Today we went back to Dumbrava and although it’s always an emotional visit, it’s also immensely encouraging to see the constant improvements in the living conditions there…even if socially, there are isn’t any additional support!
We began by going to a new house in Tinca where there are 3 residences and where we were able to distribute the gifts donated by you all, plus the muffins we’d baked yesterday…it was such a privilege to see how such a small thing cheered so many of them…lots of hugging and hand kissing…but for some of us it was a particular joy to see Monica, one of the residents we’d met twice before…now much calmer and living away from the residents with mental health issues and delighted with the twiddle muff we gave her…one of those knitted by Karen (Kelvin’s wife) and her friend.
We moved on to Dumbrava and Viorel, the lovely Christian man who set up the residences, spent some time with us, explaining how God gave him the vision for the place and how it had grown. They are in the process of bringing together another house in Tinca.
Unfortunately it was raining all of the time we were there, so the residents were almost all in their rooms making conversation difficult, but we hope that our visit gave them some pleasure.
On our way home we stopped to shop and bought Mona a food mixer, the archaic hand blender which was her only electric appliance had made those of us who’d baked realise that something from the 21st century would be helpful…she was very happy!
Tomorrow we are back to work here at Charis, such great progress has been made though that Dani may have to find more for us to do…