Verein missionarischer Christen

Dear Friends,

something like this had never happened to us during our drives to Romania even though most of them took place earlier during the year in March.
On Eastern, April 17th 2017, it had been snowing over night in the region of Bergisches Land. When we exited the Autobahn to pick up our two fellow car passengers from Marienheide we immediately got stuck in the snow just like other cars before us. After many attempts of sliding back and forth and a quick prayer we were finally able to continue driving an hour later. But we weren’t spared from the snow in Sibiu as well.

By now almost every free spot on the property is being used for growing fruit and vegetables.

I’ve already told you about our ‚problem girl’ Bomby a few times. Last year we arranged a small apartment for her to stay. Since then she's been working in a factory to the full satisfaction of her employer. During the weekends she's eagerly helping out in the kitchen for the ‚freie Kost’ in the ‚Haus der Hoffnung‘ (House of Hope).

That the discrepancy between the urban and rural population will change during the next few years is highly unlikely.

Many things in Romania are still in a sorry state.
Why are well educated people still leaving the country? Well, a doctor and a teacher with a degree only make about 400 Euros a month which is equivalent to what a good mechanic earns. So you cant really wonder why they are going to Germany, Sweden or Switzerland where they can make that money multiple times. Leaving Romania in need of over 20.000 doctors.
Another big problem that is still ongoing is corruption. It is omnipresent and hard to fight against, also because top-ranking politicians are part of the criminal system.

It already being one of our habits we visited families to bring them a few necessities. Even after 25 years it is still hard for me to cope with these partly inhumane situations.

We are grateful that after 2 years of searching we finally found a good caretaker for the house!
As of right now Alexandru is still in a rehabilitation facility after a hernia. He is the brother of one of the girls we look after. Also we have another young man working in the House who will be Alexandrus right hand so to speak. This young man who is also called Alexandru T. used to be in an orphanage that Mimi got him out of. He’s got no parents and didn't have any personal documents. But Mimi put in an endless effort and succeeded to get him those vital documents.

A while ago I visited a young woman and mother of 2 small children. I am saddened every time to see how young people, and it is not an exception here, have their childhood and youth sort of taken away from them.
We were amazed that Alexandru T. and Kasandra are getting married now. A 3rd child is also on the way. This marriage can only last with the moral and practical support of Mimi. Since Kasandras parents have a little house in Rosia it is possible to build an add-on on their property. We want to help this young couple to have their own four walls.

v.lks.Brautmutter,Alexandru,Brautvater,

Kinder Stefan u.Bani,Kasandra

mit den Trauzeugen Sandra (lks.)und

Dr.Alina (Ärztin im HausHoffnung)

This time it is a lot of the pictures that are saying more than a thousand words could ever express. Against all the odds und problems in this country I am still amazed by Romania with its still vastly untouched landscapes and its sociable inhabitants.