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April 2003 Romania update: Rebuilding Homes, Work in Progress: We have begun our new task for this summer. We have started back to work on a project that was not completed last year because of the difficulties with the police and the local officials. Praise the Lord those difficulties have now been resolved and the work is on again. Calea was invited by Mrs. Elizabeth Ciulean, Director of the Children’s Protection in Salaj County, to begin again the roofing project in Ileanda which is a poor, almost isolated village about 75 kilometers from Zalau. Many of the houses in the poorer section of the community have gaping holes or makeshift roofs. This past winter has been extremely cold and the snow was very heavy here this year. Good roofs are essential for the health of small children. The project will involve remodeling the roofs of houses for families that are in greatest need. Mrs. Ciulean, who is acting as the overseer of this project, will insure that the materials are purchased and secured and that only those houses previously chosen will receive repaired roofs. A meeting with the mayor of Ileanda has already been held with Calea staff to talk about the project. Mrs. Ciulean’s representative will go with the mayor to purchase the materials and oversee the construction on the site. As early as the last week in March we will have materials on site for the work to begin. The project will begin with the repairs of 8-10 houses, at approximately 1,500,000 lei per house depending on the condition of the house. Each person eligible for roof repair must have a garden in progress, their yard cleaned, a considerable number of school age and small children living at home, and a desire to maintain and improve their home. Of course, the mayor is already looking ahead to other projects; however, we have to take one step at a time. It will take approximately 10,000,000 lei plus to do the roofs of these houses, that is $300.00 US. Adoption update: Barbara still has not received the papers she needs from International Families. However, she spoke with her contact person; and even though she wasn't given an explanation as to why she had not received the draft of the home study conducted earlier in February, she was told that she would get it soon. This is only the first DRAFT. When Barbara receives it, she will have to read it, make any corrections, and email it back to them for final drafting. Then it will be sent back to her through special mail service. When she receives it, she will have to have it translated into Romanian and then turn her complete file into Child Protection in Salaj County. It will probably be the first of April before all this is finished and so she will not be able to meet the March date for the commission meeting and too will have to wait ANOTHER month to apply to be an adoptive parent. Transitioning Prayer need: Ana, our transition girl, has been diagnosed with Addison's disease and that she should be hospitalized for her initial treatment. Problem is that she is not a native of Cluj and so may have to return to Sigisoara for long-term treatment. The disease is not contagious but can be life threatening, if not treated. Already her kidneys have problems but her lungs are clear, although she does experience shortness of breath. She has always complained about having in her words, “no power". In other words, she is always tired, one of the symptoms of Addisons' disease. Right now the doctor wants to put her in the hospital in Cluj. However, she does not have insurance. We have discovered in Ana's medical card that persons with Addison's disease can receive free medicine from the government. So that’s a blessing! However, hospitalization in Cluj may be out of the question. She may be forced to return to Sigisoara for the hospitalization. Ana is Manny’s mother and we learned that Manny would also have to be taken to the doctor for blood analysis. The disease is hereditary, but the sooner something is done the better. There is always the chance that Manny doesn't have it, but information concerning her mother's medical history is critical to Manny's care. The issue of the national insurance situation is still ahead of us for Ana’s admittance to the hospital for the start of her treatment. Then too, the sewing factory where Ana has been working did not take the news of Ana’s medical situation too well and Ana's boss told her that she could no longer work for them. So the situation with Ana builds -dealing with Ana’s diagnosed illness, our concern for Manny, and helping Ana find a new job. Believe me, Ms. Lyn's responsibilities are becoming a whirlwind. Finding Ana a job is a task that only God can do considering Ana is gypsy and very few people in Romania really trust gypsies. Monica’s Update: Monica is still doing well in school and I understand that her grades are quite good. We were also able to purchase her some of the schoolbooks thanks to a donation towards this project. Note of Thanks: A special thanks to all the churches we have spoken in during this time home. We thank you for your desire to hear about the work God has set our hands to in Romania and we thank you for your financial gifts. We pray that if your body of believers has any need that God will return to your church according to His great abundance. In addition, we want to say a special “thank you” to those of you who are so faithful with your monthly support. It is because of people like you who sacrifice on a monthly base that we are still able to minister to homeless girls like those in the transition program, to the abandoned babies that have been placed in our care, to families who come weekly for humanitarian assistance, and to the families who are in great need for their roofs to be restored before another winter sets in. If you could only see the way many of these families live, as we have personally seen, you would wonder how many of these families ever make it through these long freezing winters. Your continued faithfulness speaks of your love and trust in God. Not only have you helped in all the areas of ministry that have been mentioned in this newsletter, but also have been such a blessing in helping keep us there on the mission field. Your monthly support still allows us the honor to go in and make a small difference in these families’ lives. We thank you for your steadfast commitment to the support of our ministry and we pray that you will be overly and abundantly blessed for your faithfulness to serve others who are in need. Note: We are scheduling dates for those who would like us to speak in your churches or organizations. Please feel free to call us at (205) 755-4000. Yours in Christ, Freddy and Rita |