Offerings of Love

Yesterday was a day of sorting and organising. And then resorting and organising again. It began with making some sandwiches for Croc Dundee. I forget why he has this nickname but everyday he comes along to get food. He has learning difficulties and always has a smile on his face! For those who followed last time...this is the man who we had 'charades' with involving a stove, gutter and a rope! What a disaster!

Croc Dundee

We still had sets of clothes to make up for the teens so we got stuck into that in the morning!

And then mum and I had to switch to checking and finalising shoeboxes. This was fun just singing together and trying to make collections of similar age groups.

Three team members were leaving to go home and so we sent them off with a dinner in Hotel Dracule...the one I was in the other day for a meal. This time I got to order my own dinner and have ice-cream!!

Team Photo

 We arrived home to find the container had safely arrived!! Despite being held up in Germany it is here in good time. A good old Northern Irish lorry. It was early to bed for an expected long day today.

Our devotional this morning was so practically applied. We spoke of Mary giving up her alabaster jar of perfume to wash Jesus' feet. Then we were so helpfully reminded of the sacrifices and love offerings people had given to fill the container. The money, time, effort and energy given to allow God's love to be poured out in the country of Romania. As we went to unload we were to remember the generosity of the people at home and the opportunity available to bless those here. It was very humbling to be a part of.

The doors were opened and it was all hands on deck to begin shifting the load!

For others it was a relaxing day...

6 tonnes of potatoes, 2 tonnes of flour, 2 church organs, lots and lots of bags

and boxes and furniture and sweets and a kitchen and food and medical stuff

and hospital goods .... at the end of the day

We finished the day with a walk through the village this evening. It was brisk due to the drop in temperature. And we were well wrapped up. So it doesn't take much to imagine how those in the villages are feeling!

Prayer Points:

• Praise for the arrival of the lorry
• Pray for practicalities such as heat, food and clothes
• Wisdom for distribution of the container contents
• Safety on the roads  
• Continuation of good weather
• Energy and enthusiasm for those of us who are feeling tired after a long day unloading
• Unity as a team as people come and go from the Project Romania House

The morning cow bell

This morning at 6am I awoke unusually awake. Most mornings I would roll over and go back to sleep until the alarm goes for a 6 minute until breakfast countdown. That's more than enough time to get ready and at the table...technically the table has shoeboxes so it's in the living room but you get the drift. And so, this morning, I got up to find mum also awake and alert. So we decided to go for a walk. On route to the door we met dad, who also was up, awake and alert. Then we sneaked out before we woke anyone else!

We wandered through the village and up the hill at the back. Looking back we could see the mist throughout the valley. It was bitterly cold and our hearts went out to those sleeping in the poorly structured houses and facing the elements. As we neared the top the sun rose up above the tree line and God's creation was beautiful to look at, experience and just feel part of.

Mum and Dad at the top

On the way back down we found ourselves meandering through the daily cow parade. One of the cows had a bell so the shepherd could find them if necessary. They were following a 'cow-dog' and heading to graze for the day.

It was a refreshing start to the day and we made it back to breakfast on time at 8am.

A farmer's back yard

The rest of the day we were left to sort clothes whilst Norman and Linda went to collect more visitors. They too have come to join the fun and chaos! So we sorted 25 boxes of mixed clothes into set of clothes for the children in Seleus. This is the hill where we gave out food yesterday. They were freezing and many of them in bare feet running around. Next week we plan to go and wash the children and gave them each a set of clothes to put on. Hopefully they will remain relatively clean so that they can attend school. We'll also feed them and play games at the same time.

Although it may not have seemed like a busy day the preparation today will allow for efficient distribution next week. And our other helpers have arrived safe and sound! I have no idea what the plan is for tomorrow but I guess I'll find out in the morning :)

5 Pots of Pasta and 11 Loaves of Bread

Afternoon,
There was no slow start today and we continued to sort the shoeboxes. Then it was all hands on deck to prepare for a pastor who was coming to collect supplies from 300km up North. He had started the journey at 5am and Norman called him to find out he was 60km away at 9am! So that meant we had to head to the store to locate what he was looking for among the container contents. This didn't take long and we soon gathered a pile. At the same time it made sense to take supplies to the local kindergarden and hospital. A few of the ladies jumped in the van to deliver toys there and then...spontaneity!

Mum handing out toys

Then we arrived back from our 20 minute trip to meet the pastor arriving! So we loaded the trailer and car. This pastor runs an orphanage and a church. He is so grateful for whatever he can get and is trusted to capably distribute the clothes given to him. He's also got an organ to go up with him...but that was for another day.

Norman pondering tying the ropes

Plan in action!

 Then it was a 5 minute lunch and all systems go for a feeding programme at Seleus. This was the same village I was able to hold one at in summertime so I was excited at the opportunity to go back.

The feeding programme is essentially where they feed the people the only meal they'll have that day and try to prevent death by starvation over the winter months.

Queuing 

Collecting the children from the hill

Prayer

X their hand to keep track of who has eaten

The reason so many children came for food is because they are not in school. Education is free but you must attend wearing clean clothes and be clean. This is not something that is easily achieved when you live on a hillside with no running water, no sewage disposal, no rubbish disposal, one bedroom houses, animals everywhere and only one (maybe two) sets of clothes to your name. The discrimination the children experience in schools is also an unfortunate reality. However, it is in their interests to send the children to school. They receive education but also a meal and more entitlements on their benefit cards.

It breaks your heart to see the dirty faces, torn clothes, bare feet, matted hair, skin conditions, lice-infested children running towards the van to get food. For most it may be the first meal in a couple of days. They live in a reality that isn't anything like what I've known. I may miss an odd meal here or there but have never gone 24 hours or more without food. I have no idea what it is like to not have enough food to feed a family or to have to tell my extended family that we have to do without because it's more important the children get something.

 Then we walked around Seleus and I was able to revisit some of those I met in summer. This is the inside of one of the houses which may sleep up to ten people!

 And here is Virgil (the blind man-from drinking cleaning solutions) who I met in summer. He had been padlocked in his house so that his daughter could go and collect wood. We found him in there and his daughter appeared to unlock him, firewood in hands. She explained it was so that he wouldn't wander and get hurt. Some things just pull on your heart strings...

A gaggle of children just wanting to be loved

The face of desperation

Dad and Thomas 'working'

Life is so tough on Seleus hill. God is good and He is faithful. There is much to be done. God is able.

Playing games with the children