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History of Oaza
Team Quotes
Gratian's Letter
God's Little Children
2nd Team
Your donations
More pictures
The holes where they sleep
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From the Desk of Romania 2001
Project Manager………Daniel Caldwell
After months of preparation, the 1st team, led by myself, left Dublin on 20 March, to fly to Budapest, Hungary. A 5 hour train journey followed to Arad, a city in Northern Romania. We would be working with "Oaza," a Romanian-based organisation for the protection of street children. We spent 10 days working very hard, digging drains in the pouring rain, painting, cooking, and building workbenches for a carpentry workshop.
Two days after our return, a 2nd team, led by Dawn Scullard, my office administrator, followed the same travel plan, to spend 10 days working as hard as the 1st team had worked, re-plastering one of the houses, painting and renovating an apartment for some of the younger children,and digging a sewerage pit.
Both teams went to the railway station one evening, during their time there, to see the "holes" where the street kids slept. There was a mother with a 6-week old baby living under a railway bridge.
I heard this little saying the other day:
"I thought I was unhappy because I had no shoes, but then I met a man who had no feet."
We have so much and they have so little!
It was therefore, a great privilege to send out 2 teams from this church, to go and help the people of Romania in this practical way. However, we could not have done it with out your help. You made it all possible by your very generous giving. We have included some pictures of the things you gave us to take to Romania!
Click here to see some of the things you gave!
THANK YOU FOR PARTNERING WITH US IN THIS PROJECT !
Brief History of Oaza
Oaza means oasis. It is a non-profit Romanian organisation that was established in 1996 by Laura Andres, a Romanian citizen, and Lee Saville, a British citizen, to meet the needs of street children in Romania.
The work began with margarine cartons of food being carried to the streets of Arad daily and building relationships with the children there.
Today (Nov 00) Oaza has 6 homes, a day centre and a productive animal and crop farm.
In September 2000, a limited company was formed in order to train and provide work for the older youngsters. To date, 4 businesses are up and running, and 2 more are in the pipeline.
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Entrance to day centre where the street kids are fed every day
WE CARED ENOUGH TO GO!
Quotes from some of the team members:
"These people have so little and live with it. They are hurt and broken, yet always show a happy face to the world." Bridget Coughlan
"You will never understand what it is like until you see it for yourself. It would break your heart." Catherine Caldwell.
…. I've learned to be more patient…... to appreciate the little things in life like my family, my home and my bed!!" Andrea Gallagher
"We have enjoyed our stay and would certainly consider another trip next year. This was a great opportunity to serve God in a practical way." Malcolm & Harriet McDonald
"Romania was a revelation. I don't think any of us will ever be the same again." James Hoban
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Gratian's Letter
A letter received from one of the children in the homes, by one of the team:
Dear Susie,
How are you? How do you feel? Thank you for all you have done for us, I'm sorry you have gone from us and I wish you can come back to Romania some time. How is it with you? With us it is less fun without you and every day I think about you. I am upset that you had to leave and us boys are all upset you have gone.
What is James doing? How is he feeling? And what about Laura?
I would like to know when you can come back. School is very good, I have learnt to write. Please write to me.
Here in Romania there is lots of sun now.
Bye, Gratian
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God's Little Children
by Catherine Slammon
A little child all alone,
No real place to call a home.
Rags on their body,
No shoes on their feet,
Begging for money on the street.
No one to turn to, no one to care,
Life, it seems, is so unfair.
A little baby, so hungry and frail
Living in a hole beside a rail.
Often on its own it does lay,
Just about living from day to day.
But God does care for everyone,
They are His daughters,
They are His sons,
God calls from heaven above,
To give the children plenty of love.
So, thank you Lord,
For Lee and his team,
Because a homeless child
Is not just a dream.
So share around plenty of love,
That really pleases
Our Father above.
So Father in Heaven
I want to pray,
Bless those children every day.
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A few words from Dawn Scullard, leader of the 2nd team
I'm from South Africa, and have been a missionary for 21 years. I have seen
people living in abject poverty and horrendous living conditions in different
parts of Africa.
This did not prepare me for the heart-breaking things I saw in Romania. Kids
as young as 7 or 8, on the streets, high on "arolak", a chemical found in paint,
which the kids sniff from a plastic bag. When asked why they do it, one child said,
" It makes me feel happy, I don't feel the hunger and I don't feel the cold."
However, I was hugely impressed and encouraged by what Oaza has accomplished in the
5 short years of their existence. The homes are full of happy, healthy kids, doing
all the things kids of their age normally do, e.g. we were treated to a violin recital
in one of the homes by one of the girls who is learning to play. Another showed off a
pottery vase that she had made at school and yet another drew a picture and gave it to
me as a gift! I'm going to frame that picture!
The initial slogan we used for this project was: "Romania - who cares?" After being
there, I know that I care a great deal. Being there personally has made a big difference
for me in that I have left a little piece of my heart in Romania and I will definitely
go back again in the future.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US TO HELP THEM!
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Some of the street kids
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