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"This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world." James 1:27
Posted by e107 on Sunday 22 January 2006 - 17:59:42 |Comments are turned off for this item |   | |
| Hello, my compliments for your nice website!
Submitted by Wilson | |
| Today, we are leaving for Budapest! Yay! We will get to go to Church (yay!) and hear a sermon in English (yay yay!). Thank you for your continued prayers and support. Love, Dawn and Brenna
Submitted by Brenna | |
| Parent and Caregiver Trainings | | | |
| Dawn and Brenna returned to the Center for Recuperation and Rehabilitation (the former orphanage) on June 4th so that Dawn could provide more training to Dora. She was able to see many of her children, including Elek, Luminita and Ilona. It was especially nice for Brenna to meet Elek, as she has been praying for this little boy since she helped prepare Dawn’s presentation for church last year. He is now nearly 5 and is walking, running and laughing! Later that day Dawn did a training on sensory integration for parents of children with autism. The course was well attended, and well received. On June 8, we traveled to Tinca, the village where Dawn worked in last year. We were invited to come in order to train Ioan’s foster family. Dawn was able to work with Vasile, the kinetotherapist at the foundation. Many of the children have made significant improvement. Cristina is now able to stand and crawl, and Florentina is now walking with assistance. During our last week in Oradea, Dawn was invited to present a week long course in sensory integration. We traveled to Baile 1Mai where they have a neuro-rehabilitiation hospital for children. The concept of sensory integration is quite new, however the therapists, psychologists and doctors were very receptive to the training. The doctor invited Dawn to evaluate and work with a little girl named Alesia, who has spinal muscular atrophy. It was a worthwhile experience. After Dawn worked with some of the children, Brenna handed out coloring books and crayons and colored with some of the children at the hospital, and Dawn played with a boy with autism.
Submitted by Brenna | |
| June 5th-7th, we traveled 2 hours by train to Sancraiu, a lovely little village in the Vladeasa Mountains. Dawn has been in contact with John and Charity Maury, a missionary family sent from Calvary Chapel Treasure Valley, and had wanted to meet them to learn more of their ministry to the Roma (gypsy) communities. It was such a blessing to be able to meet them and fellowship with them. While there Dawn, Brenna, John, and Nicu (a Romanian ministry partner of John’s) went out to two gypsy villages (Calatele and Sacuieu) where they conduct literacy programs and hold church services. Dawn and Brenna assisted with the literacy program, helping the children to read and write. We were also blessed with the opportunity to play with the kids! In Calatele, we could feel a heaviness over the village. Because of the drama and the darkness here, there are some people who are beaten for holding church services in their home. John explained that the feuding between the upper part and the lower part of the village is extreme. Many children are abused or abandoned by their parents. You see not just the attention the kids want, but the affection they long for. In the first village, Brenna always had at least two girls clinging to her and giving her hugs. They loved playing games with us and having their pictures taken. In the second village, Sacuieu, there was a revival about ten years ago and now people are coming back to the Lord. This village was so much different in spirit than the first gypsy village, but you still see the spiritual battling. John and Nicu are renting a small building, which they are trying to fix up so that the Roma people can have a decent place to call their church. It was so neat to see the changing hearts of the people in the second village, as the men helped John and Nicu bring supplies to the church (wood, dirt, bricks), lending their horses, carts, and even labor. The children there just wanted to keep learning, so we taught them for over three hours! John and Nicu told us how blessed they were by our assistance, especially because Dawn could communicate with the children and adults in Romanian! The people are taking such a pride in their church, and are becoming really receptive to the Lord's moving among them. Be praying that as God stirs up hearts and reveals the darkness, that they wouldn't turn away from it. Pray for God's protection over John and his family, Nicu and his family, and the believers in each village. Pray that in Sacuieu, God will give the Roma a way to work (harvesting mushrooms, making baskets, etc), and that a way to buy land for a church will be provided to John and Nicu.
Submitted by Brenna | |
| June 1, 2007 Children's Day | | | |
| June 1, 2007
Galatians 6:9 (NKJV)
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Happy Children’s Day from Oradea, Romania! We arrived early Sunday morning, and since Romania is a member of the EU, we were able to cross the border with ease, speed, and no bribes. The open borders allowed a two and a half hour drive compared to several hours! Praise God for such grace!
We ate lunch at Lucia’s mom’s house, and Brenna got to experience her first Romanian meal (we ate soup, THEN sarmale, THEN chicken with carrots and mashed potatoes, THEN two kinds of cake). It was all very delicious, and we were rather full at the end of the evening. Lucia’s son, Filip, is one year old and has gotten so big and cute! He always has a huge smile on his face. We brought him toys, which he seemed very excited about. The fellowship was sweet, and their home has been so warm and welcoming.
Monday, we started helping at the Children’s Hospital. Because of the new laws (EU) there are less abandoned children there; however, the children with severe disabilities do remain. Levente, Soledad, and Evalina remain in the excellent care of Rodica and Dorina. Sadly, Mia is no longer with the foundation who works in the genetic unit. However, she is working with a different foundation in another unit of the hospital.
Dawn spent the week teaching the caregivers how to position the children and provide developmental stimulation, while Brenna was able to spend time holding and playing with some of the babies, specifically Florina, Kevin, and Ioana. Dawn is collaborating with Ioana, the kinetotherapist at the hospital, to provide therapy for a little boy named Ioan, who is with multiple joint contractures. Next week, we will (God-willing) be going to Tinca, where a family is considering giving him foster care. While there, Dawn will provide parent training. Dawn has worked in Tinca before, and hopes to visit with the other children that she worked with last year.
We spent a day at the Center for Recuperation (the former orphanage) working with the children who are with the smaller group homes. Dawn was able to dance with Sandor, and worked with Eva, Remus and Erika. She was able to spend time with Dora and the psychologist, training them on sensory integration techniques. Next Monday we will be doing a training there for parents of children with autism.
Today, we spent time at the Multiple Sclerosis Center, where Dawn and Brenna visited all of Dawn’s former patients/friends. They were very happy to have us there.
Our week has been quite eventful and very fruitful, and we have seen the Lord’s hand everywhere despite a tiring, trying week.
Thank you everyone for your prayers and support for Abba’s Kids/Romania, and our trip; they are so very precious to us!
Submitted by Brenna | |
| “Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.” (Psalm 37: 3-5).
August 28, 2006 : Budapest, Hungary
Dear Friends,
Greetings from Budapest, my favorite city in Europe. It is the first time in nearly 2 years that I have been able to properly visit here. I traveled through Budapest last year, but only had 1 day and was with the Hope4Kids International team, thus there was no time to connect with my former colleagues or students.After an eventful journey, I arrived late Saturday afternoon. Traveling from Oradea to Budapest typically takes 3-3 ½ hours, however due to my minivan arriving 45 minutes late and then horrendous lines at the Romanian-Hungarian border, it took nearly 6 hours. Once I arrived, I took another minivan to my hotel and slept! I must say it was wonderful to sleep in a real bed versus a pull-out couch. After a few hours of rest, I contacted with some of my former students and one of my former colleagues (Kata) to make plans to meet later this week. I then took a train into town to wander through some of my favorite parts of the city. The weather was absolutely glorious! Budapest is a picturesque city divided by the Danube river. The Buda part is where the “castle hill” is, but it is also offers the best view of the Chain Bridge and the Parliament building. Hungary is famous for its thermal waters and I am fortunate to be staying in a hotel that has its own thermal baths! Thus after spending the day walking around the city, came back to the hotel and indulged in a swim. After a good nights sleep, I awoke Sunday morning quite refreshed. I was so excited to go to church today at Calvary Chapel Budapest. I am so amazed with the growth of the church since I lived here 5 years ago. The now have 2 Sunday services, 2 Wednesday services and are doing home groups. I went to the late service (11:00) and it was packed! In fact, they ran out of chairs. Some people sat up front on the steps, but other people had to stand for the entire service. Today Brain Newberry, a pastor from Calvary Chapel San Diego, gave the message. It was a wonderful message on the Lord's will and was based on Psalm 37: 3-5. It was interesting that this was the passage he chose, as it was a passage I meditated on prior to coming to Europe. He pressed us to “melt before God” in order for us to be transformed. I also loved singing in Hungarian and English (the service is a mix of English-speaking and Hungarian-speaking). Most of the songs we sang were ones translated from English, such as God of Wonders, Draw Me Close to You etc. After church I visited my friend Kata at her home. Her family invited me to their “end of summer” traditional garden party: eating Lecso. Lecso is a mixture of cooked paprika, onions, tomatoes, peppers, rice and sausage. It is a typical Hungarian summer dish, usually only served in homes. They have a lovely garden and have always welcomed me into their home. Her parents speak English, but they always encourage me to use as many Hungarian words as possible! After lunch, Kata and I visited for several hours. I had the opportunity to share with her what the Lord is doing in my life and also in the life of my dear friend (and former teammate in Hungary) Vanessa. Being able to share Vanessa's struggle regarding saving the life of her precious Corban allowed me an amazing segue to talk to Kata re: the sanctity of life. I am thankful to God for each opportunity to share His love, especially with my friends who remain so hardened by years of communism.Later in the week I will be meeting with several of my former students, so please continue to pray for opportunities to share God's love and also that I will remain bold in sharing the Truth. With Love, Dawn | |
| August 25, 2006 Update
“For you formed my inward parts; you wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” Psalm 139: 13-14 (NASB).
Dear Beloved,
Tonight is my final evening in Romania. Tomorrow I will take a bus to Budapest, Hungary where I will spend 5 days before coming home. It has been a long day of saying goodbye to many friends, colleagues and children. However, I am thankful for each day I was given here and am leaving without any doubts or regrets. Wednesday was my Khylie’s (my oldest niece) birthday. When I told her I would be home in a week, she told me she was happy as she already missed me enough!Since my last update, I have continued to work at the Center for Recuperation most days. I loved working with all the children, but in this week Erika and Marius captured my heart! I have worked with Erika for several years and it has been delightful to see the once-fearful child now full of smiles and giggles. Marius, a young boy with autism, has been accepting more interaction and is making eye contact when given lots of deep pressure. He loved being placed in the body sock! Please pray Dora and the others will continue to use these techniques with him once I have left.I was able to spend more time with Mirela, the occupational therapist at the Center. We reviewed some evaluation tools and discussed some of the difficulties she is encountering working with children who have been institutionalized their entire lives. We discussed the beauty of OT in that we strive to help each person achieve their best potential, whether that means becoming independent with self care or just learning to play with a toy. I shared with her my “mantra” that as OTs we always accept a child for who he is, but that we desire for him to be the best that he can be. This provided me with a wonderful opportunity to discuss my view on these children. I shared with her Psalm 139 and explained that he “knit” us together, than He also “knit together” each of these children together too. This helped me to explain why I believe each of these children has value, which is a revolutionary concept here.Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit Halie and Casandra. Halie is a young woman who moved from California to Romania in 2003 to care for Casandra, an abandoned child. Casandra was in the orphanage with Denisa (Milagros) and was her playmate. So Halie and I were together every day. Halie has been doing foster care for Casandra for nearly 3 years now and is planning to adopt her once she receives her permanent residence card. Casi is exhibiting a lot of sensory integration issues, so I spent most of the day teaching Halie some techniques for calming and organizing. We ended our time in our “traditional” way”: praying for one another. Spending time kneeling before God with Halie are moments I treasure. She has a true servant’s heart.Yesterday was an extraordinary day (but then again all days God gives us are extraordinary, aren’t they?). But yesterday was very special. I went to the Children’s Hospital, primarily to say goodbye the workers. I also wanted to check in with Little Mia and my precious Milka. Mia and I practiced placing Milka in various positions to decrease her tone and make her more comfortable. Bartos Mia came in and told me that Little Mia is working hard and trying everything I have shown her. What a blessing! Milka accepted being held today, but she was burning up with a fever, thus we could only hold her for a few minutes. I then went to the newborn unit (which houses children from 2 days to 8 months old) to visit Levente’s baby sister, Denisa. In my last update I wrote about the 2 children and their young gypsy mother. Well a miracle occurred! Denisa was taken today to another city, Cluj, for an operation. Typically poor gypsy children are not considered “good surgical candidates”, so indeed God’s favor was in this situation. I got to hold baby Denisa and then pray over her. The nurses were touched by my affection for her. Bartos Mia then asked me to look at Levente with her. She told me she has been working with him every day since I did the training last week and is already seeing improvement. She loves working with the bolster that Debbie King, the OT that visited the hospital, left for me. So while working on the bolster, I did a little bit of facilitation to his neck muscles AND...Levente lifted his head for the first time! He is 2 ½ years old and his head is so big, so it was really a huge feat! We all cried and almost in unison shouted Slava Domnului (Praise the Lord)! Before leaving I walked through each room and prayed over each child. It was such an honor, but I can’t seem to find the words to explain. Please continue to pray for these children and also for Levente and Denisa’s mom. She desperately needs His touch. Please also pray that the doctors here would give Levente a chance for life. They don’t think operating on him (for is hydrocephaly) is important, but without the surgery his head will continue to grow, pressing on and taking room way from his brain.I arrive home on the 31st of August. Once I am settled, I will post a final update and hopefully w will be able to post lots of new pictures too! Thank you again for all of your prayers and support, especially over these past 5 weeks. His hand has been evident on every step of this journey. Please continue to pray for me as I travel to Budapest. Although it will be a time for restoration and rejuvenation, I will also be meeting with several of my former students, as well as with a few former colleagues. God willing, I will also get to attend Sunday service at Calvary Chapel Budapest.By His Grace,Dawn Hoffman | |
| August 16, 2006 Dear Beloved, Greetings from Romania! I have wanted to send updates more frequently; however, finding a good internet connection has proved to be a challenge. I pray that you will be blessed by what you will read and will be mindful to continue to pray for Romania. The past 2 weeks have been crazy (in a good way!). Friends of mine, Lidia and Mircea Oprean, have a ministry here in Romania called Becky's Hope. They are a Romanian family and have a teenage daughter (Becky) with spina bifida. Their ministry focuses on empowering mothers of disabled children in hopes to decrease abandonment, as well as to help the mothers to not only accept their children, but to embrace them. They do week-long camps for the mothers, giving them hope, Christian counselling and encouragement through practical teaching. Ramona and Adela (the daughters of my host family) wanted to go visit the camp, primarily to see Becky. We have all known each other since my first trip to Oradea in 1999. We drove 2 hours to a beautiful place called Valea Draganului, visited for a few hours and then had to drive back to Oradea. While we were there, Lidia and I talked and prayed. They have asked me to pray about coming to their camp next summer to provide some hands-on training to the mothers. This year they had 157 moms come! Lidia said they are having more moms with children on the autism spectrum, so this may be a great way to reach many families!Trainings at the hospital and at the center for recuperation (where the orphans come for therapy) have gone amazingly well! I have continued to go to the center in the a.m. and the hospital in the p.m. Most of my time has been spent training Mia, Dorina and “little” Mia. Little Mia is a 28 year-old gypsy who grew up in an orphanage. She is employed though a Christian foundation to go to the hospital and care for babies. She is in charge of 2 children, Ana and Milka. I have worked with Milka since she was 6 months old. She has hydrocephaly and spina bifida, but never received any operations. She is now 4 years old, but is the size of a 1 year-old. She has a difficult time with handling and spends all day in a crib. Mia loves the babies, but has been hesitant to do more stimulation with Milka, fearing that she will cause more pain. In addition, she was still feeding both babies flat in their cribs. However, after much encouragement and training, she is now expressing a desire to do more for the kids. I taught her how to position Milka on her side and on her tummy, as well as how to provide simple vestibular and tactile input. She has a great heart!Last Thursday, I went to Tinka, a village about 45 minute by bus, to work with a foundation called Romanian Relief. They have 2 wonderful foster “family” homes for 9 children with special needs. 4 of the children (Viorel, Florentina, Cristina and Sabina-Maria) were previously housed at the hospital. It was great to see the girls again! Viorel is currently in England awaiting an operation for both legs. I observed the children during their group time and then evaluated 3 of them, along with their psychologist, Alina. Alina is one special person. She is very bright, hard working and desires to know more. She was open to sensory integration therapy and was willing to learn simple techniques, like bouncing on a ball, mummy wrapping, brushing, lotion rubs and joint compressions. I spent 9 hours there, but felt like I needed to do back. The caregivers thirst for training was so evident! I returned yesterday, along with another OT, Debbie King. Debbie was in Oradea for the past 5 days with Tom Eggum’s group, Hope4Kids International. It was great having another therapist to bounce ideas off of and to collaborate with. She brought some therapy supplies as well, so I was very thankful. Debbie and 2 other team members spent Monday at the hospital. Al and Dan played with the babies while Debbie and I worked with Milka, Evalina (a 7 month-old with severe deformities) and Levente (a 2 year old with hydrocephalus). While we were there, Levente’s mother came to visit him. She is a 15 year-old gypsy girl, who recently gave birth to another child with disabilities. Staff at the hospital seem to despise her, condemning her for having more children. But I know that Jesus wants her to experience His love. Please pray for her.Today I did a 2-hour course on sensory integration at the hospital. I had arranged to do training for Michelle’s workers, as well as Kathy’s workers. I thought that perhaps 4-5 people would attend. However, when I walked in the room, it was packed! Praise the Lord! About 15 workers, all from various foundations, came to learn. We practiced placing children in various developmental positions, and then I did a lecture on the vestibular, proprioceptive and tactile systems. We then practiced various ways in which to provide this stimulation. Debbie King graciously left me equipment to disperse and Tom gave me some adorable finger puppets from Peru. The workers were so energetic, actively engaging throughout the session. They were so thankful for the materials that were given to them.Tonight was a special night. I finally had the opportunity to visit Denisa (Milagros) and her adoptive parents. Her parents picked me up in Oradea and drove me to their house in Biharia (a village close to Oradea). When her parents asked her if she remembered me, she immediately answered “yes, she took care of me when I was a baby” (in Romanian of course!) and then proceeded to show me the album I made for her last year. She is a beautiful and intelligent almost 4 year-old child. In less than 2 years, she has learned to speak both Romanian and Hungarian! She has been blessed with incredible parents who love her. Her parents, Lucia and Julian, then decided to drive me to Baile Felix to see the water lilies. Denisa held my hand and wanted to play with me all night. I can not fully express my joy. So hopefully you have not fallen asleep reading this! I remain thankful for each word of encouragement that I have received and for the countless prayers offered on my behalf. To His Glory! Dawn Hoffman | |
| August 1, 2006 "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6: 9-10)Dear Friends, Greetings from Oradea, Romania. I am now entering day 10 here in Romania, so I thought it was due time for an update. I arrived on July 23rd and went right to work the next day. Praise God that I do not suffer from jet lag! On my first day, one of my dear friends drove me to Asteliu, a gypsy village about 1 1/2 hours from Oradea. We went there to visit Loredana's family: to bring clothes, toys and food. But above all, it is our prayer that by our visits, they continue to see glimpses of Christ. Although I can speak Romanian fairly well, asked my host family's granddaughter to accompany us and to translate. This was Miruna's first time in a gypsy village and she really loved playing wth the children. When we were ready to leave, the family kept thanking me. I asked Miruna to tell them to thank God for allowing me to come and visit me, but to also know that all we do is because of Jesus, through Jesus and for Jesus.I am working in the "Center for Recuperation and Rehabilitation" each morning and the children's hospital each afternoon. The "center" is located in the former orphanage. Now all of the disabled children live in smaller orphanages/houses, consisting of 10-12 children. There ar 10 homes located here in Oradea. They are much like our group homes, expect the severity of the children is greater, as they have been institutionalized their entire life. Also, there are only 2 workers to care for all of the children. About 30 of these children come to the "center" for a variety of therapies, including kinetotherapy, speech therapy, hydrotherapy, and sensory stimulation. They also work with a few children who live with their families. Most of these children are severely disabled and it is the hope that by providing therapy and support, that the families will not abandon their children. The center just opened in February, so it is still a new concept here. I am primarily working with Dora and Delia, the girls I have trained to do multi-sensory stimulation and developmental stimulation. However, I am also collaborating with many of the kinetotherapists, especially one name Voichita. She is so eager to learn and has an amazing love for the children. She is Orthodox, but is receptive when I speak of Jesus. Please pray for her heart to be open to receive Him as her Savior.I am spending my afternoons at the childrens hospital. I am happy to report that their are less abandoned children than last year. This is due to Romania's hope to enter the European Union in the next few years. The EU has mandated that more children be placed in foster homes. Apparently they are doing frequent inspections. However, for those children who remain, the conditions are poor. I am primarily focusing my energy on the "genetic" unit, which basically means any child with a disability. Mia, my dear friend who I began training nearly 4 years ago, is still there. 3 of our former children, Viorel, Sabina and Cristina, have been placed in a private "group home" in a nearby village. We will go to visit them next week, God willing. The foundation that sponsors the home has asked me to come and teach the staff how to best work with the children. I am thankful for this opportunity. In addition to Mia, there is another woman named Dorina who is now working on this unit. Both Mia and Dorina are considered volunteers at the hospital, but are paid a small amount by a Christian foundation. Thanks to the generous support of friends (you know who you are), we will be able to help them have a monthly salary. I have raised enough for the first year; however, it is my prayer that we can give ongoing support. These women are working with some of the most difficult children, many who are extremely deformed. Yet, thanks to our Abba Father, they are able to look at these children as His precious and perfect creations. Please continue to pray for Abba's Kids. Please pray for each child who is touched, for each interaction with the workers, that above all they would experience Jesus.To Him be all glory! Joyfully,Dawn Hoffman | |
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