Christmas card workshop!

At last ... photos of the pre-Christmas activities ... I thought I had already posted some, but it must have been on Facebook and I was confused! Our all time favourite activity, enjoyed by all was making Christmas cards! Kate's Uncle Bill came to visit, (a regular "wise man" bearing gifts!) card making materials and led a workshop on card making ... he was a huge hit with the kids and parents alike. In between making cards he fixed sinks, showers and one of the hundred year old blinds!

It was a messy activity but such a big success that we want to continue card making ... Ist March is a celebration here, then there's 8th March "ladies/mothers day", followed by Easter ...

winter is upon us

Some famous Romanian once said "Vine Iarna ... si Iarna nu e ca Vara!" (Winter's coming ... and Winter isn't like summer!) Probably in reference to some political event or situation, I don't know ... but HE WAS RIGHT! Our summer this year lasted right up to October with temperatures still hitting the 30's and then suddenly, minus temperatures and frost .... brrrr!

daily life at the "Secret Garden" drop in centre

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Justice for the poor?

The Bible speaks a lot about the importance of justice for the poor. It is clear that God holds justice very high up in his priorities. We, his created beings don't share his passion for justice, and that's a tragedy.

Our street folks were condemned today - officially branded guilty of being an organised crime gang trafficking human beings. Sentences ranged from 5 years for the one in the so-called gang who is still a minor, to 14 years for the "head" of this super organised gang.

Several of the "testimonies" of the witness against them stated that they formed a single "very well organised" gang with Stelian at its head. Said witnesses denied large parts of their statements in direct questioning by the judge. I was informed by at least three of the so-called "victims" that a policeman called "Domnul Nicu" affered them cigarettes and 10 lei if they would sign declarations which he had written. All the so-called victims were sought out by said policeman, none of them went of their own initiative to the police.

Police statements that these "gang members" had been under close observation for several years then begged the question of why they had done nothing earlier - if said victims were locked up, beaten daily and forced to beg and prostitute and the police knew about it then why did they wait from 2004 until 2011?

The whole case is extremely suspect. As I have said before, I believe that the majority of Police are decent people trying to do a good job, but there is a minority who are corrupt and without mercy or humanity ...

Obviously, in this case at least there is no justice for the poor. God help them and forgive those who have treated them so unjustly ... one day they will all face a greater judgement - may God have mercy on them at that time, they will surely need it.

trial of street "kids" has ended

The trial of 8 of our young folks from the streets has finally ended. I hope the judge will see the "evidence" for what it is ... contradictions, mistakes and some downright lies with some truths thrown in occasionally for good measure! It was awful sitting through all the court sessions and not being able to say anything except for the one occasion when I testified as a defence witness.

I know there is a lot of pressure on the police and the judicial system to put an end to organised crime and human trafficking, and rightly so ... but this is just nonsense. While a fortune has been spent on the trial of 8 poor homeless people, the real traffickers go free.

The judge now looks through all the testimonies and "evidence" and she will make her decision on the 3rd November ...