Rebuilding the Ark

The Bread of Life Orphanage has been like Noah’s Ark for the many poor children who have found refuge within its walls. Unlike the Ark which was many years in the making and only used for a short time, the Orphanage was the result of a two-year project with a limited budget which converted an abandoned building into a very large family home. Now almost 15 years later, it is time to rebuild and restore in a significant way. In the past, we have made many temporary repairs because our funds were needed elsewhere, like providing our children with food, clothing, etc. Last year we concentrated on expanding the Youth Transition Program for our older students who were leaving the Orphanage. This year we will concentrate on a long overdue renovation of the Orphanage itself. Our investment in the building is actually an investment in the lives of all our current and future children. The child protection agency here in Romania inspects our facilities from time to time and this gives us even more reason to make maintenance a priority.

The Bread of Life building back in 2002 before we started the renovation.

The renovation begun. The young boy in black is Gabi Cazan, our present children’s pastor. He started of as a construction worker and God led him to become a worker on children’s soul s.

The importance of keeping this Ark floating cannot be overstated. We must be always ready to take in more children as we learn about the dire conditions of their family and home life. We are now preparing to take in five siblings who currently receive meals through one of our Feeding Centers. Their family situation is disintegrating badly. The family has 13 children in a two-room house made of mud and straw with an old metal pipe for a stove. The father is physically abusive and the mother is in the hospital. The older children are running away. We are working with the CPS workers in their town and volunteers from the local Feeding Center to make the necessary arrangements. This is the reality

behind the scenes of the work we do among the poor and it gives us a sense of urgency in many things that we do. Seeing the smile on the children’s faces when they are secure and cared for in the BOL Orphanage makes all the effort to overcome roadblocks worthwhile.

A group of children from one of our feeding centers are in the process of coming to the Bread of Life Orphanage. It is for children like them that we need to rebuild the Ark

Our Ark needs again our attention to bring it up to present day safety standards

 

⎕ $18500 Replacing Roof Shingles (Existing shingles are past their life cycle).

⎕ $3500 Landscaping and Yard Improvement (no more mud).

⎕ $8000 Bathroom renovation (we need new fixtures and tile).

⎕ $7550 Window Replacement (we need a big push to replace the last of the old drafty windows).

⎕ $2500 Playground Improvement (we want to bless the children with an outdoor multi purpose area. Here they can use their boundless energy in a safe and fun atmosphere).