From December 26 up to January 8 was the last journey to Romania. During this journey there where many things happened and there was much been spoken. We had good conversations with the committee of the church and also with the leaders of the Romanian youth of the church.

Together with the youth who came with us, the food parcels were composed and distributed and they could see the circumstances and the thankfulness of the families. Dimitru Marcu, one of our contact persons, knows the families, look at the situation and distribute every month the goods. He knows where needing help, talk it through with the committee and the foundation. All the products that come into the parcels are not bought in the Netherlands but are Romanian products. In this way we help the economy of the land and all the products what we buy are fresh. The committee advised us to circulate five of the twelve families who receive a food parcel. The other seven families become every month a food parcel.

We visit family Boroghina. At the end of last year, we received a cry of distress from the parents of Samuél, a little boy about four years old. A tub with boiling water came over him. He was serious burned. Good salve was not in the hospital. Thanks of a good friend, he is a doctor here in Hoogeveen, we send specialy salve to the family and we gave them money for an operation. The salve did good work to Samuél. The operation could be postpone. During our visit, his upper body is bind up with bandages and he have ugly wounds on his head. The last message told us that he doesn’t need an operation anymore and they gave the money back to the foundation.

During the last summer camp we asked to Romanian youth what they would like to do for the community. They told us that they would like something for the older people who have a difficult time. So the idea came up, to make, ones in the month, a good warm meal for them. The young people in the church prepare the food and serve it to them. In the mean time they can talk and built a relation between two generation. The meal will be served in the church to seventy or eighty old peoples.We find this a good initiative and our committee made a decision to give financial support for one year.

Also the youth will help poor people with practical things and help there children with home work or study. The committee of the church there would like to appoint a teacher to give extra lessons for children from big families who have trouble with learning at school.

We also visit a few old people to see how they live. Here are some samples:

Florian Cosma is 81 years old, he lives together with his son who is addicted to alcohol in an apartment on the fourth floor without an elevator. His wife died three years before. His pension is 3.700.000 lei ( € 92.50 ) and pays every month 1.500.000 lei ( € 37.50 )

Elena Alexandru is 67 years old, lives alone, her man died, one of her daughters visit her one times in a month. Se is ill and that’s why se can not go far outside the door. Her pension is 2.800.000 lei
( € 70.00 ) and pays every month 1.000.000 lei ( € 25.00 ) totally se have three daughters.

Tincuta Mirvald is 56 years old, together with her daughter se rent a one room apartment with a toilet and douche, with see must share with other families on the same floor. Tincuta don’t get money. Her daughter earns 2.200.000 lei ( € 55.00 ) the rent and here monthly payment are together 1.300.000 lei ( € 32.50 ) Tincuta her husband lives somewhere else and her daughter don’t have a husband.

Maria Lâcâtus is 63 years old, lives since one and a half year in an one room apartment with a toilet and douche, with see must share with other families on the same floor. Her man died two years before. Se have six children but se don’t have any contact with them. One of the children died. Her pension is 1.500.000 lei ( € 37.50 ) and her monthly payment is 700.000 lei ( € 17.50 )

Nico and Silvia live together with their three children in a small village. We know them for a few years already. Nico is a good christian and a hard working man who gives all for his family. In the spring he grows vegetables and later he sells them on the market. In the winter time he saw wood to sell it.
A few years ago we gave him plastic to built greenhouses for his vegetables to get a bigger harvest. Every time we go to Romania we go visit this family and now they are good friends of us. Last year, his vegetables got a disease and so he had almost no harvest and no money to live. In November last year some man and Nico went to Spain to work and earn money for the family. Soon there was no more work and Nico had to find other work. It’s been days, Silvia, his wife, hasn’t heard from him.
We don’t let our friends down and we do all what is possible to get Nico back to his family. As soon as he is home, Wouko and Piet will go to them and see what we can do to help them.

In the spring we will make a journey and we will leave on April 14. Together with eight men we go to Romania. There will be more conversation with the committee of the church in Brasov and the men who come with us can meet our contact persons in Brasov. Together we will visit a few families who are supported by the foundation but we will also enjoy the beautiful country.
Hopefully, Nico will be home at that time, so we can visit him and his family.