What a day of love can do

Reflections from Hannah S., a high school student who took a trip to Arad, Romania last summer:

Traveling to Romania was an unforgettable experience. While I was there, RCE had just rescued a six-year-old boy who had been abandoned on the streets. Every morning before we went off to visit families or work in Sunshine School, we would meet and pray. On the little boy’s first day, they introduced him to us at this morning meeting. He was traumatized and too scared to talk. At the end of the day, we took the kids out to pizza. While we sat around tables eating, the little boy was talking, laughing, and smiling from ear-to-ear. This shows what one day of love can do for someone who has never been loved, and RCE is really good at that.

Special Prayer Request for Romania and RCE

A newly elected Government in Romania recently passed a law ‘decriminalizing corruption’. Yes, you read that right. Decriminalizing corruption! Bribes under $44,000 will now be ‘legal’. People are taking to the streets (including Arad) in the largest demonstrations since the fall of communism to protest this amazing reversal of recent anti-corruption efforts.  After days of protests the government is now rethinking the decree.

Over the past year Romania’s anti-corruption measures have led to the arrest of high officials throughout the country, but it has also had some unintended consequences, including a proliferation of illogical, nonsensical regulations that make contracts like the one we have with the County of Arad almost unworkable.

A quick history: in 2007 RCE entered into a contract with the city of Arad to care for the abandoned children then living in 3 failing government owned orphanages next to our campus. The conditions were scandalous; the city wanted help. Since that time we have worked together, RCE provides great care for the kids and they provide the majority of the funding for what we call our Darius Houses (they still own those 3 buildings). This relationship has not been without challenges but over the years forty-five abandoned, abused and disabled, kids have been placed in Christian families for life! Thirty more needy children live there now.

A new three -year Contract is currently under review but, given what appear to be untenable new regulations, that Contract is at-risk.  RCE will continue to care for every one of the kids currently living in our Darius Houses – we have a life-plan for each one. But loss of the three houses could limit the number of children we could serve in the future and have a serious impact on in-country funding.

Please be in prayer for the country of Romania. Corruption is a major hindrance to its growth. And please pray for men and women in the County office that they will seek the good of the children and for a new Contract under livable terms. And please pray for wisdom for RCE that we might go forward in faith and continue to be a witness to the community in which we serve.

-Mary Ann Bell, Executive Director

Photo credit: Sergiu Salcau

Director's perspective: It would have been enough...

Every few weeks in this space, one of RCE's directors or board members will share the heart and philosophy behind the ministry. This week's post is by Mary Ann Bell, a co-founder of RCE who serves as Executive Director.

‘It would have been enough…’ goes the ancient Passover song, Dayenu. If God had only given us the Law, it would have been enough. If God had only brought us out of Egypt, it would have been enough. Or given us the Promised Land. But instead, as the poem goes, God has given us all that and so much more.

RCE is entering its 25th year. The Passover poem comes to mind as I ponder what God has accomplished in our midst in those years.

It would have been enough, I thought, watching Manu go about his daily life with purpose and joy -- it would have been enough to see just this life rescued. Manu endured all manner of domestic violence that left him mute, followed by time in a state orphanage, but today he has a joyful and purpose-filled life.

It would have been enough to see this young man, so severely disabled, now thriving in his own apartment in RCE’s community. He invites friends over. And he cooks them dinner! He enjoys his job at the RCE Thrift Store and Farm & Garden. It would have been enough.

Cici, whose finger was taken off with a machete by her drunken father, is now part of RCE’s Job Program learning marketable skills she will use one day at a job in the community. Georgiana graduates from high school this year. And Vasile, adopted age seven, is now married and expecting his first child. The cycle is broken. It would have been enough.

And yet there are so many restored lives. There is Darius. And Albert and Emilian. YoYo and Bobi, and more boys named Dani than I can keep straight. There is Florin, Florinel, and Florian. Madalina, and Ema. It would have been enough.

By God’s grace, in the past two and a half decades, RCE has placed more than 100 children into loving Romanian families. We marvel to witness the compassion, generosity and great grace of our God displayed in just one restored life, but what joy to behold it in the many!

Your Christmas gifts are arriving just in time!

Brutal winter weather has settled over Eastern Europe and poor families in remote villages are experiencing a disproportionate share of the suffering. Without sufficient resources of food or fuel, families huddle in one tiny room and struggle with the related consequences of increased illness and social dysfunction. Snow is not charming when you are poor.

There is a temptation to sentimentalize poverty in Romania when the weather is warm, flocks of geese graze by the road, flowers are blooming and grapes drape county courtyards. But not now, not when the reality of winter arrives.  

RCE’s poverty prevention program works all year long to prepare impoverished families to be ready to meet their own needs at such times. And thanks to your partnership hundreds of families are prepared. They have farm animals that provide meat, milk, eggs and limited income. Families have started small businesses with no-interest RCE loans and a growing number are learning to save for emergencies with the micro-savings plan. Preventative medical and dental care is provided all year long. Eight more families (just in 2016) moved into a safe and warm house. Many, many more people received and are receiving your gifts of firewood, farm animals, food, warm clothing and other emergency supplies.

Our team will be busy delivering your gifts of . . . 35 flocks of chickens, 54 goats, pigs and lambs, 13 loads of firewood, 6 milk cows and 4 work horses . . . so that poor families can live in dignity all year long. Your gifts also provided for students at Sunshine School with physical therapy equipment and new school supplies. Darius House kids will enjoy going out on Friday night for pizza parties and other field trips. Hundreds of kids will go to summer Bible camp. The Job’s Program will have the resources needed for the Snack Packs and seeds and plants for the ‘farm’.

Thank you for your generous partnership in 2016; with your help RCE more than met the budget!

RCE Christmas gifts multiply!

Mercy in 2017!  Thanks to you we can make more of that happen!

Guest Post: Worshiping together in Romania

The rising high school senior class at one of RCE's partner churches travels to Romania in the summer to learn about the ministry and to help staff and support summer camps for children from impoverished families. The following is a reflection from Grace, one of last year's high school seniors.

This past summer I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Romania with the high school senior class at my church, Fourth Presbyterian. We spent the week serving at RCE's summer camp for children from families experiencing economic hardship as well as helping pour concrete for the roof of a new house that RCE was building.

Throughout the week I was able to witness the hands and feet of Jesus through the work of RCE. As they care for widows and orphans, they directly follow Jesus’ command in James 1:27. While in church we hear about the work being done by RCE and other wonderful mission organizations Fourth helps support, it is quite different to leave our comfortable suburban homes and witness it first-hand.

This summer I had that chance.  At the camp I was working with kids from all different rough backgrounds. I was amazed that no matter the situation, whether it was poverty, sickness, or abandonment, they came together at worship time to sing praises to Jesus.

I am grateful I had the privilege to participate.

-Grace E.

Fourth Presbyterian Church