Week in review

Our week has been full.....I love it!

Paige took this picture....that's why all the heads are cut out :)

But, it's also been an emotional week for me.

Countless situations that leave me in tears at the end of the day or in the midst of them.  I have never been surrounded by this many hopeless situations and people for this many days.  It can make the soul feel weary.

Back, to our week....

Monday: Cherichu Food Delivery

sorting all the food out

The first week of each month is the week to deliver all the food packages to families here that are sponsored by other families in the United States.

Cherichu is a Hungarian gypsy village consisting of 14 families who are all sponsored by families in the U.S.

*Side note:  $30 a month to sponsor a family and 100% of the funds go to buy food, soap and a few rolls of toilet paper for these families.  It provides with the basics which is mostly carbohydrates, flour, cornmeal, oil, butter, sugar, canned meats, etc.  With 100% of the funds going to these families they still are without fruits and vegetables each day!  Organizations such as World Vision and Compassion do not give 100% of their funds to sponsored families. Call and ask.  A percentage goes to their workers.  So, I am left wondering how much food and help those families sponsored in these organizations are really getting??  Unless they have a lot of sponsors for one family.  I wonder how many more people could have adequate nutrition and clean water if 100% of those funds went to the families being sponsored? Just a thought.  No offense to World Vision or Compassion or any other ministry like that....we have sponsored children from WV....a great work is being done.  BUT, I LOVE that 100% of the money goes straight to the family sponsored through Project 127 for food and hygiene products.

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Back to Cherichu....

We delivered all the food to the families there and I passed out dum dum suckers (riot! probably won't be doing that again!) :)

Met a gal who is 18 yrs. old and is pregnant with her third child!  The oldest is two years old.  She let me go into her home which consisted of mud floors, mud walls, two twin "beds" and a cabinet...typical gypsy home.  Just SO bare.  If the kids want to play on the floor, they can play in dirt.  I found out that her husband has been abusive to her in the past.  My heart hurts for this family and so many others like this.  This young woman has no idea how to take care of children and she has nothing.  Bad combination.

But sweet beautiful children who need Jesus!!

Robin passing out vitamins to all the families

One young girl in this village was recently hospitalized due to a vitamin deficiency.  She could not even walk. She was receiving just water and vitamins for days.  When we saw her this day she had just been released from the hospital and was having trouble walking. Not sure what the long term effects will be??

Well....we move on to Salucea, which is another village about 20 min. from here.  Seven families in this gypsy village are sponsored by others in America.

One lady told us of a woman who needed a lot of help.  We had some extra food to give to her.  We go into her home and find out that she is a 25 yr. old single mother.  She has lost one child and has a ten year old little girl.  The daughter has not been able to go to school because she doesn't have clean clothes or lunch to take with her.

I had to walk out of the house because the tears started streaming down my face.  Once I start crying it is really hard to pull it back together....but I managed.

Robin said we needed to pray for a family to sponsor them.  I immediately knew that our family was supposed to sponsor them. So we are.  I am SO EXCITED!! Can't wait to love on them, help meet some physical needs and most importantly share Christ with them.  I want them to know Jesus personally!

Here they are...

Rest of our week....

Tuesday: Sumugiu (taught on forgiveness)

               Deliveries to Topa de Sus

Wednesday:  Maternity Center- made monster cookies (they had never made cookies or cooked!)  They                 were "so enthusiastic" they said.  SO MUCH FUN!  Steve worked at Sintelek doing construction and tearing down stuff.

Thursday:  Steve working at Sintelek. I went later and cleaned some inside the house.  Then off to Meirleu for some volleyball and games.  Learned some of their names better!  

Friday will be a work day at Sintelek for Steve and I will be at home with my kids!!