Making New Friends

This is my new friend, Joke (JO-ka).  We bonded while washing hundreds of silver bowls, sorting clothes, and various other things at the Ruth School.  Joka is from The Netherlands and came with her husband, Pier, while he was teaching at the Gypsy Smith School.  She had asked us to use her in any way possible while he taught and we did!  Joka has a servant's heart and I'm glad we got to spend the week together.  Meeting wonderful people like Joka is one of the great perks of my job and I love it!
"Make New Friends But Keep the Old
One is Silver and the Other's Gold."

"Sail On... Lessons Learned"

“Cast up your sails
And let the wind blow
Jesus will never
Let your ship lose control

Sail on…”

(Imperials, 1977)

Building miniature sail boats turned into a week of learning life lessons for the 8^th grade class at the Ruth School recently.  Led by master sailor and builder, Fred Clifford, member of a team from Knollwood Baptist Church in Winston Salem, NC, the students learned the basic parts of boats, how to use a compass, and why boats float.  They also heard the story of Jesus calming the storm and calling Peter to walk on water.  They learned to start a project, finish it, and feel good about their work.  They learned to work together and the joy of being rewarded for a job well done.  The week of lessons culminated in a lunch trip for cheeseburgers and an afternoon of sailing their boats on the lake at the local park.  The students basked in the special attention and heard the message, through the building of sailboats, you are loved.  “Sail on…”

"They are not Thieves, They are Men"

This is a re-share from the CBF Romany Ministry Blog.  A 'must' read to help understand Romany ministry...

A story about Shane and Dianne McNary was recently published on the Fuller Seminary website.  It's a moving and very informative article about poverty, weddings, and the "G-word."  Go to www.fuller.edu or click the image below for the direct link to the article:

 

Headstands Aren't Just for Kids

Yes, that's Tammy standing on her head!

"Hey Ms Tammy, watch this!"  Mark expertly did a headstand.
"Hey Mark, watch this!"  With those words I found myself (foolishly) trying to imitate the 2nd grader with endless amounts of energy, an impish smile, and a lover of bear hugs.

I give many of the Ruth School students bear hugs and the attention they crave.  But Mark is special to me.  Ralph and I support the Ruth School Scholarship program and Mark is our assigned student.  He doesn't know we pray for him, give toward his school supplies or keep up with his progress.  He just thinks I'm an unpredictable, crazy lady!

Everyone who contributes to the scholarship program knows the name of their student and gets an update twice a year.  We're blessed to be able to see our little Mark regularly as he learns and grows.  We see first hand the difference $30 a month can make in the life of a child.  Would you consider making a difference in the lives of children in Bucharest?  Look at our website: http://projectruth.ro , write Project Ruth at office@projectruth.ro  Or give through our CBF project: Ruth School, #80185

Story Telling With a Twist

Can you guess what story we were telling at Summer Club?  Stefan, our resident clown, is pretending to be a fish out of water.  Is that a big hint?  If you guessed Moses parting the Red Sea, you'd be right.  Whenever we tell a story or teach a Biblical truth we try to be as interactive as possible.  In this instance a "Moses" was selected to lead the Israelites (all the children) across the sea.  They could feel the water mist (our helpers with spray bottles) as they walked through the blue alley.  There were fish and creatures on the water walls to make it more realistic.  It was a parade with giggles and marching along.  The children learned to trust God to help them in tough situations.  And hopefully they went home to tell their parents about walking through the Red Sea.

Roma in Eastern Europe - Time Magazine

I am sharing a post from the blog of our Romany Team colleagues, Tanya and Jon Parks in Slovakia.  They offer two disclaimers for this Time Magazine article that I agree with.  The problems nor the solutions are simple and the discrimination is very real.

http://prayingwithfeet.wordpress.com/2013/08/23/time-magazine-article-on-roma-in-eastern-europe/

No Water for the Roma and Other Poor of Ozd, Hungary

8/26/13 Update:  The mayor was forced to turn the water back on.

Recently this article was forwarded to us and I read it with disbelief!  A mayor has cut off the water tap to the Roma section of the village because they are misusing it.  What?!?!  Hungary, like most of Eastern Europe is experiencing one of the hottest summers on record.  I agree with the article that this is a health and safety issue.  How can anyone in their right mind think it's OK to deny water to other human beings?  This mayor should be impeached or even better be forced to stand in the sun in the town center all day without a drop to drink.  I say cut off the water to his house!  Just another sad example of how the Roma are the scapegoats for the problems in the village.

 

HUNGARIAN COUNCIL DISCONNECTS PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES IN HIGH TEMPERATURES, BLAMES ROMA FOR 'MISUSE'   Budapest, 6 August, 2013: The European Roma Rights Centre is calling on the Council of Ozd to immediately reconnect the public water supply in the town. On 3 August 2013, the council disconnected 27 pumps, which provided water to the town. Up to 500 families can no longer easily access safe clean drinking water. A further 62 taps have been severely limited by authorities, with the water pressure is so low that it takes several minutes to fill a 10-litre bottle. Roma and non-Roma are affected by the decision, as many people living in the area are too poor to have running water in their homes.   The Council made the original decision at the end of June, and did not inform the community - only putting the information online. The limitations started two weeks ago, during the height of the Hungarian summer when temperatures can reach uo to 40C (104F). According to media reports, the mayor said that the council could no longer afford the 50,000-EUR annual water bill from all of the pumps in the town, and specifically targeted Roma for ‘misusing’ the water supply. He did not provide any evidence to support this accusation. No alternatives were provided to the individuals, who rely on the pumps for their supply of water. Local activists and supporters have been providing some drinking water to the community, but there is no water for people to wash themselves or their clothes, and this is not a sustainable solution. Currently there are just two taps which are operating, and both are situated more than 1.5 kilometres from Roma settlements. “This is not just about the right to water, it is about the health and safety of Roma families who are forced to spend their days going back and forth to fetch water in extremely high temperatures. The Council is fully aware that many families do not have their own supply of running water. This is Europe in 2013 and this should not be happening,” said Dezideriu Gergely, Executive Director, European Roma Rights Centre.   The ERRC is deeply concerned by the Council’s actions, and is in touch with the local authorities to urge them to urgently reconnect the water. Many residents of this area are completely dependent on roadside water pumps to access safe drinking water. Cutting off the water supply at this time of year is dangerous and irresponsible.   Hungarian authorities have a responsibility under international human rights standards to ensure that individuals can access safe and clean drinking water. The ERRC is calling on Hungarian authorities to stop disconnecting the public water supply in areas where the public is dependent on public taps and roadside pumps.     For further information, contact:   Sinan Gökçen Media and Communications Officer European Roma Rights Centre sinan.gokcen@errc.org +36.30.500.1324 © ERRC 2013. All rights reserved