We have come along side other established ministries operating in Romania such as Child Evangelism Fellowship [CEF] (street and park evangelism geared towards children) with Estera and Viorel Grigore) and with Bruce and Sandie Tanner of the Tanner Mission (taking severely handicapped children from the Orphanages and raising them in a home environment).

Estera was a young girl, that I met who God had been calling to work with young people, Gypsy's and Orphans. Why? Estera's parents were Christians during communism and refused to deny Jesus Christ. They were forcibly separated from their children. As punishment they were sent to Labor Camps to be rehabilitated and their 2 children were placed in the Dictator Nicolae Ceausescu's (pronounced Chow Chess Cu) private orphanage in Bucharest. When Ceausescu would return from travel aboard, the children of the orphanage were awakened at 3 am to dress in nice clothes and wait on the airport runway to cheer his return (as if the children of Romania were his loyal supporters). As soon as Ceausescu arrived, they were returned to the repressive orphanage. The good news is that Estera, a very bright girl was educated and speaks perfect English. Evidently, she was being groomed for some special job when she grew up by the communist government - but God had other plans and would use that education courtesy of the State.

After the revolution, Estera's parents came to claim her. One day she was a Romanian outcast from the orphanage, the next day she was OK, because she had parents who could take her home. But God would not let her forget her ordeal in the orphanages as long as there were still orphanages in Romania. God began to call her to this special ministry and I began to encourage her (along with American missionaries John and Gretchen Tinsley) to do what God had called her to do.

Today, Estera and her new husband are in full time missions work with CEF and she is the spiritual mother to over 700 orphan children! She just so happens to live in the area of Romania with the highest concentration of orphanages in the country (co-incidence?). In her spare time (?) she ministers to hundreds of Gypsy families who are outcasts in Romania.

I had heard of the Tanners and the Tanner Mission long before I met them. Bruce and Sandie were American missionaries who came to spend 6 weeks helping in a hospital (called a Spital) where severely handicapped children were warehoused. I cannot tell you of the horror these kids faced (when you are so handicapped that you cannot run from your captors) but you can imagine it, then multiply that by 100.

The Tanners bought a house and began the process of taking these kids out - hopefully before they reach puberty. Today they have 4 homes filled with these special children.

Two years ago, we were able to help 200 Romanian children go to a special camp. This year our goal was 400!!!! Next year it is 600 ...Want to help??

Below:Gypsy Kids in their camp.