Many of you have ordered cinnamon rolls for Christmas, a fund raiser I did to raise sponsorship for three children at Caminul Felix.
In 2001, Mike and I hosted two girls in our home, Cristina and Alina, when they came with the Caminul Felix Choir to raise awareness of the orphaned and abandoned children in Romania, and the ministry of Caminul Felix, a Christian organization that consists of homes with houseparents raising children who were brought in from orphanages and off the street. We got so close to them in a very short of time. Once we learned more about these children and the others in the choir, we were very moved and fell in love with these kids. Once they left our home, there was something burning in my heart, and a burden laid on my heart of what we could do to help.
In 2001, I came to Romania on my first mission trip and my life has never been the same. Visiting orphanages, seeing kids living on the streets, visiting families who live in extreme poverty and witnessing the hard life here in Romania broke my heart. I got to see "my girls" and it was an amazing reunion. Even though they were only in our home for a short time, we have a bond that has remained for years.
My mother passed away on December 11, 2001. My parents raised 14 children and our mother was a saint! The next Christmas, all of my siblings and dad began a sponsorship in memory of mom, planning to sponsor one, and ended up sponsoring three, Ciristina, and her two biological brothers Mihai and Julian. Mom loved kids and even when we had very little, she was always willing to help others in any way she could. This sponsorship has continued since then, and we've gotten to see the girls several times in 12 mission trips to Romania, and have also been blessed to have them they in our home a couple more times when the choir came to the states.
Cristina's family has become so very special to me as her Dad, Paul, and her brother, Adi, stayed in our home when Adi had surgery on a deformity of his ankle. We got to know them on a personal level, and soon after they came back to Romania, Paul was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma of his eye. He would have to have his eye removed. God provided for every detail, for Paul and his wife Dana to come to the states to have his eye removed and an implant put in. I truly believe that God "connects the dots." With the trauma of losing his eye, and the possibility that cancer could have spread, this was a scary time for Paul, 30 at the time, his wife Dana and all of their 13 children they are raising at CF. One thing he didn't have to worry about was where he would be staying while in the states, and that was in our home. They stayed for a month for surgery and recovery, went home for a month, and then came back for a month for the implant. All services were donated, surgeons, anesthesiologists, hospital fees, lab fees and the implant as well. I share this because God's hand was evident in every step, from the first time we had Cristina in our home to this day. Paul, Dana and all of their children are family to us, and we are truly blessed!
I got to go and spend time with Cristina, Mihai, Julian, the rest of the kids and Paul and Dana this afternoon. It was so fun and such an amazing time!
Thank you to all who ordered cinnamon rolls for Christmas, because you have provided full sponsorship for these three precious kids for the year, in loving memory of my mom and now also in memory of my dad, who passed away this past June. You have helped me to give back in honor of my parents for what has been given to me, and that is many, many, many blessings, including my 13 siblings, and a huge extended family of 104!
Love & Blessings,
Lois
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