Dreams Do Come True

We called him "Little Laci" when he first started his studies several years ago at the Gandhi High School in Pecs, Hungary.  He was eager to learn English and wanted to practice often.  While at the school with a population of mostly Roma students, Laci was encouraged by one of his teachers to follow his dreams.  He'll tell you that up until this time he had never dreamed he could actually pursue being a graphic artist.  It just seemed impossible for a Roma boy from a small village.  But dreams do come true...

Laci studied hard and was accepted into an international studies school in Italy where he blossomed among the multi cultural students.  Still believing in the seeds planted by his Gandhi teacher he applied to an art school in the US.  Thanks to the love and support of former Gandhi School volunteers from the US, Laci, you can see from the picture we had to drop the "Little", is a freshman at a college in FL.  It's evident that he loves it as he animatedly talks about a class on the various size, shapes, and styles of fonts!  When we recently crossed paths with him he excitedly told us about living his dream and how so many had helped it to come true.

We are thankful God placed us in the right place, at the right time to be a part of helping Laci's dreams come true.  What about you?  How can you help someone's dream come true today?

Celebrating Love at the Ruth School

Valentine's Day is not a big holiday in Romania.  However, it's a great excuse to talk about love, the different kinds of love, and most importantly God's love for us.  The walls of the lunch room were decorated with red hearts and streamers.  Lunch is usually a small bowl of hearty, warm food and a couple of slices of bread.  On this special day beside each shiny silver bowl was a cupcake with red sprinkles!  An extra special treat!  The students were asked, "What do you love about the Ruth School?"  The answers varied from food to chapel to my friends. They laughed and gobbled down the cake full of the knowledge that they are loved.  Thank you for supporting the Ruth School.

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.