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October 1999 RoAF Newsletter

Welcome to the October 1999 edition of the RoAF Newsletter.  Once again we've skipped a month because your news editor was out actually doing some work rather than just writing about it.

At 6 am on the 10th September three articulated lorries set out for Dorohoi, with Richard, Jon, Peter, Lesley, SteveF and Bev.  Four hours later the remainder of the team took the high level route from Gatwick Airport.  First timers were Rob May, Shirley Pope and Ian Gray, accompanied by SteveH and Linda Wilks, together with special guest Barnaby Bear, the holiday mascot from Reigate Priory School.  Barnaby will be reporting back on his adventures and hopefully will encourage many of the school children to become involved in helping those who are less fortunate than themselves.

We are pleased to report that Laurentiu has accepted an invitation to join Beni as a fellow trustee of Asociatia Neemia.  Laurentiu and his wife Vale have been working with Beni for the past six months and have impressed us with their mature Christian attitude, their enthusiasm and the support that they have given to Beni and Ionella.

Already we are looking forward to May 2000 but before then our friends in Romania will have 4 months of real winter to endure.  For many these will be cold, hungry months.  Is it enough for them to know that we're thinking of them? (James, chapter 2, verses 14~17)

Once again we are grateful to our corporate sponsors:
ParcelForce Worldwide,
Royal Mail and Securicor
for providing vehicles;
Don Ruffles
and Horley Life
for support and publicity.

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The minibus is essential to Asociatia Neemia's work in Dorohoi.  Without it we cannot distribute aid or do many of the journeys that help people in other ways.

About ten days before the September lorries were due to leave Beni sent a desperate-sounding fax about the AN minibus.  Acting on the basis that 'doing nothing' was not an option SteveH acquired a disused vehicle of the same type, towed it back from Essex and, at six o'clock the next morning, set about dismantling it.  All those years of owning old cars paid off as six hours later, with some help from SteveF, Simon and Peter, all the mechanical components including the engine and gearbox, the doors, seats and all the electrical bits were in the warehouse ready for loading.  The axles and wheels followed once the shell had been disposed of.

There were tears in Beni's eyes as he saw all that he needed coming off the lorry in Dorohoi.

Congratulations to Raluca Condrea and Daniel Mirauta who both gained the university places that they wanted.  Raluca came in the top third of her selection group in Oradea and Daniel has been offered the opportunity to do two degrees simultaneously in Iasi.  The next few years will not be easy for either of them and they are already missed by their families at home.

Remember too our friends Vivi and Claudio in Cluj, as they seek to determine God's will for their future.

Well done! to Corina and Tatiana Ababei who both passed their driving examinations on 10th September.  Now we've got to remember to look both ways when we cross the road in Tataraseni. 
Autumn is short in northern Romania.  Food and fuel have to be stockpiled and the land made ready for the spring.  There is still much to be done in these rural communities as the villagers prepare for the coming winter. 

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  • Tatiana & Corina with new driving licenses


Since returning from our trip in May everybody has worked so hard getting the aid ready for the trip in September:  Those who gave the items; those who packed them; those who loaded the lorries and those who gave financially - all help to make these deliveries possible.

So, from us, the people responsible for the running of this charity, and from the people who will be receiving the aid, a very big  THANK YOU!

42 tonnes of aid arrived at its destination safely on September 14th and once customs cleared all the paperwork the lorries were unloaded and the aid stored in the warehouse in the warehouse in Dorohoi from where it will be distributed into the community as and when needed.

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Beni and Ionela sorting some of the shoeboxes ready for distribution at Christmas.

The three lorries were carrying a variety of items.  The main contents of this consignment were:

  • 500 Christmas shoeboxes
  • 521 boxes of clothing
  • 210 boxes of bedding
  • 167 beds and mattresses
  • 30 boxes of toys for schools and kindergartens
  • 20 boxes of household items
  • 20 boxes of medical items
  • 3,300 individual gift packs for children and the elderly.

 

Apologies to those of you who have had difficulties contacting Jon or Beni whilst they are out of the office.  If you don't want to leave a message on the answerphone then try one of these mobiles: 

Jon 07971-071222 or
Beni (in Romania) 00-40-94-198068

 

RoAF's Second Wedding!

Congratulations to one of our drivers, Steve Flegg, and his lovely passenger Bev, who announced their engagement en-route in Austria and were married in Romania during our stay.

This was a surprise to the team and the reason was that this couple, who had previously travelled out in May, fell in love also with the country and the people of Romania and wanted to include them in this very special time.

The wedding took place 'al fresco', on a beautiful day and in a lovely location with 36 guests in attendance.  Richard Burgess gave the bride away and Jon was best man.  With only six hours to get everything ready - what a challenge! - the team really did extremely well.  Thanks to everyone.

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This Month's Prayer Link

  • Give thanks for another successful trip to Dorohoi without serious mishap, Pray that the aid and renewed contact will be a blessing to the people there
  • Please pray for the future of the warehouse in Salfords. We acknowledge that Parcelforce Worldwide has been very generous with the accomodation, but sooner or later they will want it back - later, please!
  • Please pray for Beni and the new trustee Laurentiu as they establish new patterns of working together and as they react to the effectes of another visit from Britain.
  • Pray for Ionela as December draws closer, and for Beni as he gets the nursery ready for the new arrival!
  • Please pray for those who visited Dorohoi for the first time last month: Rob May, Ian Gray and Shirley Pope. Pray that they may be able to relate to their experiences and what God is saying to them.
  • Please pray for a brother in the Dorohoi Baptist Church who also has the responsibility for another congregation. This is a great burden to him and he prays for renewed strength.

Prayer requests from our friends in the villages:

  • Please pray for Nina in Tataraseni and Caterina in Balinti who have epilepsy but who have difficulty in acquiring the necessary drugs
  • Please continue to pray for the Twins' father - he seems to be happier but he has further tests and treatment to come.
  • Give thanks for Nelu's father's improvement, and continue to pray for Nelu as he balances the needs of his family and the farming project.

Romania '99, part 2

  • Please pray about the work that was done in Dorohoi and the villages during September, for the local follow-up and any outstanding details.
  • Please continue to pray for Shoebox '99 and the preparations for the delivery of these Christmas gifts to needy families and individuals.
  • Please pray for the leaders of RoAF and Asociatia Neemia, that they may be able to clearly understand God's guidance for the future.
  • Please pray for the supporters of RoAF and Asociatia Neemia, that they may recognise the value of being an integral part of God's work in Romania.

 

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© The Romanian Aid Foundation,   September, 2014.