This is our first newsletter for 2002. We hope this information will satisfy your curiosity of knowing more about our activities and at the same time will challenge you toward active involvement in our projects.

In the year of 2001, our desire was to try to put into practice, as best we could, the model left for us by Jesus in Matthew 25:40. We believe the impact made in the lives of the 200 children and 20 adults we were able to assist, motivated us to go further, to look for new ways to better meet their needs. This would not have been possible without your assistance. We want to thank for your prayerful support, and your material, and financial help.

The goals set for this year are quite large, but we believe that with God's grace and your support we will be able to make a real difference in the lives of those who are in need. We want this difference to begin with our attitude. That's why the motto chosen for this year is: "Our attitude makes the difference." Any of your suggestions are welcome and you can send them to the following address:
email: director@osanafoundation.org

Rachel House & Laura House

R H & L H now host 17 children that are fully experiencing a life where they are cared for, given lots of attention, and above all love. It has been almost five years since the children have been in our care; it is hard to believe that many of them are already 15 years old.

Before, their universe consisted of toys and games, now our children have started to discover a new dimension in life, the one of responsibility on the threshold of adulthood. We know that the teen years are described as the age of big questions and challenges. The way you relate to the others, the way you dress, and your friend's ideas are now our topics of daily discussion. Many of us feel that we are reliving our youth, trying to find new answers to old questions. We consider this stage as one more step in the life adventure we started with the children five years ago.

God has answered our prayer requests. We have found a foster family for Gabriel Mihai. Gabi became orphan when he was seven years old. After losing both his parents, his greatest desire, that was so visible during the years spent at Rachel's House was to have another family. Of all our children, Gabi was the one who desperately wanted a family with "a mom and a dad." Beginning in January, Gabi moved in with a family who has four other children on a farm in a small village called Siminoc. Gabi has adjusted very well to the new living conditions, he goes to the village school, and he has many new friends. Now after three months we can say with joy that a feeling of security and belonging are visible on his face.

Awana Club

We have the wonderful and rewarding task of working with the children from Awana Club. It is a joy to tell you that at every weekly meeting over 60 children participate. They challenge us to find original ideas in presenting and organizing the games and the educational time. In order to get their attention and involvement we have to organize all kinds of events in which they fully participate. The latest special event we organized was the " Awana Store". The children had the opportunity to buy with the " Awana money" earned during the year different prizes such as: school supplies, toys, clothing items, sweets, etc. It was a wonderful experience to see the joy in their eyes when they bought something with the prize money earned from their own efforts. Who said that our kids are not responsible?

Families in Crises

Indeed, when you work to earn your living, your life, as well as the lives of those around you is enabled. We have witnessed this as we have assisted the families in this program. It is amazing to describe the difference between those who found a job, the satisfaction they have that they can feed their families, compared to the despair of those that don't know where to go, or what to do.

Even while the funds for this project have decreased over the past several months, our assistance has remained in the form of counseling. The following are ways in which we have been able to assist our families: by helping them get ID documents so they can apply for work, getting the files needed to receive a minimum income from City Hall, to get the documents ready so they can apply for a home, and helping them register to see a family doctor to help improve the quality of their lives. These were just a few goals we helped families reach in the first months of this year.

Every family has its own story and tragedy. We had a special case we had to deal with last month. One of the families that have four children, passed through a very difficult time. They lived in a makeshift shelter by the shore of the Black Sea. The situation became desperate when the father got sick and had to stay in bed for two weeks. Our intervention consisted in providing them with medication, food, clothing, and wood for heating. In time the father's health improved, however now they have to deal with another problem. The shelter this family was living in was destroyed by the wind and rain. For the moment we have found them a temporary place to stay, but this is not a permanent solution. Please pray for us so we can find the resources we need in order to help this family pass through this difficult time.

Mangalia

It seems that the crisis the Romanian medical system is facing, has started to have a deeper impact on the lives and the treatment of the children from Mangalia Hospital. Right now we provide these children with food, school supplies, and hygiene items, but we feel that the needs of these children are growing and they are not just material ones. The lack of education, carelessness, and sometimes ignorance has already influenced the behavior of these children. Most have lived in this hospital for years, yet still the medical and educational staff won't accept the fact that these children are institutionalized, and these terrible conditions will affect their whole lives. Although our work with them is limited, we still believe that love and human kindness can make a difference in the lives of these children.

Osana Foundation needs people who are willing to pray for us to see the lives of these children changed, please join with us as partners by going to How Can You Help in this website for the current prayer requests. Help us to provide for these little ones through your prayers.