News from Adina

It is now 2 weeks since Adina's arrival and she has been a "busy bee" helping us so much with Charity work.    I thought it would make a nice change for you to read an account of her stay in Wales and so I am passing the blog over to her for the duration of her stay.

AGM Saturday and Welcome to Wales Adina

I have been busy for a few weeks preparing material for our new website which hopefully will be up and running by the end of the month.

A reminder about our AGM which will take place at 10 am this Saturday at Hirwaun Library - all are welcome - please come and join us for a nice cup of tea and coffee plus some home made cake while you hear what we as a Charity have been doing in the past year. And  we are joined by 3 dear Romanian friends of ours  - Mihai and Emanuela who live in Merthyr and our friend Adina who works with us in Arad.  She arrives in just a few hours and will be helping us out in Wales for a month.   She is such a blessing to us and I want her to meet as many of our supporters as possible.  .

On Sunday we have our Brecon Sponsored Walk from Talybont on Usk to Brecon along the Canal Towpath.  As a Charity it is important to recognise the needs of others when disasters occur so this year we have decided to donate 50% of the money raised to the Christian Aid Nepal fund.  Unfortunately we don't have many walkers  so it is important that each get as many sponsors as possible.

Pastor Pat's Ordination

Yesterday was a special day which I was so glad to share.  For several years I have had the pleasure of knowing a beautiful lady called Pat Collins from Neath.  Pat is death and has for many years been running a deaf club in the town.   Pat and members have become loyal supporters of RR through filling shoe boxes, collecting fillers and knitting items.

Pat is a devoted woman of God and has been spreading the gospel for many years around people with the same disability as herself.  Yesterday she was ordained at the NMCC Church in Neath

to Pastor and oversee an exciting new ministry at the Church called "Fellowship with the King" for the Deaf Community..    May God Bless her in her ministry.

Thank You to Pastor John Williams for organising an incredible service followed by a time of fellowship whilst we enjoyed a lovely buffet.  A huge Thank You to Pat's loyal signer, Liz Peters, who has encouraged and supported Pat for many years and is also a supporter of RR.  Thanks also to  all the other signers present at the service - your dedication to serving the deaf community touches my heart.

Reflections and our last day

My last morning was spent meeting up with 2 friends whom I have had a long association with in Romania.  Christine and I also visited  our good friend Nina the night before we left.  Nina, was for 10 years the teacher at Pastor Jackie's school and so she and I worked closely together for many years.   We are are pleased that with most of her 10 children now grown up she is able to rest up a little.  

 It was also good to attend a missionary prayer meeting on Maundy Thursday and to catch up with our good friend Mark and  also Ramona formerly of the Tabitha Children's Home.  .   We also attended a Sunday morning service at Metanoie Harvest Church in the city.  Thank you also to the Luca family and Bogdan's family for their hospitality meals.

We achieved all we set out to do at Christine's house and she is feeling blessed that such a lovely Christian family are moving in.  They had already started decorating and moving items in as we left. We would appreciate your ongoing prayers for Christine's son, Phillip following his recent operation.

Thank you Lord for the many blessings of the trip.  

Widows Mite Update

Christine and Cati outside Vinga Church

During my visit I experienced some problems with my one camera so I used Christine's for my complete day out with Vlad visiting the widows in the village of Comlosul Mare in the Judet of Timisoara.   Unfortunately I forgot to copy the pictures onto a nemory stick before I left so I have limited photos to attach to this blog - hopefully more later..  Vlad & I   were accompanied for the day by Grant from Bicester in Oxfordshire who sponsors a child in Maranatha and also the Widows Mite project.    It was a blessing to finally meet up with him and we are so grateful for his financial help for the projects.   He spent a week in Romania visiting the various ministries and plans to come back.
We were able to give donations to the widows who have no pension and also to financially assist another 2 with prescriptions.  Dear Ana's ceiling in her only room had fallen down and we were able to supply funds for replacement plaster boards.

Roza's health has deteriorated and at the time of our visit she had not been able to eat for several days.  Our prime concern is to keep her pain free, warm and with sufficient food.  Pastor Jackie is doing her laundry.  The rest is in God's hands.  I chose not to take any photographs.  Her sister Cati has also had a stroke and her medication needs are being supplied .  Funds are available to help with both  their electricity bills.

We were overjoyed to make a short visit to widow Rozalia with Adina.  Her sanitary needs are kindly met by our good friend Alan Penrose of Support for Romania in Cardiff.    He also donated a chair commode and wheelchair for a valued disabled  Romanian friend who lives in Merthyr but who needs this equipment on a planned visit to his family in Timisoara.

On my return I will be looking at raising funds for winter wood for our dear widows and widowers - also for slippers for Christmas.

Some of Adina's Ministry Work

Our good friend Adina, who is a trained social worker does an incredible amount of volunteer work for fellow Romanians in need.  Her mum, dad, brother and his family also support her in a variety of ways.

Whilst we were in Arad Adina had volunteered to help with a Project at her nephew's school  Each child was invited to bring in donations to help purchase suitable items for  10 families or individuals in need over Easter. With her experience of working with the vulnerable Adina was asked to supply the names of suitable candidates and to arrange delivery with some of the children.    Here are some the people that were helped.

Adina also volunteers with a Youth Group at Golgotha Baptist Church in the city

R is a double amputee and was thrilled
with her supply of food, sanitary items and a visit
from some of the children

I who has spina bifida loved her new doll and teddy
bear.  She and her mum also received a supply of food

N who is partially blind received some
much needed new clothes

Adina distributing food to 4 poor families living in 1 house

The Youth Group at Golgotha Church

Children's Home

Adina helps out at the Tabitha Children's Home in Arad where her good friend Lavi works as a social worker.  Between them they organise a multitude of activities - some of which can be seen below.  Wayne & I have a long association with this Home from our days of living and serving in Arad.   Some of the children we worked with have now moved on and have jobs,

Thanks to Pastor Jackie we were also able to spend several hours at the Osana Children's Home during our stay.  All the girls are doing well at school and have adjusted well to having new house parents who are a real blessing.   Rebecca who was baptised at Christmas is a talented guitarist and had cooked us a nice cake for tea.  Her sister Guila has developed a real enthusiasm for reading and getting all her homework done.

Hand made  Easter cards with Bible verses

2 of the children being taught life skills 

and here is the finished product!

Its amazing what you can do with pasta shells and a tray of paints!

Adina with some of the children on a day out

Pipe cleaner activities