Linking Arms to Make Mercy Happen

Erin Jones is a freelance writer and humanities teacher, who visited Romania in 2014 with a group from her church, Fourth Presbyterian in Bethesda, MD.

This past October when RCE celebrated 25 years together, Nicoleta Balog shared her family’s experience of adopting Darius and Claudiu. She spoke in Romanian, and Carmen Bosca joined her at the podium, translating for her as she shared. The moment these two women took center stage to share a story together evoked an image that has been a common and beautiful thread throughout the story of redemption: God loves to work wonders through women supporting one another.

Just think back to the in the book of Ruth: in the midst of horrific heartbreak and tragedy, God used the bond between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to bring redemption, not only to their lives and circumstances, but to carry on the lineage of Christ.

Think of the bond between Mary the mother of Jesus and her older cousin Elizabeth, who hosted and supported Mary in the midst of the confusion and scandal surrounding her pregnancy. Their friendship would later be carried on through the bond between their sons, one the incarnate son of God and one the messenger and evangelist John the Baptist who heralded arrival of the long-awaited Messiah.

In his comments in October, RCE Board Chair Jim Perry, spoke about the beginnings of RCE, mentioning in particular Founder Mary Ann Bell’s heart to help the women of Romania. That heart and vision led to the formation of many gospel partnerships over the years--with women like Doina Martin, who started RCE's work of mercy by holding babies in state orphanages. She now provides leadership in the Poverty Prevention Program--helping over 200 impoverished families each year become self-sustaining. 

The support that the daughters of God show for one another is clearly close to the heart of the Father. It was present at the organization’s inception, and demonstrated 25 years later in a very simple moment of translating a story from Romanian into English.

A New Home

How many of us have experienced the joys and challenges of moving to a new place? What emotions come up? What does it take to transform a house into a home?

Sorin’s House has been built with great purpose and intention just like every RCE project. We are motivated to make it happen for the orphans and disabled children that grow under our care by the idea of future young adults living there. With that vision in mind, we work to provide young adults like Sorin, Boti, Adina and Leti with a house perfectly suited to them where they can live happily together.

As we work, RCE’s Counseling Department has prepared a plan to help these future Sorin’s House residents feel less stressed throughout this process. Each week, all four of them travel to see the site and to feel more connected to their future house. During one recent visit, Boti, Sorin, Adina and Leti helped prepare the yard.

Each time they visited, they had good interactions with the workers, saw the walls becoming bedrooms, bathrooms, and a kitchen, and witnessed  their future bedrooms being transformed from mere bricks to walls that will one day hold pictures and decorations.

Sorin often mentions the process of covering the house with a roof, as well as the day the windows were fixed into the walls, leading to a noticeable difference in temperature.

What a blessing to have a home to spend all the years that God has prepared for them!

Your Christmas Gifts at Work!

The Bisa family had never had a home of their own. Mr. and Mrs. Bisa, and their four beautiful children, lived in one crowded room and shared a kitchen, and an outdoor bathroom, with other extended family members. It was difficult and they dreamed of building their own house one day but several economic setbacks made that impossible. Including a disease that killed more than half of their herd of goats.

Ovidiu and Doina Martin, and RCE’s poverty prevention team, came to the rescue. RCE provided a no-interest loan to help the family build up their herd again and, with the help of volunteers from Fourth Presbyterian Church, MD., and McLean Presbyterian Church, VA, the family started to build a sturdy, safe little house where they now live in dignity. “A dream come true,” according to Mrs. Bisa.

This winter your Christmas gifts will help keep them warm.

RCE has helped 2027 impoverished families since we began our poverty prevention program in 1995! Families like the Bisa family who are now able to take care of most of their own needs and give their children a brighter future. Thank you for helping us make that possible.

We covet your prayers and support as we begin this new year as RCE is facing an unusual financial challenge. The dollar is down against the Romanian Lei by 21% since this time last year. The weaker dollar, plus an onerous new employment tax burden in Romania, has presented RCE with a major funding challenge for 2018. Your financial gifts will be more important than ever as we continue to serve impoverished families and rescue abandoned children with disabilities.

Thank you and God bless!

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

Erin Jones is a freelance writer and humanities teacher. She visited Romania in the spring of 2014 with a group of young adults from her church, Fourth Presbyterian in Bethesda, MD.

After an incredibly rich week, our team had begun to near the end of our visit to RCE with hearts full. That evening, our little team of 14 from Fourth Presbyterian Church, along with some RCE staff, descended on the Residential Campus in Pecica to spend the evening with students and staff, over delicious food, as always. We lingered, chatting after the meal when suddenly a small entourage of visitors burst in, one of whom carried an accordion. Before long the instrument had filled the room with upbeat, accented bellows. The tune soon took the form of a hymn, which all the Romanians in the room immediately recognized and began to sing. When this song ended, another followed close behind. A hymnal appeared, but students and staff alike seemed to know the words.

In an instant, this casual dinner had been transformed into a service of worship. Our hearts were filled with praise, even those of us who couldn’t understand the words. On the faces of the students — some wheelchair bound, others survivors of trauma — shone with the peace that passes understanding and joy inexplicable. We did not need to know the words to clearly see the truth expressed in those moments: that God is greater than circumstance and difficulty, that His grace is sufficient, and that his merciful love is glorious. So far from home, our little group from Maryland had glimpsed the true home awaiting us: a home where worship of our great God will transcend language barriers, racial divides, ethnicity, and any other temporal barriers.

Revelations 7:9-12
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”  And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Summer Smiles and Helping Hands: A Look Back

Miller Carbaugh is a member of Fourth Presbyterian Church and a student at Baylor University.  

Ever since I can remember, my family has had the privilege of partnering with RCE.  When my sister and I were very young, my parents sponsored a classroom at Sunshine School, and we would receive cards in the mail with pictures and letters from the students which I loved to look at.  As I got older, my desire to travel to Romania to see RCE in action grew and grew, and finally, through the grace of God, the summer before my senior year of high school I was privileged to travel to Romania.  I visited Love House families (families who have adopted special needs children) and impoverished families helped through RCE’s Poverty Prevention Program. What an impact it makes to be able to see mercy happening with my own eyes! 

On this trip, there was one particular boy who stood out to me named Laurentiu.  He was the oldest boy of the family whose house we were adding on to, a family who barely knew where their next meal was coming from.  He was so eager to help us and would race us to get the water from the pump for the concrete.  Even though he knew no English, his smile was one of pure joy every time we interacted with him. 

This past summer, I was able to travel to Romania again, this time for three weeks. The first week I was there I worked at camp for Love House children.  I was overjoyed to find that Laurentiu and two of his younger siblings were attending camp.  Being able to see him again and spend time with him for a whole week, still with his bright smile three years later, was an incredible feeling. Seeing that RCE was still a constant support and presence in his life is a huge testament to what RCE does in the lives of not just Laurentiu, but hundreds of other families as well.  The third week I was there, we went to visit families that RCE supports, and as I stepped off the bus at the first family’s home, I heard my name being called.  I turned and saw Laurentiu’s siblings standing there with wide eyes and happy hearts.  Once again this affirmed the impact RCE and those associated with it make in the lives of these kids and families.  These children taught me more than I taught them. 

To be able to go back and see everything that has changed and developed in these past three years is an experience I never could have prepared for.  Hearing testimonies from families who have adopted children, seeing the way RCE staff interacts with the kids, and most of all watching how much the Lord works through this organization are all things I cherish from going to Romania.  In this holiday season, it is especially important to remember these families and children as they celebrate with us the birth of our Savior.  I hope to return to Romania in the future to continue to watch God work through RCE.