Martina in Bratislava has sent a really encouraging report about the latest happenings at the CS Lewis School:

“I am sending you warm and busy greetings from our school in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Many miracles have happened at our school.
I say thank you to God every day.

1. We were blessed to find 2 philanthropists to help us start to knock down ‘barriers’ in schools.
Next year, we would like to give 2-5 scholarships to young people with disadvantages, so it was very important to upgrade the building.
It means: stairs will no longer be a barrier for students with physical disabilities.
In December, we are going to build a ramp in front of the entrance of the school.
We started to built a lift.
We still lack some funds, however we believe and trust that help wil be given to us to finish the reconstruction.
At this moment no photos, just a lot of dust at school 😊

2. Students have organized the grand opening of the café .
It is full of beautiful energy! People come and are grateful. Mums and kids donate sometimes delicious, sometime “less delicious :)” cakes. But we love it.
Many parents are grateful that their kids are involved in the cafe through selling – baking – volunteerism.
Up to now, students raised 498 € for the Scholarship Fund from the cafe.
There is long journey in front of us to equip the cafe, so the hygiene authorities will approve us. There is a long journey in front of us to complete the social entrepreneuship concept, but we have made the first steps 🙂

3. We have employed a boy Adam with autism, who feels happy and useful in the café . He goes to the Church regularly. Up-to-now, he was in a care center. He is 22 years old. He tries to do his best. He can speak latin 😊

4. A new group of the Freedom Fighters has been established at school. They organized a walkathon against traffickers and women/ kids/ men in slavery. They plan to organize activities to make young Slovaks more aware of this problem and to help to stop it. At this moment more money is earned from human trafficking than from drugs. We encourage students to learn more about the activities thorugh https://www.walkfree.org/ and to pray for them.
Walk Free – The Movement to End Modern Slavery
www.walkfree.org

5. We raised funds to buy an old beautiful concert piano with a wing. It has belonged to one Czech fabricator. It is 95 years old. It is in the cafe. Students play on it every free minute/ during breaks – even after school. I feel like in heaven!

6. On December 21, 2016 at 5 pm we will organize a student Christmas piano concert with a professional cellist Jozef Luptak. We will invite all parents from schools and surrounding community.