A Christmas party. Thanksgiving dinner. Friday movie night. Easter dinner. Birthdays. These activities are hard to label as a project and so we have grouped them together under the title, "Family Environment."

Somebody's Birthday!

In short, our job in Romania is not a 9 to 5 job. In a very real way, it is as if we have 20 some-odd teenagers in our family! This means that we work 24/7; a parent doesn't stop being a parent at five o'clock!

Thanksgiving meal!

Our goal is, in a small way, to fill the role of the parents these orphans never had. A good parent raises up his child to become an independent adult. Even though the orphans we work with are teenagers/young adults, their maturity level does not match their age. Years of having no one to instruct, love, teach, and nurture them has left them quite immature.

We show the orphans love and acceptance and work on building a relationship with them. After this, however, comes a difficult time when, because we love them, we must help them to overcome these deficiencies from their past. This is always painful, for them and for us, and requires persistence, wisdom, patience, and, above all, God's help!

Nevertheless, after several years of working with the orphans we can see a difference. Some are well on their way to becoming productive, independent, and mature Christians and citizens; others still need a lot of work.

This may be the most difficult part of our ministry in Romania. Not being a specific project, fundraising for this aspect of our ministry is limited to general donations. Therefore, we appreciate so much those who support us with their monthly gifts. They enable us to live and work among these young people, training, supporting, and loving them - just as Christ has done for us!

Church Attendance