A Matter of Trust

Against the odds and the skeptics’ doubts…it is working!!

Just one and half years ago we signed some documents, paid some fees, and in Serbia, Propel became a reality. It was now official! It’s alive!!!! Now what?

We set out to work with this nation’s most under-valued, despised, and mistrusted people…The Roma (gypsies). It is bad enough that the Roma are looked down upon by almost every other facet of society, but they don’t even trust one another.

So, who were we to think we could make any connection? Who were we to try to bridge the gap? What were we thinking?

We were thinking we could make a difference. We were thinking we could help kids get an education, not in a separate school, but in their cultural context. We were thinking others would agree and become part of the solution.

Wow! We were right and so were those who helped to make it happen.

We have developed something many said would be near impossible…trust. The Roma have seen many organizations come and go.They have received many well-intentioned handouts. But these were stop gap measures, these were band aids. They now know we are in it for the long haul. They are now seeing the positive results in their children. We have kept our promises to them. We have earned their trust.

From first-graders, all the way up to university students, Propel now is helping 18 students rewrite their futures for the 2017-2018 school year. Eighteen kids with a chance to choose their destiny rather than living hand me down lives.

Does an education really matter?

We hate to use statistics, but these are too good not to share!

– In Serbia… a Roma child who can learn to read, write, and handle numbers (about a 4th grade education) will reduce the odds of being an adult, still living in poverty, by 50%!

– If a Serbian Roma child can graduate high school,things get better! The odds of them being an adult…not living in poverty… are 84%! 

Education is the ultimate expression of Humanitarian Aid! With an education these kids can be the first to start a cycle of generational success.

Now it is time to help more kids, rewrite more futures, earn more trust.

To all that already make this possible…Thank you for your support and your trust.

To all that support us in prayer… Thank you for your caring.

To all those who are asking… “How can we help?” We have provided a easy-to-use, no assembly required, button. Check us out. See if we are worth your trust.

Thank you. Paul and Mary
We are running on faith, but we are not running alone