Festive celebrations at Mocrea

We awoke to fresh falls of snow and temperatures of -11 degrees. Pastor Jackie must be commended for even attempting the journey to Mocrea Hospital for the mentally disabled due to the road being compacted with ice with a layer of fresh snow over the top. Vehicles were sliding everywhere and we came across a lorry full of sand in a ditch. The speed at which many Romanians drive in such conditions never ceases to amaze me. We watched as one taxi driver skidded head on into a tree in the hospital grounds!!!! The journey took 2 hours mostly in 3rd gear - Praise God for Jackie's 4 wheel drive truck which was packed with gift bags , tangerines, chocolate bars and soft toys.

Our team included Father Christmas, Marius on the guitar, Jackie's grandaughter Sarah and Cassandra, an American missionary, her little daughter, Caroline and Magda, a young girl that Jackie supports. Staff assembled the patients in the large hall where they joined us in Christmas carols and prayers as we celebrated the birth of our Lord and Saviour. It was a joyous occasion as a few of the patients performed solo acts before we distributed the gifts. Singing carols, we later toured the secure wards with appropriate presents, sweets and fruit. Our goal today was to bring the Christmas message and festive cheer into the lives of these beautiful but vulnerable people. We were so touched by the way young Sarah joins in the ministry work and mingles with the patients. We respect the privacy of the patients by not showing full facial pictures.