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!

Merry Christmas & A Blessed New Year!

From all of us at Firm Foundations Romania, we want to thank you for your love and support this past year. God has truly blessed this work and we are humbled by his everlasting goodness to us. You are all a part of the team, and we value your love and support more than you know. 

Keeping Smiles Bright & White!

Each month we teach the children in the After School Program a different life skill.  For December we taught the children how to brush their teeth.  All of the children were really interested in learning the proper way to do this.  Even our teenagers were very attentive while Juliana instructed them how to do it and why it is so important!  Afterwards we were blessed enough through donations to be able to give every child a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste!  They were very excited to receive these special gifts!

Christmas Cookie Cuteness!!

 

This past week we kicked off the Christmas activities with a Christmas cookies decorating party at our Kids Club meeting. It anticipation of St. Nicholas Day, December 6th. Each child was able to decorate enough sugar cookies for their whole family, and eat a few in the process.

We also decorated a tree with the children and listened to some festive music. 

What a fun time, and what cute kids!

Warm Water and Warm Hearts

Long term volunteers and married couple, Kyle & Faith Maynard had a great idea. They wanted to show Christ's love for the children of Budila by once a month coming to Kids Club to wash the children's feet. In the Bible washing one another's feet was exemplified by Jesus when he stooped to wash the feet of his disciples. It is an incredible example of humble, selfless service and one that we want these young children to be blessed by and learn from. 

Here's an update on how it went from Faith and Kyle!

"Last Tuesday we had our first feet washing meeting at the Kids Club meeting in Budila. It. Was. Awesome. All of the children got their feet washed and were given winter tights, socks and underwear. At first some of them were shy, but after we got started they were lining up and eagerly peeling off their socks and shoes. It was really special to see how excited they were to get their feet cleaned.

We had 2 bowls of warm water; one for washing and one for rinsing. We kept a kettle of hot water nearby to keep the water warm. I washed and rinsed, and my husband helped dry them and put on their new, clean socks. While I scrubbed their feet, they told the Romanian speaking volunteers how nice it was.

My favorite part was seeing the kids' eyes when they put their feet into the toasty water. Some of them were very pensive and quiet, while others giggled and wiggled their toes. The whole experience was a blast and we're looking forward doing it again next month!"

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 

John 13:14-16