A Christian School for Roma Children

By Emily Klooster - taken from the February 2005 issue of The Calling.

About two years ago, a little white house in the village of Nagydobrony (pronounced nog-do-brone) in Ukraine started getting a lot of attention. Dark-haired children began showing up in the early hours of the morning to peek in the windows, even shyly hanging around in the doorway. A woman would then warmly invite them inside, where they curiously examined the objects set up neatly in the small room: a chalkboard, small wooden desks with matching chairs, pencils and paper.

“Welcome to your school,” the woman said, smiling warmly. “Take your seats and we’ll begin.”

Roma people, often called Gypsies, are an ethnic group residing mostly in Europe; a traditionally transient population that has been discriminated against since their migration from what is believed to be northern India centuries ago. Roma tend to live on the outskirts of European villages in abandoned or self-made housing, taking migrant jobs on local farms to support their families. Throughout their history in Europe they have drawn suspicion from local populations because of their “other-ness” – their dark skin and unique nomadic culture of music, dance, and fortune telling. As outsiders, mainstream education has not been a priority for Roma.

Migrant work takes precedence over schooling, requiring kids to leave school for months at a time to help with planting and harvesting. Roma are also hesitant to send their children to school because they are suspicious of the education offered by a society that has never truly accepted them. They have become accustomed to being overlooked and racially discriminated against in state schools, and as a result their children have not benefited from receiving an education there.

After centuries of missing out, a new generation of Romany parents has begun to see the need for basic schooling. As society progresses, they realize their children will need to be able to read, write, and do mathematics to get a job in today’s world. This new acceptance has encouraged the Hungarian Reformed Church of Ukraine to get close to the Romany community, and the bishop of the HRC considers it a critical mission to impact them. Romany churches have now been established and members are encouraged to send their kids to the local Roma Christian School — the one that began in the little white house.

Staff members at the Roma School have taken a proactive approach to recruiting students.They go into the Romany community themselves to meet with parents and encourage their involvement, presenting to them the many ways education can benefit their families. If your child is educated, they say, it is less likely you will be taken advantage of or manipulated by the rest of society. The child will be able to get a good job to support his family. “These teachers have been well-received because parents can see that they genuinely care about their kids,” says Dale Dieleman, WCS field director for Europe. “They see a real love and compassion from the Roma School teachers.”

The principal of the Roma School has been impressed with the effort put forth by the new students. She reports that their response has been outstanding, and they are eager to learn and tend to catch on quickly. They excel in computer work, art, music, sports and math — some of which, especially music, runs in their blood, so to speak. Dieleman, who recently returned from a visit to the school, reports that the children rarely sit still during free time, dancing and singing non-stop throughout the day.

“WCS plays a unique role as a partner agency of the Roma School in this transitional generation,” said Dieleman, referring to the recent Romany acceptance of education. “The Roma School has been a beacon of hope for families who do want their children educated.”