Reaching Out Romania Update

“I work with the children (victims of human trafficking) because no one else loves them or cares for them.”                                                                                                                                                        Iana Matei, director

A mother called Child Protection Romania so that they would place her daughter, a young 13 year old, in protective care. She was brought to the Reaching Out home in Cluj, North Central Romania, and the rest of the story became apparent. “She was stealing my clients,” admitted the mother. The daughter’s response was, “My mother loves me. I can help my family to eat.” “This thinking is not right,” declares Iana emphatically, “A young girl should not think it is normal to service men in order to help her family.”

When we take the 2 hour drive from Bucharest to Pitesti to meet with Iana, often there are others who are already in her home or office talking with her, such as the journalist from France wanting an interview, or, more recently, our Regional Coordinator, Stephen Hertzog, along with his new associates Cal and June Anthony, and Pastor Adam from Calgary. We hear the stories and always our hearts feel so heavy for the girls. Yet, we leave in a positive way knowing that Iana and her son, Stefan, have great faith as they continue to persevere and trust God. Iana continually says, “This is God’s work!”

Iana requests prayer for:
1. Wisdom & love for the girls,
2. That God will draw girls to the shelter who will be open to His love and care,
3. That the girls will come to know the true ‘lover of ages’, Jesus Christ.

‘Lavandelina’ in the Romanian language, means soothing or comfort. “The gift that soothes” is an appropriate slogan for the bottles of essential oil of lavender, produced for the 1st time on the agricultural land donated to Reaching Out Romania a couple of years ago. Oil that will produce a profit and therefore self-sustainable homes and places of comfort and healing for the girls, the victims of human trafficking. (photos: bottle of oil / lavender fields x2)

By next Spring, lavender plants for a further 15 acres of land need to be purchased, a tractor to more easily harvest the crop and a distillery to capture a greater amount of oil from the seeds so there is no loss during transport. The time is right; there are only a few farmers in Romania growing lavender and the demand for essential oils is currently on the rise.

Pray that the large supermarkets will be open to the idea of creating a ‘Social Corner’ so that people will choose to purchase the product knowing that the profits help to provide food, clothing, a home and a future for the girls rescued from slavery.

Thank you to all who contributed! The new solar panels supple abundant power to the new girl’s home in Craiova.