I have been back home in Bucharest for a month now and figured it was time that I admit to recap all the wonderful things that God has been doing at Project Ruth. 

The 2013-2014 school year is well underway at the Ruth School. With over 200 students, our classrooms are nearly completely filled.  This is our second year of having Class 0 aka kindergarten at the Ruth School and those little ones seem to get cuter every year. They are just so little, sweet and innocent! 

The Naomi Center for women is continuing to make huge differences in the lives of the women. Each time  I visit them, I am astonished at the fantastic items they are producing to sell to support their families. If you didn't have a chance to purchase so these items and would like to do some Christmas shopping let me know. We are toying with idea of getting an Etsy (online) shop to sell these items.

 Now my most exciting report! 

Boy on the right circa 2007

I'm not sure if many of you remember Susan Shifflett and I recounting a tales of a hooligan who could just not behave to save his life during VBS over the summer of 2007 but we had many tales of this young boy. He eventually decided school was not for him. He would rather play soccer in the streets than sit in his class. His parents would rather let their child do as he pleases rather than combating his behavioral issues. So this guy after a year and a half of school dropped out. When I arrived back from the US in September, this now young man came to me asking if he could re-enroll at the Ruth School. He stated that he now knew that in life he wasn't going to be able to do much of anything unless he could at least read, write and do basic math. He humbly confessed that he, as a 14 year old, needed to be in the 2nd grade. Through the efforts of our transitional care social worker who specializes in working with our older students, this young man is now attending a government program to help him catch up with his education by completing two grade years in one academic year. He is receiving tutoring and supply support from the Ruth School. 

Present day

This young man's story reminds me so much of the parable of the lost sheep an d how much Christ's rejoices for us when we turn back to Him. I thankful for the 200+ students that we enrolled and the Ruth School and receiving their education as they should but I am beyond overjoyed for this one young mind that I truly believed may never be filled with knowledge and the hope of a better future education can provide is walking into class each day truly ready to learn.