Introduction

You found our blog! We're happy that you are interested in the partnership of Southfield Christian School and the nation of Kosovo. Please return daily February 11-20 as we post updates and pictures on our adventures in Kosovo.

There are most likely few questions on your mind right now. Let's see if we can answer them for you.

1. Where is Kosovo?

Kosovo is brand new country (their 1st independence day is February 17th!) that was once an autonomous province of Yugoslavia. In the late 1990's, tensions between neighboring Serbia and Kosovo flared and NATO forces, with support from the United States military, liberated Kosovo from Serbian oppression. The country of Kosovo was officially established and recognized shortly thereafter. More information about the history of Kosovo can be found here. 

2. Why is Southfield Christian School sending people to Kosovo?

This past summer, Margie Baldwin and Lauren King were asked to visit Kosovo to observe the work of Nadine Hennessey, an American who has devoted much of her life to ministering to the people of Kosovo. Several years ago Nadine opened up an after school tutoring program called House of Laughter. The program has grown considerably and has tremendously helped Kosovo children and teens. 

This summer, Nadine traveled to the US and was able to visit all of the SCS teaching staff during our staff training in August. She told us that she had been given a prime piece of land on which she plans to build the first Christian school in Kosovo. Fundraising is currently in process to open this school in the next couple of years. One of here immediate needs, however, was experienced teachers who could share their knowledge with hand-selected Kosovars who will become the teaching staff at the new school. SCS agreed to assist Nadine with her vision by providing staff to train these teachers.  

3. What are you going to be doing while in Kosovo?

While in Kosovo, we will be conducting teacher training workshops for the future staff of the school. Our sessions will be on practical issues such as lesson planning, classroom management, and effective instruction techniques. 

4. Where will you be in Kosovo?

We will be flying into the capitol, Pristina, before driving to a border town in the North-West of Kosovo called Mitrovica (pronounced "Mitrovitsa").

5. How did you get picked to go to Kosovo?

We would like to think that we were selected because we are the smartest, best-looking, and most highly educated of all the Southfield Christian staff. However, that is not the case! God placed a burden on each our hearts for Kosovo after hearing of Margie and Lauren's summer visit and Nadine's vision for the school. We expressed interest in traveling to Kosovo back in August, and between then and now, the Lord opened up doors for each of us to go. We are humbled and honored that we can be such a integral part of this exciting opportunity. 

6. Who exactly are you?

Dianne Allen: high school English teacher at SCS, wife of Dan Allen and mother of Libby Allen.

Joe Foote: high school history teacher at SCS, husband of Liz Foot and father of Anna Foote.

John Sowash: high school biology teacher at SCS, husband of Nellie Sowash and father of Jonelle Sowash. 

7. What are the details of your trip? 

We leave on Wednesday, February 11 at 9:00pm from Detroit Metro and fly to Vienna, Austria where we will be staying Thursday and Friday to adjust to the 8 hour time difference. Saturday afternoon we fly from Vienna to Prestina, Kosovo and will be picked up and driven to Mitrovica where will will stay until Thursday, February 19. 

Our return trip begins on Thursday the 19th when we fly from Prestina to Vienna. Our final flight is Friday  morning when we fly from Vienna to Detroit. Our expected arrival time back in Michigan is 4:30 on February 20.