Romania Group
Since 2004 the church of St John Bosco has had a link with the city of Cluj-Napoca in Romania. Fr Titus Sas, a Romanian priest, living in Cluj helped to establish the link and liases with our parish and welcomes groups of parishoners to the city each September. Through the tireless fundraising of it's members the Romania Group offers financial and practical help to families living in poverty, and an orphanage run by the sisters of the Congregation of the Mother of God. When parishoners visit Cluj each year they distribute funds and undertake practical repair work. In doing so they work closely with Fr Titus and support work already being done by the "Project to Feed the Poor" through the sisters of St Joseph of the Apparition.
Fundraising for the Romania Link takes place throughout the year and includes car boot and pagoda sales, a stall at the Woodley Winter Extravaganza, an Easter cake sale, amongst many other things. This year thanks to the friend of one of the members of the group money was raised through sponsorship as he ran and completed the Reading Half Marathon. Another talented parishoner raised funds through the sale of his wonderful paintings after Mass one weekend in September.
The other valuable way that the Romania Group raise funds is through donations from a small group of parishoners who pay a monthly contribution by standing order. This is very helpful as it provides a guaranteed income which the Group know will be available to take to Romania each September. If you would like to join these parishoners in donating a small amount (usually about £5 ) each month please click here to download the standing order form, then fill it in and return it to the church office.
If you would like further information on any of the above please contact Liz Cramp via the church office.
Fundraising for the Romania Link takes place throughout the year and includes car boot and pagoda sales, a stall at the Woodley Winter Extravaganza, an Easter cake sale, amongst many other things. This year thanks to the friend of one of the members of the group money was raised through sponsorship as he ran and completed the Reading Half Marathon. Another talented parishoner raised funds through the sale of his wonderful paintings after Mass one weekend in September.
The other valuable way that the Romania Group raise funds is through donations from a small group of parishoners who pay a monthly contribution by standing order. This is very helpful as it provides a guaranteed income which the Group know will be available to take to Romania each September. If you would like to join these parishoners in donating a small amount (usually about £5 ) each month please click here to download the standing order form, then fill it in and return it to the church office.
If you would like further information on any of the above please contact Liz Cramp via the church office.
Parish Visit to Romania 2010
At the beginning of September parishoners from St John Bosco once again visited Romania. They went laden down with clothes and shoes donated by parishoners and took with them an amazing £7500 raised within the parish through various fundraising efforts this year. This was the most they have ever raised but when they saw the children in the orphange and the families living in such dreadful poverty they knew it was all so worthwhile.
As usual they visited the orphange run by the Sisters of the Congregation of the Mother of God and saw the nine abandoned, innocent children in their care. They were very happy to hear that there have been four successful adoptions since last year. There was a special collection of donated shoes from the parish which they took with them and as one of their group has worked in a children's shoe shop she measured the children's feet and fitted each child with a pair of shoes and each child was also given a hand knitted hat and mittens ready for the cold winter weather.
This year's fundraising was given an extra boost with the wonderful offers of help from two people. A friend who many parishoners sponsored for the Reading Half Marathon and our own talented parishoner who organised an art display and sale of his paintings after Mass one weekend. Between them they raised £1000 and the Romania Group wanted to do something special with this money. After consultation with Sr Berdina, the director of the orphanage it was decided that some new garden toys would be helpful, so the money was used to buy four small tricycles, a garden slide and a large trampoline with a safety net around it. The trampoline was erected by two parishoners (who also had fun on it) and the children loved it.
As usual they visited the orphange run by the Sisters of the Congregation of the Mother of God and saw the nine abandoned, innocent children in their care. They were very happy to hear that there have been four successful adoptions since last year. There was a special collection of donated shoes from the parish which they took with them and as one of their group has worked in a children's shoe shop she measured the children's feet and fitted each child with a pair of shoes and each child was also given a hand knitted hat and mittens ready for the cold winter weather.
This year's fundraising was given an extra boost with the wonderful offers of help from two people. A friend who many parishoners sponsored for the Reading Half Marathon and our own talented parishoner who organised an art display and sale of his paintings after Mass one weekend. Between them they raised £1000 and the Romania Group wanted to do something special with this money. After consultation with Sr Berdina, the director of the orphanage it was decided that some new garden toys would be helpful, so the money was used to buy four small tricycles, a garden slide and a large trampoline with a safety net around it. The trampoline was erected by two parishoners (who also had fun on it) and the children loved it.
The remainder of the Group's time was spent with the workers who run the Project to Feed the Poor. They are currently helping thirty two families and no money is wasted or used inappropriately. The many clothes donated by parishoners were sorted and some were shared out among needy families whilst others were kept by the Poor Project to distribute at a later date. Some of the funds were spent at the supermarket buying fifty of all the basic commodities to replenish the Poor Project food store. The Group were also very fortunate this year as they had a builder who was among the party. He was soon put to work helping to repair the very poor homes in which so many families live.
There are so many families being helped by the Poor Project and our parishoners only had time to meet a few of them.
 |
|
Another family helped by the Group live in a small two roomed house, with an ill fitting draughty window and open rafters in the room so it was hard to keep the house warm. This was home to children Erica, Kinga and their brother Andreas, who is paralysed from the waist down as a result of an incorrectly administered innoculation. They were donated clothes, nappies for Andreas and pencils and colouring books. Funds were used to buy materials for the work on the house and paint for the new ceiling.
The Group also visited families they have helped in previous years. One family with two small boys who they helped with plastering and painting two rooms in their small home. Another family a brother and sister who have lived together for years in a small corridor and who were helped last year when funds were used to help pay for the elderly man have a cateract operation. The man can now see again and wanted to meet and see the people who had helped him. Last year's funds were also used to help another family buy a washing machine to help cope with all the washing which accumulates as they care for their sick elderly grandfather.
 |
|
Another activity was a picnic by a lake laid on for about 30 children by the Poor Project. It was great fun with simple games, singing and food barbequed on an open fire. Here the Group were able to catch up with other families they have helped over the last few years.
On the last Sunday they were there the Group were present at the final vows of Sister Bernadina one of the sisters they know through her work with the Poor Project in previous years. This was a very moving occassion for everyone present. They were also very pleased one morning when the Bishop of Cluj made a special visit to see them.
The need for help in Cluj is still so great and the prayers and help of St John Bosco parishoners are still much needed over the coming years. Fundraising for next year's visit has already begun with a pagoda sale of donated clothing and preparations for the Winter Extravagaza.
But for now on behalf of the abandoned children and the poor and needy, the sisters from the orphanage and from the Poor Project send their greetings, their prayers and their heartfelt thanks to all the parishoners of St John Bosco.
But for now on behalf of the abandoned children and the poor and needy, the sisters from the orphanage and from the Poor Project send their greetings, their prayers and their heartfelt thanks to all the parishoners of St John Bosco.
