Part Of The Family, By Katie Greiner

Volunteering in the Brasov Children’s Hospital, we have the opportunity to care for so many precious babies and toddlers. With some of these little ones, we don’t know their names, where they come from, or anything about them. With others, we know their families well and have watched their older siblings grow up in and out of the hospital when they were small. Whatever the background, though, we are there to fill in the gap and love them for as long as they are in the hospital.

 

 One family we have all gotten to know well over the past few years, is that of Constantin and Stefan. Constantin is now about 4 ½ years old and Stefan recently turned 2. Many of our volunteers will remember these boys as they were in and out of the hospital many times over their first couple of years. Stefan still comes in now and then whenever he is sick, but not so much as when he was small. They also have a 12 year old brother, Alex, who has been in the hospital a few times, and a 17 year old brother.

One of the things that has set this family apart is how they will all come together to drop off or pick up one of the boys, and so we have been able to meet the parents, grandmother, and oldest brother at these times. We would greet them whenever we saw them, and often bring clothes, shoes, and toys for the boys. Over the past year or so, we’ve gotten to know them more and they now come to our office to see us anytime they are at the hospital. There is a small box of toy cars that we keep on hand for visits like this, and the boys know that they can choose one any time they stop by. The family is very poor, so the clothes and shoes that we are able to give them from the donations that we receive has been such a blessing to them and they are so grateful. How wonderful to be able to fill bags of clothes for them, put new shoes on their feet, and bundle them up in warm coats and hats!

Watching these boys grow up and getting to know all of their family has been one of my best experiences here. Constantin was born 1 week before I moved here in 2011, so I have been able to measure my time here by his growth. I had no idea when I first met him as a little baby that he and his family would become so special to me and that I would get to watch him grow up outside of the hospital setting. That I would someday be “Tanti Caty” to him and his brothers, and a friend to their mom. Hearing the three younger boys running towards our office and knock at the door, excitedly calling my name, and then just about getting knocked over by them throwing themselves into my arms for a hug makes my heart burst with love every time. It is such an amazing gift to be here and be an Auntie to these boys!

Thank you to all of our volunteers who have given your love and time to these precious boys and to so many other little ones in the hospital. If any of you are considering volunteering in the future, come on out! These babies and kids need your love and will change you forever. 

 

Romania Fara Orfani by Sarah Peters

Sarah Peters is one of FFR's interns. She, along with fellow intern Izzy Hathaway, manage the volunteer apartment, help organize donations, supervise shifts in the hospital and lend helping hands wherever they are needed. We are so thankful for our interns!

 

This November, Izzy, Rachel and I had the privilege of attending a conference organized by the alliance Romania Without Orphans. At the conference, we heard from Romanian politicians, a director of social services, social workers, families who have adopted, charity workers, church pastors and young adults raised in institutions, now supporting other orphaned and abandoned children.

Here discussions revolved around these views:

•  Children should not be raised by the state, but in a family.
• Adoption is not currently viewed as a priority by many in Romania, so we need to motivate a culture of adoption across Romania, to care for the children in institutional care.
•  All children have a voice, and where some children may have lost theirs, we should help them find it.
•  Children who have experienced trauma in their lives need love, support and safety - all children deserve that.
•  Supporting families so they don’t have to leave the country for work, or abandon their children, putting preventative and early intervention models in place.
•  ‘Because God cares about the orphaned and abandoned children, ‘si noua ne pasa’, we also care.

It was a wonderful opportunity for us to network with other people working in Romania with the same heart, and it was so inspiring to see so many people, especially Romanians, committing to working towards 'Romania fara orfani', Romania without orphans.

New Kids On The Block

Last week, we introduced you to our teens. This week we're giving you a glimpse of Kid's Club! Seeing their faces light up when we pull up to the schoolhouse, when they learn a new song, or when they get to play with a plethora of toys is such a joy. There are some familiar faces and some new ones, but either way we feel so blessed to have a group of kids that are excited to come learn about Jesus and sing His praises!

Visionary Aid

Being in the hospital, taking care of the abandoned and semi-abandoned children, is one of the most rewarding things we get to do as volunteers. But we often wonder, is it enough? The children that are left in the hospital are at high risk of underdevelopment, in several ways.

We try to combat many of these development issues through touch and love but most recently, thanks to volunteer Heather Zorzi, we are able to provide a little something more. By using mobiles and books containing certain colors and shapes we are able to give these babies some visual stimulation that will go a long way towards growth and development!

Most recently the President of FFR, Sarah Berchtold, said: "I recently did a shift and I was amazed to see how much these [visual aids] are helping the kids."

Having volunteers from all walks of life come to the hospital is such an encouraging and educating experience as we are able to welcome new ideas and perspectives into our program. Visual aids are such a small thing but they carry so many benefits in the long run!

Happy Heart Toy Factory

For every happy little toy purchased, another is donated to a child in need! 

You've probably come across this give-back business concept as made popular by brands like Toms and People Water.

Now, Grace Lloyd, from New York, is using the same model to help FFR! Grace makes hand made stuffed animals that can be purchased on Etsy. When a toy is purchased, another will be made and sent directly to FFR in Romania. The toys will then be given to the children in the Brasov State Children's Hospital.

Grace explains her desire to get involved:
"After learning about the high number of orphans in Romania and the hardships they struggle through on a daily basis, I decided that selling my crafts could mean much more than simply making a few extra dollars for myself... When you purchase a toy from the Happy Heart Toy Factory, another will be donated to Firm Foundations Romania and given to a child whose family does not have the means to provide toys for their children. My goal is simple: to bring a little extra joy into the world, and put smiles on the faces of children who have less than we do."

Thank you, Grace, for your heart and for using the gifts that God has given you! We encourage you to visit the Happy Heart Toy Factory website. Purchase a toy for yourself or for a loved one and know that you've helped make a difference in a child's life.

Idaho Visits Romania

FFR is so thankful to the team from Calvary Chapel Treasure Valley for all of the time they spent working with us in our different projects!

The team began their week by running a VBS for almost 40 of our 1st – 4th grade kids! They sang songs, taught Bible lessons, played games, face painted and did crafts with the kids. Everyone had a great time!

Then the men of the team worked together to lay some cement on the outside of a home in the Roma village where we work. The foundation of the home was dirt and rats were digging their way into the home and biting the kids at night. The family had already poured cement on the inside of the home but did not have enough materials to finish the job. FFR was able to purchase the remaining materials and this amazing group of men helped to pour cement on the outside of the home to be sure that the kids would be safe.

The next day the men helped with painting an apartment and putting beds together to get ready for our first set of FFR Interns who will be arriving in August!

While the men were hard at work, the ladies in the group volunteered their time holding babies and playing with the kids in our Hospital Program.







We were so blessed that the team took time out of the other ministry work they were doing in Romania to work with us! And we thank Nicu and Silvana Hagiu for connecting us and setting everything up!

Seeking A Broken Heart - A Volunteer's Perspective

Below is a wonderfully written piece by one of our volunteers, Holly, who is here with us in Romania for 7 weeks. Her ability to capture some of the emotions experienced when volunteering in the Brasov Children's Hospital is incredible. We thank you, Holly, for being able to put to paper what so many of us have not been able to express!

The second week at the hospital has ended. I am a wordy person who loves language and grammar; finding words to describe working with sick and abandoned children leaves me at a loss.

What can be said about a diaper rash so severe, the child's skin peels off and blood seeps onto the crib sheet?

What words accurately convey the sight of babies desperately trying to pull themselves up and cling to crib bars in attempts to reach the arms of the grown-ups peering down at them?

What words set the scene for an infant quietly staring at the ceiling, a single tear spilling down its cheek, the only evidence of distress because it has learned its cries will not be answered?

What words describe the attachment issues when a toddler calls a just-met volunteer, "Mama"?

What language portrays the weariness and frustration of nurses who faithfully work around the clock, yet cannot hold every crying baby or interact with every wailing toddler because there are not enough hours in the day or hands to accomplish the work?

Those are some of the experiences from the past two weeks.

It shouldn't be that way. But it is.

People can ignore. Indifference can be the order of the day. Yet reality remains, even if everyone on the planet refused to recognize it.

It hurts. Hearts break at the sound of their cries. It isn't fun to witness pain, suffering, and sadness.

But broken hearts won't kill us. Trust me. Mine has been broken many, many times, and here I am typing away on my nine-year-old laptop.

Hiding from the suffering of others does not make it go away. Only by coming alongside is the burden eased.

Will every orphan find a loving, stable home? No.

Will many of the babies we hold at the hospital die young from disease and malnutrition? Yes.

Will every child grow up knowing they are valued and irreplaceable? Hardly.

Leaving it at that is exactly what satan desires. The deceiver wants us to be indifferent, close our eyes and stop our ears, doubt our actions have any real meaning, make excuses, and give up. It is overwhelming knowing many of the babies, statistically speaking, will not lead happy, balanced, healthy lives. I go back and forth with God all the time about this subject. I just flat out don't understand why millions of children are born into a lifetime of suffering. None of us get to choose where or to whom we are born. I was born into a white, middle class, American, Christian family. I could easily have been born to the lowest caste in India and died at the age of five from eating raw sewage to fill my growling stomach. Or I could have been one of the sick babies at the hospital where I volunteer, screaming until my cries became hoarse and barely audible. Instead, I was raised by two loving parents; never went hungry; always had a warm, safe place to sleep; enjoyed being a kid; was highly valued, disciplined, and protected; and was granted an excellent education. I did nothing to deserve any of that; nor did these babies do anything to deserve their current circumstances. I do not have it all figured out. I go to God all the time with big, aching questions. Some of those questions will never be fully answered this side of heaven.

This I do know, though. We must take action. Push back against the darkness. Set the world ablaze with light. Jesus said to give a cup of cold water in His name. He did not say, "Give every single thirsty person on earth a glass of water, and if you aren't up to that task, just stay home and forget it." He kept it simple and personal. One cup of water. One person at a time.

One crying baby snuggled. One diaper changed. One rash soothed.

That is what I hold on to when the doubt creeps in and I wonder if any of this even matters.

Will that person be thirsty again? More than likely.

Will that diaper need changing again? Absolutely (wipies are heaven-sent and whoever invented them deserves an award).

Jesus instructs us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. If I had been abandoned as a baby, I pray loving arms would have come to find me, even for a few hours a day. If I had kids and for whatever reason was unable to care for them, I pray kind people would welcome them into their home and reserve a space for them at the supper table.

Love is not merely a word. It is action. And a broken heart is exactly what we all need.

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