Progress Report 6_02
Tallinn, December 22, 2002
It is Christmas again and I personally wish I had more time to concentrate on the „Reason for the Season“ amidst all the things that need to get done. Today I had a privilege to sign an agreement with the City in the person of a Vice Mayor of Tallinn among the other four new members of the „Child-At-Risk Round Table.“ This is a partnership program between the city and the eligible NGOs who work with at risk children. The ceremony took place in the old Town Hall and was very festive indeed. Yet, the thing that caught my attention was the figure „5,000 children“ that live on the verge of poverty and are thus at-risk. I hope this recognition means that within the past year we have become a trustworthy partner that the others within the network know about and can rely on.
In the past few weeks we have had quite a few guests. On Dec. 5, some twenty people from a Bible school in Finland came to visit us and preached the gospel to the children. They did a drama „Agnus Dei“, a play of Daniel with puppet theatre and so on. It is interesting to see that the children, even the smaller ones know the main points of the Gospel by heart, even though weeks have passed. Then the next day, Mia Peterson from Sweden came with three friends. They played with the children for two days and it was difficult to part—the more I work here the more I realize it is not the material things our children are deprived of most, but rather, its the attention and recognition that they need.
Then Kimmo Rosenquist from Sweden and his friend came over and brought us clothes. There was fun for two days to sort it out and try them on. Then a group from Norway dropped by and brought us Christmas presents. We combined them with other things we had received previously (Thank you All!). The Christmas party was past Friday. The delicious meal of roast pork and sauerkraut that our chef Leili treated us to was followed by the program, performed by a lady from the local “Mission for Children”. Her message was that Jesus has come that we may have life overflowing and we need to welcome Jesus every day of the year. For the distribution of presents we had asked Santa’s helper from the Town Hall Square to come and help us. This year, the Santa happened to have a free day that day. Anyway, she was just as good and everybody had to do something to get his/her present.
All through the advent season we have had a Nativity scene in the dining room, complete with the hay and the animals and the crib with the baby. This was done by the children at the initiative and under the supervision of our teacher Alla. Another project that the children did was making presents—on the First Advent in the Baltic Mission Center Valter and Kristiina gave over a packet of 120 Christmas ornaments (God’s Eyes) to be included in the presents for the elderly.
Last time I wrote I asked you to pray about the facilities since we were becoming increasingly aware of the fact that we were not strategically located for the children. Two days later two ladies from the Tallinn’s social department came and without knowing about our plans offered a newly renovated facility for us, pending on the approval of some political body. We were of course, very excited about the new opportunity, but we haven’t received an official answer yet, one way or another.The whole matter has been caught in the political corridors of power. It makes us uncomfortable, not knowing what the future holds. If we do move, our operating expenses would be considerably lower plus we would be better located for those who truly need us. Please pray for the will of God to be done.
As to our „loyal custiomers“—those children who have come most often, we are in the process of sending two more to the (Mo-Fri) Boarding school. I visited one of these families in a deserted house where they had just moved for they had been thrown out of the apatment and though I thought I’d seen a lot, this was certainly out of ordinary. The other child’s mother is in danger of losing custody of the girl and the girl is extremely fond of and protective of her. So this will be a compromise and a chance for the mother to get her life together. As to our youngest child (6), we will try to find him a place in a kindergarten come this January so he can be better prepared for school. Two teenagers will be sent to special schools—Eedik M. has waited for this since May and his sister Kristiina asked the authorities to be sent away. Both of these children have been severely neglected for years and our frequent phone calls and letters have not helped much. I do hope their situation will be solved soon. Yet, all this will mean that we will have even fewer children coming each day, but I do not have a heart to go to these vulnerable regions and lure children away to the City where they would be exposed to additional dangers.
Another concern that you can pray about is the children’s progress at school. Pray also for the wisdom for the staff to discern problems early on and act on that discernment. I think I personally need God’s refreshing touch on my life, renewed joy and strength in the Lord.
I do wish you a Very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! Love in Jesus,
Kersti Raudsepp
Thank you for all you have done for us this past year and always!
Chairman of the Board