A team of three university students serving through Student.Go traveled to Hungary and Slovakia this summer to work in camps with Roma children alongside CBF field personnel Ralph and Tammy Stocks and Shane and Dianne McNary.  Tammy Stocks shares the following story about one of the team members – Nina Peppers – and her special relationship with one child:

Vivi is one of three triplets born to Roma parents in the village of Pocsaj.  Sadly, she has been nearly blind since birth.  The whole village helps look after her.  Vivi does not let her blindness hold her back.  She is very smart, in fact, Vivi now attends a special school in the nearby large city of Debrecen.  During the week the Student.GO team was in Pocsaj, Vivi and Nina developed a special bond.  Vivi was eager to learn English and Nina patiently helped her.  At the end of the week Nina “drew” Vivi a picture using aluminum foil, feathers, textile paint, glitter, beads, and various other things.  Vivi could “read” this picture with her fingers.  It was a wonderful scene as Nina traced Vivi’s fingers over the items, explaining what they were.  Vivi’s mom had tears in her eyes and said most people over look her daughter because of her handicap.  But Nina looked past her blindness and saw the 10 year old girl with a big heart and a clever mind.

Vivi at camp