Frequently Asked Questions
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[accordion title=”Do you offer any certificates?“]
- We award graduates a Herghelia Certificate of Completion, recognized in Adventist institutions. There is a plan to renew the massage certification we offered previously, and we would like to give a coaching certificate, eventually.
- What counts for us are the skills you can use after training, and your positive work ethics
[accordion title=”Are there any issues concerning cell phone use?“]
Based on our experience, we prefer for cell phones to be put aside at the beginning of each class unless indicated otherwise by the teacher. Students are better able to focus on the presenter and the activities of the class.
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[accordion title=”What sports do you offer?“]
- Herghelia school discourages competitive sports. We like to do hiking, running, go to the gym in the lifestyle center, and play Bible games.
- If you are creative, please bring some ideas of fun activities we could do as a group.
[accordion title=”Do we have morning devotions?“]
- There is your private time devotions, early morning, ideally from about 5:30-6:20 a.m.. People who go to bed late obviously will struggle in this area. Your private time is not organized by the school, but on your own initiative. Without personal time with God the Father and Jesus Christ, we can’t maintain our love relationship with Them. It affects our interpersonal relationships as well.
- At 7:00 in the morning we have classes on spiritual themes. Students are engaged in active learning as they listen to lectures, take notes, reflect and discuss and/or write about the new insights they have on a given question.
[accordion title=”What happens if I am late?“]
- As in professional life, punctuality is required at all times. This includes morning exercise, classes, meetings, work time and bed time. There are consequences for being late. The first two offenses are pardoned but a penalty is applied on the third offense – it counts for an extra hour of work, and the student is assigned work according to the school needs. Similarly, teachers and students who conduct classes are expected to begin and end on time.
- Coming late for meals affects your colleagues who are on kitchen duty. They need to prepare the meals and clean afterwards and be able to come in time to work or class.
- Students who come late for a meal might miss it, as the serving dishes will be cleared away at the scheduled time.
[accordion title=”Can I eat as much as I’d like, and what foods are “not allowed”?“]
- Food quantities: Some people have a habit of taking too much on their plate and then throwing away what they didn’t eat or didn’t like. Please, always take less, especially of the food you are not sure you would like (something new). You can always return later for a second portion
- Junk food: You will be participating in a medical missionary training program where we uphold and live the principles that you will be learning and teaching to others. So, wanting to eat candies, cheese, coffee/tea, or white bread instead of fruit, cereals and whole wheat bread will pose a problem. We teach against such practices and we want to live in harmony with our teaching.
- Snacking: we eat three meals a day. If snacking is a habit you have developed, please consider overcoming it. There should be no issues over basic health principles like this one. Medical missionaries need to live what they preach.
[accordion title=”Do you practice fasting?“]
On Thursday evenings there is an appeal to participate in fasting and prayer and there is the option of taking your meal to someone in need, in the village. Here are some reason for developing this habit:
- it develops sensitivity to the suffering;
- strengthens self-control (if we gain victory over appetite we will gain victory over any other sin);
- it is an opportunity to experience how it is to give away something you would like to have for yourself;
- the stomach rests and the body is cleansed (natural detox);
- Jesus Himself shows us this example (“Jesus worked to relieve every case of suffering that He saw. He had little money to give, but He often denied Himself of food in order to relieve those who appeared more needy than He.” DA 87.1) If you have any health condition(s) to deter you, please let the school team know.
[accordion title=”What about food allergies and intolerance (to gluten for example)“]
If you have any health conditions that are diet related, please let the school team know.
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[accordion title=”What is Admin/Family Meeting about?“]
Once a week, we meet to discuss what is happening among us, to plan for the coming Friday vespers, Sabbath worship and Sunday mission program. Be ready at this meeting to bring your observations and suggestion about what can be improved, to express appreciation of each other’s kindness and to suggest how we can work together to help others in need.
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[accordion title=”Is there a dress code?“]
- We want to develop the habit of being well dressed in public, and to be as representative of Herghelia as possible. Therefore, male students are discouraged from wearing sports outfits to classes
- In warm weather, if the male students would like to wear shorts, please make sure they are below the knees. When seated, the knees should not be sticking out.
- Similar guidelines apply to ladies: when seated, make sure the skirt is still covering the knees. Please, look for longer skirts as in preparing to come to our school. Skirts should be wide enough to allow free movement. Please don’t bring panta-skirts, shorts, or short, tight skirts or dresses.
- Sleeveless, t-shirts/blouses for males and females are not allowed.
- Please, pay attention to the slogans and messages printed on your shirts. They should not send messages contrary to our beliefs (eg: “did you get your coffee today”). We don’t want to be walking advertisements for the enemy of our souls. We believe in the power of the word to send positive or negative messages affecting people for good or for evil
[accordion title=”What about Kitchen Duty?“]
We call it ‘kitchen beauty’; It is the rotation of students working in pairs, to prepare and/or serve the meals of the day, and to clean the kitchen and dining area after the meals. There is a list of duties to be checked off. Nothing should be left for the next day’s team to do.
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[accordion title=”What if I’d like to leave after a month or two? “]
You might discover after a few weeks, that this school program is not quite what you expected or wanted. On our side, after observation, we might realize that you are not suitable for our program. In either case, premature departure has a cost. For further details, please refer to the Refund Policy section
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[accordion title=”What if I have differing theological views?“]
Please, take a look at some points below and consider whether or not you can accept these views. We live out our beliefs in our life here at school and we do not want to force them on you:
- We observe the 7th day (Saturday) as the holy Sabbath day (Ex 20:8-11) unlike most of Christians who consider Sunday as holy
- We believe and teach that we were born with a selfish nature and this selfishness is condemned and needs to be crucified with Christ (Gal 2:20)
- We believe that when “the Word became flesh,” Christ took upon Himself 4,000 years of degradation and the consequences of sin but by no means did He struggle with the same selfish natural inclinations we do. He was and is “infinitely pure” in contrast to our selfishness and depravity.
[accordion title=”Do I have to go to /get involved with Sabbath worship?“]
The main reason for coming to our training institution is to prepare to serve in your church or regional Conference. Many people come to church just as “consumers” of the programs presented. We are the ones who seek to be actively involved in the worship and mission of our church
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[accordion title=”Do I have to go on a school mission each Sunday? “]
- Just like the Sabbath worship question, Sunday missions are key. If going out to minister people is not your delight and would make you too uneasy, please do not apply. We read: “No sooner does one come to Christ than there is born in his heart a desire to make known to others what a precious Friend he has found in Jesus; the saving and sanctifying truth cannot be shut up in his heart.” Steps to Christ, p. 78.2
- This training is seeking people who “mean business.” Medical missionary work is not easy. It is pioneering in many areas, including our churches, and requires strong determination, motivation out of love, and willingness to face challenges. Paul appeals to “redeem the time”. While people are “killing” their time in front of computers or elsewhere, we know that time is short and we have a burden for people to be saved.
[accordion title=”How can I get to town for shopping for private things?“]
- There is a local bus – see the time table
- If the school car is used (a member of staff as chauffeur) the cost of the fuel is 40 lei and the driver’s time is 20 lei/hour.
[accordion title=”Shopping“]
On free Sundays, students can use local public transportation to get to the nearby town of Târgu Mureș for their private shopping. If the school car is used, the above charges for fuel and the driver’s time are applicable.
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[accordion title=”Travel to airports“]
The cost of a trip to the airport using a school car driven by a member of staff:
- from Herghelia to Târgu Mureș airport – 80 lei
- from Herghelia to Cluj Napoca airpot – 250 lei
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