Security Cameras Required For The School

CCTV security camerasDue to an increase in terrorist activity over the past few years, the Pakistani government now requires security cameras to be installed in all schools.

Already, shortly after the Peshawar school attack in 2014, all of Pakistan’s schools were required to construct eight-foot-high boundary walls topped with razor wire. Amin’s school only had 6-foot walls at the time, so the needed changes were made.

CCTV cameras were also being highly recommended. Now they are compulsory. Of course, this is a huge expense for a school that depends mainly on donations!

A short news article from three years ago* in the Episcopal News Service website expressed it well. After listing the security measures being imposed by the government at that time, they added (quoting from a Peshawar
church news site):

“ ‘All the Christian educational and other institutions have already taken the so-called security measures but they are highly inadequate,’ Frontier News says. ‘The arms and ammunition, security cameras, walk-through gates, barriers and the armed guards are an expensive commodity, and far beyond the reach of poor and highly vulnerable Christian communities.’ ”

one end of the courtyardPrincipal Amin is required to install 4 Closed Circuit Television security cameras, two inside the courtyard, and two outside the front entrance.  The two in the courtyard will monitor the interior classroom doors.the other end of the courtyard

 

The two exterior cameras will capture video in both directions, up and down the street.School exterior - entrance doors

 

Amin hopes the cost will not exceed $200 to $250. The CCTV cameras are supposed to be installed by April 10 when the school’s registration is renewed.

Besides the cost of the camera system, there’s a $300 total fee for the school registration renewal, with part of it due by April 10th as a deposit. The registration renewal process will continue for 2-3 months.

The registration fee covers things like filing fees for legal documents for all the teachers, having the floor plan (“school map”) drawn of the school, and health certifications.

floor plan drawing
Map of the School

The deadline is here, and more help is needed. Please be praying for this need to be met, and any donations you care to contribute will be greatly appreciated.

Meanwhile, Amin has recently accepted two new students into the school, “very poor children”. His heart is so big, he would gladly take in even more if there was room for them.

Amin posing with 2 new students.
Two New Students

There are now 252 students in the regular daytime classes, and another 55 in the “academy” that Amin teaches after the school session ends. This is a special afternoon/evening program for older students who were unable to regularly attend school when they were younger, and they need to catch up.


* If you’d like to read another, more recent article about school security in Pakistan, here’s one from December 2018: Gulf News Asia

2019 Uniform Day Celebration Tomorrow

poster announcing Uniforms Day

Every year Christ Public School gives uniforms to the orphans and poor children who attend the school, by the grace of God.

Here is a picture from last year.school uniform day

This year’s Fun Fair and Uniform Ceremony will take place on February 28, which is tomorrow night (the 27th) on the U.S. side of the globe.

Amin reports that they have counted 50 kids this year who need a uniform, socks, shoes, a tie, and so forth.  This will cost about $15 per child.

child who needs a uniformHere is a precious little boy raising his hand to indicate that he needs a uniform.

As always, Amin appreciates everyone who is able to help supply the needed funds to carry on the work of educating these children and giving them a future.

He invites you to help one or more kids by “sending your Love” by Western Union, Money Gram, or Paypal.  “God bless you. Remember this program in your prayers.”

It’s never too late to join in, because the needs are ongoing. Books are still being paid for in installments, due at the end of each month.  Then there are teachers’ salaries, food for the lunch program, and so much more just to keep the school functioning day after day.

God always supplies the needs and makes a way, and you and I are so blessed to be a part of the blessing for these children.

Winter Vacation Extended Due to Cold Weather

Pakistani Newspaper ArticleToday should have been the first day of the new school year for the kids at Christ Public School.

However, due to extremely cold weather, the Pakistani government in that province has extended the winter vacation for both public and private schools.

This is the news article (on the left) that Amin posted in his Facebook timeline.

Understanding the School Year

The school year in Pakistan is different than in many other places including the U.S.  In fact, there are two different calendars within Pakistan, depending on whether the school is a Christian school or a secular school.

Most Christian schools end the old school year and begin the new school year according to the calendar year.  So, toward the end of December, the children are taking their final exams and having the big Results Day event where they learn their test scores, receive trophies for achievement, and are promoted to the next class.

Secular schools, on the other hand, will end their school year in March and begin the new year in April. So when those kids are going back to school in January following the winter break, it is still the same school year (just like here in America).

Winter Vacation runs for about two weeks.  (The Results Day is actually a special celebration that’s held during the break.)  This year, the break is closer to being three weeks long because of the weather delay.

books sorted into stacks, ready to distribute
Books Sorted and Ready for Distribution to the Children

Books for the coming school year are frequently given out on Results Day at Christ Public School, but there was a delay this year due to shortage of funds.  Books were distributed to the kids from December 28th to 30th.

children with new school books     And then, school was supposed to start again on January 2nd, but now it will start on January 7th instead.

Meanwhile, Amin appreciates all donations that have been received so far, and has faith for the remaining funds to be provided, as he will be making the installment payments for the books at the end of each month.

The shop owner was willing to let Amin pay for the books in three installments, to be paid in full by March 31st.

book invoice

The Books Have Arrived

book shopAmin went to the book shop today and selected the books for the new school year, then had them delivered by motor bike cart.

Amin’s entire journey from his rural village to the larger city and back took him from noon until 6:00 p.m.  It was starting to get dark as they approached the school.

A friend was very kind to transport Amin on his motor bike, since Amin currently has no vehicle of his own.  (He sold his motor bike several months ago to help finance projects at the school.)

school books loaded onto a motor bike cartHow did the books get delivered to the school?

It was quite a process. Amin hired a motor bike cart delivery service to transport the books, with Amin and his friend following behind the cart on the friend’s motor bike.

Here is a video of the books enroute to the school.

Books are on motor bike cart and way to school from city. Its evening time and cold. Thanx Lord me and books reached school safe and sound. Lovely scene of city sheikhupura.

Posted by Amin Issac on Wednesday, December 26, 2018

 

Finally, the books are unloaded from the cart and stacked in the school.

school booksThe shop owner wanted half of the purchase cost as a downpayment, but agreed to let Amin wait until December 31st to pay the first half.

The remaining half of the cost is due in two more monthly installments on January 31st and February 28th.

Donations to help cover these costs are greatly appreciated, as well as your prayers.

Principal Amin standing beside stacks of books

The 250 sets of books will be delivered to the students from December 28 – 30 in preparation for the new school year which begins January 2nd.

The books include Homework diaries and note books, as well as the lesson books for the various grade levels.

This little boy was happy to receive his books last year. boy with school books

These children take their education very seriously and know they are extremely blessed to receive an education. We can’t say “thank you” enough to all the people who help make this possible.

Annual Exams and the Results Day Program

girls speaking at the ceremonyLast week the children of Christ Public School took their annual exams for the end of the school term.

Today they held the “Results Day” reward ceremony where the top achievers were given trophies, and every child was given a gift.

It was a wonderful celebration that included various performances including tableaux, dramas, and debates.

Amin thanked his Facebook friends, saying “Hallelujah, Greeting Dear Friends.  We have successful program of Annual result today. Kids performed different Tabloos or Dramas or debates etc. We are thankful to all of you for prayers.”

A tableau, in case you’ve forgotten, is where people wear costumes and pose in a motionless scene for the audience to enjoy. Here are a couple of examples:

children pose in a tableau

children pose on stage

Here is a photo from last week’s annual exam:

Below, the children were completing their test papers last week. It looks like it was a foggy morning in this outdoor courtyard. Notice how some of the students have to sit on the cold brick floor because there are not enough desks or benches.

students are taking an exam

And here are more photos from the Results Day ceremony:

Children spoke or performed while the audience watched.

boys on stage    young kids in the audience

Results Day audience.

Trophies were presented and gifts were distributed.

trophies are ready    boy holding a trophy

boy receiving a trophy    girl receives a trophy

gifts ready to give to the children    trophies being passed out

There was even an appearance by Santa Claus.

Santa showed up

Next week, books for the next term will be distributed to the children from the 28th to the 30th of December. Principal Amin is pointing to this announcement near the bottom of the banner.

banner shows Books Day

Results Day Banner

The books have been purchased on credit and are ready for distributing to the kids.  Amin is very grateful for donations that have been received. He is trusting God to supply the remaining funds, as only a small amount has been received to date.

The first half of the full price will be due next week (December 31), a payment of $1,250. Amin asks for everyone’s prayers, and for  our donations if it is possible.

The remaining half will be due in two “easy” installments, $625 on January 31, and $625 on February 28.

Let’s all help with our prayers, and maybe some of us can also be a part of this miracle for these precious children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

School Birthday Celebration – 19 Years

Christ Public School celebrated it’s 19 year anniversary on November 29th, 2018. It was a joyful occasion for the kids.

celebrating school's 19th birthday

kids celebrate the school's birthday     school program commemorates the 19th anniversary of the school's founding

The school’s birthday was not the only birthday to be celebrated that day.  Amin’s twins turned 12 years old the very same day. They were born … totally by coincidence, of course … on the school’s 7th birthday.

twins celebrate 12th birthday

Happy 12th Birthday to Amin’s son and daughter, Happy and Mahek!

School Trip Day Photos

kids get ready for the tripThe school trip on November 27th was a great success!  Funds were received just in time, and the children were able to go.

Here are some of the highlights from their adventure in Had Balo ki safari park.

I can’t help but notice that some of the rides and activities are similar to what American kids experience on a school playground, a community fair, or at a neighborhood park or zoo.  Here we take it for granted that our children can do these simple things. But for kids in Pakistan, it is not so common. Parents are not so easily able to share these kinds of experiences with their children.

Principal Amin was thrilled to share the excitement with the kids. He reported that a person welcomed them at the entry gate with a drum.  Here is a short video he took. (Click on the image):

video imageHere is another video of the children enjoying a ride. Amin posted it on Facebook.

children enjoy a ride - video image

More images… see how much fun everyone was having!

              

              

              

              

       

This was a very satisfying trip, enjoyed by everyone! Thanks for your prayers and help in providing this for the kids.

 

 

Kids are excited, hoping for a field trip

kids enjoying Rana ParkWhere will the annual school field trip’s destination be this year? Amin wants to take the children to the Rana Resort and Safari Park near Lahore, near the Head Balloki Reservoir. It’s an interesting  combination of a wildlife refuge and amusement park.

beautiful trail in Rana Park

Lions at Rana Safari Park

The kids are excited, especially because the date has been set for next week, Tuesday November 27th.

However, it may need to be rescheduled for another date if the needed funds have not come in yet. This trip involves traveling nearly 2 hours each way, plus the low admission cost, and other costs such as feeding everyone. It comes to $300 needed in total.  Bus fare has already been covered now, praise God! Now only $150 remains to be donated.

route map to Rana Park

I’m sure we all can agree that field trips are an important part of a child’s education, especially when the children come from poor families who cannot provide some of these experiences for their children.

This is a popular destination for school trips, as the children can be exposed to a wide variety of mind-expanding experiences all in one place. school kids riding on a wagon

There are various kinds of birds and animals to observe.birds at Rana Park

There is a little “train” (without tracks) that can carry people along some of the roads in this beautiful natural setting. There are also many other attractions.swans and boats

I found a couple of YouTube videos (narrated in the Urdu language) that take you on tours through the park. Apparently, these are professionally done episodes of a local TV show.

Even though it’s not narrated in English, you can get a very good feel for what this place is all about and how Amin’s school kids can be enriched by going there.  (All the images in this blog post are extracted from these two videos.)  I enjoyed watching the videos and feeling like I was experiencing this place for myself.

video image

Click on the video image to watch it in YouTube.
Here’s the other one. Watch and enjoy! Get excited along with the kids!

video image 2