A Different Kind of Advent

Each year, the Christmas season starts earlier. Each year, the stress seems greater. Each year, there are new stories of folks (mostly here in the U.S.) who will do unbelievable things to get a popular Christmas gift.

Have we missed something? What's Christmas supposed to be about, anyway? Sure, we know the story - Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, Angels and Shepherds... but how did we get from THAT to THIS?

If you haven't yet heard of the Advent Conspiracy (follow this link or click on the picture), we hope you'll check it out. Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, and Love All.

Maybe we're straying off-topic a little bit, but since we're still here in the States this year, we have noticed the need for something like this more than ever. And if you're looking for a way to give a gift that counts, there are plenty of ideas in the CBF Gift Catalog (follow this link) - many that benefit the Roma!

Giving Thanks...

Though we gather around tables in different countries with different twists on the traditional American Thanksgiving, we have one thing in common.  The Gypsy Team of CBF is counting our blessings and very grateful for the support you have given over the year.  As we look back on previous posts we can see answered prayers, volunteers who served, finances shared, and words of encouragement given.  We thank God for those provisions and we thank you.

"Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow..."

Romany Education

All around Europe there are Christians--Romany and non-Romany--involved in educating Romany children. Wycliffe Poland partners with churches in Ukraine. A Dutch nurse started preschools at the request of her Romany Christian partners in Romania. A former missionary in Latin America begins a preschool in Serbia. Just within our CBF Romany team, we have a long-term partnership with Project Ruth, three sets of short-term personnel at the Gandhi School in Hungary, and another couple, Jon & Tanya Parks, preparing to work in a Romany school in Slovakia.
We recently set up a blogspot so that all these people could more easily network, share information, ask questions, learn from and encourage one another. We welcome posts in any language, to encourage discussion among teachers who are not native-English speakers. Check out the beginnings at: http://romanyeducation.blogspot.com/.