Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Last month was hard on our school. September was still OK, even the COVID-19 virus was closing schools and businesses around us. Starting in October, all Slovak high schools had to switch to online education because of the government order. Shortly after we had to close the kindergarten and then the secondary school (grades 5-9) because several teachers, administration staff and students there were COVID positive. The kindergarten resumed normal operation by last week of October, while the secondary school and high school students remained online nationwide. The elementary school is the “Last of the Mohicans” that has enjoyed old-fashion education since September without interruption.
It is difficult to manage all the changes, but we are determined to do our best. The danger now is to fall prey to our fears and lock ourselves into isolation. That is our big concern, because, since the very beginning, the ministry of CCE was built by personal contacts and connections. You, our USA partners, have been visiting us every summer and those unique mission projects that significantly changed our communities were very effective, because we were doing them together. Some of us have traveled the other way updating you regularly about our challenges and plans. We were meeting face to face, trusting each other, dreaming and praying together, and our mission flourished. The result of this partnership is a very unique and successful Lutheran Academy in Martin Slovakia, a school with over 700 students that learn of and experience the love of Christ every day.
However, the recent changes made us to change our ways of staying in touch and we feel more alone. Therefore, we have started distributing regular newsletters and a CCE broadcast news to you. Please, share them with your friends, spread the news, stay in touch, and do not forget CCE. This is one of the ways we can together overcome this strange season and keep our project in healthy condition.
Speaking of healthy condition, Slovakia is not doing well right now. As a way of getting the COVID under control, our government decided to do a mass testing. We offered our Dorm as one of the places for it (many of you have very fond memories of the Dorm and especially its patio). Over 20 of our highs school students and teachers volunteered in this world’s unique way of fighting COVID. It builds the spirit of CCE, teaching us and our students to be responsible citizens and take action to make the world a better place.
Regarding finances and building projects, there are no major changes since the September Newsletter. Equipping the Visual Arts Studio was postponed due to the COVID pandemic in our administration staff. For the Music Studio, we still need to fundraise $23,100 out of the $75,200 total. The Indoor Gym remains our biggest challenge. The budget is $240,500. We ask you to prayerfully consider donating to this purpose. It will noticeably improve our service to our children and enhance our mission to our students and community.
Dear friends, we all live in difficult times and sometimes it is hard to resist frustration. Let us all remember the words of Psalm 146:
“Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortals, in whom there is no help…
Blessed are those whose help is in the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD their God.”
Yours in Christ,
Adrian Kacian, Director of Development Bohdan Hroboň, president of CCE
