A week of giving and receiving

We have had a week of giving and receiving.

Temperatures have dropped and we have had snow over past few days, this evening it was -12C as we drove home and despite many layers my feet were chilly and we had ice building up on the inside of the car windows as the condensation froze.

We have been out most days distributing firewood, food parcels and Christmas shoe boxes.

All whom we visited were so grateful for the help. The joy & smiles of children opening shoe boxes and taking delight in the contents, was a gift in itself to us.

Tooth paste and toiletries welcomed with as much joy as toys and sweets. we know they would be the only presents the children would get this Christmas.

If you have been involved with making up a shoe box this year for anywhere in the world we can vouch for the fact that they bring so much joy.

Many of the families we visit live in remote villages and often are at the end of the line for aid. Some of these families are still living in temporary modular containers after losing their homes in the floods in June.

We are grateful to be able build on the relationships with these families and to sit with them and listen to their concerns. We know we cannot help everyone with everything they need but know that just by showing we care, helps and encorages them. We are so thankful that we have a better understanding of the Romanian language, though still also very grateful to have our friend Cornelia with us for more in depth conversations.

As well as smilies and thanks we have also received gifts ourselves this week from families we know. We always save food scraps and vegetable peelings for a friends pig and when they slaughtered the pig ready for Christmas they gave us some- it does not get much fresher than this!

Tomorrow we have a few more deliveries to do and people to visit. In the evening we will have friends from our Romanian home group round for dinner, so pleased that I found the Christmas crackers!

Saturday we plan to spend time with the children at Cobila- a variety of Christmas crafts planned and treats to give out. By the end of the day we hope to have ticked off all on our "to do" list. Then a day off on Sunday spending time with our church family and friends before we head back to the Isle of Man for Christmas with our family there.

Thanks to all who have helped and supported the work here.