Our Girl Did It!

Our daughter, Amy Lee Stocks Gallaher, graduated with her Masters in Divinity from Campbell University Divinity School this past weekend.  We were the proud parents - especially when she surprised us with the news that she was graduating with distinction (honors).  Ralph was honored to bring her hood forward during the ceremony.  It was a great moment for all of us.  We also give thanks to the scholarship program CBF offers for young leaders.  Amy Lee, you go girl!  Eight years at Campbell comes to an end and your bright, exciting future begins!

Happy Easter! Paste Felicit!

Ralph and me with the Flowering Cross

Romania follows the Orthodox calendar for Easter. Which means we celebrated our Lord's Resurrection yesterday, May 5.  It felt like we were in a time warp or an altered universe since most of the world celebrated six weeks ago.  No  matter the date, it was a beautiful celebration on a warm, sunny day. 

Like churches around the world, our Romanian church had different services throughout Holy Week.  On Good Friday or Big Friday as it

The Cast

translates here, the youth did a play to tell the story of Jesus.  Two wisemen arrived in Jerusalem 33 years too late.  They had wandered the desert lost on their way to greet Baby Jesus.  The story is their encounters with various people Jesus knew.  They did a great job.  (I helped with the costumes.  Thanks to a donation of old draperies to Project Ruth that we were able to refashion into Biblical dress.)

Easter Sunday morning the usual greeting of "Pace" (peace)  between church goers was changed to "Cristos a inviat!" (Christ has risen) and one responds back "Adevarat a inviat!" (It's true He's risen).  The service was full of poems and beautiful music from the choir and mandolin orchestra.  Church members had been invited to bring a flower to decorate a cross.  The Flowering Cross represents the new life that comes from Christ.  It is a dramatic moment when the doors open and the cross is presented.  This year we also celebrated by taking family pictures.  It was a joyous celebration.  Cristos a inviat!  Adevarat a inviat!


"Get Your Picture on the Cover..."

 There is a famous song about getting your picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone magazine.  While it's not the Rolling Stone, we think it's pretty special - the Naomi Center is featured in this month's edition of a ladies craft magazine in Romania.  It's their Easter edition (we follow the Orthodox calendar and will celebrate Easter in Romania on May 5).  The article has colorful pictures and interviews with several of our regular participants.  We're all pleased to see our Center recognized as a great place for women to come and learn a craft.  Those of us who hang out there regularly know it's much more than that with the counseling and support also offered.  Copies of the magazine are available at any newsstand in Romania and the ladies will autograph them for free! :)

Hanging with the Girls in the 'Hood!

5 Ways to Help Our Naomi Center

 How can you help the ladies at Project Ruth's Naomi Center? 

1. Pray for them as they seek to support their families and be a support to one another.  Pray as they meet on Monday and Tuesday mornings to sew.  Pray for the group that meets on Thursday mornings for Bible study.  Pray for the staff: Dana, Mirella, and Madi to have wisdom and guidance.

2. Provide supplies of colorful cotton material, especially holiday patterns; buttons; hair clips; lace; and other items.

3. Offer a showing of products at your church. Contact us for details of how to do this. 

4. Come to Bucharest and teach a new craft.

5. Drop in at the Missions Marketplace at CBF's General Assembly June 27 & 28 in Greensboro at the Koury Convention Center.  We will have Naomi items for sale!

Beauty From Ferenatari

Ferentari is the name of the neighborhood where the Naomi Women's Center is located.  It is a poor area of Bucharest characterized by trash-strewn streets, homeless dogs, a very large Roma (Gypsy) population, and mostly gray, drab buildings.  The Naomi Center strives to empower the women of Ferentari to help themselves and their families by offering counseling and sewing classes.  The classes are more than merely instruction.  The core group of women have learned to support and care for one another as they run their machines, cut their material, and sew on buttons. 

This past Sunday we displayed the items made by the Naomi ladies for sale at Providence Baptist Church.  There was a general excitement as the members looked over the handmade flower brooches, hair bows, flower vases, and cosmetic bags.  One of the customers asked, "Can something so beautiful come out of Ferentari?"  Yes, it can and it wasn't even on display.  Something beautiful happens every week as the Naomi ladies gather to not just sew but to support one another and improve their lives and with that, those of their families.  Beauty from Ferentari...

Who Knew Tom Made Boots? Not Me!

I confess I don't keep up with all the fads in the USA but I do know about Tom's Shoes.  When you purchase a pair, Tom donates a pair to a child in need.  We've welcomed the gift of those shoes at the Ruth School.  I didn't know they did boots!  Not just any boot but a fleece-lined, rubber soled, durable-looking boot.  This week the Ruth School was privileged to receive Tom's Boots through World Vision for our younger students and the timing was perfect!  We had already planned a sweatshirt distribution because in Romania we can easily have cold weather through March.

On Friday the weather was cold with heavy snow.  A perfect day to get a new warm sweatshirt and waterproof boots.  Many of the students put their boots on and happily wore them down the street.  And our girl students were gifted with (spoken in a whisper) new underwear.  It is not uncommon for a staff person to request socks or underwear for a student so we try to keep a supply.  These two items you can put into a child's backpack and preserve their dignity in front of their school mates.  On this day we took the girls over to a section of the lunch room and let them choose.  They giggled and giggled as they looked over the

undies in pink, purple, and white with bows and flowers.  We are grateful for all who support Project Ruth and give generously to provide for the students.  Perhaps you would consider sponsoring a student, contributing to our (say in a whisper) underwear/sock fund, or helping us fulfill the dream of a playground for our younger students.

 

My Little Mario!

I am so blessed!  The Ruth School has a scholarship program to help defray the costs of a student attending.  It's not just the teaching.  We also offer hot meals, classroom supplies, backpacks for 1st & 5th grades, clothes, shoes, health services, and other things.  For only $30 a month anyone can help the Ruth School to be a beacon in an extremely poor, depressed neighborhood of Bucharest.  OK, enough of the commercial.  You can see how much Ralph and I believe in the mission of Project Ruth!  As the old saying goes we "put our money where our mouth is" and have sponsored a student. 

His name is Mario, he's in the 2nd grade, and this is his Christmas picture.  Oh, Mario doesn't know I'm his sponsor.  However, I know he's my student.  I get to see him in the lunchroom and say, "Hey Mario, how's it going?" and hear his sweet response.  I get to see him in the classroom bent over his schoolwork or on the soccer court kicking the ball.  I get to give him a hug or a high five as I do with many of the little ones.  I feel blessed to see nearly everyday the difference the Ruth School Scholarship program is making in the lives of students.

 

How about you?  Want to make a difference?