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This may be the wrong area, but a number of families received registered letters today, from our Christian school, stating that we all have to pay out tuition in full within 30 days ... if not they are sending us to a collection agency. 

This is a mind-blowing shock to many of us, as we were set up on payment schedules — that both we and the school agreed to, and now that the school finds itself in $5000,000 worth of debt, they are bullying us to pay it all in 30 days ... no meetings prior to this registered letter, no phone calls-no emails. 

I could remind them to read 1 Corinthians 6:1-11, but I think that will fall on deaf ears. In our case, the years 2004/2005 found us stricken with my mothers passing, us adding on to our home so my father could live here and continue living a quality life, my diagnosis of MS-and the loss of my career, and my husband's permanent layoff at a factory that had provided medical benefits (no more MS medications) ... all that loss in a short time certainly hit like a ton a bricks. So we spoke to the school and worked out what we could afford to pay and they were fine with that ... until today. Other families have it much worse-one family lost their son to cancer 2 years ago, and incurred a great deal of debt with machines medicines, etc., but the family has been doing their best to repay as well.

Any ideas? They cannot get blood from a stone, but to do this is such a cold and cowardly way? I would appreciate any advice/feedback anyone could give me.

 

Thankyou :)

spitfire

Comments

Hi Spitfire, WOW, this is mind blowing, off putting to in and outsiders, how unbiblical can it get, Christians are not supposed to sue each other but find other ways to solve your problems, as you have done previously. There are two sides to a coin but it sounds that you and others are terribly mistreated here. Is there any possibility your minister can intervene on your behalf?, the church community is a big supporter of this school I presume and may have some influence talking to them. Now, to get out of the biblical realm, our news paper that we receive has a consumer help column, if people have tried to solve their differences they can contact the paper who will intervene on their behalf, you can tell the other party that you will have to go public with your complaint, it seems to have mind changing powers on their thinking. God bless you in this, remember, He cares for the disadvantaged even if we don't.

Hi All,

 

Thanks for your replies! 

I guess the saddest part of this all is that we believed that we actually had found a way to give our kids a Christian education that would not require my husband and I to each work 2 jobs, and actually be around to spend time with the family!  Some of the families have already spoken to lawyers, and it seems that the school did not expect people to take it so seriously... (I am scratching my head here too), as they are upset with these families, and told them that they over-reacted to the whole situation. 

I am hoping to deliver my response to the school via letter in the next day or two.  It simply breaks my heart that so many people are running around ‘promoting’ our Christian attitude and love and tolerance...but the reality seems to be (in my heart) that all that promoting is just smoke.  There is no one person to go to for accountability—nor is there one certain committee that will take ownership of this mass-renegade tuition round up.  It was not even brought up at the last board or membership meeting.  This was done by a small group of people on the board that thought they might look like heroes at tonight’s membership meeting by announcing they had a bunch of delinquents pay up.  Sigh...I keep rewriting my response to their letter over because I feel bitterness seeping into it.

Thank you all again for you replies!  And Ken-yes, I feel that we do loose our sense of community at times.  John- we were talking about the very same thing earlier today as well-it certainly is worth looking into.  Thanks for the suggestion  :)

~spitfire

Hi Spitfire (I don't know where you got that name from or for, my mothers eyes could spit fire if she had enough of our shenaniganism's!(:). Great that you take some time before "spitting fire" at the school, I have learned (but not all the time yet) to take the time to reflect on what I wrote, hit the SENT button, and promptly got into trouble!. Over reacting?, perhaps they should walk in yours and the rest of the families involved shoes before they say something like that, sounds like the government. Is there anything that you can do to help the situation?, family that can help out?, extra jobs certainly takes away family time, but it is not unheard of that people do it, would you still be interested in something like that. Don't answer these questions, it's non of my or anyone else's business, these are just some thoughts about the possibility of rectifying the situation, I get a sense of how important the schooling is for your kids and admire the hope you have to be able to give this to your kids. We are all sinners and do wrong, including anyone on any Christian based committee, if not, none of us would have to be involved with the church or it's institutions, our Hope lies in the Lord, I hope you won't loose that, my prayers for help and wisdom are with you in these coming days, God bless.

Hi John,

I got the nickname a long time ago at work, they said I was a ‘real spitfire’...I was not sure if that was a good or bad thing for a long time!!  My dad said they used to call women spitfire if they were opinionated and hot-headed...But it worked out to be a good thing, as they meant I was a go-getter and an independent thinker (another way to say, ‘good worker’, I guess)...it just stuck with me all these years. 

Thank you so much for helping me think this through out loud!  I learned the, “Oops!  Did I really just SEND that?”  lesson as well :)  A few of us have got together to talk about this in the practical, legal way, and we also spent time praying for patience and guidance...I am not sure what is happening now, as no one from the school has called or emailed back.  I will post how it unfolds and turns out—simply in case this can help someone else going through the same thing.

I have a question for you though---would you mind if I shared this with a couple of people who are really keen on ‘spitting fire’?  I think it might help calm a few hearts to see this can be discussed rather than fought about...our lives are about setting a Christian example, and I am worried  that our emotions are going to cause way too much hurt—(and burn a few bridges if we spit fire!)

~spitfire

Hi Spitfire, after reading your last reply I was thinking, some people received new names in the bible, i.e. Abraham, Jacob, and more, I like Spitfire, but I thought that "Peacemaker" would suit you very well! ( I don't expect you to change it though, but God loves the Peace Maker). Yes, you can share it with anyone you want, my comments like anything else in this world are not my own but belong to God,( and He forgives all the dumb things I say too!), after all He knows before I speak what is going to come out, John.

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