HEAL Romania Newsletter October 2008
Well, it has been an eventful summer. Firstly Tommy and Simon visited Bucharest and were very busy plastering two rooms that we have found for one of our homeless families to live in. Then my younger brother, James, and I went out to help finish the rooms and visit all of our cases.
Mariana 
In February we went to visit Mariana who lived with her husband and three children in a wooden shack hidden in a field. Just after our visit, the government destroyed the house as it was built illegally. We managed to find some friends who were willing to take Mariana’s family in while her husband rebuilt the shack. However finding them a more permanent home became our priority. Eventually we found a woman who had two spare rooms in her house that were very run down. She agreed that Mariana’s family could live there if we made renovations. Tommy and Simon flew out to Bucharest to begin plastering and then James, Simon and I painted the rooms. The rooms were finished just in time as a few weeks ago the shack in the field was set on fire. The family were devastated as they lost all of their possessions, but are grateful that none of the children were inside. Ana Doina (our social worker) rallied around with her friends to gather furniture, blankets, clothes and kitchen utensils. She visits them in their new home every week to take food and medicine.
James and Simon at work in the kitchen
Sluser Family
There are 7 members in the Sluser family and they all lived in one room. The family slept in two beds and a bucket in the corner served as their toilet. Last spring we bought them bricks so that the husband can build and extra room. They have made fantastic progress and hope to finish the new room soon.
Circiumaru Family
This family consists of a mother and three children. They live in a house made of mud which has no foundations. The roof is about to cave in. The youngest daughter is disabled and the mother has to care for her full time, even staying at school with her so that she can take her to the toilet and feed her. In February we helped this family to buy construction materials to make their house more stable and again they have made fantastic progress since then.
House of rubbish
A concerned neighbour came to our office begging for help for an eighty year old woman. The woman lived among mountains of rubbish in a house that was literally falling down. Ana Doina took her to hospital and then we paid some teenage street children to clear the rubbish from her house, to build her a toilet and began to make one of the rooms clean enough for her to live in.
Fundraising Events
On September the 14th Kerrie, Emma and I ran the Bristol half marathon. We raised over £1000 for HEAL Romania On November 14th there will be a skittles night at the Charlton Kings Club (AKA: Charlton Kings Working Mens Club)
The future
Please pray for:
The offer of a building. Before the mayor went on holiday he talked of giving us a building, but we have been unable to speak to him since he returned.
The next visit to Bucharest from 26th-31st October. Six volunteers will be spending time visiting and caring for our families. Please pray for safe travel and a time to make a real difference in Romania.