Articles by Christopher

This article was written by Dr. Bernard Starr, and originally published in March 2009 his column Spiritual Psychology at ReligionAndSpirituality.com. (link to original article)

A biblical scholar once told me that God actually makes few direct interventions in the Old Testament to initiate miracles. Most miracles, he said, are performed at the human level by inspired people who rise to an occasion to address a crisis or desperate need. The story of Esther is a prime example. She placed herself at great risk in revealing to her Persian King husband Ahasuerus that she was Jewish, and then asking him to save her people from the evil Haman.

Today I have a story of another miracle performed by a mortal saint named Ruth. Not Ruth of the Old Testament but Ruth of the NGO—The Institute of Global Education (IGE)— that I represent at the United Nations.

This story begins in 1987 when Ruth retired from her job as director of food services at several skilled nursing facilities. Ruth, a mother earth type of great warmth and compassion, seemed destined to play out her life traveling frequently from her home in Oregon to Costa Rica to dote on her three grandchildren whom she adored. Her daughter and son-in-law operated a short wave radio station in Costa Rica—Radio For Peace International (RFPI)—that was founded by Ruth’s husband, Dr.Richard Schneider, along with the former President of Costa Rica, Dr. Rodrigo Carazo. Dr. Corazo joined Dr. Robert Muller (Asst. secretary General of the UN at the time) in establishing the United Nations University for Peace (UPAZ) in Costa Rica. Radio for Peace International was located on the campus of the University for Peace. In addition to its own broadcasting RFPI did daily UN broadcasting.

Ruth’s life at that point seemed like an idyllic peaceful playland of simple joys and serene happiness. But that was about to change dramatically. I first learned about Ruth’s incredible journey in 1995 at a yearly gathering in Costa Rica when I joined Radio For Peace International as a broadcaster and member of the International Board of Directors.

Here’s the story of Ruth and the miracle of the Mucherla Global School told to me in an interview with her husband Dr. Richard Schneider:

Question: Richard, tell us how Ruth came to establish the Mucherla School in a remote part of rural India—something that seems so improbable on the face of it.

Answer: When Ruth started drawing social security at age 62 she decided she wanted to reach out and do something with her own educational ideas and with her own small social security funds. She had lived and taught in several states, including Alaska, while I worked for several federal, state and private social service organizations. She wanted to go to a rural area where the various conditions could be contained. Then I met John from the Mucherla area in India (a remote area about 200 miles from Hyderabad in the State of Andhra Pradesh) at an international meeting while serving as Chair of the Education Commission of the World Citizens Assembly. John invited Ruth to take over his Telugu (the state language) medium school and convert in to an English speaking elementary school in Mucherla. She had never been to India, but the idea seemed right and so was the rural place.

Q: Tell us about the journey to Mucherla and what you found there when you arrived.

A: I went to India as the advance guard in early 1992 to evaluate the possibilities. In early August, Ruth took the long plane flight from Portland, Oregon through Delhi to Hyderabad. It was a full two day trip at the time. She had five suitcases of materials and supplies. She then made the eight hour trip by jeep over almost impassable roads to Mucherla.

We found a village of 12,000 in a very rural area in the state of Andhra Pradesh in south central India. The illiteracy rate was above 60%.There were no toilets, and water came from hand dug wells. The area was mostly divided into small farms of one to five acres and entirely dependent on agriculture. There was one vastly overcrowded public school where the failure rate approached 80% . There was also a 30 student Telugu (the state language) private school. We found an enthusiasm and intense desire for better education for all the children. There was a great desire for learning English—it was seen as the stepping stone to higher education.

Q: What inspired Ruth to launch such an ambitious project under such difficult conditions?

A: Ruth had spent five years in Costa Rica and was in frequent conversation with Dr. Robert Muller, who had developed an educational philosophy while at the United Nations for 38 years. It was called The World Core Curriculum. She had been a long time teacher and was deeply interested in his concept and in the philosophy of effective multilingual education in general. She was well aware of the relationship of poverty to education with Eskimos and American Indians when we lived and worked in Alaska.

Q: What were the obstacles to setting up a communal school in a diverse rural community.

A: The village was deeply divided by the caste system. The largest group was BC’s (Backward Class) in three different divisions. The binding force was poverty— the average annual income was less than $200 per family. The population was largely Hindu, with 20% Christian and another 10% Muslim. There had been frequent and sometimes violent disputes among these groups. However, the village immediately came together for the new school and provided support and help.

Q: What kind of facilities did you have? And how did you get staff and equipment?

A: Ruth started with what was there: 30 students, none spoke a word of English, two tiny classrooms, with another room for living, and a nearby church. She slept on the floor of the church for more than a year. There were four teachers from the local area, none with degrees or education above the Tenth Level, who spoke rudimentary English or none at all. The exception was the managing director that Ruth appointed. He had been to Costa Rica as an intern for six months. Ruth brought her own books and materials since there were none, except for simple chalkboards. She also brought her “down to earth, it can be done” unflappable attitude and pioneering spirit. Within a month she was teaching entirely in English. She had intensive daily English lessons with the teachers. She believed that change came about with education and had to be part of personal values. Her Nine Rules for Living have lasted to this day. Remember to: Be kind, Be courteous, Do your best, Be honest, Respect yourself, Be happy, Accept responsibility, Thank God, Dream big.

Q: What was the more formal educational philosophy and guiding educational principles of the Mucherla School?

A: Ruth and I believed that the emphasis on personal and planetary transformation can be accomplished through education on a significant multi-dimensional scale. Ruth was driven by the conviction that education is a very potent force in shaping values and in harmonizing the forces of tradition and innovation. Education, though, must be sustainable, holistic, and experiential. Additionally, education must respect and draw on the resources of cultural and individual diversity by encouraging individuals, groups and organizations to discover their special talents and potential contributions. We must educate toward an international world view as never before. We must educate for global citizenship as well as local and national identity.

Q: The first year must have been extremely difficult.

A: That’s putting it mildly. The first year was fraught with many challenges. The summers (May and June) are hot —up to 115F degrees. The nearest town to buy food and necessities was 20 miles away over very bad roads that were impassable during the rainy season. Many of the children came to school hungry. In fact, Ruth soon had a large garden that was expanded within a few months to include every child. There had been no gardens in the village. The children were riddled with intestinal worms and skin diseases. There was a chicken pox outbreak the first year that sickened the entire school. There were controversies about boys and girls being in the same class together and even sitting next to each other. Quietly and carefully, Ruth simply stated that was the way it was and if they wanted their children to attend these were the conditions. Several higher caste children wanted special consideration such as special seating away from the lower caste children. They didn’t get any. The interesting point is that not a single child was withdrawn or quit due to these rules. The attendance was a remarkable 95% even with the sickness and controversies. Ruth had teacher supervised hand washing before entering the school, a tooth brushing pit for spitting, a visual outside inspection of each child, and an hour free reading program before school started. She started an early morning snack break that was actually breakfast for many of the children; it included porridge and fruit or an egg and chapatti (unleavened flat bread).

Q: Richard, I know you have many compelling individual stories that highlight the unique challenges that Ruth and you had deal with—stories that are far removed from what we call classroom challenges in the united States.

A: Yes, the daily situations that we faced in Mucherla were quite different. For example one day a 14 year old Muslim old girl was taken out of school for marriage. Ruth had the entire school picket the family home for two days before the marriage was withdrawn. I was amazed that Ruth was able to get away with this as I feel certain no one there would have dared try such a thing. Abeda graduated from tenth level three years later and went on to college.

Here’s another example: One day Ruth arrived at the school from across the street to find a 12-year-old boy sleeping on the cement porch. Dilip had walked nearly 20 miles in two days to his grandmother’s house in Mucherla because he had heard there was an English medium school. He asked to stay and attend. In 2009 he is in second year of graduate school in computers.

And this situation you’re not likely to find in New York, Chicago or LA: One day Ruth heard some loud screaming and children running. She quickly went to see what was happening. A six foot cobra snake had slithered under the wall and was in the courtyard. Several men came from the village to remove it.
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Sadly, Ruth Schneider died in January 2000 after a brief battle with cancer. But the miracle of Mucherla has continued. Her husband, Richard Schneider, has picked up the baton and is keeping Ruth’s legacy alive with his “Embrace Program” that provides continued support for the children who graduated from the Mucherla school that Ruth founded.

INSTITUTE OF GLOBAL EDUCATION

Annual Report of the Chief  Executive Officer to the Board of  Directors
For the period May 1, 2007 to April 1, 2008

Our work in India began on August 1, 1994  when Ruth arrived in Mucherla and opened Mucherla Global School five days later. The school opened with enthusiasm, inspiration, high idealism and much goodwill. Ruth had made a life changing move at age 65 to new horizons, new visions and new service.  She wrote the curriculum, developed the ideals of the world core curriculum into workable day to day studies, and experimented with many educational tools and activities to make them relevant and useful in a foreign culture. The school became an immediate success in every respect and flourished dynamically in every way.  Over the next six years the school grew from 22 to 150 students. Ruth had left an incredible, lasting legacy when she died on January 3, 2000.

I was left to carry her work on into the future and there was never a moment of doubt in my mind that I would accept this challenge. Little did I realize the enormity of the task and responsibility that I was undertaking, or the many challenges, opportunities, joys, downsides and disappointments I would endure and live through. I arrive in 2008 with profound gratitude, with a deep sense of awe for the outpouring of love, support, growth and development of our students. It did not happen quickly, but rather was slow, steady and always evolving in mysterious and wondrous ways. After the loss of the school in 2003, we were provided with equal or greater opportunities to serve, encourage and help these wonderful young people to realize their potential, break through the economic and social barriers that bound them tightly, move toward independence and to create a strong, enduring bridge to their futures.

In 2007 we saw our first students graduate from college with degrees: Pavani, Hazrath and Jacob Dilip. This was an astounding success for them and for us. It was literally a dream that came true. It was not an easy mountain to climb but these young people climbed it together and we handed them a rope as needed and with unconditional love always. All three are now in graduate school. Five students graduated this year with college degrees: Saritha (she will take her finals in September), David, Veeranagulu, Vijay and William. Two graduated from the all important Tenth Level: Sravani and Ravi. Ravi is the last student that Ruth accepted into Mucherla Global School the day before she left for the last time.

On a personal note, I developed a rotor cuff tear for unknown reasons which required several weeks of physical therapy.  Then I had a fall while in Portland for the Board meeting last year. It eventually led to an open cholecystectomy where gangrene was discovered and required eleven days in the hospital. This delayed my second return to India by two months.

I went to Delhi by invitation in early December to speak at the “Peace Education for all India Conference”. The work of Leban Serto came out of the Hague Appeal for Peace in The Netherlands in 1999. More than a dozen national organizations were involved, mostly from north India. We made many new friends.

Then later in December when Eleanor and Peter Schaffer visited, we were honored with them in six tribal villages. We travelled 1,094 miles in four days to visit these remote villages, one without electricity.  Eleanor and Peter sponsored a Christmas party and banquet which was another first for many of our students. Their visit was clearly the highlight of the year of many highlights. Previously in the year, I visited many tribal villages and there were seven festivals in my honor.

We had another year of heavy medical expenses and medical emergencies. We had nothing quite as bad as Ravi’s typhoid fever the year before, but did have five cases of typhoid fever and two confirmed cases of malaria. No one who was immunized for malaria the year before got it, however.  Three students had to be hospitalized for periods up to a week. Three students had to have exams and new eye glasses and three others had to have serious dental work.

We did serious work on the development of the educational consortium. We had several meetings in Hyderabad and enlisted the cooperation of  Dr. C. Rao, who served UNESCO for many years.  Dr. Rao has a large and incredibly successful social and housing organization and is on a number of national boards. We also enlisted Kim Reddy, thanks to a connection of  Eleanor Schaffer, who directs his own large IT and came out of the Pondicherry and Aurobindo experience.

Bernard Gross completed the draft business plan for the Aquapac Project. There is a great deal of general interest, however, we now need a few serious investors as well as the finalization and implementation of the business plan. The holder of the patent is ready to move ahead and we are challenged to keep pace. Everyone agrees that the Aquapac will save lives, many lives. Ask Eleanor and Peter Schaffer and you will get  resounding agreement for the need and you will feel their enthusiasm for the project.

My apartment in Vijayawada became a dormitory for seven students. With the ever increasing costs of hostels we needed to save money as well as provide  more independent living, especially for our graduating students, who have lived all their years under strict and often unreasonable rules and regulations. The boys do the food shopping and all the cooking. They have become excellent cooks. We do provide a housekeeper and washer woman (which I would have anyway). We have daily family meetings, whether I am there are not, which resolve things before they become issues and creates a truly family atmosphere.

One important problem that continues to squeeze us in many ways is the declining exchange rate of the US dollar. One year ago we were still getting 45, 46, and even 47 on occasion, rupees per dollar. This has fallen to an average of 38 rupees per dollar and has fallen as low as 37. Added to this blow is the 6.5 and 7.1 percent inflation rates in India. Tuition and hostels fees went up by an average of 15% the past academic year along with a rise in staple food prices such as rice and vegetables.  In 2007 we raised more money in donations than we have in five years and at the same time had less to actually spend. There is no answer to this situation but to raise additional funds to compensate for the declining dollar.

We need to strengthen the sponsorship program and bring in additional donations. Eleanor has done a herculean job of raising funds for scholarships and Eleanor and Peter have gone the extra mile time and time again. Ray Civello, Douglas and Karen Schneider, Richard Schiffman, and the World Service Association have also gone the extra mile. Our faithful monthly donors deserve equal credit and commendation. The fact remains that we have several approved students without sponsors which puts serious pressure on the overall budget. It will be another year before graduating students begin paying back to the scholarship fund. There are no easy answers but it will take commitment, effort and dollars to close the gap.

David will go to Canada for a year of training and enrichment. In Canada, Dorothy’s group known as the World Service Association, has chosen to pick up this project. I realize that at 73 I must begin to think in terms of continuity and begin the turnover to the next generation.  This doesn’t mean that there is an immediate plan for my departure, but that there is recognition and effort to assure the program success well into the future.

There are serious and important decisions to be made in the more immediate future. We have two students graduating from Tenth Level and need a further educational plan. One should go to the USA or Canada. Then there are four completing Plus Two. Two want to go into engineering, one to biotechnology school and one to business school. Three will get college degrees next spring. Some of the degree graduates want to go on to graduate school.

We have created success for these students. We need to continue to stand by them. Education is the great and, in fact, the only real leveller in India. Our graduates have broken through generations of social downcast. They have broken through the stigma of class, caste and economic deprivation. We simply must assure that they are enabled to pursue their chosen paths and become all they were meant to be.

We have succeeded beyond our dreams. Now we must finish the course with each one in their time. The CEO, the Board and our supporters still have work to do. The future leadership of India are now preparing for their future careers and service. They still need our hand to hold at times, have our financial support, our steadfast belief in them, and our love and service to each of them.

Respectfully submitted, F. Richard Schneider, CEO