A letter from Jay Adams in Germany
Summer 2013
Meet the Georges Costiga family of nine. This family, which includes four unschooled children, has been living in a two-bedroom shack made of horse dung. When they are able to eat warm meals they use an open campfire outdoors and use a very un-private outhouse in the backyard. We worked together side by side.
"Over 2 years ago I had A DREAM of a home for my family. This house was started and I had hope, but then no one else would come to help finish the house and I stopped believing in my dream... Now you have come and restored my hope and my dream for my family."—Mr. Costiga
The students and staff from the two different schools in Germany—Black Forest Academy (BFA) in Kandern and the local German school Freie Evangelische Schule Lörrac (FES)—worked together with the Costiga family and Habitat for Humanity to build this home.
Thank you for your prayers and financial contributions that will now enable them to finish this basic house and move in this summer.
PC(USA) congregations and individuals invested in developing 19 teenage students from BFA and FES who are leading their generation in caring for the physical, spiritual and educational needs of the poor and the Roma people group, the most discriminated against, impoverished and least educated people group in Eastern Europe. PC(USA) congregations and individuals contribute funds each month to keep us here in Germany and enabled us to initiate this project.
“I’ve lived in Germany my whole life and would not have believed families actually live in such poverty and horrible conditions.”—Eike (one of the German teens who participated in this project and who now wants to major in social work in university)
One of the German girls who helped build the house said when she got home and stood in her own bedroom in Germany that she has all to herself, she realized it was larger than the two rooms that nine Roma people sleep in every night, and she cried herself to sleep for a week. Several of the teens from North America and Germany commented on how life after working on the project seemed so boring. Life is more meaningful when there is a purpose and you can see the difference you can make helping others.
YOU made a difference: WE made a difference and proclaimed the Risen Christ this Easter 2013. Thanks for your partnership with Nancy and me. We could not do this project without you. In fact, we could not serve missionary children at Black Forest Academy as educators in Germany without your financial support and prayers. We did it together. The glory goes to God.
I am currently part of the senior management team of BFA and serve as Special Projects Manager at BFA, responsible for making connections with local German schools and other international schools, seeking to engage in meaningful service projects for BFA students with German students. Nancy is currently pursuing Ph.D. studies at a European university in English Literature. Our mission is to bring the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ into the lives of students and adults throughout Europe.
We invite you to send contributions to our ECO Account #074690 (use the "Give" link below to https://www.presbyterianmission.org/give/E074690/). Without your designated support we cannot continue to live within reach of the Roma people in Romania.
Please pray that the Romania government will not discriminate against this family and allow them a permit for electricity. Continue to pray for students to volunteer to participate in this "Homes for the Homeless Project Easter 2014." Pray for contributions and funding to our ECO Account #074690.
"You lift up your voice with a shout and say: " Here is your God!"—Isaiah 40:9-10
Nancy & I have included two interesting blog sites: one blog is in English and one blog is in German; they have different photos and different texts. Most computers will give the opportunity for the one that is in German to be translated by the computer into English. We trust you will enjoy both blog sites as the photos taken by the students are incredible.
homesforthehomeless2013.blogspot.fr
and
www.romaniahome.wordpress.com
Grace & peace in Jesus’ name. Please write to us and pray for us.
Jay & Nancy Adams
The 2013 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 283
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