ROMANIAN ORPHANS

House of Angels
May 2008

"There's a hero if you look inside your heart"
~ Mariah Carey ~

Heros come in all shapes, sizes and colors. For some it is the firefighter who at great risk to self saves a life. For many children it is a super hero such as superman who exhibits extraordinary capabilities. For others it's a sports figure who supplies inspiration to reach further, run faster or try harder. For still others it may be one who is rarely praised... a parent, a grandparent or a teacher who equally inspires but perhaps in a more cognitive or spiritual sense. Perhaps your hero is someone who has briefly danced in and out of your life but along the way left a deep and lasting impression.

Heros of all shapes and sizes have touched the lives of the children of House of Angels,
some unkowingly.

Our Heros (this month)

Hero #1

Our first hero came to us in the form of a volunteer. Lisa Maria Trujillo, a US citizen now residing in the UK, recently volunteered her time at House of Angels and her words express the reaped rewards that only a hero can know.

"Dear House of Angels.
Words cannot express how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to spend time here. The smiles and laughter of the children assure me they have a bright future ahead, and it will be made possible because of you. Even if it is just a hot meal or a hug, they deserve this chance at life. Please keep doing what you are doing. I can tell they look forward to each day they spend here and that, in my eyes, is enough. Continue to allow volunteers to visit, so awarness spreads, funds raise and love grows. Even though there was a language barrier I felt more loved by the children than ever, and it was easy to love them back. I read somewhere 'You can learn more about someone in an hour of play than in a year of conversation'... and that is something I experienced here, not just with the kids but with the staff as well. They went out of their way to make me feel warm and a part of the family, as they do with the children each day.

Gelu and Simona - your hospitality is beyond words. I wasn't sure what to expect before I came, but you have outdone yourselves and I cannot thank you enough. It means so much that you take time with each volunteer. This does not happen in alot of organizations, so I want you to know it is very special and something I will always remember ".

Thank you Lisa Maria Trujillo, for sharing your time and your heart with us.
We had such great fun!

Hero #2 

Our next hero... one who sends surprises from a land far away. You may remember Jenny Cassar, also from the UK, who volunteered her time at HoA last summer. The kids and the staff fell in love with her.

Jenny hasn't forgotten the love she experienced at HoA and the needs of the children. She recently sent several packages filled with toys and educational games for the kids. We are so very grateful for her gifts. It is always such a thrill for the children when they receive special packages from lands far away.  

 Thank you Jenny Cassar for remembering us! 

Hero #3

Lisa Shainker and her fourth grade students are a collective hero. Ms. Shainker undoubtedly has a special heart exhibiting an understanding that teaching is much more than mere academics and that there are more valuable lessons to be taught outside its walls. She has reached beyond the call of duty when it comes to her career saying "I think it is important to teach our children the importance of giving to those who are not as fortunate as most. I wanted my students to experience the 'gift of giving'".

For about a month the students collected much needed shoes and items of clothing for our angels.
Ms. Shainker was amazed at how eager they were to help.

"We had a lot of fun collecting items and would love to do it again. I think the students really learned a valuable lesson. I brought this idea to my students and asked them if they would be interested in this fund-raiser. I explained to them it would be additional work on their part and they would not be given a tangible gift in return for their efforts, but they would receive something much more valuable. We talked about how we would feel in our hearts knowing that we made a difference in someone else's life (who was actually on the other side of the world from us). Everyone had a lot of fun, they enjoyed being in charge of this project, and are already asking when can we do it again."  

Thank you Ms. Shainker and fourth grade students at Daves Creek Elementary of Cumming, Georgia...
for working so hard on behalf of children you don't even know.

 

Hero #4

 Our next hero... a 21 year old young man. Clay Ledford was a lover of life and everything it had to offer. He was loved and adored by all who knew him. Among those who were blessed to receive his love were a 9 year old Romanian born cousin and a 9 year old little brother and to them he was a hero. In memory of his brother,  9 year old Matthew writes:

"CLAY
Superman for the family
Super brother for the kids
Super son for the parents
Truly Strong
Truly Smart
Truly Super
Loved by everyone"

We recently received a loving and generous donation to our angels in honor of Clay and his Romanian born cousin. We want to thank his family and we want to thank Clay for unknowingly touching the lives of our angels. Clay, you are terribly missed and will forever remain a hero in the eyes of many.

Hero #5

Among our devoted supporters, many are adoptive parents who have witnessed the poverty and despair that children like our angels experience on a daily basis. In fact, most of their children were at one time among them. Many of these children, once given an opportunity, have slowly and tediously managed to climb from the rubble and rise above. And in so doing, they have taught their parents things that cannot be comprehended on a cognitive level helping to shape them into more than they ever dreamed they could be. So it is no wonder that the heros of these parents are their children. 

 Thank you adopted children, for opening the eyes of so many and inspiring those whose lives you touch. 

 

Hero #6

During April we received our first ever support from Romanians! Who would have dreamed it would have come to us in the form of 50 motocyclists belonging to the "Romanian Motorcycle Organization"!! And what heros they were... bringing with them toys, clothes, sweets and even a bouncy house!!!

click here for more fabulous photos

Breathtaking might not be the first word that comes to mind upon seeing 50 motorcyles ride into your town but this is exactly how Simona describes it and after seeing the photos we think you will agree. Simona continues... "All 50 motorcycles entered the HOA yard honking all at once. The kids had never seen so many motorcycles together and real riders. After giving them presents, each child got a ride on the motorcycle each chose. Their happiness was total. We invited them inside HOA where they had tea and coffee and left their handprints on HOA's walls, also signing their names. When they left, the kids saluted each of them by screaming "come back again" and waving hands."

How is that for a bunch of heros?!

Angels of the Month

Nicolae and George Lutu live with their 28 year old mother who is mentally unstable and who just last month gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Their 70 year old father is not sure that he is the natural father of the two boys but has graciously and thankfully recognized them legally. This third child is the result of a rape. They all live in one room with a ceiling that is falling down. Our staff has visited their home several times finding the baby with white powder on her eyes from the ceiling. Also in great need of a bath, the nurses cleaned her with wet wipes and immediately moved the baby to another corner of the room.

The child protection also visited recently in an attempt to take the baby away. The mother started screaming and holding the baby tight. She wants desperately to keep all three children even though she doesn't have enough food for them. Neither parent works, instead living at the mercy of their neighbors. So every day we give food to the two boys to take home to help feed the family. And we are trying hard to get the mother and baby to House of Angels during the day for warm baths and hot food.

This is a prime example of a Romanian family forgotten by the State because the parents cannot write so they cannot fight for their rights. Nicolae and George however, are on the road to rising above this situation. Even though both boys are extremely shy and very quite, they are extremely clever. Their teachers from school are amazed at how intelligent they are. It's impressive to see the older one, George, how beautiful his handwriting is and how he excels is in Math. Seeing them now, we are sure that they will continue their studies and become educated young men. Who knows... perhaps they will grow up to become someone's hero...
... perhaps the hero of their parents. 

One Final Hero

We cannot possibly let a newsletter go out about heros without mentioning our angels' biggest and best hero. Simona Stewart has given her life for the children of her homeland. With a passion and perseverance stronger than most, she presses on day after day against all odds and overcoming many and diverse obstacles. She is truly a hero to Nicolae and George and all our other angels. Many, MANY children will grow up to lead lives fuller, richer and outside the walls of despair thanks to her undying love and devotion.

Words of encouragement feed the soul of a hero providing much needed fuel to press on. So many heros go unthanked. And many march on without ever realizing that they were indeed ever a hero. So please join me in feeding Simona's soul by sending her words of encouragment and thanks. Just a few short words to simona@carabella.org will give her more fuel than you can imagine.

 

Want to Help?

Our hope is that Nicolae and George will one day grow up to be someone's hero. We hope that with your help, we will be successful at instilling in them a sense of responsibility, pride and compassion. But we need your help. Simona cannot do it alone. We are in great need of monthly sponsors. If you would like to help...

Checks can be made
payable to: Little Miracles International
MARKED FOR: "House of Angels"
and mailed to:
House of Angels
c/o Little Miracles International
PO Box 19776
Amarillo, Texas 79114

Monthly subscriptions can be set up or one-time donations can also be made by Credit Card via JustGive.org. Please specify your gift for "House of Angels".

For more info, please visit us
at www.angelsinneed.org . 

"A hero lies in you"
~ Mariah Carey ~