Camelia Topală, project coordinator for the partner Association 100% Life Romania delivers a fantastic report
Dear friends and partners,
The year 2020 was a challenge for each of us. It was a year in which we realized that life is fleeting and we depend 100% on the Lord's help. But as The Bible says.
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
But above all, more than ever, the gospel and love of God must be spread, because He is the only source of security in troubled times. Even if it was more difficult, we would like to thank you for financially supporting the projects in Romania and you prayed for us that the work would go further. Without your support and involvement, we would not have succeeded, so I pray that God rewards you and increase your income.
“May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whos”(Ruth 2:12)
At the beginning of the year, a number of 25 parents with children with disabilities completed the second module of the Alpha Course. Most of them come from the Orthodox community and as a result of the courses, many of them started attending evangelical churches. 5 of them have confessed to the Lord as their personal savior.
As did Alina (above), who for 4 years has been constantly taking care of her 16-year-old son Sandu, who was paralyzed in a pram after an accident at school. At our Evangelism Conference organized in 2019 following the prayers for Sandu, it was the first time he got up from the cart and stood. God works wonderfully in their lives. Sandu now sings songs to the praise of the Lord.
With a number of 35 mothers just before the restriction, in Suceava we had a group meeting, mothers who have children with disabilities from Suceava together with sisters from the church. They gave the mothers signs of Bible verses, meditation thoughts, and a study book. The purpose of the meeting was to create connections between mothers who have children with disabilities in the Orthodox environment and church sisters who can support and encourage them in prayer.
Regardless of the conditions in which you live, you want to have parents and receive their love. This is also the case with Alina, a 12-year-old girl who, after Bible lessons, understood the verse from Ephesians 6: 1, "Honor your father and your mother..." And the other 35 children from the Dimacheni Center learned that God tells them to be obedient to their parents.
Some mothers were surprised by the calm and changed behavior of the children for the better. Being from the Orthodox environment, some did not have a good education in the family and no one gave them value. That is why they were surprised to hear about kindness, love and obedience, as Alina confessed to us, "I was beaten, abused and without school, but my child has another chance because of you."
Ioana had a hard life raising her 3 children alone and found out about God's love at the evangelistic meetings for parents organized by the 100% Association at the Dimăcheni Center. She confessed, “When I was little I was left alone and the pig ate my paw. I grew up without love in the Orthodox environment. Thanks to you, I have a purpose in life. I learned to sew linen, to weave carpets, to go to the assembly, but above all I understood that only God is the one who can give me a future and hope.
Madalina is a 15-year-old teenager who comes to the Star of Hope Center in Dimacheni. She has a 3rd degree disability and 4 deaf-mute brothers. She was expelled from school and her children made fun of her. The only place she found peace was at our meetings. She started reading the Bible and came to church. The gospel changes lives and gives a chance to any being regardless of social status or disability!
Even though we have not been able to meet with our parents since April, we have distributed bibles. Daria has Down Syndrome, she can't read but she was very happy when I gave her the bible. They have a very hard life because Daria's father consumes alcohol and is sometimes violent. Her mother began to read from the Bible, this being the only consolation in difficult moments
At the Star Of Hope center, the 100% Life Association organizes monthly spiritual growth meetings for parents who have children with disabilities. While the parents are meeting, children with disabilities such as Down Syndrome, microcephaly, autism, cerebral paralysis, learn through pictures, songs, and games Bible lessons about creation, death, and resurrection of the Lord, and learn to pray. Even if they do not know how to say many things and we do not understand their desire, you can read on their faces and lips the sincerity and joy of being in the presence of the savior.
Even during the isolation period, the 100% Life Association and the Star of Hope Foundation remained close to these families. We encouraged them, offered them methods of working with children at home, and developed prayer groups. We continued to help families with clothing, footwear, food. We made protective masks. We bought animals and built fountains. We distributed bibles. Some of us had to lead them on the last road on this earth and then be with the remaining families to comfort and encourage them.
In 2020, in addition to the good news of the gospel, a number of 250 families were helped with shoes and clothing and more than 450 bags of food were distributed.
We offered hundreds of hours of homework help for the troubled children in Dimacheni, in safe conditions after the disinfection of the center. These children do not have the opportunity to learn at home, they do not have internet and computers. Some parents do not know how to write, read and do not have the opportunity to learn online. We offered school supplies and 100 backpacks.
Two,2 washing machines were bought. The mothers of these children have undergone surgeries and cannot take care of the children.
At the Dimacheni Center, 7 women learned to sew traditional masks and carpets. They were made from recyclable materials, respectively scrap material from used linen and clothes that can no longer be used.
We built a water well for a family with 6 children who had no water and carried it from a great distance.
We helped families buy seeds to put in the ground and during the pandemic, they had food from the garden for the children.
Hens, goats, sheep, calves were bought for families.
Gabriel is a 12-year-old boy. He was raised by his uncle in very difficult living conditions. Abandoned by his mother and father, Gabriel did not attend school for 3 years. When we identified this case, we approached the school to convince them to integrate him back into education, we helped him with homework in our center. Now he is back at school, he is learning very well, he wants to go on to high school and when he grows up he wants to become a pilot.
Ana is the mother of 9 children who went through many difficulties. She was diagnosed with cancer, her husband is very violent and aggressive. Both parents can't read or write. Thanks to our center 4 of the children of this family will have a different future.
With the support of you and other people with a big heart, the two families can now live in better living conditions.
And you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. Luke(14:14)
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