Progress Report 3_02

Tallinn, June 21, 2002

In children's lives, the challenges of schoolwork have given way to the freedom of summer, just like the nature has burst out of its shell and is in full foliage. Tonight with summer solstice we will witness the longest day of the otherwise short summer. Come to think of it, broad daylight and the sun still above the horizon at 10.30 PM might not be a usual sight in other parts of the world.

The days and weeks since I last wrote have been busy, as usual. The heavy emphasis on tutoring has paid off. As a result, we now only had 3 Fs in comparison with 23 F-s in December. A few children had to take Standard of Learning Tests and special attention was paid to helping them as well. In addition, there has been a regular singing and Bible class and another class was designed to prepare the children for the summer-teaching traffic signs and rules and also instructing them on first aid.

In addition to work and study there have been opportunities for structured free time -grill-outs in nature, field trips to Tallinn Botanic Garden, Rocca Al Mare Open Air Museum and Hansabank, the biggest bank in Estonia. Tallinn Old Days provided a lot of opportunities to peek into the history of our town as live sketches were acted out on many street corners.

We have also made ample use of the city parks and our own back yard to play ball and other games. A group from Stockholm Sweden from Credo Academy who visited us in early May introduced us to a new game "Gubben," which has been great fun! Since the group outnumbered us considerably, there was so much attention and love shown to every child. There were many tears as the students headed back home.

This past Monday we had a very fun day! It was the second year that a group from Virginia, our old friends Pat Baker, Bill Ogle, Steven Carter and Allen Vicars took us-over 30 children, including four children from a state run shelter who have been affiliated with us-- to the amusement park for a day, having raised funds from their friends to do that. Most of all, all the children liked Roxanne, who was faithfully standing by, ready to take another child who wasn't tall enough to go alone, to the American Mountains. We were also treated to a hamburger meal, complete with a toy and ice cream cone. It was certainly a highlight of the year for many kids.

As much fun as it was, the day began on a more serious note. The group taught us the salvation story using the EvangeCube and gave each child the cube. Two days later, Rasmus (11), otherwise one of the greatest challenges, told the story of Jesus to a 6-year old Regina, aka "Pipi" using the EvangeCube, a tool that our friends from Virginia brought every child. "Pipi, do you know who this man is--its Jesus! And do you know why he is on the cross? Because you and I have done many wrong things." And so on. It really was the greatest story ever told…

This past Wednesday when the daily attendance went up to 31, we had many visitors. First a group from Norway, led by Roy Westbye and then the King's Kids song and Drama group from Finland. The latter sang and did some activities with us. We are looking forward to the other summer guests as well. Chapelwood UMC, Houston, TX will do a two day program with us on July 8 and 9, taking us bowling the first day and doing a mini-VBS on the second day. Our old friends from Mount Bethel UMC, Marietta, GA, Asbury United Methodist Church, Tulsa, OK, Canterbury UMC, Birmingham, AL and First Broad Street UMC, Kingsport, TN will visit us. We are excited about all the guests who will be coming.

Other than that, July will be a month of camps. There will be four camp shifts at Camp Gideon this summer. By present applications, we will be sponsoring 18 children to these shifts. The Russian Youth Camp will start already next week, followed by the Estonian shift and two shifts of Russian kids. In addition we are planning our own camp on August 5-9 in Ahja Methodist Mission Center, in Southern Estonia.

One of the challenges that we are facing this summer is that our Program Director, Meelis Priimets has left us to work for another company and we will have to replace him. We appreciate all he did for the Lighthouse. Please pray for the wisdom and discernment as we consider the candidates for the position. Eve Jarv, who is a temporary staff member, has done an excellent job. Kaidi Nommik will do her summer internship with us beginning in July.

Last but not least, I would like to say a big thank you for the new and renewed partnerships to the First United Methodist Church, Lexington, KY, Youth Fellowship of FUMC, Lexington, KY, UMW of Mount Bethel United Methodist Church, Marietta, GA and Betelkyrka, in Vagnharad, Sweden. Thank you all who minister to us through your prayers and manifold gifts. Please continue to pray that this ministry be fruitful and touch many lives. May you have a wonderful summer filled with God's blessings!

Love in Jesus,

Kersti Raudsepp

Chairman,
Children Center Lighthouse