We praise God for your prayers on behalf of Romania Reborn, Hope House, and Living Hope Center. You will find the latest praise and prayer needs below. Join us in praying for these needs and praising God for His answers. God bless you all!
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.
This new year, we’re so thankful to have faithful friends like you praying for us and the children in our care. We truly believe that the Lord “hears the prayers of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29). Please join us in praying for the needs below. We know God will answer!
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
After a ten hour train ride, my mom and I arrived at the Living Hope Center in Targu Jiu (south-central Romania). This week, LHC and their partners from Samariteanul kindergarten took almost 100 children on a trip to the Promised Land during VBS. They started in Bethlehem with the birth of Christ, traveled to Capernaum where Christ raised a little girl from the dead, and ended their journey at Calvary and Christ’s resurrection. Through the use of a time machine, amazing artwork, and costumes, the life of Christ came alive!
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!
For approximately 18 months, young siblings “Marcus,” age 3, and “Natalie,” age 2, have been in the care of Hope House Family Center. But last week, they finally went home.
Marcus and Natalie have now been legally placed with a loving, Christian adoptive family, while the final legal details of their adoption are processed. We at Romania Reborn join Hope House in rejoicing over this outcome!
Until now, Marcus and Natalie’s road has been paved with sorrow, difficulty, and even danger. They first came to the attention of Hope House director Corina Caba after the death of their older brother Alin (see our 2009 blog post: “After Child’s Death, Siblings Find New Life”). The tragic loss of Alin spared his young brother and sister from experiencing a similar fate, but their difficult road didn’t end there.
This past autumn, we sent out an urgent prayer alert regarding the potential adoption of Marcus and Natalie. Two families had approached the adoption authorities with the request of adopting the children. Based on interviews and home visits with both families, Hope House was convinced that only one family would be able to give the children the love, attention, and acceptance they needed. However, the decision rested with local adoption officials.
We are thrilled that these officials made a wise decision and placed the children into a home where they will grow up loved, accepted, and shown as well as taught the love of Christ. God answers prayer!
After being abandoned at birth over twelve years ago, Nistor arrived at Hope House almost dead from malnutrition and neglect. Miraculously, he recovered and grew strong, eventually leaving Hope House for a wonderful foster family. However, the early neglect had caused severe heart problems which would require surgery at some future date.
That day arrived at the beginning of this summer, when Nistor’s health quickly deteriorated. Through several faithful donors, the necessary funding was provided and the dangerous, but necessary, surgery was scheduled. On August 5, Nistor went into surgery singing “Jesus Loves Me” with a smile on his beautiful face.
Nistor, happy and healthy in his foster home.
After the surgery Corina wrote, “Nistor is unbelievably well! Everything is fine and he is at home. They said it went so well it must have been God. Nistor still needs to take it easy until January, but next year, if everything goes well, he can even do sports. Praise God!” Not only is Nistor doing well physically, he is growing spiritually, spending time reading the Bible and singing in church. Thanks to the work of God done through Hope House, Nistor’s heart has been healed . . . in more ways than one.
