October…rich fruit month!

          So began October: a celebration of the fruits in Cozmesti place, attended by children from Casa Ray. They thanked God through songs, they wondered of the rich natural fruits and served a meal together with young people from the church, with whom they tied new friendships. Every time they have the opportunity to visit other communities, children are joyful. Admittedly, there are also welcomed! (1,2)

           Why would we call October "the rich fruit month”? Because donations that we received during this period, showing that God really blessed  Romania with many riches, despite that drought has said the word. We received from Suceava county, and from Neamt County, potatoes, cereals, flour, vegetables, certain foods (sugar, oil), that are very useful for everyday life. If there were no such donations and goods, we would hardly manage to cope with expenses. We thank those who, every fall, remember their blessings and bestow on these children.(3,4,5,6)

          Friendships at  Targu Mures camp were felt this month when we have been visited by Matei and Bianca, two children, with whom we spent six memorable days. They spent a nice afternoon together and expressed their desire to come to visit Casa Ray.(7)

          In one of the Sundays of this month and I was also at a youth meeting at the  Church. At the end of the service, I went to a cup of tea. As I was saying, this visit to the Pentecostal community enchanted our youth also..(8,9,10)

          As a main activity, all vegetables, pickles and peppers baked was in power, but besides this we enjoyed a furnace filled with cakes, which made us wait anxiously Christmas, when we again will preheat the oven.(11,12,13,14)

          A great joy made us Rahela si Salome Marchal (Gavril) by their visit. They stayed only 7 days with us, but we took full advantage of them. We love them all!(15,16,17)

          Another main concern at Ray House was also school. Homework across homework, lessons to learn, working on different projects and more. They even came home with some schoolmates to complete projects started in school. We are glad to see most of our children interested in school and hopefully this will not change.(18,19,20)    

          Mihaela, our girl who is in college, also cheered us with her visit. Growing at Casa Ray, she knows exactly what excite children, therefore every time she visits us, she brings candies to the children. She is now in the second year in college and recently transferred to the school in Sibiu. (21)

          We kept on putting in freezer greens and vegetables, jars with pickles, jams, but some meat/sausages does not hurt besides all these. Therefore, we sacrificed a pig from which we did all sorts of dishes, which will surely delight all children.(22)

          In renovations chapter, we managed to channel the water collected from the roof to go directly into the sewage. By extension pipes, elbows, caps and of course work in order to merge all these.(23)

          When we  need most iceboxes, unfortunately one of the four boxes that we have crashed. Our thought was to arrange a cold room, in order to decrease high energy consumption that we have, and to save the space the 4 freezers and the 4 refrigerators occupy. When I asked for an offer for a cold room, it pretty shattered our dream. The costs for such a room somewhere amounted to 13,000 euros, money that was not available and even if we have this amount, we have other projects that concern us much more. However, if there is someone who wants to donate a refrigerating container, or something like that, we would welcome this donation, that would help us very much.(24)

          Madalin and Ana celebrated their birthdays in October. They received gifts, cakes were made on this occasion, and Ana received also the visit of her mother and two of her brothers. Of course, this visit brought extra joy, besides receiving gift from her mother, a handmade blouse.(25,26)

          We lived some great moments this month when we received the visit of three boys who grew up with us: Ciprian, Ionut, Tudor, along with some of their families. We hadn't seen each other for years, and now, thanks to a not very pleasant event (their father died), they came to Neamt area and paid us a visit. Children who have recognized them, also enjoyed their visit, and they were amazed by how much the other children grew up. It was a great joy to see that these boys, who were from 3 years old when we got them here, now are grown men, with families and with children of their own.(27,28)

          Cristina, Elena, Vasile and Costi They went to the ophthalmologist and we had to make them glasses. They had deficiencies when reading, also had headaches sometimes, and after the check,   our hunch was proved, that these symptoms had a solution: eyeglasses.(29)

          Nature surprised us and made us a surprise in October, as you can see in the picture 31, but then left us to enjoy the true autumn which was really nice, as you can see in the picture 32.

          From the goods received, we managed to bring some joy to some other family, where we took a bed, because they have more children, and some food. It is happy to receive, but it is more blessed to bestow/give! (33)

          In addition to the food received, Tymbark company made a joy to the children, donating them juice and cookies. Children did not come to believe when they saw and asked: "How I got this without any money?" "But how someone gives us so many juices for free??" They were very sweet! And speaking of the above statement: "It is blessed to receive, but it is more blessed to bestow!" I gave from the juices received also to a social canteen, where children  from poor families eat daily and to retirees, who meet once a week. (34,35)

          Eight children from Casa Ray had the opportunity this month to contact their families. Brothers Vacaru went to visit their mother, who has mental problems, and grandmother, who is quite old, and have returned very glad, also because they have received a gift from their family: 9 beautiful hens! Ciprian was called by his father, who is out of the country.He was excited to hear his voice, he and his brothers being abandoned by their mother.(36)

          Brothers Dodita, Ionut, Florin and Vasile, also went to Oniceni, to visit their father, who stays in bed for nine years because he is paralyzed. They have also visited an uncle and un aunt and relaxed in the stunning views of the area.

         Even if it was a joy for them then to visit their relatives, they had no way of knowing it was the last time they saw their father. Just six days after the visit made, we received a call in which we were informed that the boys' father died . With pain I gave this news, even if they were stron on receiving the news, surely it would be difficult form them to think that they have no father, no mother (their mother died 9 years ago).

          Sorry that October ended with this pain for Ionut Florin Vasile, but we know for sure that God will take care of him and will be father and mother for them, and we will try with all we can to be near them..(37,38)