Converting storage room into a school house

We have been looking for our own place to have our school project since before the beginning of the school year but until this point we have not found a place. That was until a few weeks ago when we looked out the window of the Petelea building and saw a small storage room. The storage room was first used to store supplies for the construction team. Since the building has been completed the storage room has not been used for anything. While the building we are currently using is a blessing for our project with the arrival of winter we face a problem. Our problem is that the building takes a few hours to warm up because of its size and the temperature outside. We need to come to the building every morning by 5:30am to start a fire for our heating system and even like this it is cold when the kids come at 7:15am. During this waiting time we are sitting in -8 temperatures which is unbearable. In converting this storage room into a school house a lot can change for us as teachers and for our kids when they arrive each morning to the school house.

Our hope is to raise 850 euro or $1,000 to convert this weather beaten storage room into a school house. While it will be small it will be perfect for our morning preparations for our kids. Every morning our kids come to us to change into clean school clothes that we have for them as well as wash and eat breakfast before school.

We need your prayers and support to make this transformation possible. If you would like to be a part in helping us convert this storage room into our school house we would greatly appreciate it.

Six Weeks and Counting

Our kids just finished the first six weeks of school with success.  I am so proud of their hard work and continuous growth. While I am happy that they survived the start of school I am also happy that I survived. This was a long start to a new season. Many hours were put into making sure our kids had all they needed for school and were learning all that they needed to learn.

Here is an idea of my daily routine:

The mornings begin with preparing school lunches for 10 kids and breakfast for 7 kids in our kindergarten program.  Now that winter has started these mornings start at 5am. With lunches in hand and clothes for the kids we head to the car to make a 10 minute drive to our Petelea building. Once at Petelea we prepare the room for kids to change and wash for school. While I prepare the room with their clothes my colleague Lomi goes to make a fire. It takes 30 minutes to start the heating system and another 30 minutes for the building to start warming up. So, in the meantime we are working in a very cold building.

 By the time the kids come it is 7:15am and the building is warm enough for the kids to change and get ready for school.

 By 7:40 we are heading out the door to make a 20 minute walk to school. During our walks to school we pray with them for a blessed day and talk to our kids about their previous evening. After we have left them in their classrooms we walk back to prepare for our kindergarten kids. By the time we get back to the building it is nice and warm for our little ones.

 By 9am we start our kindergarten program and end by 11am. We clean up and walk to pick up our kids from school at 12.

 Once back we have our kids change out of their school clothes into their own clothes while I prepare their lunches. 

 After lunch we start homework. Usually the kids are done by 3pm and we start cleanup once again. 

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday I have other activities after school with youth and home group. My days are full but I enjoy every minute.

Today we entered into a week vacation. While they are not going to school we still have homework to do and poetry to learn for next Monday. I am just happy that I can sleep till 7am this week :-)

Thank you for reading my blog and all that is going on here in my world. I also want to thank you for your prayers and support.

If you would like more info you can write me anytime @ sandygar76@hotmail.com or you can find me on facebook.

Blessings,

Sandy

Let the Learning Begin!

Always Learning

They say autumn is a time for change. And if that is the case we are right on schedule, from play time to learning time.  Change is in the air and even in the classroom. As most of you know the law in Romania requires all children from 7 and up to go to school.  That law took effect this school year. This week we spoke with the director of the school where our last year kindergarten kids will be going and the response to our program and our kids was encouraging. The kids received praise for how much they learned and were able to recite to their future teachers.

first grade students

Kindergarten students

From our 12 kindergarten students 10 will be going to the first grade and 2 will be in kindergarten in town. Our goal for this year is to take our 12 kids plus siblings to school every morning and then helping them with their homework. Our focus will be on the first class for homework until we get a place of our own to do homework/tutoring.  As of now we have 7 kindergarten kids on our list to start school. We are hoping to enroll up to 12 kids again this year.  We will be starting with kindergarten on September 19. The students that will be joining us next week already call us teacher and wake up every morning with their siblings to walk to the building where we will be holding class. It is really sweet to see their excited faces ready to start school.

Walking to the school

Waiting in the classroom to begin

September 12^th marked a very important day in history for our gypsy families. Generation of gypsy families that looked away from education had to face it start on as they walked their children to school for the first time in their lives. It was a special moment. Clara, grandmother to all of our kids, wiped tears from her eyes as we walked away with 15 of her grandchildren. As we walked the excitement was in the air. After taking each child to their class we walked away knowing they were in God’s hands and that it would be a great year for them. When we picked them up after-school they all shared how their day and experience at school was for them. It truly was a blessing to be part of it all.

School opening

In the classroom

They were so nervous and so sweet

 Thanks to all who helped make the start of school such a blessing!

 Blessings,

Sandy Garcia

Summer 2011

Camps, camps, and more camps!

We had three camps this year! Youth camp and two children camps. Though I was not a part of them this year I was still very involved in all the preparations for these camps. I am happy to share that they all went well and the youth and kids had a blast. 

taking a break after a walk

lunch time

our camp site

'The best part about youth camp is being together and living as a family. Everyone does there part and we get to enjoy fellowship with each other and other youth in the midst of God in a way we can not back home.' said Lomi, youth leader.

The two children camps held this summer were also great. One of the girls at camp could not hear from her right ear since birth and during prayer time she received her hearing! Praise God. All the kids enjoyed their week away from home and the leaders loved the chance to get to know their kids better.

at lunch

ready to go to camp

our kids

Lomis small group

Now that camps are over our focus moves to school and home-groups. I am excited for this new season. Please, keep us in your prayers. School starts September 15.

Our Favorite Season

Summer

            Summer vacation officially started on June 15 for all the youth and kids in Romania; that was the last day of school. Our kindergarten students are ready for the 1st grade and ready for the summer fun to begin. From our youth group eight passed to the next school grade (Mada, Rich, Smeranda, and Cuta- 11^th grade; Silvia and Adry – 10^th grade; Josh – 9^th ; Leo – 8^th grade; Nath -7^th) they are a more than excited that summer has started. The other half of our group works odd jobs or help around the house.

If you were to ask any of these youth what are summer plans are as a group they would all say YOUTH CAMP! This is the one event that all the youth look forward to all year round. It is the one event that everyone talks about with the greatest memories. The best part of going to camp is meeting new friends, hearing great studies from the Word, and being away from home with our youth group. So you can imagine that every youth member wants to go to youth camp. Going to camp, however, is a problem for most of our youth. They just don’t have the extra money to attend. Those youth that work bring in what little money they make and give to their families and it is very difficult for them to save money. The others go to school and are not able to work to save money. So, now that summer has started several are looking for ways to raise money for camp.

Besides camp preparations we have daily meetings. We meet Monday through Friday for social activities, bible study, prayer, Petelea outreach and youth nights. Now that half of our youth are out of school we are able to meet earlier in the day for activities and meetings and spend more time together. We are also able to plan more outreaches and share the love of Jesus with the people in villages or in the parks. Two of our youth were on a mission trip to the Ukraine and were excited to be apart of another youth camp.

After youth camp in July, several youth members will be helping with 3 children camps. This is also an exciting time for us. We have the chance to share the love of Christ with all these precious kids during each 5 day camp.

Overall, summer is our favorite season full of activities and fellowship we cherish. These youth are a young generation who are looking all the time for a place to belong and to be a part of something special and we want to help them have that and never let it go.

Changes and Successes

For the past 6 months we have been working with 12 very excited

and energetic students. At the start of the year they did not know

how to carry a conversation in Romanian or follow basic instructions. 

It has been a great adventure and journey with these kids. They have

kept us on our toes and in the process these kids have learned so

much and so have we. It is so exciting to see growth!

Elvis

This year a new law for Education came into place. All kids are now 

obligated to go to school if they want any kind of social help. This of 

course caused a little ripple in our kindergarten program. Everyone 

talked of going to school in town to get a stipend. But it wasn't until

this past week that they all started leaving one by one to get registered.

We went to the school in town and spoke with the principal and it turned

out to be the best thing for both the kids and our program.

Ludovic

As a result of this new law kids are obligated to go to school and if the

parents want any kind of help (stipend or school allowance) their kids 

must attend school. This caused parents to start taking their kids to school. 

Though they are registering their kids based on help this is a step toward

having all gypsy kids going to school and this is very exciting for us. 

(School was never mandatory) Also, because of this the teachers that

teach kindergarten saw our kids with a basic knowledge that up to this

point they did not have and the kids were able to step right in with no 

difficulty. We were so happy for the kids when we heard how amazed 

the teachers were with them.

We are confident that this was the will of God. First, to show these gypsy

kids that they can learn and that they are smart. Second, to show the teachers

that gypsy children are very smart and can learn if you give them time and

attention. Third, this has opened a door of education and success for a new 

generation of learners.

Cluadiu

After Easter break we remained with 9 students from this first group of 12. 

We are sure that God's plans are greater than we can ever make for these

kids and can't wait to see what next year brings. There are so many kids in

this area that need help and do not have the basics to start school.

Growth and Change

Each child grows and develops in various interrelated areas – physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and linguistic. In order to address the full range of each child’s developmental needs, we provide opportunities for learning, self-expression, and self-discovery in a variety of areas – for example, in music, drama, games, language activities, and cooperative activities with peers. Children thrive within classrooms that meet their physical and developmental needs and that provide a secure, respectful, and nurturing environment. 

In providing this we see growth and change in our students.

Elvis, age 7

Elvis, age 7, came to our program knowing very little to no Romanian. He did not understand us when we spoke to him.  His parents told us that he was crazy and that we had to do whatever Elvis asked  or he would react badly. 

The first days of school we noticed that he reacted out of lack of understanding and not because he was mischievous or crazy.  Also, we noticed that Elvis has a speech impediment. At first, since Elvis was not used to speaking Romanian it was very difficult to understand him  due to his speech. But, the more we asked him to repeat his words his Romanian and speaking  improved.

Elvis working on writing skills.

It has now been five months since school started and his language is so much clearer. His speech impediment is still an issue but he does not let it stop him from learning and trying again. He understands and knows all the songs, poems, and skills we are teaching. Even if at times we don’t understand what he is saying he will repeat himself until he is clear. We know at those moments that he is striving for the best from within himself.

Elvis pouring hot water for our experiment.

Elvis is just one story from our class of 12. Each of our students has his own obstacle to go over. We believe that this program is helping each one reach their potential and get ready for their future education.

Class discussion

Watching an experiment in progress.

Maria and Elvis next to their  flower after a day in color dye.

Elvis loves working on puzzles of any kind.

 Thank you for your part in making a difference in each of these kids lives. Your prayers and support make this work possible and most of all fruitful.

In Christ,

Sandy

Winter fun

I love winter. I love winter only for the fun. I love sledding. Especially, with kids. We took our kindergarten kids to a nice little hill and had ourselves some amazing fun. Here are some pictures and videos. Enjoy!