ROMANIA UPDATE
The newsletter of Romania Care, registered charity no. 1012759

September 2003

Do something new this Christmas Send a Food Parcel to Romania.

Our last newsletter gave notice of our intention to send Food Parcels to Romania this year, replacing our previous Christmas shoebox programme. Food is of more use to a family struggling to feed themselves during a long cold winter, and the arrival of a food box with Christmas card will certainly give the message that someone cares!

The new appeal was launched on the Internet during August and already a few responses have been received.

A poster and information leaflet are included with this newsletter; we would be grateful if you would display the poster at your church, school, office… and copy as many of the leaflets as you need to give to people.

It would help us if you could get money and cards to us by the 20th October. The deadline is the 7th November and the cards will go out to Romania on the 10th.

Thank you for your help.

Giving to Romania Care

If you have a charity card you can now give to Romania Care on line. Visit the web site to find out how. We are also looking at adding the ability to give on line by debit and credit card.

Summer Team Reports

Week 1 - Clit

Jesus said, "suffer the little children to come unto me", and they came. About seventy in number the first day and rising to over one hundred by the end of the week. From toddlers accompanied by older brothers and sisters, to fifteen year olds, they all came. I was in the village of Clit in Romania right up on the Ukraine, Moldovian border where many of our Shoeboxes found a home following the devastating floods last year. A party of eight of us, from England and three Romanian interpreters, returned on 21st of July of this year to run a holiday club for the children.

The first activity every day was aerobics undertaken by Tim. Where we were all put through our paces. The enthusiasm and excitement of the children gave way to smiles and laughter. Then it was off to sit on the logs in the shade, for Bible Stories, songs and a quick English lesson by way of songs such as. Heads shoulders knees and toes, and I can sing a rainbow.

Many children in Romania have very little in the way of recreation. When not at school they would be set to work in the fields or tending the animals. Many live on the poverty line their families seeking out an existence from the land. Some children came to holiday club in their very best clothes and others came without shoes. These children who have so little in comparison to our own, sat intrigued and awed by the stories. They were delighted by the use of glitter glue, paper and feathers and were overjoyed at having their face painted.

The little that we were able to offer produced so much joy and pleasure. We took the love of Jesus Christ to the children of Romania and they took us into their hearts.

Romania Care. Love and Care from Here to There.

Chrissie Blake

Week 2 - Fintinele

John and I joined the Team for the second week, to be involved, in the Holiday Club in Fintinele. We were based in Suceava, where our hosts Elizabeth and George cared for us very well. Our lack of Romanian and their little English was not a problem Elizabeth and I shared the language of love- smiles, hugs and kisses - and got by!

The Holiday Club, to which between 200-350 children came, was quite amazing, especially the eagerness and enthusiasm of the youngsters (aged 2-16) to participate in every type of activity, games, craft, singing etc. Their willingness to queue and desire to do everything on offer is astounding - and in itself is a challenge! There maybe a time when the 'toys' and 'draws' of the West will filter their community to such a degree that they will not be as open of willing to participate. So this was a wonderful opportunity to be planting seeds. As too, was the showing of the childrens' version of the 'Jesus' video one evening. When between 225-250 youngsters crowded into a depressingly dismal, hot, stuffy classroom, sitting on desks, chairs and the floor! They were excited and delighted to watch themselves on video film, taken earlier in the week by Peter. Then they sat enthralled as they watched the 'Jesus' film, even the teenage boys sitting on the desks in the back row!

The dark, drab, sombre atmosphere of Fintinele School, where the Holiday Club met, was a shock and is hard to describe. Such a contrast to the local school where we work in England! However, the gratitude of the Headteacher for our work with the children was obvious, as was his delight to receive a small gift of money to buy new curtains for his school!!

The Romanians we met were generous, friendly people, who we felt privileged to meet. Our time in Romania has touched us deeply; a time of laughter and tears; a time of blessing and heart searching; a time of frustration and joy, but also a time of hope and a future.

Joan Mayo

Nursing and Respite Care Home Project update.

Work has continued through the summer with the building. We are now at the stage where the following is complete :

Building shell
Building inside rendered and tiled.
Electric case wiring (but not fittings)
Sanitary pipes (but not fittings)
Site has been fenced.
Some internal painting has been completed on the top floor. A “post Alpha course” group from Brighton go out to Romania on 13th September for a week to do some painting of the middle floor.

We have about £7,000 in the bank, or promised, which will pay for some of the heating to be installed. This will allow work to continue through the winter if funds are available. However, work may have to stop if further money is not forthcoming.

To date over £135,000 has been given or promised. A further £27,000 is still needed to complete the building. Would you consider holding a special appeal for us at Christmas this year—we would be happy to come and give a presentation.

We hope to open the home in May or July 2004. Please join us in praying for the remaining financial needs.

Thank you.

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It is possible to give by cash, cheque, CAF voucher, CharityCard and Give As You Earn.

More details of all these ways of giving can be obtained from the office.

Romania Care
Registered Charity No 1012759
Office: 4 Bury Lane, Codicote, Herts, SG4 8XT
Phone/Fax: 01438 - 822007.
Email: info@RomaniaCare.com