Feeding Centers
The articles below highlight our work at feeding centers throughout Romania.
In Romania, more than three out of every four Roma children leave school before completing their education. For many, poverty decides their future long before they have the opportunity to dream. But sometimes, the first step toward breaking that cycle begins with something as simple as a backpack.
Across Eastern Europe, millions still live in severe poverty. In countries like Romania, nearly one in five people is at risk of poverty or social exclusion, and the elderly—es pecially widows—are among the most vulnerable. Many survive on very small pensions that barely cover utilities, leaving little or nothing for food.
Each fall, children approach the first day of school with nervous anticipation or eager excitement. As a child, I loved school. I remember preparing with a list in hand, carefully choosing pencils and notebooks. We weren’t wealthy, but my parents always found a way. Sadly, many children in Romania don’t get to experience that joy. For them, choosing school supplies or packing a backpack is out of reach. Without basic tools, some can’t attend school at all—missing the education that could shape their future.
Every day, we balance blessings and needs. Too often, we focus on what’s lacking instead of what we’ve been given. But imagine facing life without knowing how to read or write. This very message would look like a page of hieroglyphics.
Our food truck ministry in Ukraine is much more than a feeding program; it’s a mobile evangelistic outreach sharing hope and God’s eternal plan through partnerships with local churches.
God’s Word instructs us to care for the vulnerable, especially the widows and elderly. Psalm 56:8 states, “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle.” Inspired by this, the Bread of Life ministry extends compassion to the elderly, who often go unnoticed despite their sacrifices and hard work in earlier years.
Over the past three years, God has abundantly blessed BOL with increased food donations. We have grown from receiving only a few aid containers yearly to averaging over 35 containers annually. This incredible blessing allows us to help thousands of people through our Bread of Life Crisis Relief program.
After months of intense lessons at our feeding centers, we planned some different activities for the children in the poverty-stricken communities.
On a recent visit to a poor community, our team asked the children how they were doing in school. One little girl sadly looked down and said, “I failed this year.” She was in the second grade. We pondered, how can one fail the second grade? The reality is that growing up in an illiterate family leads to this—a never-ending cycle of poverty trapping children. This is why we advocate for education as part of the cure for poverty.
A few days ago, I was visiting the children at the Balaceanca Feeding Center with a friend. After spending time with the children, we delivered food parcels to local families. This experience deeply shocked my friend. After two sleepless nights, he returned to me and asked: what is your dream for Balaceanca? After pondering a few moments, I found myself replying: We are living the dream!
We do not need to look far to find reasons to be thankful. No matter how wealthy or poor we feel, like the apostle Paul, we acknowledge God above all our circumstances and praise Him. I am profoundly touched by the gratitude children in our Feeding Centers show every time we visit them. Sitting in […]
The last two years under the COVID pandemic have been challenging for the poor of Romania. All feeding centers were closed under government order, and our program became one of delivering food parcels to families.
