Everyday miracles in Slovakia
Two close friends sit together dur- ing children’s worship.
Lutheran school finds success and struggle Text and photos by Tommy Grevlos
A
s Slovakia continues to slowly recover 22 years after the end of communism, the Center for Chris- tian Education and its Lutheran Elementary School are riding wave after wave of success in Martin. From an inaugural class of 15 students eight years ago, the Lutheran school has grown to serve 258 children.
These results are a new development for Slovakia. In 1877, government authorities shut down a similar Bible school eight years into its service. Today center leaders welcome the opportunity to introduce Christianity to children and their families. “Who would have thought that 142 years later, [we’d be] running a program almost exactly like our forefa- thers?” asked Bohdan Hrobon, center director. “Everyday miracles” play a huge role in the school’s success, Hroban said. Those miracles include the local government granting a 50-year lease to the Lutheran school for one euro (a lit- tle over $1); enrolling enough children each year to keep the school’s doors open; and an influx of funds from new mission partners in the U.S. Many ELCA congregations have supported this ministry since its beginning. Yet Hrobon admits the school’s future is not certain. It, too, could be shut down. “I don’t want to say daily, but we do often [have doubts],” Hroban said. “It’s not easy and now we are getting all sorts of signals from our partners that ‘it’s [an economic] crisis, we can’t help you anymore.’ It’s going to be hard because we have to prepare for cutting down and slowing down.” Nevertheless, staff members continue to move for- ward, knowing they can’t worry about the future but must focus on the present. “It is really not our business … it is in God’s hands,” Hroban said.
Grevlos, a photojournalist and an eight-time Illinois College Press Association award winner, graduated in May 2011 from Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill.
July 2012 31
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52