Dear Friends, 

It’s hard to believe that in a month we will be finishing our 15th school year at the Lutheran Academy in Martin, Slovakia (LAMS). These next few weeks will be quite intense as we prepare for our Big Event, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Bible School and our first graduating class at LAMS! As with all events here at the CCE, we stand amazed watching God at work through the service of others!

One of the most obvious acts of service this month came in the form of 11 volunteers from Minnesota helping spruce up our school in preparation for the Big Event. They made improvements to our windows, tables, and hearts with the giving of their time and talents. 

The last project our Minnesota team completed was to unload a shipping container full of equipment for our school. The contents were donated by one of partners, the shipping fees were covered by another friend, and the unpacking was done by volunteers. What a great reminder of how blessed we are through the service of others! 

 

The spirit of service from our partners has not only transformed our school buildings, but also the lives impacted within our campus. In a post-Communist culture, the concepts of service and charity are lacking. However, through the example of others, we are creating a new culture at a school centered around giving. We are happy to say that preparations for the Big Event are also being carried out by families at our school through our “school clean-up” days and donations of restorative concrete work and kindergarten playground. 

 

 

As we continue to prepare for the Big Event, we will look for opportunities to thank God for the friends he has given us and the spirt of service that can be found at the CCE. We are excited to celebrate 20 years of ministry with everyone as we reflect on how far the Lord has brought us.

 

In Christ,

Blythe Ann Barreto,DCE 

International Communications Dir.

Lutheran Academy Educator

Martin, Slovakia