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last updated on
04/01/2012 07:21:55 PM |
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The church is a
golden oasis within a larger complex on the gypsy side of town. The
interior is warm amber. A back-lit wooden cross is center stage.
Guri
was leading the singing with his son
Cornel
when we arrived. (Cornel
is one of two gypsy boys to ever enter high school!) Guri is now a
Christian whose life has been changed. In addition to much praise,
many songs, prayers, and inspired preaching, the miracle of the
morning was the dedication of baby
Chubi, son of Eva
and
Chubi. This
family now lives in the container village--Chubi senior had been on
the streets since the age of eight!
He wanted God to be in his son's
life.
Standing next to Pastor Eli, this family made me think of the
holy family. After the service, a dinner honored them at the Cihei
Center. Homeless friends attended along with Eva's mother who never
stopped weeping. She said that this was the most hospitality her
family had ever experienced. I had brought a hand-painted ornament of
Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus to donate to someone. Now I knew that
this gift was for Chubi's family. I kissed Eva and the baby as Chubi
told me that his real name was Joseph!
Salard project
manager
Adi Matis, led our team to a grocery store to purchase
Christmas foods for 30 families and then to the village. The first
home, rebuilt into three sections, housed 18 people. In one we met a
barefoot mother and her three month old daughter Alexandra. Next door
was a girl of 18 with her twenty-month- and two-month-old daughters.
Clusters of mothers and children followed along the muddy, slippery
main street asking for sweets. Adi assisted a woman suffering from
schizophrenia and tumors. Another woman wearing only a purple striped
bathrobe received help for her varicose veins. An
assertive
Nadia
holding the hand of her Santa capped
four-year old Vanessa
urged us into her dilapidated windowless home. There, we viewed the
only room, cracking and slanting precariously. Next, we
visited shipping containers transformed into living quarters. Robert
and Monica, formerly homeless, proudly invited us in. Before leaving,
we distributed food to the thirty families assisted by SMILES, and I
kissed Nadia and Vanessa farewell.
In more
mountainous regions beyond Oradea lies Mierlau. Here, SMILES has built
a haven for domestic abuse victims. Here too, we met two families who
are being healed, physically, psychologically and spiritually. One
mother, abused by two husbands, now lives without fear with her
teenagers and plans to be baptized after Christmas! In another room
was
Eva
and daughters
Melinda, Anna, and Edith
all formerly abused and homeless. Edith suffers from a kidney
malfunction but receives medical assistance. Melinda, a very
bright second grader, recited a poem. With each Sack of Smiles she
thanked us in perfect English!
Tuesday:
Elderly Luncheon at Gepiu Community Project:
focus on teachers whose skillful encouragements maneuvered
them through obstacles ranging from stage fright to Santa fright! Even
more exciting were the gypsy parents who mouthed lines perfectly along
with their little ones.
Principal, Lady Clara,
conveyed her love to each child. She expects educational excellence
and gets it! The contrast from school to village is stark, yet
inspiring. Lady Anna, 73,
the oldest villager has built an area in her home where village women
learn cottage industry crafts. Here too, I met little Olympia who
shared her love for school, drama, and dance. I fell completely in
love, so now Olympia
has a school sponsor!
With project
manager Raul
and assistant,
Ritza, we climbed a muddy embankment along
Oradea's railroad track to assist 41-year-old
Maria, at least five
months pregnant! She and husband
Johnny, 46, live in a
cardboard-roofed home for which we brought a tarp. Maria received
shoes, hats, socks as Johnny related his own story of eight years in
prison. Farther down the tracks Baby and
Angela
with the help of a
sponsor had better accommodations. Raul skillfully communicated the
two homeless rules: “Don't drink” and “Don't lie to me” as he
administered breathalyzer tests. Seven-day-old
Edward
and his
12-month-old brother
Darius
were ill. Darius appeared developmentally
handicapped as he struggled to hold his head up without support. We
gave their young parents medicine and food. Then we located
eight-year-old
Larinka. She and her father lived under the city sewer
pipes for warmth. Larinka welcomed hugs, a new cap and coat, along
with socks for her father, and some food for both. After 6 p.m., we
visited the container village, which includes nine remodeled
containers--two separate ones for single men and single women, two
separate shower and washing facilities, and the rest family homes. I
visited Chubi, Eva, and little Chubi again and saw the Holy Family
ornament displayed on their table. I also met
Elvira
who repeats
“Jesus Loves You!” to everyone and
Florintina
who had sung a solo at
Sunday's church service in Tileagd. 
The last day of
mission opportunities was spent with staffer
Nelu. Ceised gypsy
village appeared as a remnant from the nineteenth century. Volunteer
Ivan Sibbons
dressed in a Santa costume and ho-ho'd our arrival.
Children and adults ran from their homes excitedly. One girl, barely
four, dressed in white cotton capris, plastic green shower sandals and
a thin pink cotton shirt said, 
At the Elderly
Luncheon in Gepui, Pastor Eli said something that sums up my SMILES
Mission Experience.
He said the Wise Men came one way to see the
Christ child, but went home another way. He emphasized that they could
not go back the same way because they had met Christ.
And once they had met Him, they were changed forever!