ABOUT US Brief History Caritatea lives and grows up from day to day, from year to year. We can see and feel, in every activity, the power of God, Who has been with us from the beginning, predicting, creating proper conditions for establishment and development, finding and preparing people for this mission. He chose people willing to sacrifice from all around the globe, and united them under divine authority. Since the establishment, in 20 July 1990, the association’s members wanted to prove their love and obedience to God by choosing as their main objective, offering material and moral help to people in need. Our vision People in need and people with disabilities are not different from us. Their needs and temporary or permanent disabilities should not be obstacles in working with them, but rather strong reasons for us to help and support them, serving them with great love. Our employees and volunteers are ready to offer their help to people with disabilities or in need. Our Story Mefiboset Christian Centre I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18) Here we are, after 20 years of activity. When I look back, I am amazed of everything that has been done, and I am aware that all this has been possible only with God’s help. It all started with 2 persons but, one by one, people of different religions, with various disabilities, and souls filled with grief and disappointments came and joined us. Year after year, many other hearts with various problems and sufferings joined us. I think each of them had experiences here that helped them grow up. Even the negative aspects taught us something. During our meetings, I had the chance to see the frowns disappearing from these people faces, their anxiety and sadness going away, being replaced with peace, contentment and smiles. Our goal was, besides the spiritual part, to make people with disabilities realize that they are able to do something in this world. Being a disabled person is not merely to receive, but you also have to give, in order to be fulfilled. Each of us, no matter what our disability is, is able to help our fellows. Even though you have a serious disability, you can’t use any of your limbs, your smile, your advice or your prayer can do a lot. A good example is Florin Tudorica. He has spastic tetraparesis, he can barely use his limbs, and he has problems with sight. However, he is a real encouragement to us, and we all love him. His prayers help us and his behavior amazes us. He never offended anyone; instead, he comforts and suffers along. This means a lot! Irina Schiopu Another gift I get in all these years were the outside activities: visiting other cities, spending worship time in various churches or families willing to know us, and also peaceful mountain camps. These trips were extremely important to us. For some of us, they meant taking important decisions in our lives. We remember the trip to Alba-Iulia with pleasure, when one of the Mefiboset Christian Centre members met her future husband. We are glad God was there with us and He used our trip to unite two sensible souls in a blessed marriage. Looking back, I can only thank God that, in another trip, He showed me how important I am, that He would give people in exchange for me, for me to be near Him and find joy of my soul’s salvation. In these trips, we have the opportunity to talk, to know each other better and to be closer to each other than ever. More than once I heard spoken by those present the joy of being there with us. For some of them, it was the only time when they could leave their house. One member of the club testified, oscillating between joy and sorrow:”It is the first time, after many years, when I can go out, in a mountain camp. Thank you!” There were many words, attitudes and faces we could read joy and contentment on. I know that many of these privileges in our lives are because of the sponsors. Therefore, I want to thank, in behalf of all, to each person who participated to our activities, by any means. Be sure you have given dream moments to each of the club’s members. Monica Daraban, Ancuta Runcan AN OASIS IN THE DESERT Our life in the world is like the Israelites crossing the desert, to the Promised Land, to Canaan. In their journey, they came across dry lands, wildlife sites filled with cries, or dangerous places due to venomous snakes. But in this entire journey, God guided them, miraculously intervening, removing the desert heat and the dangers. Thus, He created a blessed oasis in the middle of the desert, giving them water from the rock, bread from heaven, solving the problem with venomous snakes, carrying them on wings, like the eagle does with his eaglets. The same thing happens in our lives, every Friday, at our meetings at Caritatea, where people with visible or less visible disabilities, come together for fellowship with each other and their Creator. After a week of waiting, for those who are in a wheelchair and never go out, a week of exhaustion for those who can hardly move, a week of unrest due to gaps and shortcomings faced by people marginalized my society, Friday’s meetings bring peace, comfort, hope and, the extent material and financial possibilities, solution to many of these problems. Everything begins with praising our Creator with songs, praise that is meant to open our hearts for fellowship. Then comes the moment when each of us has the opportunity to share the problems we are dealing with, our joys or desires. This is an important moment for us. In this moment, we feel like a family, we know the others care for our problem, they even suffer along, we know we are not alone, we are not abandoned, things that lead to our union, welding links between us, feeling joy and beauty. Even though some of these problems are heavy, we do not discourage. We take them before our Lord in prayers, and then we feel relieved and strong. The time of worship is also important, because talking to our Creator, gives us energy, strength and will, things we need in our every day journey through the desert. After worship and prayer time, with our hearts wide open, we are ready to listen to the advice, promises and principles of life God gives us in the Scripture. Studying truths about world and life, suffering and reward, love and faith and other truths, in the light of God’s Word, gives us hope, joy, comfort and everything we need in this world filled with grief. We reach the end of our meeting, knowing that we can face another tough week, full of courage and hope, and we give thanks to our Creator for this oasis in the world. Sandu Dornea When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future. Ecclesiastes 7:14 ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE Tuesday, 19-20, Christian Fellowship Friday, 15-18, Educational Activities GET INVOLVED •Volunteering •Donations •Sponsorships •2% of income tax •Other options   ACTIVITIES SETTLED OBJECTIVES 1.Removing loneliness from people with disabilities’ lives 2. Integrating people with disabilities in evangelical churches 3.Integrating people with disabilities in society 4.Employment of people with disabilities 5.Partial or total independence from family members 6.Involving people with disabilities in work with other people with disabilities 7.Providing wheelchairs, walkers, crutches to those who need them for a limited period of time 8.Offering the possibility to families of people with disabilities to spend some rest time. I.Support and assistance for people with disabilities a.Providing adequate disability support devices (wheelchairs, walkers, crutches) and user instructions – Monday-Friday, 10-14 b.Annual wheelchair distributions, in partnership with Joni & Friends USA In 2008, we distributed: •234 wheelchairs •60 armpit crutches •135 walkers •11 toilet chairs •4 beds •11 canes We mention that all of those who haven’t use such devices before, were given user instructions. II.Home visit for: •Reaching the shortcomings •Counseling In this year, a lot of families who has at least one member with disabilities have been visited. One day, we visited an old lady who had no legs, like me. She was glad to meet another person who was in the same condition, to see how I use the leg prosthesis, how I use my wheelchair and how I cope with my everyday problems, with peace and contentment. She told me she was happy to meet me, but I was a thousand times happier to see that I can help my fellow. Irina Schiopu A group of volunteers took some people with disabilities out, to visit a few historical places: museums, Botanical Garden and others. During some home visits, counseling was done. III.Mefiboset Christian Centre activities: 1.Christian and social education 2.Recreational activities 3.Camps 4.Trips Club activities are organized at the association’s centre, in Conference Room. The main activities are organized by Mefiboset Christian Centre. IV.Humanitarian aid: •Objects, clothes and food •Financially – regular and occasional Our association’s main objective is helping people with special needs. ACTIVITIES 1.Daily: 10:00-14:00 •Wheelchair distribution/repair •Secretariat/accounting 2.Weekly: Friday, 16:00-18:00 •Meetings for people with disabilities (transportation provided by RATUC, with a special minibus) 3.Yearly •Wheelchair distribution in partnership with Joni & Friends USA •Camps for people with disabilities and their families ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS 2010 20th YEAR – A BLESSED YEAR Many words of praise, thanksgiving, glorification and adoration of God go through my mind, for the way He works in people’s lives, but my words cannot contain His kindness and mercy. I am full of joy because the words of Bible come true: He will bless those who fear the LORD—small and great alike. (Psalm 115:13) Indeed, the things that God blesses are blessed. This is a well-known fact, by all of us who experienced this, and those who are benefactors or workers on the evangelical field. Two years ago, when we started preparing for this celebration of 20 years of activity serving our fellows, 15 years of collaboration with Joni & Friends USA and Stichting Caritatea Netherland and 17 years of activity of Mefiboset Christian Center, everything seemed just a bold project. But over time I could see this project has been blessed by God. Caritatea 1990-2010 book project required a lot of work, being written by various authors from Romania and other countries. The book was well appreciated and we received numerous requests to be sent in different cities in Romania and also in other countries like USA and Netherlands. We give thanks to God and to all those who served God and acted according to His plan, which had been predicted 10 years before, through His prophets, to my family and my wife’s parents. I rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, for this amazing plan, for the ministers God used, for Joni E. Tada and all friends, for people from Netherlands, Germany, Austria, USA who were involved in this project, and for many Romanian people. Everyone’s work was blessed. We reached the age of maturity and with blessed partnerships we will continue to work with complete dedication and love for our fellows, especially those with disabilities. This year wheelchair distribution brought something new to our activity. For the first time, among the counselors were people with disabilities, who had a great impact over the distribution’s beneficiaries. The love of God brings us together and we soar forward by faith, seeking to serve more and more people. We continue the ongoing projects, Mefiboset Christian Center, evangelism, fellowship meetings, family visits, nursing home visits, helped by radio, TV and internet, and also living a life in holiness. We seek new ways of providing social, spiritual and material support, to people in need and we want to join those with whom we share the same goal. We are more than conquerors with God! Love, Caritatea Family  
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