What a day of mixed emotions

Maria trying out her new scarf

Its been a strange day of mixed emotions.  I am down to my last few days and as much as I am so looking forward to seeing Wayne and the family I am going to so miss this place.  I love so much being on the mission field but  each day brings with it a multitude of emotions -   sadness and humility at the needs of the people, joy at bringing a smile to a face by just being there and loving them through Jesus alongside making them feel valued and worthy of a gift; also frustration at not being able to spend enough time with some of them - the December trips are so...o busy with the Christmas programmes and distribution of gifts.

Leontina loves her hot water bottle

The needs out here are so great that I am coming back with a real determination to raise more support, especially for the Widows Mite Project which is grossly underfunded.

Its been a long day - we came in late so it is only now I am blogging and it almost 12.30.

Sorting blankets for the Homeless

Pastor Vlad who runs the Widows Mite Project in Timisoara and also works at Vinga Church has asked for some extra Christmas gifts for children from 3 Baptist Churches in his area.  We had sufficient boxes to help in the poorest village but we needed to make up gift bags for the other 2. So after breakfast I made my way over to Peter's house at the other end of the city to sort through what I could utilise from our stock room there.    Praise God for His provision.  After sorting out a box full of items, it was time for Peter, I and Bogdan to get to the Detention Centre to meet Jackie and Adina for the Christmas Programme, Party and distribution of shoe boxes.  As well as the gifts, we took along drinks, sweets, cakes, tangerines plus boxes of chocolates for the staff. .  The children were thrilled to see us and sang carols - however they seemed a bit subdued today and I felt their emotions - sadness at being away from their families but then joy when they received their gifts from Santa - Peter who always lightens up  lives.  Then it was time to say goodbye and it was hard because I know how they have enjoyed our company for the past 3 weeks - value time to really talk with them, to get to know them and to show them love.  Jackie, I and Adina had a tight schedule for the rest of the day but we gave thanks that Peter and Bogdan were able to stay on to show a film.  We are not allowed to take pictures of the children at this state establishment.

Shopping big time for the projects

Then it was shopping for food parcels for poor families and for the Mocrea Christmas Party tomorrow.  Adina's car was full to the brim with food, shoe boxes and much more as we set off to distribute some more food parcels and gifts to the rest of the city Widows - will write some more stores later.  We then visited a few individual families with shoe box gifts and/or food parcels as the needs determined.   After starting to make more space in the car,  we then bombed it over to Pastor Jackie's house to refill with shoe boxes for further distributions.  With that done we were soon on our way to a the village of Vladimerescu several miles outside the city to visit the Cicir Children's home and then 2 individual families.  I will let the pictures tell some   of these stories.

Adina hard at work making up extra Christmas gifts

On returning to the city we had to stop at Selgros to buy more food for Mocrea tomorrow some additional items for the gift bags for Vlad and also some incontinence pads for a double amputee in the city.   Our trolley was loaded and I started to wonder whether I would have to sit on the roof to return home!!!.  However we made it and soon we were at the table to a delicious meal thanks to Mama Maria.  Adina then proceeded to make up the 30 gift bags for Vlad while I started the blog and updated my finances.   Needed to fit in a quick chat to Wayne to catch up on what is happening back home - always good to here his voice and to share his joy - needed that tonight.


Tomorrow is another day and I am relying on God to help me get everything done before I leave on Thursday.