Once again today started out at GCS.  In the English language classes we were working on size, big vs. small and items found in the classroom.

After school we went to the nearby placement center.  I haven't spent any significant amount of time there since June 2008 (I attended the Mother's Day Program there last Monday as well as the Pizza Party last Friday and only participated in a meeting with the Director last year... during school hours).  I saw several children and young people that I knew from previous years and saw many new faces as well.  There are several sibling groups at this particular facility.  One in particular has two boys and two girls.  The oldest boy prayed to receive Christ with me in June of 2007 and his brother did as well in June of 2008.  One of their sisters was lead to the Lord by Didi in June of 2008.  Another sibling group consists of two sisters: the younger is a well grounded believer and the elder is and has been seeking.  I've witnessed to and shared the Gospel with her in 2007 and 2008 and sent tracts to her in 2009.  I'm excited to be able to see all of them again.

As I've said before, the term orphanage doesn't always accurately describe most of the placement centers I've been to in Romania.  This particular facility is more like a group home.  Of the approximately 55 individuals (babies, children, students, young adults...) that live there, only one has the distinction of not knowing who her parents are because she was abandoned at the hospital shortly after birth.  The others have been neglected, abandoned and or otherwise abused by their parent(s)... which certainly doesn't make it any easier... especially if your parent(s) made what appears to be a conscious decision to relinquish custody of you, but kept your sibling(s).  So many of the young people are dealing with issues related to lack of trust, neglect, abandonment, poor self-esteem, and various stages of attachment disorders.  Though their parents are in existence and perhaps may even have some degree of contact, they don't receive parental love, affection, guidance and care... so I suppose they do meet the definition of orphans. 

Isn't it awesome that our Heavenly Father can even meet these young people at the point of their need?  And in His grace, sometimes He allows us to be a part of that.

Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.  James 1:27 HCSB