The Romanian Aid Foundation & Asociatia Neemia

A joint load from west Wales and Billingshurst early in September brought additional stocks of clothing and bedding, the latter in particular will be appreciated during the coming winter. The load also included more rice, oil and sugar which will help those adversely affected by the poor harvest and rising food prices. An additional local donation of foodstuffs was gratefully received, despite the physical effort involved in moving 300 kg of pickled cauliflower!

The lack of rain during the past three months has meant that our garden produce at Casa Neemia has not been to the quality of previous years. However, the polytunnel continues to provide good quantities of tomatoes, aubergines, chillies and peppers. Our housekeeper, Angelica, has bottled much of this produce and it will be available for the residents during the winter.

September proved to be a good month for construction projects. The AN project team has been involved with the building of a replacement house for a poor household in Dimacheni. The project has been sponsored by supporters in west Wales and local workers have undertaken much of the construction work itself. An additional benefit from this project has been that a young boy in the family has been allowed to restart school after a gap of two years. It will be difficult for him to catch up and we will need to encourage him to persevere in that effort.

From time to time we receive donations of medical items. Crutches, wheelchairs and similar items are always in demand. However, please do not send prescription medicines. These drugs are potentially dangerous if misused and AN does not have the expertise or the legal authority to distribute them safely. Local pharmacies cannot accept them and we then have the problem of disposing of them. Non-prescription medicines, vitamins, energy drinks and unopened in-date items such as bandages or syringes are still acceptable.

A reminder – Like it or not, Christmas is coming! Each year, AN distributes several thousand gift boxes to needy households in the area around Dorohoi. Due to impending Brexit uncertainty RoAF needs to send the boxes earlier this year so please try to have your gifts ready by mid-October.

This month’s featured photos

• Goods incoming, AN warehouse
• New house at Dimacheni
• Garden harvest, Casa Neemia

 

Photo Gallery: Click on any of the photos for enlargements, more details or similar photos.

Last month’s performance statistics

These statistics give a snapshot of our aid-related activities last month.
[table id=<19> /]

Stats notes:
– Joiners are new registrants this month, Leavers are are those whose latest recorded donation was 12 months ago.
– Some households may receive more than one donation during a month (eg, repeat donations of food).
– Items shown as 0 or as “…” are awaiting final returns for the month.

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Previous month, September 2019

In contrast to the first week of August when there is an influx of Romania expats returning home, the final weekend of the month sees their departure for foreign parts and a degree of relative calmness and normality returns. The summer peak in construction activity is past but local people can continue to build for several more months. Many poorer families are dependent on the earnings from casual work so they value the chance to earn a bit more money before the end of the season.

The end of the holiday period also introduces the need to prepare for the coming winter. Agricultural work will continue for a while but once the harvest is brought in most of the effort will go to preparing for next year’s growing season. This is mainly a mechanical process, using implements drawn by tractors or horses, and so does not offer the intensity of manual labour that casual labourers need. This year the situation is compounded by a lack of rain at a critical time prior to harvest. Too much rain makes the ground impassable by machinery but too little stunts the growth of the crops as well as making the ground too hard to work.

September also brings the start of a new school year. We expect to receive many requests for help with the essentials – uniforms, stationery and bus fares. Fortunately we have good supplies of appropriate clothing as well as exercise books, pens, paper, etc, which have been sent earlier in the year, plus we have some classroom equipment suitable for donation to kindergartens.

A reminder – The start of Autumn means that it is time to think about Christmas! Each year, AN distributes several thousand gift boxes to needy households in the area around Dorohoi. Due to impending Brexit uncertainty RoAF needs to send the boxes earlier this year so please try to have your gifts ready by mid-October.

This month’s featured photos

• Goods awaiting transport, Billingshurst
• Preparing for Autumn
• Designated gift boxes – recipient families

 

Last month’s performance statistics

These statistics give a snapshot of our aid-related activities last month.
[table id=<18> /]

Stats notes:
– Joiners are new registrants this month, Leavers are are those whose latest recorded donation was 12 months ago.
– Some households may receive more than one donation during a month (eg, repeat donations of food).
– Items shown as 0 or as “…” are awaiting final returns for the month.

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Previous month, August 2019

In August many expatriate Romanians return home, to visit their wider families and perhaps to continue building that dream home that they might retire to some day. This is a season when there are plenty of opportunities for casual employment, both in construction and in the agricultural sector where another bumper crop is forecast. Ironically, the commercial crops are not intended for consumption in Romania – cereals are exported to the far east whilst vegetables and soft fruits make their way to western consumers. As a result, retail food prices are rising rapidly as traders in the domestic supply chain endeavour to complete against the higher returns from the export markets.

Our land at the warehouse has produced a large crop of sunflowers which will be harvested and pressed to produce fresh oil for donation to our families. The by-product from the pressing process is used for animal feed so little goes to waste. In addition, the polytunnel at Casa Neemia has provided us with a good crop of vegetables; some have been bottled for use by the residents during the winter and the rest is being distributed among our registered families.

Once again we have received some special boxes designated for named recipients. These boxes are sent by sponsors in the UK who take an interest in particular individuals or families; AN manages the distribution of these boxes and provides feedback to the donors.

Camp update: We have received more photos from the camp and have updated our camp website page. The page also contains links to a video report of the camp. Once again it has been a successful camp where the children found out more about God’s love and made new friendships while they had a lot of fun. Many thanks to those who helped make it happen.

Reminder – the Horley packing team will be taking its annual August break this month. The packing activities will begin again on 6th September. The Billingshurst warehouse will be closed for deliveries during August except by special appointment. Our teams in south and west Wales will be making their own arrangements and should be contacted directly.

Another reminder – It may be the middle of summer and the temperatures are abnormally high but it is not too soon to think about Christmas! If your decorating is done and you are bored by the beach you could start to prepare your Christmas gift boxes. Each year, RoAF collects several thousand gift boxes for distribution to needy households in north-east Romania. Due to impending Brexit uncertainty we need to send the boxes earlier this year so please try to have your gifts ready by mid-October.

This month’s featured photos

• Harvest home, Sunflowers, Polytunnel at Casa Neemia
• Preserving vegetables at Casa Neemia
• Designated gift boxes

 

Last month’s performance statistics

These statistics give a snapshot of our aid-related activities last month.
[table id=<17> /]

Stats notes:
– Joiners are new registrants this month, Leavers are are those whose latest recorded donation was 12 months ago.
– Some households may receive more than one donation during a month (eg, repeat donations of food).
– Items shown as 0 or as “…” are awaiting final returns for the month.

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Previous month, July 2019

After 12 years of serving the needs of our beneficiaries to its entire satisfaction, the Kangoo has finally been retired from service with AN. However, it will not be allowed to rust in peace – it has been donated to a local church leader who has the ability to work with its foibles and use it for the benefit of his congregation.
 
Periodically the stock at the shop is changed completely. The unsold items are made available for donation via the office and fresh stock is introduced. This generates a peak of interest amongst the shop’s regular customers and there is usually a queue of eager people awaiting the magic moment of opening.
There are several main types of donations made from the office:
– Registered families with ongoing needs will have a regular programme of donations, mainly clothing and household essentials. The family confirms that it is still in need and then an appropriate selection of items is prepared for them to collect on a certain date.
– Ad-hoc donations are available to people who come to the office with immediate needs. A wide variety of stock is held at the office and our receptionists can donate items as appropriate. This includes things such as food, crutches and small quantities of clothing. Larger items such as wheelchairs and beds can be requested for delivery from our warehouse.
– Finally, depending upon the income from the shop, we are able to help those who need cash for fuel bills, medical expenses or other emergencies.
We recognise that all this is a result of the generosity and hard work of many people, in the UK and elsewhere, and pass on the thanks of those who benefit from your efforts
 
During the past few years the first week of the school holidays (for those in primary school) has taken on a particular significance as that is the week when some 40 children have the pleasure of going to camp. Most of the children behaved themselves and many were reluctant to leave. The most common complaint amongst those who made the shortlist seems to be that camp takes up only the first five days of the school holidays and it can’t be made to last the full 12 weeks of holiday that Romanian children of this age enjoy.
 
Asociatia Neemia has the facilities to pass on designated items sent for particular families. We can deliver marked boxes, administer any financial gifts and provide feedback and photos. Recently we had the opportunity to visit a family in the north of Suceava county, taking for them some food, an electric scooter and a box of “goodies” that had been sent by a supporter in the UK.
 
Advance notice – the Horley packing team will be taking its annual August break next month. The final packing day for this session will be on 26th July and activities will begin again on 6th September. The Billingshurst warehouse will be closed for deliveries during August except by special appointment. Our teams in south and west Wales will be making their own arrangements and should be contacted directly.
 

This month’s featured photos

• Going, going, gone!
• Eager customers awaiting the new stock
• A special delivery

 

Last month’s performance statistics

These statistics give a snapshot of our aid-related activities last month.
[table id=<16> /]

Stats notes:
– Joiners are new registrants this month, Leavers are are those whose latest recorded donation was 12 months ago.
– Value of stock includes items which have been used in AN projects but not yet written out of these accounts.
– Items marked as “?” are awaiting final returns for the month.

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Previous month, June 2019

Plans are being finalised for two deliveries to Dorohoi this month. On the 13th, Richard and Linda will leave Lampeter taking a load full of items from west Wales, Richard’s 100th aid delivery to Romania. The Horley team will be sending a truck from the Billingshurst warehouse on the 29th June. Richard’s load will include some two tons of rice and oil donated by a charity in Wales whilst the Billingshurst load will contain lighter bulky items such as bedding and mobility aids. Packing volunteers are always appreciated at both locations.

Catalin Tudosanu lives in a village some 20 miles east of Dorohoi. He has been a cripple for many years but always has a positive attitude. He works as a cobbler and his primary means of transport has been an old hand-propelled tricycle. Now, following the arrival of surfaced roads in the village, the use of a mobility scooter becomes a realistic option. Our team in west Wales was able to source one and Catalin is delighted.

Most of the items that we donate are normal every-day needs such as clothing, food and household essentials but from time to time we do get offered larger items. Another such donation was a large larder-fridge which completed the final part of its journey to Sendriceni on a horse-drawn cart.

The preparations for the annual children’s camp are underway taking place during the 17th-22nd of June, the first week of the school holidays in Romania. The camp is in the eastern foothills of the Carpathian range and is operated with a Christian ethos. We usually take about 40 children aged 10-15, selected mainly from those families registered with AN, plus a few ‘Church’ children to show them the ropes. Our group will be there at the same time as a number of children from Dorohoi social services, and there is usually good interaction between the two groups. Once again the camp accommodation has been sponsored by our south Wales team and the Horley team has agreed to cover the cost of transport.

The new VW Caddy has entered service but there is an understandable reluctance to get it dirty in the current wet weather. Despite that, Beni has had one occasion to call upon the 4×4 function, satisfactorily demonstrating its ability to handle the type of unsurfaced roads that are still common in this area. Ironically, the Kangoo has behaved itself since it was threatened with dismissal!

Security cameras have been installed at Casa Neemia. These cover access to the building and the surrounding area but do not intrude on the privacy of the residents. The images can be viewed remotely which Beni finds useful for checking whether the polytunnel has been closed properly!

This month’s featured photos

• Catalin goes electric
• Horse-drawn fridge
• Images of camp

 

Last month’s performance statistics

These statistics give a snapshot of our aid-related activities last month.
[table id=<15> /]

Stats notes:
– Joiners are new registrants this month, Leavers are are those whose latest recorded donation was 12 months ago.
– Value of stock includes items which have been used in AN projects but not yet written out of these accounts.
– Items marked as “?” are awaiting final returns for the month.

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Previous month, May 2019

For those of you who have been following the progress of Samira, a little girl who was diagnosed with leukemia, the latest news is that tests show that following treatment in Iasi she is now 100% clear of the disease. She will need periodic check-ups and to be careful of her general health. Her family has expressed their gratitude to those who supported the family during this crisis.

Maintaining our vehicles is a constant necessity. AN’s Renault Kangoo 4×4 has provided essential if occasionally unreliable service for over 10 years but it has finally reached the point where replacement has become urgent. The Kangoo has served us well for many years but the rigours of the work here and the increasing frequency of repairs mean that it will soon be time to retire it. The particular combination of seats, cargo space and 4×4 is not readily available on the second-hand market and the search for a replacement has been continent-wide. Using a legacy from John Andrew in Horley we have been able to purchase a nearly-new VW Caddy 4×4, which was located in Belgium and brought back to Dorohoi – it will commence active service once the paperwork is complete. The Kangoo is not dead, we anticipate donating it to a local church leader who has the necessary skills to make good use of it.
Over the years, RoAF has received several generous donations and bequests and it is a measure of God’s guidance that these usually arrive just when some major expediture is due.

The delayed load from south Wales arrived during April bringing additional supplies of clothing, toys and food. Last month we provided goods to a total of 182 households using items donated in the UK and forwarded by our teams. Typically we receive 12-15 visitors per day asking for a wide variety of items, in addition to those people whose needs are financial such as help with medical costs, energy bills, etc. We cannot satisfy all these requests – recent shortages include men’s trousers and spectacles – but we have been able to provide decorating materials and carpet tiles in addition to the usual range of clothes and food. We have been able to install a video screen in the office so that our visitors can watch a Christian TV channel during their visit.
One of the logistics problems that our packing teams face is obtaining adequate supplies of cardboard boxes. The Horley team receives boxes from a large hotel near Gatwick Airport which benefits from not having to make its own disposal arrangements. For south Wales, Richard is able to take the boxes from previous deliveries back for refills. Some of these boxes have three or four labels, which tends to confuse our unloaders.

The warmer Spring weather has triggered the planting season. We have been able to provide some seeds and garden tools to those who have the opportunity to use them. We have also prepared our own land with crops such as maize which will provide food for donation later in the year. However, springtime is not harvest and people are still hungry whilst they wait for their crops to mature so we still have regular requests for food donations. Thanks to generous people elsewhere we still have stocks of staples such as rice and flour which we can give to those in need.

For each of the past four years our Swansea-based team has sponsored places at a children’s holiday camp in the mountains near Voronet. The camp is for children from our beneficiary families and it offers a break away from home for many whose parents could not afford a family holiday. The camp has a Christian context and it is always very popular. This year the camp dates are 17-22 June, the first week of the school holidays. Already we have had enquiries from parents eager to get their children on the list (and off their hands).

This month’s featured photos

• Many hands make light work
• TV display in the office
• Caddy joins the fleet
• Many hands make light work
• Send them back
• Anticipating camp

Photo Gallery: Click on any of the photos for enlargements, more details or similar photos.

Last month’s performance statistics

These statistics give a snapshot of our aid-related activities last month.
[table id=<13> /]

Stats notes:
– Joiners are new registrants this month, Leavers are are those whose latest recorded donation was 12 months ago.
– Value of stock includes items which have been used in AN projects but not yet written out of these accounts.
– Items marked as “?” are awaiting final returns for the month.

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Previous month, April 2019

Returning to the question with which we finished last month’s News – will the lorries make it? – the answer is both yes and no. The lorry from Billingshurst did make it to Dorohoi, in record time, but the other one from south Wales has been delayed due to ill health. However, we anticipate that it will arrive during the next two weeks and this delay has given us the benefit of being able to organise the incoming goods more efficiently. The number of people asking for short-term help appears to be falling slightly but there are more households with long-term needs and the items that we receive allow us to continue to help them. UPDATE: Richard and his lorry left Swansea on 5th April and a tidy warehouse awaits their arrival.

Cornelius Purice has been AN’s warehouseman-driver for many years but he has now reached an age when retirement beckons. We thank him for his valuable and occasionally comic contributions to AN’s activities during the past 16 years and are pleased that we have not seen the last of him – he and his colleague Iulian will continue to help as volunteers on three mornings each week.

Severe weather at the beginning of March did not pass us unscathed. High winds stripped a large proportion of the polythene covering from the polytunnel at Casa Neemia. Although the timing was not of our choosing we were able to take the opportunity to make some improvements to the structure which will give us better crops later in the year. Also, starting this month, we will be introducing an element of self-help for the residents whereby they will each be expected to spend a certain amount of time working in the garden (as well as their duties in the house). UPDATE: Thursday 4th April was this year’s first garden-intensive day with half-a-dozen of our residents gainfully occupied in preparing the vegetable beds for new crops.

This month’s featured photos

• He’s made it – Corneliu Purice reaches retirement
• He’s remaking it – Laurentiu repairing the Polytunnel
• Will he make it? Richard’s route to Dorohoi

Photo Gallery: Click on any of the photos for enlargements, more details or similar photos.

Last month’s performance statistics

These statistics give a snapshot of our aid-related activities last month.
[table id=<4> /]

Stats notes:
– Joiners are new registrants this month, Leavers are are those whose latest recorded donation was 12 months ago.
– Value of stock includes items which have been used in AN projects but not yet written out of these accounts.
– Items marked as “?” are awaiting final returns for the month.

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Previous month, March 2019

Like a hibernating bear, Spring made a brief appearance and then went back to sleep. February is gaining a reputation for promises that March is reluctant to deliver but the aspects of grey and white that dominated the winter scene are slowly acquiring a hint of green. In rural areas the ploughing season has begun and there is an interesting contrast between the commercial enterprises with access to expensive machinery and the majority of smallholders with one or two horses. At least the horses know the way home if the ploughman falls asleep!

This season brings a sense of starting afresh. The privations, and procrastination, of the winter are drawing to an end and it is time to get up and do something to improve one’s lot. We can anticipate an increase in opportunities for casual labour in agriculture and construction; one of the major sources of income for many of our beneficiaries. We have received a large supply of vegetable seeds, to be shared with those who have the necessary space and, appropriately for spring cleaning, we have been able to distribute some 800 litres of detergent donated by another local charity.
In addition to our normal items – clothing, bedding, toys, food – from time to time we receive other items such as crutches, decorating materials, soap and mattresses donated in bulk from surplus stock whilst bicycles, computers, musical instruments are examples of individual donations. All these items will, in due course, find a home where they will be valued.

Our associate, Robert, has started a programme of one-to-one meetings with the ‘wild bunch’ – a group of young men mainly from an orphanage background whose experiences and lifestyle have earned them that nickname. This is not an easy method of outreach, and Robert needs encouragement and prayer support for his initiative.

At the time of writing, the confusion surrounding Brexit is still unresolved. AN is expecting two lorries later this month – on the 26th and 27th respectively – will they make it? Read next month’s news to find out!

This month’s featured photos

• Support for Steluta.
• Geta gets mobile again.
• Gheorghe hits the road.

  

Photo Gallery: Click on any of the photos for enlargements, more details or similar photos.

Last month’s performance statistics

These statistics give a snapshot of our aid-related activities last month.
[table id=<3> /]

Stats notes:
– Joiners are new registrants this month, Leavers are are those whose latest recorded donation was 12 months ago.
– Value of stock includes items which have been used in AN projects but not yet written out of these accounts.
– Items marked as “?” are awaiting final returns for the month.

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Previous month, February 2019

 

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Due to a hacking attack on our email server we have had to suspend the use of our email addresses using the format “@roaf.org”. Please use the telephone numbers on our website until the email service is reinstated.

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Graham Howard stood down from his role as RoAF treasurer at the end of January. His contributions, over many years, have included co-ordinating the warehousing and transport arrangements at Billingshurst, plus a host of ‘behind the scenes’ inputs too numerous to list. Many, many people owe thanks to Graham (and Rosemary who let him do it all!) and the RoAF and AN teams add their thanks too. Apparently we haven’t seen the last of Graham – he will continue to contribute as time permits.
Our new treasurer is Craig Buchanan who lives in Horley and attends Reigate Baptist Church. Craig will be taking over the duties of treasurer whilst Brian Gawn will co-ordinate the Billingshurst warehouse activities and Steve Flegg will look after any administrative matters for the Horley team.
Responsibilities for RoAF’s activities in south and west Wales remain unchanged.

During 2018 Asociatia Neemia received over 70 tons of donated goods. About 95% of these items came via our teams in the UK and the rest was received from local sources in Romania. In terms of documentation and transport, once Romanian joined the EU in 2007 then the processes became quite simple: a brief listing of the lorry’s contents plus confirmation of donation and acceptance were all that was required.
Some of the goods received are turned into cash via AN’s shop in Dorohoi. This cash then provides a resource for helping people with essential expenditure – in some ways this form of donation is more important than the simple donation of the goods themselves.
The current confusion and uncertainty surrounding Brexit is causing some concern amongst our team in Dorohoi. What will change? Will we still be able to receive the aid? Will there be a return to the former arrangements, with the need for more detailed documentation, a Hungarian translation of the inventory and a customs inspector counting the load off the truck? They were stressful times for our warehouse managers and there is no enthusiasm for a return to the old regime.
Interactions between countries within the EU have changed a lot even since 2007, trade and travel have created a web of inter-dependency that cannot be easily broken. It may well be that the realities of commerce will achieve what political ambition has been unable to do.
We have seen God working in marvellous ways through RoAF and AN and, irrespective of the eventual outcome, we can have the confidence that He will not abandon those whom He has asked us to help.

This month’s featured photos

• Craig Buchanan.
• Brian Gawn.
• Steve Flegg.

Last month’s performance statistics

These statistics give a snapshot of our aid-related activities last month.
[table id=<2> /]

Stats notes:
– Joiners are new registrants this month, Leavers are are those whose latest recorded donation was 12 months ago.
– Value of stock includes items which have been used in AN projects but not yet written out of these accounts.
– Items marked as “?” are awaiting final returns for the month.

 

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Previous month, January 2019

Looking back at last January’s Prayer Notes it appears that a simple repetition of what was written then would still be relevant – price rises, cold weather, poor prospects, people who are hungry and cold. Of course there are differences in the details – the price rises are on top of last year’s, the weather is not (yet) quite so cold, 315 additional households received donated items for the first time in 2018 – but AN’s day-to-day activities continue much as usual. The annual review for last year is due shortly and, rather than repeat the review’s content, this gives the opportunity to try something different for this month’s Prayer Notes.

Isabela is three years old and lives with her family in a small village some 20 miles from Dorohoi. She was born with a heart defect and needed a series of medical interventions. Some RoAF supporters undertook to pray for her and contributed to the costs of the operations, which were deemed to be successful. Isabela now has a good prognosis and her family is receiving some state help towards her return to complete health.

Samira, aged four, lives in the same village. RoAF supporters with long memories may recall that we helped her mother, Petruta, who was rescued from an orphanage as a baby and brought up by her grandparents. Samira has been diagnosed with a form of blood disorder for which she is undergoing chemotherapy. This is a great burden for her parents and her great-grandparents, especially as Petruta has had to give up her job in order to care for Samira.

• Our Annual Review for 2018 has been published – a printable pdf file can be accessed here.
• An update for Casa Neemia is also available here.

This month’s featured photos

• Isabela after treatment.
• Samira before the start of her treatment.
• Samira during her treatment.

Last month’s performance statistics

These statistics give a snapshot of our aid-related activities last month.
[table id=<6> /]

Stats notes:
– Joiners are new registrants this month, Leavers are are those whose latest recorded donation was 12 months ago.
– Value of stock includes items which have been used in AN projects but not yet written out of these accounts.
– Items marked as “?” are awaiting final returns for the month.

The figures for December 2018 are lower than those of the same month in 2017; this is largely due to reduction in the number of shoeboxes available for distribution.
 

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Previous month, December 2018