Traditions at the Ruth School

This time of year there are many traditions to help celebrate the season from Thanksgiving to New Year's.  The Ruth School is no exception with traditions that the students look forward to participating in.  The first is our annual Thanksgiving tree.  We don't officially celebrate the holiday in Romania but that doesn't keep us from being thankful.  During our chapel time students from each class read what they have written on their leaves and then place them on the tree.  We leave the tree displayed in the chapel area to serve as a reminder of the many things we have to be thankful for.  This year the students shared they are thankful for their families, friends, teachers, our school, hot meals served every day, God's love, and so many other things.  It was a delightful time.






The other tradition is the honor of our older students to decorate the Christmas tree in the lunch room.  They do this after school as a surprise for the younger grades.  After the tree is decked out we celebrate with pizza and cupcakes.  It's an enjoyable time and we hope helps the older students develop their sense of leadership in the school.

Quilting, A New Skill...

Binding, batting, feed dogs, half-square triangle... the vocabulary of quilting sounded strange to the ladies of the Naomi Center.  A team of master quilters from CBF Heartland had arrived to teach a week long workshop of quilting fundamentals.  Children ran in and out of the room as the air conditioner struggled to perform in the 97 degree heat. This did not deter the Naomi ladies who proved to be quick learners and eagerly embraced measuring, cutting, and piecing together the materials for a quilted table runner.  They learned how to put colors and prints together to coordinate a pieced top.  The week was more than quilting it was a

sharing of community as the day began with a devotion, moved to learning the basics of quilting, and sharing lunch together.  Also daily an American woman shared her faith journey through a talk show interview entitled "The Naomi Show" with the theme, "We Are Women, God Loves Us!"  Each Naomi woman was celebrated as their vibrant colored table runners were finished and a new project was started.  Some of the master seamstresses took the basic quilting skills and quickly adapted them to expand their projects into small blankets with fancy stitching.  This week was an opportunity for women from two different

cultures to bond in the togetherness women so enjoy. It has helped the Naomi women to expand their skill levels to aid in their abilities to support their families.  It was jokingly said, "The Naomi Center can become the go-to place for quilted products in Romania."  While that can be a goal for the future, the present day goal of helping women to know God loves them for who they are was certainly fulfilled. 

Now, who needs a quilted table runner?  We have some beautiful ones!

Everybody Needs a Break...


The ladies of our Naomi Center are hard working.  They sew, cook, clean, take care of children, perhaps work another job, shop daily for bread and milk and so the list goes on.  Like many women their days are filled with caring for their families.  The hours are long and the stress is great.  Recently we took the women to the mountains of Romania for some rest and relaxation.  It was a chance to forget about daily life and to enjoy themselves.  We had lunch sitting on a patio with the majestic mountains in view.  Afterwards we spread blankets on the ground underneath the trees of the forest and Dana, the Naomi coordinator, shared a few words about taking time for ourselves.  Then we spent the rest of afternoon napping, hiking through the forest, eating snacks, talking, and taking lots of fun pictures.  As we boarded the bus for the ride back to the concrete of Bucharest we all agreed it was a Sabbath day filled with no worries and the fellowship of good friends.  Everybody needs a break...

Ode to Kids' Club Dr Suess Style

The youth from FBC, Kernersville, NC spent a week in Romania doing Kids' Clubs - better known as Vacation Bible School in the USA.  As we arrived at each location it was always a surprise to see the venue.  Where would Club be held this time?

Could you, would you do Kids’ Club this week?
It really, really would be quite a treat.

Yes, yes we could do that task

We’re pretty sure it would be a blast.

Could you, would you at the Ruth school?

Of course that would be really cool!

How about in a park? Or under a tree?

Happily with shouts of glee!

To the Roma kids we’ll teach a Bible story of old

And crafts from paper, treated like gold.

Could you, would you on stage?

Why yes, and our music will be all the rage!

How about the local Roma church?
With water balloons for play, we’ll not leave you in the lurch

At the school, in the street

We’re ready for any feat.

At the church, in the park
God’s call is not a lark.
 

At the bandstand, under the tree
Seeds planted we will see.

Children will laugh and play

And God’s love will win the day.

New New New

We have neglected our blog as we got busy with ministry and new leadership responsibilities.  Where did the time go? Forgive us.  We are starting anew today with a new look, new pictures, and new stories.  Please put us back on your blog roll and check in often for updates. 
Grace and Peace, Tammy