Volunteer Travel--$11,898.00: In November I completed my fifth trip to Romania – two of them in 2000. This picture was taken last June, when ten members of my family went with me to teach, sing, speak and do other volunteer work. On that trip alone, I spoke 13 times; my three children spoke a total of 11 times; and we sang together 10 times in 9 different churches, not counting my grandchildren’s participation.

All costs of our travel to and from Romania are included in this figure. Including donations carried over from 1999, we had $13,088.00 designated for travel – almost all of it given by the volunteers themselves. At the end of our summer trip, we re-designated the $1,090.00 surplus to other projects mentioned below.

Bibles--$650.00: Monica’s priest thanks me for his Bible. We first brought Bibles from America, at substantial cost. Now, we keep Bibles on hand in Romania for new believers; Pulpit Bibles in churches; and Study Bibles for church leaders. Our Bibles are being used by Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Christians in churches and public schools. Holt International gives our Bibles to young mothers in their shelter for unwed mothers.

Clothing, New and Used -- $513.60: We gave Holt International baby clothing and formula for use in their shelter and foster families. We have also given clothing for orphanages, and the House of Hope, a home for girls too old for the government-run orphanages, but not yet ready to be on their own.

Computers (used) -- $1,015.00; Parts – (new) $404.41; and Shipping and Customs -- $684.72: We have given computer systems to several ministries in Romania this year: Holt, International uses their system to train mothers in their shelter. We gave one to a Pastor in Margau, and another to his son, who founded the first Christian soccer team in Romania. We also gave some to the CMS, a group we will tell about below.

Medical Supplies—$334.58: We gave donated medical supplies for the use of volunteer physicians and pharmacists who provide services for the poor. We also gave toothpaste; toothbrushes and floss for orphanages and the needy.

Buddy Passes--$400.00: This is the estimated amount saved on air fares for Ioan Stir to teach at Emanuel Bible Institute in Oradea, and for my trip last October and November.

One of CMS’s first actions was to recruit three "missioners", Bible school graduates, to help village churches that can not afford their own pastors. We first gave $300.00 to help transport those missioners, and other workers. Then, this summer we were able to give $2,620.00 buy a new car and $400.00 to help pay the salary of a driver to take those workers to their places of service. We also continued, with another $300.00 gift, to help with gasoline for volunteer drivers who have their own cars, but who cannot afford the extra expense for gas.

All three of those first "missioners" were ordained last year. My family and I had the joy of taking part in two of those ordination services.

We have helped several churches with building projects. This year, we gave $2,500.00 for a new meeting place for the Dobricel Church, and $500.00 toward the roof on a new addition to the church at Chiuiesti.

In Bucharest is a ministry to Gypsy children called Project Ruth. We began with a gift of $200.00, but expect to be more involved with them in the future.

Perhaps the most satisfying gift was this one. A young Christian father is disabled, with a pension too small to provide enough for his family of nine. They work hard to make it on their own. When it was time to plant a garden, the older children asked their father not to spend money to have it plowed. They would do the work themselves, so that the money saved could be spent for food.

Living in a small house with an invalid uncle, whom the wife cared for, all nine family members slept in one room - the children across one bed, with chairs placed under the feet of the taller boys. Winter was coming and they needed warm shoes and a heating system for the house. If they could have just one of those needs met, they thought they could make it through the winter.