Dear Friends,

It seems to have been a long winter but thankfully, it hasn’t been too harsh for everyone in Romania. There were some difficult times but freezing conditions didn’t get much lower than -25 degrees so everyone coped! Claudiu & Ada, our faithful co-workers have worked tirelessly over the winter months helping the families that GNfR supports. Claudiu had a health scare which fortunately turned out to be a stomach infection and nothing more serious. However, his Dr has warned him that he has serious signs of stress so please pray with us that Claudiu can find a less stressful job. Ultimately, him and Ada would like to start a charity so that they can work with those families in need full time. He has already got a lot of the paperwork done, but unfortunately, he has found out that under government regulations, the charity must have the equivalent of 100 times the minimum salary, currently 1,250 lei per month in the account. This works out at approx £23,800!!! Claudiu is asking God for guidance in this! Ada continues to have the all clear since her cancer 5 ½ years ago which is great news. As well as supporting the families, Ada regularly takes food into the town for the street children, we have witnessed how they all know her and run over to her, calling her name, when they see her, what a blessing she is. Many of you will remember Romica Pantea. Romica had an incredibly hard childhood but he is now living and working in Italy and very happy there. He calls Ada regularly just so she knows how he is. We are so happy that he can put his difficult past behind him and that GNfR was able to help him in so many ways. Oana, Tiberiu & Sebastian Rosca. Life continues to be extremely hard for these children, their parents continue to drink and sadly, the children all have to work the fields and do all the work around the house. Claudiu noticed Sebastian’s hands and how he has the hands of a hard working labourer rather than the hands of a 9 year old child, another sign that he is doing manual work rather than being a child. Their grandmother died suddenly from a stroke in November which has affected the children greatly. It was understandably a difficult time but the family had no money to pay for the funeral so their option was to sell the cow. After much discussion with Claudiu, we felt that to sell the cow was taking away the much needed milk for the children, so GNfR bought the cow to pay for the funeral but the family still has their source of vitamins. As Kath says, “so long as I don’t have to milk the cow that’s fine!” Oana has run away from home a number of times after her father beat her but she always goes back. Her father also recently took all Oana’s clothes and set fire to them as a punishment for not doing as she was told. Fortunately, thanks to wonderful supporters, we were able to send new clothes for her urgently. All 3 children are given a meal each day before they go home after school, this is provided by GNfR, it’s good to know they have at least one good meal a day. Oana’s father cut her foot with a knife recently, so she is currently living with her sister Dana (who had a baby, Beatrice Lorena, the day after her Grandma passed away.) Fortunately, it wasn’t a serious cut but it’s all very worrying. Child Protection doesn’t seem to be any good at all….. sadly! Please continue to pray for protection for these children, Claudiu & Ada struggle greatly with all the issues that go on in that family as they feel quite helpless. We have a few babies due anytime, these young girls with difficult home lives soon find themselves in this situation. Stela Petcu (16) Liliana Petcu (17) are both having babies due in the next month or two (they don’t go for antenatal care so not sure of due date), and Oana’s other sister Adina had a boy a few weeks ago, Petronela Patrascu & Alexandra Lupu unfortunately seem to have, in Claudiu’s words, taken the wrong path. They aren’t going to school or Church and seem to be enjoying the party life, we just pray protection for them both. Barlad Claudiu & Ada have some concerns about Bianca’s children, Alexandru (8) & Biencuta (11). She is leaving them alone in the apartment quite a lot so Ada is spending a lot of time discussing with Bianca about how this isn’t the right way. It’s quite a worry. Biencuta continues to love her painting and acting, she is certainly a very talented girl. Alexandru had a growth on the back of his neck in October which GNfR was able to help financially to have the lump (a benign cyst) removed and pay for transport costs to travel the 80 miles to Iasi for treatment. Ruben Postolache (Bianca’s younger brother) continues to do well and goes to school and Church regularly. His friend Cristian Chiritoi (14) is also doing well and attends regularly. He lives alone with his Dad after his Mum passed away, both him and Ruben keep asking, when is the summer camp, they loved it so much! Daniel Postolache (also Bianca’s brother) who was diagnosed with epilepsy is doing well. He gets tired some days but on the whole he is doing well. Oana Zanet who was diagnosed with bi-polar is doing much better. She still has days when she isn’t too good but again, she is doing better than she was. She chats to Kath every couple of weeks, especially if she is feeling low and that seems to help. Her Mum Maria hasn’t had great health over the winter but is well at the minute. Bogdan who is a monk, is also in contact with Kath and he is a wonderful support for his Mum and sister. GOOD NEWS: The Church at Dealu Mare is a place where the children can go each Sunday. They listen to the message that day, they sing songs, play games and take part in a quiz and each of them will be rewarded with treats and money for their school lunches that week which is provided by GNfR. We couldn’t encourage these children in this way without YOU, so thank you! The theme for this year at Dealu Mare Church is: Reforming of the mind, soul, heart & body. If you pray, please pray Gods blessing on them all this year. Christmas Day at Church was very, very exciting for everyone. We were able to send lots of lovely clothing and gifts for the children, Claudiu said their eyes were SO BIG that he wanted everyone to know how much their love and support means. He said he wished that each one of you could have seen their faces when they opened their bags of gifts – THANK YOU AGAIN! Over the winter months, GNfR has been able to provide money each month for any needs that there are. This is mostly food but also money has been provided to send new warm coats and boots for the children that needed them and also vitamins. The children have extremely difficult lives and although we can’t solve all their problems, we can make their lives a little easier. All the children are looking forward to Summer Camp again this year. We aren’t going on the camp again as Madalina Doroftei is getting married to Vlad on August 19th and we are invited. Madalina went on the first GNfR camp as a teenager in 2006, it’s wonderful to see that she has grown up into a lovely Christian young woman and is now helping in the Church and on the camps! You will find attached to this letter, slips asking for support for the children to go on the camp this summer. If you are able to help in anyway, please do fill in the slip and return to us with any donation you are able to make. Also, our GNfR COFFEE MORNING is here at our home, 1 Wythburn Ave. Bolton, BL16BG, on SATURDAY MAY 20th, 09.45-12 noon, EVERYONE IS WELCOME! Thank you again for your love, support and encouragement; you will never know how much it means!

God bless you all. Love David & Kath xx