Romania

Bine ati venit! welcome

Out of all the overseas relationships SKCC has built up over the last two decade, Romania is the country most visited by mission teams. With ages ranging from 5 –76, well over 150 SKCC people have taken part! Some have only been once, but many have felt the need to return again and again given the opportunity. Our main connection is in the area around the city of Brasov.

 

 

 

Our Contacts

Over the years we have built up strong relationships with a number of churches and organisations. There are four main organisations we work with:

Aurora Christian Association (ACA).  

ACA works with the very poor and the gipsy community in the area surrounding the village of Vulcan (18 kilometres from Brasov). Their biggest objective is to bring people to a personal knowledge of the love of God. They are involved in many community projects including a canteen which feeds poor children - one meal a day, five days a week. All that they do is covered by prayer. Most of their support both financial, and in aid, comes from the UK. The aid is packed and sent out by lorry from ACA’s UK base in Devon. You can find out more by visiting their website: www.rorahouse.org.uk/romania

SKCC’s involvement:

• Small teams have been visiting ACA for a number of years now serving in whatever way they can. One way is by purchasing groceries in bulk which they bag and distribute to poor gipsy families, thereby showing them the love of God.  The teams also do art and craft with the various children and teen groups connected to ACA, sort clothes/shoes in the aid store and generally help give practical support needed at the time.

Diaconia

Diaconia is a Swiss charity based in Brasov and is a Christian organisation providing practical support to children, families and people in need. A main focus is to invest in the education of underprivileged children by running kindergartens and after school clubs where children from illiterate families can be helped to catch up with their more fortunate school mates. The team at Diaconia believe that the poverty cycle cannot be broken while children remain uneducated. As well as attempting to meet their educational needs, they also teach them personal hygiene and other practical things you can read more by visiting www.diaconia.info/ro

SKCC’s involvement:

• Due to time constraints teams have not been able to be as involved with Diaconia as they would like. However, on the annual autumn trip the SKCC team spends a day doing art and craft with the younger children and other teams have run clubs for the children in the Easter holidays.

Hospices of Hope

– Originally founded in Brasov and run from the UK, Hospices of Hope is now the leading palliative care charity in South Eastern Europe.  Originally, only working in Brasov (Hospice Casa Sperantei) and its surrounds, there is now a hospice in Bucharest and they also provide palliative care in other Bulkan countries.  Hospices of Hope treat patients in their own homes and offer respite care via in-patient units. One of their roles is to educate health care professionals from Romania and the surrounding countries. For more information you can go to: www.hospicesofhope.co.uk

SKCC’s involvement:

• The cost of living has now risen to nearly the same level as in the UK but the average salary is much less and state benefit for the elderly, sick or unemployed can be small to non-existent. Many patients struggle to make ends meet. Our teams work with the hospice social workers to demonstrate God’s love to these patients and their families and help relieve some of the pressure by giving them a bag of groceries. A leaflet with Bible verses and a message (in Romanian) is also included stating that the gift is sent from SKCC as a way of demonstrating God’s unconditional, personal love to them.
• The groceries are purchased in bulk at a cash and carry and our team then packs them into carrier bags and distribute them to people designated as being in the most need by the hospice.There are many children connected to the hospice and often their families are not in a position to give them a gift at Christmas. Each year the SKCC team purchases and wraps a small present for each child. These are distributed at the Hospice Christmas party organised by the staff. Over 350 gifts were provided last year!

Hosanna

This charity was founded and is run by a Romanian businessman and his wife. It consists of two kindergartens, a home for the elderly, a shelter for pregnant girls and 3 family houses for abandoned children. Each house is home to 8 and a set of house parents.

About 22 people live at the care home (just women at this time). In order to live in the home they must have no family to care for them and no resources of their own. They are allowed to live there free of charge. This charity receives no regular support and is mainly financed by the founder’s business.

SKCC’s involvement:

• When possible a team has done a programme with the kindergarten including songs, craft, puppets or a drama. The team also visit the elderly ladies and usually take part in a small meeting with them where the team pray, sing and share. Each lady is given a small gift.