Wednesday, May 22, 2013
A Time to Sleep
Don and Jen Knebel
On a recent
trip to Christel House South Africa, we were given a tour of the grade school. Just after starting the tour, we came to a
class in which the children were all sleeping on the floor. With no other easy way to get to our
destination, we stepped over and around them.
But not a single one of the sleeping students so much as moved a muscle,
let alone awoke. When we later visited
the homes where these children live, we understood the reason our intrusion
went unnoticed. Living with up to ten
people in a single room does not allow much opportunity for young people to get
the sleep they need. Christel House,
knowing that a rested body is essential for learning, gives its young students some
time during the day just to sleep.
Addressing
all the needs of disadvantaged children and not just their needs for learning
is why Christel House succeeds in educating these children. Children who are hungry cannot concentrate,
so Christel House feeds them. Children
who are ill cannot stay in class, so Christel House provides medical care. Children who live in chaos cannot study, so
Christel House provides time for students to study before they go home. And students without shoes cannot walk to the
bus, so Christel House gives them shoes.
This
holistic approach to education works miracles.
In South Africa, where less than half of all students finish high
school, nearly all the Christel House students who begin high school
graduate.
In a country where even those
who finish school have trouble passing the “matric” examination, all but one of
the most recent graduates passed the first time.
The miracles
that Christel House works in its students are why we support it.
In the months to come, we will talk more
about those miracles and the activities that help create them.
Labels: children, Christel House, Christel House India, family support, success
Thursday, April 4, 2013
UIndy Student Business Leadership Academy raises $1,000 for Christel House
By: Dr. Matthew Will
The Student Business Leadership Academy (SBLA) at the
University of Indianapolis, School of Business, donated $1,000 to Christel
House during an event this past Monday. Christel spoke to an audience of 550
students about her career at Resort Condominiums International (RCI) and
Christel House International. The SBLA officers had the opportunity to meet
with Christel before the event at a private dinner, where she shared some of
her personal experiences in business and running a global charity. Rather than
give a traditional gift to Christel for speaking to the UIndy students, the
SBLA officers decided to conduct a fundraising campaign and raised $1,000 to
support students at Christel House South Africa. The award was a surprise to
Christel, who was touched by the gift and thanked each officer individually for
their effort to help educate children around the world.
Labels: Christel DeHaan, Christel House, SBLA, Student Business Leadership Academy, University of Indianapolis
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Not Ready to Say Goodbye
By: Culver Academies India Trip 2013
Some of the members of the Culver Academies Christel House 2013
India Trip team have taken time to reflect on their experience:
Thoughts from Morgan
about the visit at Christel House:
"This experience has been absolutely incredible. Words cannot fully
describe the immense impact this visit to India has had (and will have) on me,
so this simple summary is my best attempt. When we arrived at Christel House, I
was somewhat nervous about the ability of our group to make connections with
the students in such a short amount of time. We were paired with one or two
students (mine was Pavheetra), and this one-on-one time quickly allowed us to
make lasting connections. Through working with the students, watching them paint
intricate designs on our collaborative murals, listening to them sing songs,
and seeing the smiles on their faces, I've truly learned what it means to have
hope and strength. The visit to the residential village brought me to tears,
and my eyes were truly opened to how seemingly impossible and unfair life can
be; and it just made me further realize how incredible and amazing these
students are. This experience and the people involved have inspired me to go
beyond my limits and be the best that I absolutely can be. I've learned what it
really means to 'be the change.'"
Thoughts from Paola about the visit at Christel House:
In South Africa everything was already planned and scheduled, which was fun,
but this trip was more natural. Its been easier to get to know the children
here. Though both trips are great, I feel like I’ve gotten more out of this
one. They’re different. South Africa is more Americanized. This trip has forced
many of us out our comfort zone. Also, its nice to be able to connect with a younger
group of students.
Thoughts from Lauren about the visit at Christel House:
As a first timer, its hard to have anything even close to compare this to. I’ve
never been in a situation that has forced me to think about life in such a
different way. Its awe inspiring to see how these children and their families
not only surviving in these conditions, but keeping a smile on their faces.
There’s nothing like the conditions we’ve been exposed to in the past few days.
The children are adorable and just as excited for us as we are for them. Its
been a wonderful trip that has exposed me to new amazing people and has caused
many tears to be shed.
Mr. Behling's Moment (surprisingly it was not
awkward it was cool): Mr. Behling did a wrestling demonstration for the students
of Christel House. He successfully dominated the Christel House physical
education teacher and surprised many of the 12th grade boys with his basic but
powerful moves.
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Labels: Christel House India, Culver, Culver Academies, Culver Academy, guest visit, students
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