Romanian report on 2016 shoebox donations

His article includes mini-reports from the pastors of several churches and managers of humanitarian centres in the Hunedoara area, and these capture the essence of the wide range of benefits resulting from your great generosity.

For example, one pastor poignantly wrote: "We met one lady that is taking care of three small children besides her son who is now 14 and has obvious mental disabilities. This apartment had only one room with a bed and a wardrobe.

"Another 'one room' house that we visited had only a door and a window. This family has five small children. They have no electricity, no water.

"We have also shared gifts with a family that lived in a 'hut' half-dug in the ground. Some of the children that we met there were sleeping. They must have been at least 5 or 6 years old, but still drinking milk from bottles."

Another reported: "In the buildings next to the old stadium from Orastie, are living some families with their children in very deprived conditions. The youngsters from the Church visited these families, sang carols and offered them shoeboxes. Children from the old stadium buildings forgot for the moment about the hard conditions they are living in, and rejoiced to the fact that someone thought about them and sent them a gift at this Christmas!"

We are sure that the profound benefits to the recipients of the shoeboxes are complemented by a strong 'feel-good' factor among the many gift-donors, whatever their ages. Again, many, many thanks, and we look forward to repeating this most gracious exercise later this year.

David Barry

(See also new_shoe_boxes_for_romanian_children.phtml)