Pictures of Saturday Mar. 7

I also should know how to put titles under pictures - I don't! On the lower left is Bogdan handing out a box of food. Bogdan and his girlfriend Liga came to help as well as Bogdan's parents and older brother - what a blessing!

The upper left is Sarah huddled in a sleeping bag on the cement floor as we organized before opening. Both Sarah and Elizabeth ended up helping bring the numbers to those who were packing boxes.

On the right is Vio packing boxes, her husband Ionci was also there - bless them!!! It really was an awesome start to the project - there are just so many people who need food!

Food Bank Launched

Saturday was cold and rainy so I had hoped that we would have at least 10-15 families so that we could at least give out some food and get the kinks out of our system. I had purchased and stocked over $1700 in food so I had enough for the first two weeks at least. I had not advertised so that we wouldn't be swamped before we knew what we were doing and before we could acquire some large food donations. I had to close more than an hour early because we had run out of food. The response was overwhelming. We gave out food boxes to over 100 families, for a total of almost 400 people! I had a lot of help and it went pretty smoothly but...400 people?! I was totally spent and wanted to curl up in a corner and whine "Lord, I can't do this". By Sunday morning I begin to think that I would indeed continue, Monday I started to restock. This truly will have to be a work of the Lord with His provision - it is way beyond me or my capabilities. For some reason I can't get any pictures to post so I will publish this and then try for the pictures.

Food Bank to open March 7

I spent several days last week buying and transporting food to the new building. It looked like a lot piled up in the bed of the truck as well as the back seat as I made three separate trips. Many people have been asking where it will be, what hour we open etc. I thought I had bought enough for the first two weeks but I think I will go and shop some more, It would be a disaster if we ran out of food. I have been involved in near riot situations here before when this has happened with other distributions. Ordinarily this would not bother me but we will be in town and this is a rented building and I do not want to draw the attention of the police or Jardarme. Most of the people that will come at first will probably be rromi and a crowd will certainly draw attention. I pray that over the first few weeks donated food will become available. I am not sure how this project will go I only felt impressed it was time to start. Please pray for this project and thatdonated food and helpers will come!

Guess?

Ah gee you guessed - it's a bowl of fruit! But what does it represent?...yesterday I had a lovely time of counting my blessings. This bowl of fruit is one of them. I am able to keep the household in fresh fruit and vegetables in the winter. Here in Romania it is considered an extravagance here but it is one of God's blessings!

I picked up 5 loaves of bread at a discounted price just now to put in to the freezer for the Food Bank. I smiled and thought "Now I only need a couple of fish ." The Food Bank is scheduled to open March 7. Please hold this up in prayer.

Casa Alexandru

Casa Alexandru is a small facility that houses young people with various mental disabilities. We try and go once a week and I am buying food once a month. Last week was Play Doh, it was a hit!

Pictured is Vio with a patient. Vio has been a huge blessing to me and always ready to pitch in. She also goes to Mocrea with me and until recently would help with the Widow's Mite deliveries. Vio is now with child, in a high risk pregnancy - please pray for her and her unborn child/children (she may be carrying twins!)

I will not yet let the girls go with me as two of the patients can get violent.

By the way, have you ever tried to get Play Doh out from under your fingernails?????

Elizabeth and Sarah at Mocrea

Last week was a school vacation and both girls wanted to come with me to Mocrea Psychiatric Hospital. I go there once a week and do crafts, play games, sing, serve snacks, and sometimes show a film. I started going around 3 years ago I think, originally to take food for the patients. The situation has vastly improved over these three years. The buildings have all been renovated and several new bathrooms and shower facilities were added and they have plenty of food. We started to go every other week and visit with some of the patients and the program grew!

Cassandra and Ionut had been regulars to go with me for a long time but they have little Caroline to care for and they are in the States for a while. Irene as well as Peter and Christine enjoy coming to Mocrea when they are in the country but right now it seems that no one is here for now! I have been trying to get others to go but I guess visiting a mental hospital is not appealing to many! It is such a blessing to me to know that the visits have made a difference. The administrator said that the patients are less violent and all around happier since we began the program. Vio, the young neighbor who has been helping with the girls and house for the last 5 years, loves to go when she can which is a real help to me. Ideally I need a team of 4-5 so I can get to the locked wards also.

The patients really enjoyed the girls. Many have children and grandchildren that they rarely see if ever. Elizabeth and Sarah did very well and said they would be glad to go whenever they had vacations.

Every week before we leave we pray together. The patients really like this and look forward to this time. Several have asked for bibles so I purchased a small supply to have on hand.

Just to catch you up, nothing earth shaking

This is Elizabeth with Caroline (Ionut and Cassandra's 10 week old daughter). Elizabeth is introducing her to Saturday morning cartoons. Elizabeth really loves babies.

I spoke with Marty Sutton yesterday, a missionary in Bulgaria involved in numerous awesome projects there, and he said he and a friend might be able to come and help with the summer camp for the kids in Vinga. I wanted the camp to be with in the first two weeks in July but those weeks were booked so we now are looking at mid-July.

I want to get out to Minis to photograph the playground there with the new equipment. I was so happy to be able to buy the rest of it. I'll be sure to post the picture here.

There is some interest being expressed in the food bank. In the next two weeks I will need to be talking to stores and bakeries. I pray churches will become interested and want to participate. I think this food bank could really help in unity here. One thing we all should be able to agree on is feeding the poor!

Just an added thought to close - if any of you reading this knew what my living-room used to look like you will know how awesomely blessed we are with the house now. The house had dirt floors and crumbling walls with a ceiling that was what could be best described as very thin particle board also covering up a layer of earth. I had weeds that used to come up under my couch!