Lights, Camera...Budila!

Nowadays, snapping photos is an everyday thing. Most people have a camera on their phone that allows them to capture every part of their day: get togethers with friends, road trips, even what they're eating. Now think way back, if you're old enough, to the time when taking pictures meant owning a camera, having batteries for it, and buying rolls of film at the 7/11. Now try to imagine even farther back to a time when it was a rare and precious thing to have your photograph taken, a picture of your family that would hang on a wall of the house, slowly getting faded over time from the constant exposure to sun light.
Most, if not all, children in Budila have never had a picture of themselves, or pictures hanging in the home of their family. Well, we were thrilled this past week when a team from Alisha Sidebottom's home church, The Freedom Center in Fenton Michigan, came to freeze in time the lovely and happy faces of our After School Program children. Each child was able to have their photo taken and then framed and given to them. The team was also able to take group pictures of the different grades.

It's time to go back to school all over the globe and for kids in most western countries that means back to school photos! What a precious and memorable gift to give these children and their families. If any of you ever look back fondly on your awkward or unfortunate elementary school photos, complete with starry or neon lazer backgroud, then just think how much more these photos will be prized and appreciated.
These children have a bright future and it is so important to build them up and show them they are valued.

Thank you once again Michigan for upping the bar, for being an amazing example of team work and for giving your love to the children of Romania! You guys were a a blast to have, and we can't wait to see you back again in Romania. And an extra special thank you to former long term volunteer Erin Deale, for being an awesome team leader! 

Clown Car Unloads at the Children's Hospital!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to Papa Vogel (Father of Vice President Steffi Vogel) for donating our new, amazing clown costumes! There really isn't a better way to make a child smile then with a clown, face paint and balloon animals.

Alisha with honorary clowns Dee & Jim, also from Michigan.

We first had to decide who would be the clown; that was easy. There is one long term volunteer (Alisha Sidebottom), who is completely afraid of clowns, so this proved as a great opportunity to for her to face her fears. And plus, if you ARE the clown, you don't have to look at the clown...unless there's a mirror near by. We're teasing you a bit here Alisha :)

But really, as Hospital Head Supervisor, she was happy to take on the task of transforming into a clown to make the children smile and laugh, and it was for sure a success.

We are excited that we have these costumes that volunteers now can regularly entertain the children visiting the hospital

Sometimes just a clown hug is enough.

Deep in the Heart of Texas

We have been so blessed this past week to welcome a team from Kingwood Texas to Brasov! They brought so much fun and joy to the children in Budila as they presented a week long Vacation Bible School for our After School Program children in the morning, and snuggled and loved on babies at the Brasov Children's Hospital in the afternoons. Throughout the week you would hear resounding YEE-HAW's coming from our Foundation Center, witness the wearing of fuzzy coloured mustachios, and bandanas but also hear songs and teachings centered around the story of Moses with the message, no matter where you come from God can use you to do great things. Here are few pictures from all the fun times that were had, thank you TEXAS!

                       

The team taught our kids a new version of "The Lords Army" that had some very...Texan, moves. You've gotta know how to swing a rope and holster a side arm if you're in the Lords Texan Army :)

Each day the children learned a new verse that was recorded in their journal. Here, Claudia holds John 11:25 for the children to copy down. 

Three of the teens from our program, Marcu, Petru (Mark and Peter) and Andreea came all week to help as camp counsellors to the children. It was absolutely inspiring to see these young adults now take a leadership role with children whom they were once like. 

Some of the girls from Texas commented on how they were worried about the communication barrier. How would they be able to really reach the kids if they couldn't understand what each other was saying? The answer is simple. Love is a universal language, we all know it, we can all recognize it when it's given to us, and we can all show it in numerous ways. 

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18

The Berchtold Family Singers Lift Spirits and Share Love Through Music.

What an aweome visit we had this Spring from Sarah's family! For those of you who don't know, Sarah is the youngest of seven girls! And yes, they can all sing! Whenever the Berchtold family is in town there is a lot of love, a lot of laughs and beautiful music. For the Children's Hospitals "Day of the Child" celebrations, the Berchtold's toured the hospital and sang, visited with the children and the staff. When the hospital project first began in 2005 and Sarah and Steffi began fundraising for diapers, this family headed up a lot of the efforts in the U.S. This project is very dear to their hearts, as they are dear to ours. 

While here they also had the opportunity to tour the new Foundation Center in Budila and sing for the kids in the After School Program also. It was such a treat to have a visit from them. Thank you for your beautiful music and your heart for Romania. Come back soon!

The Fight of Her Life

One would think that being born into a poor and destitute Roma village would be the pinnacle of hardship. The battles of everyday life, just surviving, is more than most of us deal with in a lifetime. But now one of our most beloved families is facing a new kind of battle. Five year old Sidonia Gandac, a child we have known since birth, is battling a rare form of Leukaemia.

With Head Supervisor Alisha in 2011.

Many of our past volunteers will recognize Sidonia from her time in the Brasov Children's Hospital as a baby and toddler, and more recently as one of our most rambunctious and loveable Kids Club kids. Since birth she has been a joyful child, always smiling and laughing, and as we have watched her grow we have seen her blossom into an intelligent, sassy and kind little girl. We were shocked when she was sent to the the Children's Hospital this spring with an undiagosed illness. After almost two months of testing it was determined that she is indeed suffering from a rare form of Leukaemia.

Playing doctor, after being in the children's hospital so
much, she knows what to do.

Thankfully she has been transferred to a hospital in Cluj that specializes in treating this life threatening illness. The city is a four hour drive away so it is impossible for the family to visit. Sidonia's grandmother has been staying with her at the hospital for the past two weeks, and we will be sponsoring the journey for her father to go and trade places with her.

Decorating a tree this past Christmas in Budila.

This family is heavy on our hearts at this time and we ask that you would join with us in praying for healing for Sidonia. The doctors have a realistic perspective and know that this form of cancer is extremely aggressive. But we know that our God is bigger than any disease and He is holding Sidonia in his hands. Please forward this blog post to those who would pray for this precious little girl. She will begin chemotherapy in the coming days and we will keep you updated as we hear progress of her treatments. Thank you for your heart and love for these children, your prayers make a difference.

Swollen from the treatments, but still smiling. At the Brasov Children's Hospital, just before being transferred to Cluj.

The Hills Are Alive..With Our Teens.

"We had an amazing time in Pestera. We left at 10 am from Budila and I brought them back at 9pm. Everyone from the church loved the girls. At the end of the trip the girls thanked me and said that they really enjoyed their time and that we should have stayed longer. We went in the cave but the girls were scared to go in all the way. We also made barbecue and it came out delicious. It was a great day!" 

Juliana Timofte, Teenage Mentorship Coordinator

Enjoying a picnic.

Romanians are serious pros when it comes to grilling.

So much beauty to enjoy!

Pestera is a small mountain village 30 minutes outside of Brasov. It has become a favorite spot for FFR for its steep rolling hills with farms set at their very peaks. Being up there you feel as if you've entered the movie Heidi. Often FFR will take volunteers up there to enjoy its beauty, and also explore the famous caves in the area. We so enjoy being able to give these teens to opportunity to get outside their community and see the world. There is so much to learn and see, even in their own county. 

Our First Teen Moves the Tassel.

Andreea with mentor and friend, Juliana Timofte

We are so proud to announce that our first teen has graduated from High School this Spring. Andreea Mondoc came into our program in 2010 and we began tutoring and mentoring this young girl, encouring her to stay in school. Through sponorship we were able to move her out of her village into Brasov so that she could focus on her studies. For the past four years she has remained dedicated to her goal of completing high school and is now the first teen from the Roma community of Budila to graduate. What an amazing accomplishment! She has become a role model for other teens in her community, showing them that it is possible to have a life outside of the cycle of poverty, it is worth it to stay in school and there is hope! We are inspired and encouraged by this beautiful girl and know that God is going to do amazing things through her in her life. 

Andreea with little sister Irina, also in our After School Program.

Andreea has become a roll model for other teens in our program.

She has also become involved in helping us with our projects.