During these few months we have assisted 10 persons, 8 of them requiring full services and 2 needing only partial services. As we mentioned before, these persons are old ladies (with ages between 59-86), they are ill, alone (no close relatives) and have a low income, that is inadequate for every day living. We all know that old age is the hardest and most painful period of life, when human beings are facing loneliness, depression, helplessness, deprivation, physical and emotional pain caused by the absence of a close comforter.
We wish to inform you about our activities, describing the way we have tried to satisfy, through the activities and services we perform,the needs and difficulties that burden these "lonely human beings".

The visit of Scottish sponsors

On this spring we had a wonderful time and also felt very honored and glad to host our partners from Scotland.Together we have visited the assisted ladies at their homes, and that was a great joy, both for ladies and for visitors.Compassion and caring for other people were demonstrated to each one of the assisted persons through material, financial, emotional and spiritual help they received from the sponsors.We are very grateful for their support and pray God to reward their kindness!

Monthly shopping at Carrefour

Every month,together with our volunteers, we go shooping in order to provide the food for the persons we assist. The value of each package is 60 - 90 lei, containing the food they want and detergents. Throughout these months we chose to shop at Carrfeour because the quality of products and the prices are better here. The ladies are very content with this service we offer them because they are ill, can hardly go out and can't afford to buy the food.

Food delivery

After shopping, we start delivering the packages to each beneficiar, at home. We are glad to satisfy this need of our beneficiars, as well, and to see them enjoying every product, thanking God with tears in their eyes.

Counseling

Counseling is a permanent need of our elderly and it gives them the opportunity of fellowship, of forgetting their problems and sorrows by accepting them, by praying and seeking solutions together, by bringing hope and peace in their hearts. For instance, Mrs. Doina (a blind lady), has raised her daughter as a single-mother, a very difficult task, but she did it with love and devotion. She deserves to be admired for being a real "fighter", but it is normal that sometimes even a fighter needs advice or encouragement to go on. There is, also, another lady, Mrs. Eva Bergen, who at the age of only 20 years experienced the ordeal of Auschwitz; she has a lot of tormenting questions and memories that still hurt. The time we spend together (about 2 - 3 hours) gives her comfort and joy, but "passes so quickly", as Mrs. Eva says.

Celebrating Easter time

We are so happy that these fragile and emotionally vulnerable creatures have understood the fact that Easter time means more than red eggs and steaks and sponge cakes and wine!
They all know that Easter is a time of celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and that we should face it with a godly attitude. In order to bring them joy and to make them feel they are not alone, we brought them presents, candies and flowers.

Walking in the park

We've all looked forward for the winter to end, so that we could go out and enjoy the verdure, the sun, the fresh air and, why not, the walks. We stretched our legs and started walking together with the bravest of them (Mrs. Irina, Mrs. Doina, Mrs. Bercean), who dared to hit the road...to the park. It wasn't a very easy job for them, but they really enjoy it and slept much better that night.

Emotional and spiritual support - provided for bed-ridden persons(Palfi Elisabeta, Bartha Varvara, Ilies Melinda), but not only for them.

The greatest need of the elderly is to know God and trust Him day by day. To make this possible, we read the Biblie, at their request and prayed for them, which made them feel more secure,more peaceful and content. We bought them candies and flowers, and that made them happy. They also wished that a priest would come to their homes for ?, so we found one who came and brought the bread and the wine to do it.

A visit to the Botanical Garden

We got to the Botanical Garden, even if, as it seemed at the moment, that was a pretty difficult job. From five ladies who expressed, at the beginning, the desire to visit the Botanical Garden, we were left with only two in the day of the actual visit (the reasons concerned their health condition, old age being extremely unpredictible). But despite that, we didn't give up and loved to see the wonderful flowers, the trees in bloom, the sunshine, the fresh air, the fruit and the walking itself.

House calls

Together with our volunteers, we have visited them once or twice a week, we've brought them fruit, candies, milk or whatever they needed. They were very glad to see us, as they are every time we knock on their door. They feel they are loved and cared for, and thank God for everything, with tears in their eyes, especially for sponsors, praying for them.

Material aid

All the assisted persons have received material aid (clothing, food, medicine, etc.) based on their needs and on our means, as a foundation. In the picture below you can see Mrs. Bartha Varvara pleased with a nice pyjamas, and Mrs. Bercean Margareta enjoying the beddings made of wool (that was a gift from Staniste family).

Cleaning the courtyard and making a bench for Mrs. Palfi Elisabeta

Mrs. Palfi Elisabeta has been immobilized for at least five years long. Her faith in God Almighty helps her live her life day by day and even be happy. The volunteers love her and, as a proof of that, Laura (who visited her with Ema) asked her father to make a bench outside, where Mrs. Elisabeta can sit and breath the fresh air. That was done right away. We just have to find volunteers who are strong enough to help us take her outside carefully, without any accident, cause she is is suffering of osteoporosis!!! We hope we can do it and everything will be allright!

Occasional shopping

Whenever they have needed medicine or some other urgent things, they have communicated us their need, by phone, and along with the volunteers, we've gladly helped them in that area, as well.

Emotional-spiritual support group

The meeting took place at Mrs. Melinda's, who is very hospitable. There were four persons at the meeting, they took the opportunity to know each other better and became friends, keeping in touch by phone. At the meeting there were some vital themes that were disscussed, as lying, the consequences of that, and what God has to say about lying. In the end they had candies, fruit, juice and little gifts.

Companionship

We offered companionship especially to the immobilized ladies or to those in recovery (Pali Eliabeta, Ilies Melinda, Bartha Varvara, Cristea Irina, Lazar Magdalena si Lacatus Doina). That means we read to them, at their request, we prayed together or we just listened their life stories. Apparently forgetting about the present they are yearning after their youth, their faces become full of life, and for a few hours they can leave the loneliness and the pain behind...For us that is insignificant, but for them it means the world!!!

Paying the bills

We do that job whenever it is needed, paying all kinds of bills : the rent, the phone bill, the electricity bill, etc
Going to the cafeteria

They are very happy when we go out to a cafeteria. We feel sorry for those who can't go out. But we try to please them by bringing the cakes at home for those who can't come with us. This way everyone gets some "sweet" and is happy!

Celebrating their birthdays

Another event that our old ladies are looking forward. During this period we celebrated Mrs. Bercean Margareta, Lazar Magdalena, Cristea Irina, Ilies Melinda. They all got presents, sweets, fruit, flowers, prayers (at their request) and, above all, our love.

Visiting them at the hospital

On July Mrs. Irina Cristea was put in hospital and we visited her, encouraging and comforting her, bringing her fruit, juice, sweets and flowers. When she got out of the hospital, she admitted, in tears, that it is very important to have someone beside you when you are in pain, to help and care for you.

Different services

We performed different services for all our beneficiars, regarding their health condition, relationship problems and material-financial difficulties. For instance, Mrs. Cristea is qualified to get social help from the Committee for People with Handicap, so we helped her get that aid that is lifelong.

Unfortunatelly, I have to announce the death of Mrs. Bartha Varvara (who was suffering of liver cirrhosis), on 14 of July 2008. Her faith in God had prepared her for that moment, and her last wish was a bunch of white roses.

Volunteers

I would like to thank everyone who took part in our program through prayers, material-financial aid, voluntariate, etc. Their contribution, along with our work, has improved the life of these helpless persons, bringing peace and joy in their souls. May God bless them all!!!
2Corinthians 9:7 - "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver."

Program co-ordinator : Rodica Rusu