Impact Romania

Final message from the May Team

admin — Sat, 19 May 2012 00:07:16 +0000

We arrived home from Romania after dinner on Wednesday evening. Thank-you for your encouragement and for upholding us in prayer. Our MW team was an amazing group of young people and our time together was rich as we ministered to the marginalized and institutionalized – people largely abandoned and/or forgotten by society. It is always eye opening when you are in another country and come face to face with the same issues that we are surrounded with on a daily basis in our own communities. Now the hard work begins. As some of you know, it takes way longer to unpack the experience than it does to unpack the bags. My prayer going into these trips is always that God would inspire each of us to be more attentive to where He is at work here at home and how He wants to work in us and through us – and in particular – through our university bible study groups. Our devotional time each day was centred around Jesus’ conversations with his disciples recorded in John 14-16. I think the main takeaway for all of us, and there were many, was Jesus call to ‘remain in me’. Without the help of the Holy Spirit, our efforts are in vain, if not impossible. I Thessalonians 1:2-3 emerged as our theme for our time together and a passage we prayed over our volunteer friends from ‘Pas cu Pas’ as they continue ministry in these different institutions on a weekly basis…

“We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ“.

This was and continues to be my desire for us as much as it is for them – and as the church of Jesus Christ, this is also our challenge. What a great reminder.

Thanks again for standing with us and looking forward to being with you soon,

Mike Barlow (Romania May Team Leader)

May Team finishes up their trip

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 02:30:56 +0000

Here is a couple more pictures of the team in Romania. One is a panorama of playground of the Beclean orphanage. They are now in Budapest today and due to arrive home on Wednesday. The trip has been a big success and I have heard great reports from Mike Barlow and the leader in Romania, Dina Nechita. The following is a short message from Mike that he wrote on Saturday:

“Finished up our last day today with time at the Prichindel Orphanage and then a cookout with all the kids in a nearby park. The weather was fantastic and it was a great day – a great way to finish. Tomorrow we will attend church and witness Ciobi’s baptism. Our departure for Budapest is scheduled for 11pm. Thanks for your prayers. Our time here has gone very fast. Tonight we are relaxing with our Romanian friends.”

Bob Fukumoto

May Team visits Ilisua and elderly care centre

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 05:42:43 +0000

Today half of us spent the morning with Seniors who are staying at Beclean temporarily. We bought hand lotion and then massaged their hands. This was very powerful. The faces just lit up as we went from person to person. Then 5 of us went back to the elderly care center and spent some more time with those that have severe challenges. We also took the hand cream with us and this really served as a bridge to communicate. We were there earlier in the week and I really wanted to go back and visit again and take a soccer ball to one of the gentleman.

The other half of the team went to Ilisua this morning and then the whole team went this afternoon. After arriving in a torrential downpour we got the kids inside and settled and the team did a great job – doing a Canada presentation, organizing a craft and singing songs. It was organized chaos but great fun.

Mike Barlow

May Team update

admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 04:04:45 +0000

The May Team will be visiting the Ilisua orphanage located in a small village about 70 km north of Cluj. This is a very poor orphanage with nutritional needs. The Pas Cu Pas/Impact Romania Team is hosting a “cook-out” with potato salad, fruit, bread and meat. This would be a real treat for these orphans. The team will also play games, sing songs, present a bible story/drama and have fun with the children who range in age from 4-16.

Mike Barlow

Update from the May Team

admin — Fri, 04 May 2012 20:20:45 +0000

Just a quick update. This is the first internet access we have had for a couple of days. We have just completed our first official day of program and ministry in Beclean. This morning we all went to the Special Needs School and present a program about Canada, read some Bible stories around friendship, played games and did some crafts. I am sure a highlight for the students was a small taste of pure maple syrup we distributed to each of them.

This afternoon half of the group went to the Teaca Orphanage which is about 45 minutes outside of town and the other half went to the Beclean Hospital facility.There are so many details I could share but suffice to say – after our debrief session this evening – one of the main takeaways for all of us is that every little thing we do makes a difference. It also was evident however that every little jesture directed toward each of us by the orphans, the elderly and the physically disabled – whether a kind word, a touch or a smile, has the potential to impacts us for a lifetime. Thanks for your prayers.

Mike Barlow (team leader)

May Team heads to Romania

admin — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 03:50:26 +0000

A team composed of summer staff from Muskoka Woods just left for Romania to work with orphans and support the community of volunteers in our foundation there. The team is led by Mike and Tina Barlow and is accompanied by Jenilee Forgie (Teams Coordinator for Impact Romania). The trip is from April 29 – May 16. Thanks to all who continue to support the team and Impact Romania.

Bob Fukumoto – Director

May Team 2012

admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:53:14 +0000

Taylor Huehn, Annie Sutherland, Becky Barlow, Carly Clydesdale, Cody Lewis, David Jones-Lisser, Elizabeth Lane, James Montgomery, Jen Bonter, Kalen Orme, Kylie Donevan, Mike and Tina Barlow, Rob Fernandes, Tommy Marshall

Introducing our 2012 May Team. They will be in Romania from April 29 – May 16 and they will be running programs at our partner orphanages, special needs schools, elderly care centres, and hospitals.

Christmas team trip begins

admin — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:39:37 +0000

The Christmas team have all arrived safely in Romania. 5 of the team members left on Nov 30 to join Erin Fukumoto who had already arrived and was waiting with the volunteers for the rest of the team. They will bring joy to 4 orphanages, one special needs school and 2 elderly care centers over a period of 9 days. They will distribute over 400 Christmas “bags of basics” which include t-shirt, underwear, socks and towel as well as fruit and a gift. The team of about 20 (in total) will also sing songs, do Christmas drama and stories, and provide nutritious food. Thank-you for your support and continued prayer for the team!

Christmas Team 2011

admin — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 22:38:56 +0000

Back row: Erin Fukumoto, Rebekah Grose, Michelle Grose, Melissa Mills, Heidi Montgomery
In front: Jenilee Forgie

Introducing our 2011 Christmas Team. They will be in Romania from December 2-11 and they will be running Christmas programs and distributing gifts at our partner orphanages, special needs schools, elderly care centres, and hospitals.

Camp Discovery with Prichindel

admin — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:45:14 +0000

Camp ended Saturday and we are thankful for God’s hand on us. The weather was great and the camp was beautiful… See for yourself with these pictures! Camp Discovery with the Beclean orphanage begins Monday and goes to Thursday. Thanks for your support!

Bob, for the team