Opening the world to the children at Gavar Special School
Earlier this year we received a letter from one of our faithful supporters, Peter Raes. Mr Raes used to work as principal of Ordrup Private School north of Copenhagen, the elementary school attended by Managing Director Kim Hartzner.
Mr Raes wrote the letter after having seen the picture of Philip Hartzner, Kim's oldest son, and reading the story of how children from Philips' International School had gone to help the children at Gavar Special School, a school Mission East has helped since 1999.
In his letter, Mr Raes wrote:
"Dear Philip,
Your father will tell you who I am and how proud I am of all the good work everyone’s doing where you are. My wife Kirsten, who is also a doctor, and myself as a teacher would have loved to have been able to do the same sort of thing ourselves: actually Kirsten was in China for 1½ years studying Chinese medicine for a similar purpose. But now we are so old that we would only be in the way with all our handicaps. SO – when we read of your own enthusiasm to help the less fortunate children in Armenia, we said YES, that’s a boy we would like to help do what we’d like to but can’t. Therefore I’m sending you personally through your grandfather here in Denmark Kr. 5,000 to use – obviously in consultation with Mum and Dad – on one or more small projects you want to support. These could be one-off gifts, monthly payments, supply of regular food or medicine, help with school desks, etc. etc. In that way you would be acting out the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25, v. 15) but instead of gaining 5 more you’d be giving hope and succour, far better.
Would you like to try! It’s a biggish job for a lad of your age, but knowing your father’s ability at that age (he was a lively spark, I can tell you!), I reckon you are up to it. Let me know what you think. And remember, it’s YOU we want to encourage: Dad’s already famous!
I’d love to hear what you decide to use it on if and when you accept the idea. Just a short note will do – no long tiresome thank-you letter necessary.
Warm greetings to you all,
Peter Raes"
In response to this letter, Philip – who is crazy about computers – very quickly said that the children at the Gavar Special School should have a new computer. So after the computer had been set up, Philip and Kim traveled to Gavar in April and Philip spent 2½ hours teaching socially vulnerable children the basics of working with a computer. Following this initial training, Katie Nees, a volunteer with the US Peace Corps, continued regular computer training of the children, and at the end of May she wrote: "All the kids who have come in to use the computer, besides the three who were part of Philip's training, have enjoyed looking up things on the internet - it really has broadened their world. They also enjoy taking turns writing up Word documents about themselves and what they are studying. I have also seen one of our severely Down-syndromed boys playing the pin ball game on the computer and the joy he received from playing on the computer was wonderful to see. Thank you Philip for your generosity and kindness. This computer really is a blessing for our children."
Read MoreMr Raes wrote the letter after having seen the picture of Philip Hartzner, Kim's oldest son, and reading the story of how children from Philips' International School had gone to help the children at Gavar Special School, a school Mission East has helped since 1999.
In his letter, Mr Raes wrote:
"Dear Philip,
Your father will tell you who I am and how proud I am of all the good work everyone’s doing where you are. My wife Kirsten, who is also a doctor, and myself as a teacher would have loved to have been able to do the same sort of thing ourselves: actually Kirsten was in China for 1½ years studying Chinese medicine for a similar purpose. But now we are so old that we would only be in the way with all our handicaps. SO – when we read of your own enthusiasm to help the less fortunate children in Armenia, we said YES, that’s a boy we would like to help do what we’d like to but can’t. Therefore I’m sending you personally through your grandfather here in Denmark Kr. 5,000 to use – obviously in consultation with Mum and Dad – on one or more small projects you want to support. These could be one-off gifts, monthly payments, supply of regular food or medicine, help with school desks, etc. etc. In that way you would be acting out the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25, v. 15) but instead of gaining 5 more you’d be giving hope and succour, far better.
Would you like to try! It’s a biggish job for a lad of your age, but knowing your father’s ability at that age (he was a lively spark, I can tell you!), I reckon you are up to it. Let me know what you think. And remember, it’s YOU we want to encourage: Dad’s already famous!
I’d love to hear what you decide to use it on if and when you accept the idea. Just a short note will do – no long tiresome thank-you letter necessary.
Warm greetings to you all,
Peter Raes"
In response to this letter, Philip – who is crazy about computers – very quickly said that the children at the Gavar Special School should have a new computer. So after the computer had been set up, Philip and Kim traveled to Gavar in April and Philip spent 2½ hours teaching socially vulnerable children the basics of working with a computer. Following this initial training, Katie Nees, a volunteer with the US Peace Corps, continued regular computer training of the children, and at the end of May she wrote: "All the kids who have come in to use the computer, besides the three who were part of Philip's training, have enjoyed looking up things on the internet - it really has broadened their world. They also enjoy taking turns writing up Word documents about themselves and what they are studying. I have also seen one of our severely Down-syndromed boys playing the pin ball game on the computer and the joy he received from playing on the computer was wonderful to see. Thank you Philip for your generosity and kindness. This computer really is a blessing for our children."
11-year old Philip Hartzner with the three children selected for his training: 15-year old Daniel Samyan, 12-year old Vartan Chomapyan and 14-year old Lusine Tophachaltyan.
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