreditation official, and others of us with leaders of kindred denominations here.  Then in the afternoon some of us met with some individuals with significant knowledge of San Juan and brainstormed.

We'll see what happens.  I was thinking yesterday how extensive the consequences of one decision by a former president of IWU might turn out to be.  President Barnes decided to offer distance classes around the state of Indiana in the late 1980s and then to offer them online in the 90s.  The result is a university that went from several hundred students to 16,000 students, and now we may offer classes around the world.

One day someone will analyse this story from an objective point of view, with its good and bad.  It is full of insights organizational, cultural, economic, and religious.

Puerto Rico 2

Yesterday was a full day but very rewarding.  We started with a brief tour of Wesleyan Academy in San Juan, a pre-school through 12th grade school that does all its courses in English (which sounds bad, until you realize that all the teachers are from Puerto Rico and the English orientation is considered an advantage).  Some of us stayed and brainstormed with them. Then others of us met with the Seminario Teologico which is a branch of Nyack in New York, with the Interamerican University, and with the Seminario Evangelico.

But the highlight of the day was meeting and eating with Wesleyans in the evening at the Caparra church.  Some of them were clearly passionate about extending the reach of Wesleyan higher education here.

Puerto Rico 1

Traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico, yesterday at the invitation of Wesleyan leaders to explore possible seminary and university connections.  Last night we were hosted by Benjamin Galarce, District Superintendent, and Irving Figueroa, pastor of one of the central Wesleyan churches.

Today we fellowship with and listen to various leaders in the church and Christian education.