“Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy..”  Psalm 82:3-4

Who are the street children?

In our daily walk we encounter the dramatic existence of children without childhood. Society even found a name for them: street children. On city streets you can see them begging, going in groups around marketplaces, train stations and supermarkets. Trying to avoid any responsibility for them, the society calls them thieves, drug addicts, vagrants or, to use an euphemism, thicket knights. On most of the occasions, they are viewed with indifference and people turn their backs so they don’t see their misery and their smell.

While we stay on the sideline and watch them, they fight a much harder and unjust fight. They adapted to the chaos on the street and use any means to survive: they beg, wash windshields, steal or even sell the only possession they have – their body. When the evening comes, we go to our families and homes, closing the door after us. They remain outside, even more hungry and naked, discouraged and alone. They were ousted again. Full of sadness, they go back to the darkness of the channels or trash dumps. Hungry and desperate, they breathe in bags of aurolac (a type of artisanal drug made from certain paint and chemical materials) which numbs their stomach and clouds their mind. Forced on the streets by poverty, mistreatment and abuse since their were small, by absence of live, these oppressed live a life of terror, without any prospect of a better future..

As a result of various daily activities on streets, we realized that these oppressed young people are fighting very damaging physical and psychiatric manifestations. A few of them are alarming, and I personal believe that no human being deserves to ever live such drama. What is your attitude in face of all these things?!

 

What problems do these children have?

Beyond the lack of a family, shelter, food and adequate clothing, here are a few things that affect these children:

• an acute feel of the lack of affection (the main reason why the child decided to run and live on the streets)
• every child wants to receive attention, and is in a permanent competition with others
• they live only for the present (they are not interested or concerned about the future, living for today and now)
• opportunism (they try to take advantage of any new situation that can bring them any gains)
• distrust in their own abilities
• low self-esteem (they are not embarrassed to play the role of a physically or mentally handicapped if they believe they can profit from it)
• low acceptance of a moral values system
• weak vocabulary and speech impediments
• diminished mental operations and emotional immaturity
• increased aggressivity (most common street fights are among rivals who want the same girl)
• unable to concentrate or focus their attention as a result of aurolac inhaling
• autopunishment (autoaggression) – they have numerous blade or knife cuts (mostly on theur hands, stomach, neck) which results in low self-esteem

These last symptoms are probably well past the crisis status, becoming profound mental traumas. Romica’s statement is shocking: “When i have a nervous breakdown, i can only calm down if i see blood flowing..“. As  result of aurolac inhaling they all go through similar stages: a sensation of bliss, where they feel very powerful and ready to fight everybody, and often times they lose control over their senses (they pass out, or urinate on themselves while still being aware of their surroundings).

And as if this is not enough, their situation is made worse by their own families’ malicious actions. For example, Georgiana is a 18 year old girl which was sent by her mother to make money though prostitution. Kicked out of her own home, she is forced to live in city’s channels, where is force by those like her, both boys and girls, to do all kind of sexual perversions. Now, after a few years of “activity”, this young girl is lacking any kind of self-esteem and does not wait for anything good from tomorrow.

 

What is  God’s Family Mission doing for the street children?

Our beginnings were very modest. However, after working directly with the your people on the streets, we kept and open daily dialogue with them, supporting them and trying to meet urgent needs for food, clothing and first-aid medical help. During the past few months, our attention was focused on street children from Buzau, specifically groups of children living in hot water sewers (channels), basements or apartment building staircases. Although insufficient, our help consisted of food, shoes and clothes for each season as well as personal hygiene products.

Vazand nevoile acestor tineri, nu ne-am putut multumi doar cu o sustinere materiala. Astfel am incept sa organizam pentru ei intalniri de rugaciune si educatie crestina. In fiecare saptamana, usile bisericii din Buzau (strada Salvarii nr. 3) sunt deschise pentru a primi pe toti cei flamanzi si insetati dupa neprihanire. Activitatile noastre sunt diversificate, deseori facand apeluri la impacare cu Dumnezeu si la schimbarea vietii. Unii dintre ei si-au predat viata in mainile Domnului, altii cel putin au inteles nevoia de a se ruga si mijloci pentru semenii lor aflati in suferinta.

Cu ocazia sarbatorilor de Nasterea Domnului, am organizat un program special cu tinerii strazii. Am organizat o iesire speciala intr-o biserica din Ploiesti (70 km de Buzau). Vizita a adus un suflu nou tinerilor, atat prin caracterul inedit al iesirii cat si prin colindele pe care le-au cantat cu un deosebit entuziasm. Nu intotdeauna insa intalnirile noastre sunt lipsite de incidente. Cateodata situatiile create inoportun de acesti tineri ne depasesc. De exemplu, dupa inceperea anului, in timpul mesei servite in cladirea bisericii o neintelegere iscata intre doi tineri a facut ca unul dintre ei sa-l injunghie pe celalalt cu cutitul de taiat paine. Rana nu a fost foarte adanca, insa suficienta ca sa-l ducem la spital sa-i puna cateva copci..

Intalniti cativa dintre copiii strazii

Acordam un sprijin deosebit tinerei Calarasu Elena, in varsta de 28 de ani. De trei ani locuieste pe strazile Buzaului, fara acte sau un sprijin material stabil, supravietuind numai din mila cetatenilor. Are deja doua fetite in Centrul de Plasament, iar de curand a nascut un baietel. O sprijinim pe aceasta tanara prin vizite, imbracaminte, alimente, medicamente si lucruri necesare noului nascut. Intentionam sa gasim o locuinta pentru ea si copilasul ei. Ea este unul dintre succesele lucrarii noastre, printre cele mai receptive persoane de pe strada, frecventand programele bisericii noastre in mod constant de cateva luni de zile.

Gabriel (Constantin) este numele unui tanar de 12 ani. Desi are deja noua copii, fratele Didian, membru al echipei noastre, prins de mila de situatia jalnica a acestui copil l-a luat la el acasa. Timp de cateva saptamani, Gabriel a gasit aici caldura si o familie iubitoare. Deoarece Didian nu putea pastra in locuinta sa un copil minor fara acte legale. Gabriel a trebuit sa fie mutat pentru o perioada nedeterminata intr-un Centru de Copii.

O cunostinta mai veche de-a noastra este Leo. El are patru ani si locuieste cu bunicii lui. Anul acesta am reusit sa-i smulgem un zambet prin vizita oe care i-am facut-o cu ocazia sarbatorilor de iarna. Bineinteles, nu ne-am dus numai cu zambete si maniere alese, ci si cu sacosele pline, alimentele duse de noi fiind de mare folos intregii familii.

Sunt multi altii copii si tineri de toate varstele, fete si baieti. Toti sunt fara familie, fara un camin si far aparare. Fiind mereu in cautarea unor surse de existenta, acesti tineri ai strazii sunt victime ale abuzurilor de tot felul. Cata foame, cata suferinta, cata umilinta, cat dispret si departare de Dumnezeu trebuie sa indure pentru a ne atrage atentia? Oare vom fi vreodata in stare sa intelegem durerea acestor tineri, majoritatea izgoniti din propria lor copilarie?

O casa si educatie pentru copiii strazii

Pe 19 Septembrie 2004, impreuna cu sotia si cei cinci copii ai nostri, vom pleca in Romania pentru o perioada de sase luni pentru a incepe constructia unui camin care sa adaposteasca acesti copii. Lasam in urma prieteni, familia, si biserica din care facem parte (Dearborn Heights, Detroit, Michigan).

In ciuda faptului ca nu avem inca fondurile necesare pentru ridicarea si echiparea acestei constructii, privim prin credinta la Dumnezeu si-l rugam ca aceasta cladire sa fie gata pina la sfirsitul anului. Iarna trecuta, unii dintre copii strazii din Romania au murit de frig. Putem oare sta nepasatori? Stim ca lui Dumnezeu ii pasa si dorim sa oferim acestor copii nu numai un loc de adapost ci si un mediu crestin in care vietile lor sa fie schimbate prin cunoasterea si acceptarea Domnului Isus Hristos ca Mintuitor personal.

Catalin si familia: sotia Estera si copii- Naomi, Rut, Israel, Abigail si Caleb

Dorim sa le oferim copiilor strazii cursuri de alfabetizare, intrucit multi dintre ei sint analfabeti. Deasemenea, vrem sa infiintam o micro-ferma si un atelier de dulgherie in care ei sa obtina deprinderea de a-si cistiga singuri existenta.

Ce puteti face dumneavoastra?

• Rugati-va pentru copii strazii si misiunea God’s Family.
• Spuneti si altora despre nevoile acestor copii.
• Vizitati-ne in Romania in aceasta perioada de sase luni pentru a va implica in schimbarea acestor vieti.
• Sprijiniti-ne material. Pe linga banii care vor fi folositi pentru construirea si echiparea unei cladiri, hrana, si alte nevoi zilnice, avem nevoie de un microbuz (minivan), imbracaminte (camasi, pantaloni, rochii, imbracaminte de corp), pantofi si sosete, cizme, sapun, sampon, pasta de dinti, etc.
• Vizitati Web site-ul nostru des www.godsfamilyinc.com pentru cele mai recente informatii si poze.

Unde ne puteti contacta?

• In Romania: 0741.984.779 (mobil); 0238.716.200 (acasa)
• In USA: adresa — Catalin Carp, 28935 Powers, Westland, Michigan 48186; telefon (734) 728-9479

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