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June 2003 Ileanda: On Friday, May 23rd Calea staff met with the mayor of Ileanda about the roof project and submitted the final donation for the roof project. The project is intended to provide very simple roofs to gypsy houses outside of Ileanda. We had understood that the project was going to be started in April but we later learned that the mayor had postponed the purchase of materials until all the money had been donated. Reason: fear that repairing only half the roofs promised might cause problems among the villagers. Calea staff had tried on several occasions since April to meet with the mayor and turn over the second half of the donation but had been unsuccessful in arranging such a meeting. However, on the 23rd our staff met with the mayor who assured us that the project would begin the final week in May and that it would take a relatively short period of time since the people who live in the houses will be responsible for helping put the roofs on. The houses are very small by comparison to American homes, roughly 2 to 3 rooms, constructed out of mud and sticks and at best river rock, and no indoor plumbing. The materials that will be purchased for roofing the houses are inexpensive but effective. After the meeting, Calea was taken by the mayor to see four of the houses. Presently the houses have nothing but clear plastic on top and some sticks to hold it in place. I must tell you the roofs will not be what we in America call roofs but will serve the purpose of keeping rain and snow out and heat in the winter. Praise God for the opportunity to join hands across the sea and help some of the less fortunate people of Ileanda. The mayor of Ileanda is very happy that the project is on its way now and is even hoping to continue working together with Calea on similar projects in the future. He has proposed that we pray about assisting the community to restore a building near the town center for a kindergarten and a foster care home in the summer of 2004 and is encouraging the idea of an American construction team or teams to come to Ileanda and with hands on assist in the renovation of the building. Also Calea received the mayor’s approval for a Christmas children’s program to be held in the gypsy village this coming December. Visas:The law has changed again this year and American humanitarian volunteers are finding it challenging to apply for and receive renewal of the six-month visas. In the past the procedure was relatively simple, a few photos, a couple of letters, and off to the passport office. As of March the simple has become mind-boggling. Each volunteer has to have medical exams before each renewal and produce an activity sheet that lists what that volunteer has specifically done in the area of humanitarian projects. The activity sheets have to now be stamped by a government official indicating that indeed the activity was done and the volunteer was involved in that activity. All children’s programs now have to be approved by local officials, all humanitarian distributions have to be cleared and officials informed. Calea distributed already over 1, 430 pounds of clothing and food since February this year and no official approval was needed until now. Calea realizes that collaboration with the local government officials is a must to some degree; however, this foundation was begun under God’s direction and will continue to be led by God in its humanitarian and ministry projects.Copiii Regeliu: Copiii Regeliu children’s program will kick-off June 21st . We’ll be back in Ferma Larga and we need workers, workers, workers!!! This summer the children’s program will focus on the Ten Commandments, blueprints for avoiding shattered lives and fractured families. We have the blue van, praise the Lord, but to cut costs in registering it twice in three months we are trying to hold off finishing its registration until the end of June. We are really in need of a new sound system for the program this year. The one we have is old and last year the microphones mysteriously disappeared. It is really difficult to hold outdoor programs in Ferma Larga without a sound system because it is so windy on top of the hill that sometimes the music or speaker is hardly audible. Such a system is badly needed not only by the children’s program but also in any outdoor evangelical ministry, large distributions of food and clothing, and even crowd control. Join with us at Copiii Regeliu in praying that God will provide such a system. Transition changes: After Anna’s departure from the foundation, Calea had to locate cheaper housing for Monica. Monica’s salary only covered her half of the housing, utility, and food costs each month. So without the shared expenses with Anna, Monica had to be relocated. Calea chose to fix up the outdoor kitchen area in the humanitarian building. For two weeks Monica and Lyn cleaned, plastered, and painted the kitchen area and moved her little by little into the humanitarian building. We thought it was very important that Monica be actively involved in this process since she needed to learn that moving is not as easy as it sounds. It takes time, lots of planning, and just plain hard work. Growing up in the orphanages under communism, the girls were not taught to do things for themselves. They were wards of the state and regrettably that’s what many continue to be. Presently Lyn and Monica are sharing cooking space and refrigerator. Monica is in need of her own small second-hand refrigerator and small cooking stove. In one month, Monica will be finishing her first of three years night school. In Romania if you were put in a vocational high school and did not go the 12th year, it takes 3 years of night school to make up for that 12th year. School has been quite a change for Monica. She frequently complained about not having time for anything except working and school. Many times she got upset because she never seemed to have time to study, but we’ve tried to explain to her that hard work, perseverance, and God’s direction will carry her through. This has been a year of self-discipline for Monica, trying yes, but very necessary for her continued growth toward maturity. Monica was able to visit a Christian college recently. Regrettably they presently do not have a remediation program that would allow her to continue her high school requirements while attending the Bible school. However, she was able to see young men and women like herself working hard to continue their Christian education and it may have (we’re hoping!) inspired her to working even harder to achieve this goal. Prayer requests: During the summer we will need to extend the main heating system into the area where Monica now stays and construct a wall separating the outside bathroom from the humanitarian building to keep in the heat so the water pipes will not freeze. Lots of work will have to be completed before the cold weather comes. By faith we are calling forth the walls, heating, and stove and refrigerator. The Calea team has roped off the area and is praying for God’s provision to meet these needs. Will you be in prayer with us about this need? Babies: Continue to pray that God will complete the adoption of Alexandra and Sarah within the year. Barbara and the girls will be observed and questioned over the next three months. Pray that God’s hand of protection will be heavily upon them and that nothing will interfere with their becoming a real family. Alabama Mission completed: Thanks to all the hard workers from Gadsden! Our home is now completed. It is so beautiful! What a pleasure each day to behold all the blessings God has surrounded us with, blessings which were worked by and through HIS very gifted servants. Thanks to everyone who helped to make our home a bright and lovely house resonant with His wonderful peace. Humanitarian Aid: May is the last month for scheduled clothes relief until next September. The supply of clothes and aid has been extremely diminished. We are praying for a re-supply of clothes, school supplies and dry food items to restock the shelves. Humanitarian distribution is being re-evaluated during the summer months to come up with a system that will eliminate a lot of the abuse of the present system and better serve families with real emergencies. Calea gets requests every day from individuals and families who are in need in Romania. Unscheduled requests: v Two month’s supply of dry food staples – flour, sugar, rice, oil – was delivered to the family of a physically disabled man with liver disease in the mountains outside of Cluj in the community of Iara. The family lives on an assistance of roughly 2,000,000 lei per month out of which he must purchase his medication of 3,000,000 lei per month. Food must come from any place it can.v Clothes and dry food staples were given to an elderly lady on a pension here in Someseni. After housing and utility costs the lady is left with little to purchase medication and food.v A family whose house was totally destroyed by fire was furnished emergency clothing and bed linens. A local church was able to provide for their food needs.v Three boxes of children’s clothes and large supply of washing powder soap were taken to Jibou in Salaj County to a Pentecostal family with 17 children.v Three families were furnished clothes for newborn babies.v A bag with the last of our school supplies and hygiene items was furnished to a family to help finish out the school year.v A bag of baby food and formula was given to a Cluj mother whose child was hungry.v A mother of two children in need of clothes for school was sent home empty handed because the supply of children’s clothes had been totally exhausted. Children were given a couple of toys each because they had none.Thank you: Thanks to all of you for your continued support. We appreciate all you do to help us continue to answer the requests and meet the needs. Your extra love gifts help us with additional projects. Your gifts are used wisely to help meet as many needs as we possibly can and your seed, as you can see from the situations above, has been sown into many lives. Thanks!
Yours in Christ, Freddy and Rita |