The Heart of a Fighter - A Sidonia Update from Steffi Vogel

Welcome back beautiful girl!

Sidonia is back in Kids Club! Lidia and I visited her yesterday morning before she was discharged from the hospital. I believe it was God who sent us there, to have the opportunity to remind her father to bring her to Kids Club again. 

After more than six months battling Luekemia, doctors have declared her a healthy 5 year old girl. She will have to go back to the hospital for tests regularly to monitor her recovery, so please continue to pray for her in the coming weeks and months. 

Just one of the kids again.

To be honest, when the day of Kids Club arrived I did not believe that she would show up. However, even though she arrived 20 minutes late, she did come! I was in the play room when I heard Lidia yell, "Sidonia is coming"!!! I am just so happy to have her come today. During play time, she played like a normal kid making up 'fake food' for me and feeding it to me with a spoon. She made my day!

Celebrating her belated birthday today. 

Watching her singing songs and trying to remember the words, totally made me tear up. Lidia talked with the kids about prayer. She reminded them how much they prayed for Sidonia and spoke to them all about what prayer can do. God is showing his greatest through this little one.

God has a calling on this girl for sure, He is directing her steps and blessing her life. She is a miracle girl and we want to thank all the people who have been praying for her and sending her well wishes. Thank you especially to the doctors and nurses who have been caring for her so well, and to Amalia her play therapist, who has been spending extra time and effort and loving on this girl these past months that she has called the hospital her home. 

Steffi with Sidonia, only weeks old. 

Sidonia's birthday was this past Sunday, she turned 5 years old. Since she was born she has been a part of the FFR family, so many volunteers have loved and cared for her. Please continue to pray for her health and for her mind as she adjusts to life back in the village with her family and move past this obstacle. 

GOD IS GREAT!

Heads Up! It's Sarmale Time

We had our teenagers come and teach our short term (and long term) volunteers how to make one of Romania's most famous dishes, sarmale. These cabbage rolls stuffed with pork and rice and covered in a tomato sauce are so yummy! It is also a great opportunity to get together with the teens that FFR sponsors to live in Brasov. They're part of our Brasov family and we love to get together with them and let them know we're here for them. Here's a look! 

A Tale of Two Wipes

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you an important news bulletin from our Donations department. We are experiencing a shortage of baby wipes and need the publics help! If you can send wipes, or monetary donations specifically for this cause we would be so grateful. Here's why they are such a simple, yet important part of daily life at the hospital!

Merry "Little" Christmas - from our resident Ukrainian, Mary Buckalo!

Each year Mary Buckalo has passionately led us in a Ukrainian Christmas celebration on January 7th. Affectionately known in the Buckalo house as "Little Christmas", we have all enjoyed becoming a part of this tradition. Click here to learn more about this celebration, and hold onto your toques as we take you on a journey through the making of our perogie feast!