Christmas fun!

This has been a week of parties!
The first was on Saturday at one of our orphanages near Bucharest, when the kids watched Christmas Cartoons and ate popcorn, biscuits and drank hot chocolate. It was a bit messy, but they all enjoyed the afternoon.

On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons we held parties at the other orphanage. We had many fun games like trying eat bread and honey from a string without using your hands, pass the parcel, make a snowman using a member of your team and toilet paper! Each party started with the H2H staff singing some Christmas Carols and ended with the kids decorating sugar cookies and eating as much frosting as they could!!

Christmas performances

Last week we kicked off the Christmas celebrations with not one but two performances in one day. The kids from the band performed at a school in Bucharest and at a museum not far from there.

After the performances on the way back to the orphanage we went into the city to see the Christmas lights. It was a bit chilly but lots of fun.

After the performances on the way back to the orphanage we went into the city to see the Christmas lights. It was a bit chilly but lots of fun.

Thanksgiving

As usual this month, we celebrated Thanksgiving at the Teamhouse with our graduates and this year a team form Buhler, Kansas. About 70 people were there including staff. Traditionally people eat turkey and this year was no exception, funnily enough it always seems like Christmas to me!!

fun times with staff

Every Saturday morning, we meet as a staff and have bible study together, as well as getting information about upcoming teams and events. This year we have been divided into smaller groups and each month one of the small groups has to organise a fun activity to do on one of the Saturdays instead of the bible study. Last week we all went to the monastery on the Island in Snagov, where the body Vlad Tepes is buried. They have now a bridge over to the Island. It was a lovely day although a little chilly. After touring the monastery, we sat next to the lake and ate lunch.

Ruthie's first birthday

On Saturday 15th October, we celebrated Ruthie’s first birthday at the teamhouse.
Alina and Robbie (her parents) invited several of their close friends, ie.many of our kids from the Transition houses and all the staff to join them in their celebrations. Robbie gave an emotional speech about how thankful he is for his wife and daughter, many friends and H2H family. We ate pizza and cake – Ruthie really enjoyed that part and was the entertainment of the day. She loves to dance to music and was so cute and joined in clapping and saying “bravo” whenever the music stopped.

A new school year

This month, we started our ministries again after the summer break.

This year, at one of the orphanages, in addition to 7 of the 10 kids who were receiving instrumental lessons and in the band last year, there are 4 new members, one on trumpet, one on percussion, one baritone saxophone and one on clarinet. There are also 3 general music classes and a new guitar class.

At the other orphanage as well as 4 general music classes, 4 of the older girls are learning the clarinet and one of the older boys is learning the keyboard. It is going to be a very busy but exciting year!!

A Wonderful Holiday in America

After the busy summer ministry, we were ready for a break and were invited to San Diego for a very special wedding. As we have made many good friends in different parts of America through teams and former H2H staff, Jen, Jenny and I decided to stay a little longer make a holiday of it. We started in New York and stayed there for 3 days visiting “The 2 Sarahs”. We just missed the hurricane by a couple of days – although there was an earthquake while we were there, but I didn’t actually feel anything!! It worked in our favour though, as a few hours after it happened we went to the Empire State Building and there was no queue!! We also visited various places in California such as San Diego, Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco, as well as driving up the Pacific Coast Highway, staying at Monterey and Cambria on the way. We stayed with various H2H friends and had great fun, lots of new experiences and far too much to eat! Thank you to everyone for your wonderful hospitality. The Saturday before we came back to Romania, was the wedding. We arrived back from our travels to Ramona on the Wednesday and helped with the preparations. The day itself was lovely, amazing sunshine, delicious food and of course a very beautiful bride. Congratulations John Thomas Sorrels and Marinela. May God bless your new life together.

Fanel and Andreeas Wedding

This weekend we celebrated yet another special occasion. One of the graduates from the first year of our boys transition programme got married to a girl he met at the wedding of a relative of one of our Romanian staff. They are a lovely young couple and we wish them well in their future life together

Graduation

At the beginning of July, we celebrated the graduation of the 5 boys who went through our transition programme this year. We also had a team from California here at the time, some of whom knew some of these boys when they were in the orphanage. Together, the team, many past graduates and staff helped to make this day special for them. Four of the five are now living in an apartment together and working for a company to insulate houses. The fifth boy, Cesar, started out in the same apartment and job, but decided to go and live with some extended family down south of Bucharest. Unfortunately this didn’t work out and know he is looking for another job down there.

Summer and Music Camps

We started our summer ministry programme with 10 days of music camps. Most were day camps and a couple, the band and older kids had 2 days. With help from music teacher Todd Nolan, our interns Amberly Piotrowski and Michelle Parker and some of the team who were here at the time, the kids had a lot of fun learning more about music through playing instruments, singing, listening and other related activities. Some of them were lucky enough to finish their day with a swim in the pool. After last years successful backpacking trip in the mountains with some of our older teenage boys, we decided to do the same again this year. Again this was a great success with many fun mountain excursions as well as bible studies and in depth discussions. Not to be outdone, we had girl camps for the older girls. They enjoyed a spa day (run by the staff), pool party, as well as bible studies and discussions. For both the boys and girls camps this year, the topic was purity. For the younger kids, this summer we did summer camp in a different way. Instead of having overnight camps where we could see only a percentage of the kids we work with, we decided to try day camps in 2 different locations simultaneously. This allowed us to work with around 300 kids. Each day was filled with crafts, stories and fun activities based on the 5 senses and Gods creation.

The five senses

learning to swim

A nature walk - what can you hear?

Music days in the sun.

Awards!

I can’t believe it is the end of the School year again. At one of the Orphanages, where we started different programmes this year including English and Music. We had a party for each music class and I presented them with certificates for achievement and attendance. They were so excited and went straight after the party and gave them to the Director to keep in their files for them. At the other orphanage, where the kids have been learning band instruments this year, they performed in their new uniforms, to the rest of the school and invited guests at their Annual Award Ceremony. The band kids and the kids in the other music classes were presented with their certificates too. Well done to them all!

For the second time, we had a team here from Biola University faculty of music in California. Some of the team went down to minister in Rosiori and the rest came to the 2 orphanages that we work in, on the outskirts of Bucharest. They performed in a flute choir, trumpet duet, and demonstrated bass drum, snare drum and cymbals at one of the orphanages, taught individual lessons to the band students at the other and gave a brass group performance outdoors. They also took part ion other fun activities such as Carnivals at different locations for Children’s day, one of the team was a magician – he was certainly a big hit.

who is who?

It takes 2 to play the trumpet!

That's magic!

Look at us!

The Biola and Peris musicians.

Learning about the big bass drum.

The Scottish Team

In May, the Scottish team arrived. It was great to have so many Scottish accents here and to be understood! In addition to visiting the different orphanages and the baby hospital H2H Scotland bought new band uniforms which were beautifully complemented by the fantastic vests made by Judi Cox Stewart and Charlotte Love who were here earlier this year. The team also helped to throw a wedding shower for one of our Boys House graduates, Fanel, who is getting married later this year. Although they were only for 9 days, it was packed with ministry, fun and wonderful memories for the kids, the team and the staff.

The Scottish Team.

New Uniforms.

BOOMWHACKERS!! A lot of fun!

Our Artwork - instruments of the Orschestra.

Skipping.