Description
of original conditions March 2004
Dear friends,
We have been
visiting a special school in Ilisua (near Beclean). It is an orphanage in every
sense of the word, except officially. There are 130 kids there between the ages
of 3-14. They have been removed from their homes because someone in their
family had tuberculosis. They were removed for their "protection". But their
families also suffer from severe dysfunction and poverty. There seems little
chance that they will ever go home.
Because of the
medical nature of their separation from their families, they do not fall under
the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Child Protection, but rather under the
Ministry of Health. Therefore they receive few benefits from the government as
orphans and little money to improve their situation. These kids are victims of
a dysfunctional system. And in addition to that, what aid has been offered in
the past, is rumored to be pilfered by staff in the orphanage for black
marketing. Good intentioned people that wanted to help the orphans in the past,
have stayed distant because they recognized that staff were stealing from the
kids and that a dirty business was going on. But again the kids suffer.
Let us describe the
present situation. The orphanage is housed in a 200 year old complex which once
belonged to a nobleman. Sounds exotic at first, but it is not! The place is
cold and drafty. The walls are moldy and poorly maintained. The heating is
inadequate. The kids stay in coats and hats, even inside. They get hot water
for baths only once a week. Really the conditions are like orphanages were 10
years ago.
This is the same
situation where we want to help in a way that will directly benefit the children
and which can not be pilfered. Our project: We are investigating and planning
to do something to upgrade and modernize the heating and hot water system. We
are planning to install an industrial size wood burning hot water heater. It
would be cheaper than a kerosene heater and wood is readily available. This
together with some insulation of present pipelines would drastically improve
their heating system. Nothing can be stolen and the kids will be warmer in the
winter and able to have hot water all the time.
However, we have
recognized that when we work for orphans, we step into the lions mouth. There
is a hot and intense spiritual battle going on. And we step right into it.
This is no joke! We need your prayers. Please pray for us
1) God's
protection over us and all those who are helping us
2) Protection over
the kids
3) Wisdom in
planning, making decisions about the project
4) Spiritual
discernment and wisdom as we deal with the director and orphanage staff
5) Pray for God's
justice to be manifest in that place... For the evil to be exposed and things
set right
6) Grace in our
relationship
7) For protection
over our communication
8) For the right
people at the right time... Resources, professional help, and divine connections
9) For God's
financial provision, even with those foundations that wanted to help before, but
left.
We need your prayer
covering during this project. We are willing to go forward… but not without
your prayers.
Love,
Dolcemina and Suzie
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