HOPE HOUSE

Praises

Corina Caba (at right), director of Hope House, returned safely from her month-long visit with her sister, a missionary in Mozambique. She had the opportunity to minister to young children and adults in poverty stricken villages, where she saw God working mightily in their lives. We praise God for giving her this opportunity and bringing her home safely.

Prayer Needs

New Laws
Recently, the Romanian government made some changes to its adoption laws. The law has opened the opportunity for Romanian citizens residing in foreign countries to adopt, for which we are truly thankful. However, it has also created more regulations and other difficulties for organizations helping abandoned children. Please pray for Hope House as they seek to file for a new accreditation before June 7, and as they work to comply with the new laws.

“Irene”
Irene’s first ten years were spent in a foster family provided by another foundation in Oradea, Romania. Due to difficulties in the family and the closing of the foundation, Irene has been left in a tenuous situation, and Hope House has stepped in to help. Irene is in need of a foster or adoptive family by June 15. Please pray that God will provide a loving family—one who can deal with her emotional and behavioral issues stemming from her displacement, and who can help her heal.

LIVING HOPE CENTER

Praises

“Robby”
A recent accident on the LHC playground left Robby (at right with a friend) with a crushed elbow and in need of surgery. When we sent out an emergency request, you responded: over $5,000 was donated for his needs! Even though we didn’t believe all this money would be needed, we trusted that God knew best and sent the money to Living Hope Center. After Robby’s first surgery, it quickly became apparent that something was wrong. An examination by a specialist revealed that the surgery had been horribly faulty, and Robby would require immediate corrective surgery if he were ever to have use of his arm again. With the extra funds already in the bank, Robby was able to immediately get the help he needed and is recovering nicely. We praise God for His miraculous provision for Robby and his family. Please continue to pray for Robby as he heals and enters physical therapy.

A special thank you to all who gave a gift for Robby. His parents have been amazed by the generosity of strangers, and it has opened a door for the LHC staff to share the love of Christ with them.

Your prayers are vital to our ministry, and we are seeing the Lord answer! Thank you for taking time to pray for our children and their needs. The current praises and prayer needs are below, so join us in praising God for His answers – current and future. God bless!

Living Hope Center

Praise God for providing for “Robby”, a student recently injured at the Living Hope Center! After falling on the playground and severely injuring his elbow, Robby (pictured below in the hospital being visited by other LHC students) was rushed to the hospital and underwent extensive surgery. Although he is doing well, his family did not have the resources to provide Robby with the care he will need. Thankfully, God provided over $6,000 for Robby through the gifts of over a dozen Romania Reborn donors!

We thank each of you who prayed for Robby and his family, as well as everyone who gave toward his needs. The Lord knows exactly what Robby will need in the coming months, and we praise Him for His answer! We will send updates on Robby’s ongoing condition, but please continue to pray for him as he enters physical therapy in the coming weeks.

"Robby" with other LHC students

Hope House

Corina Caba (director of Hope House) has been ministering in Mozambique with her missionary sister for almost a month, seeking to help her sister set up an orphanage there. Corina will be traveling home to Romania today and tomorrow. Pray for her safety as she travels home to her children and family. Please pray Corina will have strength as she jumps back into work, which will have built up during her time away. Pray that God will use her time in Africa to bless the orphan children there with a home and love.

HOPE HOUSE

Accreditation
A month ago, Hope House was informed by the local Child Protection Department that their accreditation as a foundation was due a month earlier than planned. A new, and much longer, application made this deadline seem impossible. Thankfully, God provided strength, and all paperwork has been finished and submitted to the government. It will be April before we know if Hope House has been approved for another three years, but we are trusting God. Please pray that the officials will quickly approve Hope House for another three years, since without this accreditation Hope House would be unable to continue to provide for the over 50 children in their care.

A Trip to Africa
Corina Caba, director of Hope House, will be spending a month in Mozambique with her sister, who is a missionary there. With her expertise in orphan care, Corina will be helping her sister set up an orphanage for the dozens of orphaned children where she works. This is a wonderful opportunity for God to use Corina’s experiences and gifts to help children in desperate need of love and care. Please pray that God would give Corina strength and health during her journey. Pray that God would guide Corina and her sister to His plan for this orphanage and the children in need of a home. Pray that God would sustain and provide for Hope House and the staff while Corina is gone.

LIVING HOPE CENTER

Praises
Although Living Hope Center and other schools in southern Romania were recently closed for over a week due to major snow storms, we praise God that everyone is safe and continuing to learn at LHC. Pray that God will give strength and wisdom to the teachers and staff, as they seek to inspire and challenge the students. Please pray that the families of the students will see the difference in their children and seek to know more of Christ and His salvation. Pray that God will provide all LHC needs to continue being a light in the community.

ROMANIA REBORN

Christian’s Trip
We praise God for His provision during Christian’s (director of Romania Reborn) recent trip to Romania. The day after her arrival, Christian had the opportunity to meet with 13 pastors and non-profit leaders (pictured below)—all Romanians—to discuss working together to create a culture of orphan care throughout Romania, especially in the hearts of Romanian Christians. Although there are still many details to be worked out, everyone has joined together to create an organization called Romania Without Orphans, which will challenge Romanian Christians with the needs of the abandoned, orphaned, and at-risk youth of Romania. We are truly excited to see what God will do in Romania through this joint effort.

The day after this meeting, Romania was hit by the worst winter storm in 40 years. In the middle of trying to stay warm, helping shovel snow, and pushing cars out of snow drifts, Christian was still able to connect with Hope House and Living Hope Center directors to plan for the coming year. Although most of her plans for the trip were canceled due to weather, Christian was again reminded of the many amazing ways God is using Hope House and Living Hope Center to reach needy children with His love. Please pray that God will use Romania Reborn for His glory, both in working with others to challenge the Romanian Church and in supporting our ministries.

It is wonderful how God continues to call HIS people to join Him in this work. Perhaps He is calling you?

But how do you recognize the call? Listen to this: “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.” (John 14:18) That is step one.

Consider the world from the orphan’s perspective. Abandoned through no fault of their own, they live at the very bottom of the pile, with only a few years of potential adoptability (most occur between 0-5 years). Who, if not the people of God, whom Christ rescued and brought into his family, have what it takes to rescue the fatherless and give them hope and a lifelong home and family? “Visit orphans in their distress” as James 1:27 says, “and practice true religion.”

Perhaps God wants to use you as “the helper of the Fatherless.” Though this can take many forms, consider: you may be the family GOD wants to use to change the life of a child forever.

As we considered adoption, prayed about it for many years, had three biological children, and continued to feel God tugging on our hearts, some wise folks asked us, “What about the risk? What about unknown family traits, health issues, attachment disorders, possible unforeseen challenges, down the line…all of the ‘what if’s’?”

These are reasonable and wise questions to ask. We prayed over them soberly.

But, God kept up the refrain…“Fear not, I am with you. I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” Our good Lord, who was willing to sacrifice everything to rescue sinners, provides ALL we parents need to face these challenges (and we have had some with our daughter who is now 17). But at each challenging juncture, HE has met us with His provision and all-encompassing love, and allowed us the privilege to serve and grow together with our wonderful girl.

Listen to what God has done for us:

Ephesians 1:5 says, “He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.”

Perhaps God wants to use you to show His plan of adoption to a watching world.

Jeanne has been a board member and treasurer of Romania Reborn since its founding. She lives in Richmond, Virginia, and is pictured above with her four children and daughter-in-law.

Hope House

Families Needed
Our number-one prayer request is that God would raise up more Christian families to adopt the children in our foster program. While we’re incredibly thankful for our excellent foster parents, our desire is to see every Hope House child find a true forever family. We praise God that half of the 50 children in our care are on the road to adoption—an unprecedented number! Please join us in praying that the hearts of Romanian Christian families will be open to meet the needs of the precious children who are still waiting.

"Sarah"

“Sarah”
One of our Hope House foster children is 16-year-old “Sarah,” who grew up in an extremely abusive family. Rescued and removed from her family at the age of 9, she came to Hope House with numerous physical and emotional problems. God has been faithful to slowly heal her scarred heart, but she continues to deal with the painful memories of the past. Please pray that God will give the Hope House staff and her foster mother wisdom as they counsel Sarah. Pray for Sarah to know that Christ is the answer to her painful past.

Living Hope Center

Shining Opportunity
In a few months, two of the students in the Living Hope Center tutoring program will participate in the Romanian National Olympics in Math. The training is tough, but this is an exciting opportunity for these children. Pray for these students to have strength as they study for the competition. Please pray that God will bring encouragement to the students and their families through this amazing opportunity.

LHC students study diligently

“Danny”
“Danny”, 4 years old, is a student at the kindergarten in partnership with LHC. He suffers from speech problems, which leaves him unhappy and agitated. Finding it difficult to fit in with the other children, Danny often plays alone. Please pray that “Danny” will find confidence to learn and progress in his speech and other studies. Pray that his parents and teachers will know how to encourage him. Continue to pray for all the students in the kindergarten and tutoring program to learn, grow, and know Christ.

Romanian Trip

On January 31, Christian Feavel (director of Romania Reborn) will be traveling to Romania, where she will be visiting Hope House and the Living Hope Center. On February 2, she will also be meeting with pastors and other organizational leaders to share about ACCEDE, a coalition of Romanian Christians working with abandoned children. It is our prayer to see Romanian Christians catch the vision for helping orphans and children at risk. Please pray that God will bring the people to the meeting He wishes to be there, and that their hearts will hear the need and respond as the Lord leads them. Pray for Christian to be able to encourage the Hope House and Living Hope Center staff during her visit. Please also pray for safe travel and good health throughout her trip.

Christian with a Hope House child

As most American kids head back to school this week, we at Romania Reborn are preparing a shipment of backpacks and school supplies for needy students in Romania. In mid-September, the Living Hope Center tutoring ministry will open its doors to over 40 young students. Because these children come from backgrounds of poverty, it is difficult for them to afford the school supplies they need. Part of LHC’s ministry involves providing each student with a backpack, notebooks, pencils, crayons, and other needed supplies.

A local backpack drive has already provided nearly half of the needed backpacks and supplies. This week, we are buying the remainder of the needed supplies and shipping them to Romania. You can still help with this project by giving a gift today. Gifts will help us buy the backpacks and supplies and pay the cost to ship them to Romania. You can give through our online giving page; simply designate your gift as a special project and fill in the field with the word “backpacks.” As always, gifts are tax-deductible.

For a closer look at the tutoring ministry, watch our 6-minute video below. Thank you!

Me and "Felicity"

God uses each trip to Romania to remind me that He is still working in the lives of the staff and children of our ministries. I already know this truth, but seeing it firsthand makes it all the more real. Sometimes He works quietly, and sometimes miraculously, but He is always at work. Our part is to PRAY!

God has heard and answered so many of our prayers over the years! Prayer is powerful, so please continue to lift up the children, staff, and ministry of Hope House and Living Hope Center in the coming months. We know God will continue to bless and answer those prayers.

It was a pleasure to share my experiences with you in the last few weeks, and I hope you enjoyed catching a glimpse of the Romania I love so much. God bless you all, and thank you for joining me on my trip to Romania. La revedere!

Florin and Miriam

It was a beautiful ceremony! Florin and Miriam exchanged vows amid a celebration of music, poems, and heartfelt admonition from friends and spiritual mentors. It was easy to join in their celebration when we saw the quiet joy that radiated from their faces. Pray for Florin and Miriam as they start their journey together, that God would use them in mighty ways to encourage and strengthen the Balesti church and the work at Living Hope Center.

Adi Dreana and others pray and ask God's blessing on this new marriage.

The children decorate crosses during craft time.

Artwork drawn by hand to illustrate the death and resurrection of Christ.

The children learned that Christ is their best Friend, He is very powerful and they can trust Him, and that He died for their sins and they need to believe in Him for salvation. This powerful gospel message was not only heard by the children, but the parents who came to observe. In spite of the intense heat, the children enjoyed every single moment. Whether it was singing songs, doing crafts, or playing games, they did everything with enthusiasm.

Playing a game of trust while blindfolded.

Dozens of children singing about God's love!

Pray that God will continue to shine His light here in Targu Jiu through the Living Hope Center and Samariteanul, as they reach new children this summer and in the coming school year. May each child and parent understand their need for Christ and believe in Him!

The value of touch and skin-to-skin contact with babies cannot be overrated. When a child has been abandoned, abused, or neglected, purposeful touch can bring life-changing healing to both body and spirit. My mother recently received her license in massage therapy with special training in therapeutic infant massage. Before this trip began, we prayed that she would have an opportunity to not only massage the children, but train a few people who could continue to massage the children after she left.

Janet Feavel teaching infant massage to new parents.

God definitely answered our prayers! Several children in placement or adoptive families are suffering from developmental delays because their birth mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. My mom was able to train the new parents in the beneficial massage, as well as train Corina, who can share this technique with other families.

Healing hands of love!

The doors also opened for us to spend time at the local Children’s Hospital where In Brate, a wonderful foundation, works with the abandoned babies. The staff of In Brate work daily to bring love and touch to the babies left alone in the hospital. Mom was able to massage many of these children, and show some of the staff the techniques. One little boy became entranced by the feel of having his head massaged, then he promptly fell into a deep sleep. We praise God for strong hands that can reach out to children with God’s love and healing in such a practical, but amazing way!