Day #1- A Rousing Success!

Day one of VBS was a fabulous success for our team! Along with the translators and Point of Hope staff, we shared the Gospel and love of Jesus with 96 children!

We loved learning Romanian from the kiddos during craft and music, had great conversations with them about trusting God and having a relationship with Him, playing partner tag, duck duck goose, and bubbles! We all (especially Tony) enjoyed the traditional Romanian lunch of dumpling soup and schnitzel with potatoes, Jim loved having the kiddos hang all over him, and I was very inspired by our Bible translator Gelu. 

Things are going amazingly well thus far - each day feels like two days, our team continues to bond and grow closer, and we're extremely grateful for this opportunity to minister to the kiddos and be inspired by them. We can't wait to see what God does through the rest of VBS!

- Amanda and the Rochester team

Keep this team in your prayers as they continue to reach, teach and transform the lives of children and their families in Romania! Please take a couple minutes to watch the video below.

Rochester New York Team Has Arrived!

Another Child Foundation (ACF) is excited to have our final summer mission team arrive safely in Bucharest, Romania. The awesome team of 6 people from the Rochester, New York area have been preparing for 6 months for this trip. Team members include; Amanda Lozon, Victoria Reyes, Raquel Burgos, Jim Mark, Amelia VanDuzee and Tony Ortiz-Potter.

The July 20 mission group will be serving the children at the Point of Hope Development Center in Tarneveni, Romania. This mission trip experience is for those people who have a desire to meet the physical and spiritual needs of children who play a key role in the transformation of the Târnăveni community. The team will have the ability to create curriculum for this fantastic mission trip experience for the children in which God has called ACF to serve! The team will also be putting the final touches on a construction project that will renovate three classrooms into life-skill development rooms.

Keep this team in your prayers as they enjoy some sight-seeing and start preparations for their ministry starting on Saturday!

School Kits Have ARRIVED!

Today the school kits donated by many of our loyal supporters arrived in a large Fed Ex truck at the ACF Mission's office in Princeton, Illinois. These boxes of school supplies along with many shoes, boots, socks, blankets, and other humanitarian aid will be loaded onto a 40 foot shipping container in early August. The aid is being sent to Fundatia Buckner where staff and volunteers will distribute all of the aid to the needy children and families in which God has entrusted to our care.

The aid collected during the 2016 Project Respond aid drive helps ACF reach our mission of reaching, teaching and transforming the lives of vulnerable children in Romania. Because of our generous supporters we will meet the needs of the teachers in Romania who need these vital school supplies to be able to properly educate the children in their classrooms.

The kits are customized to meet the exact needs of the teachers at the Point of Hope Development Center. Each kit includes: large pack of construction paper, water colors, filler paper, 8 piece marker set, colored pencils, erasers, glue stick, highlighter, dry erase marker, pens of 3 different colors, metric ruler, and scissors. The actual retail cost of all these supplies is over $20. Even at sale prices the value of the kit exceeds $18. ACF was also to add may other items to the shipping container thanks to our generous donors. This year we were able to include 400 sheets of colored poster board, printer paper, staplers, correction fluid, post-it notes and many other items that will benefit our teachers at the Point of Hope Development Center. THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!

You can learn more about Project Respond here and see last year's results here and here.

Emotions Running High at Camp!

Not much of a lead is needed for this post. Enjoy!

Today we woke up to a group of over energetic kids who could barely keep their eyes open. It was my first time being there when we woke the kids up. Normally I would be in bible or helping out with crafts. It was a great experience, being able to hug and love these children the second they were ready to leave their home.

The lesson for the day was John the Baptist. The day had a tinge of sadness and excitement as we went through our last full day of camp. When we went on a hike, there were crying counselors and tired kids. There were group songs and flower picking. The guys hauled in firewood as the rest of us chowed down on the infamous Romanian watermelon (apa melon!!). We had to let the kids prepare for the talent show, and when it finally happened, it was epic. I've never had so much fun with this youth group than when we were jamming out to Uptown Funk on stage as all fifty of the Romanian children we had loved and nurtured all week long cheered us on enthusiastically. The rest of the acts included drawing, "gypsy dancing", a surprising amount of twerking, an amazing step dancing performance, singing, cups, comedy, and magic (Courtesy of Kevin). After that, we had a bonfire. So, when I first came down, I was terrified. The fire pillared up to the sky and embers rained down like glitter, sparkling dangerously and burning everything it touched. The fire towered high, about 3 Pastor Hilles' tall. The air within a ten foot radius was scorching hot and burned my lungs. And then it began to collapse. Needless to say, I was terrified. Luckily, everything worked out in the end and no one got hurt.


Then, it was our group meeting that really stuck in my mind. Maren cried five times, Kevin and Jill and Sophia all cried, all we all joked, laughed, and felt sadness together. We leave the children tomorrow, but I wouldn't change my time with them for any reward in the world. I truly hoped we helped them, no matter the home they go back to. I hope they forever remember the compassion we taught them, even when things get rough for them, which it will. I cry unshed tears as I think about the fifty children we loved, only to leave them behind, most likely for forever. Goodbye my children. You are loved.

Is a Mission Trip for You?

Romania 2011

Many years ago my husband decided he was called to missions.  He traveled many places and was eager for me to go with him.  My answer was always the same.  I need to stay and take care of the kids.  You go on and I will be your support from home.  In 2011 he finally convinced me to go on a trip to Romania.  The trip was a small one.  Only one other couple and the director of ACF went with us.  We were to work on the third floor of what is now called the Point of Hope.  I was okay with that since I really didn't have to go out of my comfort zone and deal with people.  I could scrape walls, sand mud and paint.  You see my comfort zone was building and fixing - not forming relationships.  In addition to scraping and painting someone decided it would be a good idea to take some of the kids served by the Point of Hope on a picnic.  I went along because I really didn't have a choice.  We took the kids away from the center and played games and ate.  That was the beginning of a change that occurred me.  I started to see that relationships are what is important.  Fixing things can occur at any time, but you only have so many opportunities to make new friends.

This week

So the girl who wanted to stay home and send others had a shift occur in her heart.  I wanted to go back to Romania.  So I came back in 2014 with my son, Jonathan, and this year I brought my daughter, Asya.  I wanted to give them the opportunity to see how loving and accepting the people of Romania are.  Asya was a little hesitant to come on the trip not knowing what to expect.  She asked a lot of questions about who we were going to see and where we would go.  Today she informed me she doesn't want to leave Romania.  She said she will miss all of the hugs from the kids and Asya will miss the team very much as well.
For me this mission trip has been so much more than fixing the physical things that are broken.  I've made new friends in the States (we have folks from Illinois, Texas and Tennessee on our team), worked with some wonderful translators, teachers and workers at Point of Hope.  It's a step out of that comfort zone I like to stay in.  The rewards have been many.  It's watching special moments - like kids hugging the team members and squeezing so tight, women laughing at each other as they use a facial scrub and relax with cucumbers on their eyes.  It's about visiting the homes of the people you are serving and watching the pride with which they welcome you into their homes.  The pictures they proudly show you of their families and seeing the crafts the kids made the past week displayed on the walls of their home.  It's sharing with these people the struggles we have and how they are similar to their struggles.  It's telling these people that the same God carries us through the tough times and through the good times.  It's about sharing the Hope we find in Christ.

So what keeps you from going on a trip?

Written by Terri Harper from Chattanooga, TN.

VBS Camp Hits Day #4

Today we are blessed to hear from Meredith Banks and Jill Trick as they share what is going on during the Harghita VBS camp!


Today was a great 4th day of camp. The kids got used to the rotation and seem to be having a lot of fun. In crafts they made tiles with their group picture on them- a little memory to remember everyone in their group. In music they learned another song in English complete with hand motions. In games they had another fun day despite the hot weather and the afternoon was spent doing a fun photo scavenger hunt. Overall the message for the day was to love one another with a focus on the bible story of the Good Samaritan Woman and how it's important to love people from other places. We once again brought out the giant 9 ft earth ball and the kids enjoyed it a lot and were encouraged to show kindness to the members on the opposing team. Overall relationships have been strengthened, making it even harder on Friday when it will be time to say goodbye.
    - Meredith Banks 



Day 4 really went smoothly! The morning was great the Bible lesson was about the Samaritan Woman, Music learned another song "Banner Over Me", in Crafts the kids made decoupaged tiles with pictures of their group on them and in Games the kids learned the game "Red Light Green Light" and loved it all! The afternoon we played an assortment and games and had a photo scavenger hunt. The evening ended with another round of giant beach ball soccer! Looking forward until tomorrow but sad that it is our last day of camp.

Wonderful Wednesday!

To say that I am in love with this people group and their country is a complete understatement.  From the intensity of the breath-taking landscape to the jovial chuckles of the people when I attempt a Romanian multumesc (thank you), I'm hooked.  I've heard that Wednesday is "hit the wall" day for mission trip groups.  Let me assure you that not only has our team NOT hit a wall, we (well, really the men), have sanded and painted walls!

Our day began working with the preschoolers- learning about Zaccheus and how God wants us to love our neighbors.  The children dressed up in adorable costumes and reenacted Zaccheus trying to see Jesus.  Our Zaccheus then repaid the money (in candy form) that he had previously stolen to the other children, who were dressed up as townspeople.  The children moved into the craft area to learn about putting on the armor of God and made soldiers out of foam stickers.  They were very excited to get to take home this visual of how to become soldiers in God's army!

The other team members worked with the older children, learning about loving each other, making bead bracelets and playing a rousing rendition of Hungry, Hungry Hippos, using ball pit balls, buckets and ropes.  The kids that were too cool for school on Monday were willing participants today during their rotations.  It's amazing to see how quickly children are able to let their walls down and be open to what the Lord is trying to do in their lives.

In the afternoon, the women on our team got the privilege to serve the women in the community through cooking demonstrations, crafting a tissue paper bowl and by setting up a nail salon.  We had women aged 18-55+ with us and it was endearing to see them relax, encourage each other, and even tell each other how to do their "job" better.  These women in the past have segregated themselves into different "classes," but I could not honestly tell which women previously did not get along with each other.  The women's programs, which are held monthly at the Point of Hope, have united the women and have given them a shelter to relax, encourage and have fun with each other.

Meanwhile, upstairs, the men on our team paired up with some of the Point of Hope staff to get down and dirty in the construction wing of the school.  In September, there will be new programs beginning.  Opportunities to learn trade skills such as wood-working, sewing and cooking will be offered to students.  In order for these programs to begin, much work must be done!  The walls are up and sheetrock has been hung.  The men worked today to sand and paint the walls.  They were gracious enough to find a job for Zachary, and he's quite proud of the paint smears on his shirt.

I can't believe that we only have a few more days at the Point of Hope!  I can't wait to see what happens in the next couple of days!

Written by Amy Bowles from Houston, TX.

Days 2 & 3 Recap at Harghita Camp!

Worship time!!!

Everyone enjoys reading the posts from the VBS camps at Harghita because of the budding relationships that happen. The youth and leaders from St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Avon, CT are doing an amazing job connecting with the 50 children from the Point of Hope Development Center in Tarneveni, Romania.

These 50 children who have been on the verge of abandonment several times in their young lives are now thriving because of the dedication of the staff that ACF supports in Romania. No post should go by without recognizing the outstanding work being done by the paid staff members of Fundatia Buckner, as well as the many volunteers. Thank you to each of those staff members and volunteers who do the hard work each and every day mentoring our kids as well as creating a loving atmosphere for these kids to thrive in.

Here is a recap of days 2 & 3

Crazy 9' beach ball!

This was our first full day of camp. The morning went even smoother than Day 1. In crafts we made bracelets, the bible story was Nicodemus, in Music the kids learned a new song, and in games they played a few different activities. The afternoon was long. But we had different activities planned and kept the kids entertained. I think the kids favorite part was the 9 foot around beach ball we brought! The kids played with it for hours! On to Day 3!

Game time!

Day 3 was water day! The morning started with our normal VBS rotation. Crafts where they made a little house, bible where they learned about Zaccheaus, games they played many tag games and in music they learned  "Sanctuary".  The afternoon was filled with water. The kids played different water relay games and enjoyed a slid on a giant piece of linoleum covered in soap and water! They could not get enough! We handed out more clothing to the kids that was donated to them from our congregation! More friendships were formed and connections were made. This has been an amazing experience!

If you would like some additional information on how to help us continue to serve these children on a daily basis you can click the link below to learn about our CHILD SPONSORSHIP program. Child sponsorship is a vital way for people like you to ensure the needs of these children is met on a daily basis.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SPONSORING A CHILD!

Team photo at
Point of Hope

3 Beauties!

What! These are for me?

Fruits of the Spirit: Mission Trip Edition

As silly as it may sound, every time I work with kids I can't help but be reminded of the fruits of the spirit song. I guess it is because it is so easy to see each "fruit" exemplified in the children and the mission experience. In the past two days alone, while working with these sweet kids, I have experienced every single fruit of the spirt.

Love: This morning when I walked into the preschool room I was immediately greeted by hugs and children that wanted to play with my hair or sit in my lap.

Joy: They can raise a joyful noise. There is no doubt about that. The time that we have set aside for music has been one of the sweetest times for me with the kids. It is special to hear kids singing or dancing along with you and just acting silly.

Peace: Every day our plan has had to change, from changing our travel plans to the way we organized the VBS, but with each change there has been overwhelming peace (which for a type A person like myself is very unusual). This peace amongst the chaos can only come from the Lord.

Patience: Today I found myself surrounded by numerous kids all trying to teach me how to count in Romanian. Apparently I am not very good at it, but the kids were patient and resaid each number until I was able to say it correctly.

Kindness: Our three translators could cover all 9 of these, but most of all they have been very kind and gracious. Not only do they work very hard in order for us to be successful, but they also take the time to try and teach us a little here and there.

Goodness: This afternoon during recreation time we played water games and a few of the kids were hesitant, but they played anyways with a smile on their faces.

Faithfulness: God is so faithful. I felt Him calling me to missions around this time last summer and so I answered the call and began looking for a mission trip to go on. I found several, but doors kept being shut. Eventually I found the door to Romania and God left it wide open. He guided me here and I have been so blessed because of it.

Gentleness: I was blessed with very sensitive skin and yesterday I was bit by a mosquito under my eye which whelped up. This morning while playing with the preschoolers, one of them saw my eye and started to rub it to make it feel better. She was so sweet.

Self-control: Our sweet three and four year olds have sat patiently the last two days and have done exactly what they have been told during crafts.

These are just a few examples of how the sweet people that we have come in contact with have impacted my life. I am so excited to see what else God has in store for our week and for these kids.

Written by Lauren Hornbeak from Houston, TX.

Day #1 at Harghita Christian Camp

Camper showing off
his new threads!

Each year the people who do one of ACF's Vacation Bible School camps in the Carpathian Mountains of north-central Romania always have the same response. AMAZING!

This team was no different. The teams cannot comprehend the difference they can make into a child's life until they are there and get a chance to spend some time with these children. These kids need, want and desire to have the undivided attention of a person who really cares for them. This is what teams that travel with ACF are able to do.

And what is that? The teams are able to bring Hope to these children by simply being the hands and feet of Jesus. Below is a recap of the teams first day with the kids. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

What a day! The kids arrived form Point of Hope around 1:30 and it was non-stop from then. We welcomed them and our youth were so happy to meet them! After lunch we started our VBS schedule/rotations. The kids got to decorate canvas tote bags, played a trust game (blindfolded and walk a maze while receiving directions), learned a singing prayer we learned from our friends in Chicago, and had a Bible lesson of "God is Love". We played many group activities and enjoyed getting to know the kids. We had the kids pick out 2 tops and 2 bottoms and still had a huge amount of clothing left. We will probably handout more clothes later in the week and send the rest back to Point of Hope! It was amazing seeing the kids show off their new clothes. They are so appreciative of everything! After dinner we watched "Wall-E". After we all headed to bed, which sleep was easy to come. All of our youth are exhausted but extremely excited to start Day 2.

Piles of clothes waiting to
be distributed!

A beautiful canvas bag
fully decorated!

Confidence, Trust and Hope: How love and care are changing a generation

Today, we officially started our week of children's ministry at the Point of Hope.

We had preschoolers for two hours in the morning, and middle school children in the afternoon. Each of us was eager to meet these children we've been thinking, talking and praying about for several months, and they certainly didn't disappoint!

The little ones came in giggling and smiling, and were simply delighted for any bit of attention we were willing to give them. We played ball outside, sang fun songs, did crafts and read them a Bible story. Many of them were anxious to jump into any empty lap they could find, and several gave hugs and smiles freely.

The older ones came in like typical teenagers, too cool to sing silly songs at first, but unable to resist when things got rolling.  As for me, I was surprised to learn just how very alike these children were to the ones I work with back home.

But to Jan, this behavior is a significant testament to the great work being done at the Point of Hope.  She shared with me just how much things have changed since her first trip to the Point of Hope in 2010.

At that time, the center was still new enough that many of the children who attended their week of summer Bible school were not regular attendees at the center. And even among those who were, there was the general absence of confidence, trust and hope - things she believes the Point of Hope has been able to give it's participants over the past several years.

"Things have changed in the community since I came in 2010," Jan said. "The children were incredibly dirty, and they didn't have the social skills they have now.  Point of Hope has really improved their standard of living."

That's because Point of Hope takes a holistic approach to child development, as we have been learning by talking with the staff there.  Children aren't just put through an academic curriculum, but they are given showers, made to change into clean clothes and shoes upon arrival at the center, examined by a nurse for general wellness daily, given medical care when needed, and fed breakfast and lunch every day.

Jan is convinced of the difference those things make in their overall attitude and outlook on life. She observed that the children today seemed more alert. "Just thinking about the name - Point of Hope," she recalled, "in 2010, I didn't see a lot of hope in their eyes. I didn't see a lot of joy or confidence. They seemed very distrustful and they wouldn't engage in conversations with the team. They were hesitant to participate in everything - games, music, crafts."

"Now I see that they have visions of their future. They have hopes and dreams. They have success. They are more trusting.  I see that they are more focused and able to follow directions."

Another thing she noticed is that they are proud of their appearance - which enables them to feel proud of their work.  She believes that because they feel worthy, they want to give their best and do their best.

She recalled one young girl she had met in 2010 who wore very dirty and worn out clothes and had very poor hygiene. None of the other kids would sit by her, and she mostly sat off to herself in the back of the room, completely disengaged. To make her feel included, Jan selected her to play the part of Esther during Bible story time. She put a clean robe on her to cover up her ugly clothes, and talked of Esther's inner and outer beauty. By the end of the story, she was standing a little straighter - smiling a little more.

And an amazing thing happened - she came back the next day, having showered and put on clean clothes. She sat at the front of the class and participated in everything.

That's a big part of what the Point of Hope is doing for these children. By creating an environment where everyone is clean, decently dressed, well-fed and given the appropriate medical care - and THEN put through an academic curriculum - they are removing the barriers to education that have plagued this community for so long. In the classrooms, everyone is on a level playing field and they all have the confidence they need to work hard and learn - freeing them up to have dreams and aspirations for their future.

Being able to look 6 years later from her first trip to this current one, I asked Jan what are the three biggest changes she sees in this community of children.

She replied, "They are confident. They have a more trusting nature. They show signs of having hope for the future."

Written by Monica Barrett of Chattanooga, TN with thoughts from Jan Larson of Geneseo, IL.

What We've Been Waiting For

We just wrapped up our team meeting on Sunday eventing around 10 PM and tomorrow is the big day. We will arrive at the Point of Hope early in the morning and "officially" begin our week of ministry with the children and women. We've been thinking about and planning for this week for several months, and it's finally here.
To our friends and family back home, you may be wondering, 'What have you been doing in Romania all week if you are just now starting Bible school?'  While it might seem like we've been on vacation for the past three days, what we've really been doing is bonding as newly-introduced brothers and sisters in Christ.  As we sat around the hotel lobby tonight discussing how things will go tomorrow, I can genuinely say, it felt like a room full of good friends discussing activities.
I am trying to imagine how different that meeting might have been had we had it on Day 1 - when the group was jet lagged and strange to one another. How our different plans and expectations, mixed with new faces and personalities, might have created a divisive atmosphere. There may have been conflict or tension.
But instead, I have gotten to know each and every team member here on such a personal level. When we sit down together now, we are comfortable sharing ideas and thoughts about how things should go and what our vision is. It's a wonderful team environment to be a part of and I'm so thankful we've had this time together before we start the actual work of our mission trip. I think we're going to be a great, cohesive team.
Today, we had a wonderful opportunity to see the older kids off to camp and then to visit the Gypsy Church just around the corner from the Point of Hope. Our team from Chattanooga got to see the little boy our church children's ministry sponsors, Iacob. We were overjoyed to spot him in the crowd - he's like a celebrity whose pictures we've seen but who we've never met in person.  To him, we were quite overwhelming!  When the counselor called him up to us and we bombarded him with cell phone cameras in his face, he backed away, a little unsure of these crazy Americans! But when the counselor explained that we are from the church that sponsors him, he agreed to take a picture with us.  When he caught me taking photos of him getting on the bus later, he gave me a big smile - that was awesome! I'm so excited for the great week he's going to have at camp.
Because we took so long with the kids, we were more than 30 minutes late to church.  Think of what that would mean at any one of our church homes in the U.S. We would probably not go, or if we did, we would slip in the back and hope no one noticed our disruption.  So, how did it go at the Gypsy church?  They welcomed the disruption joyfully, escorted us right up to the front, absolutely beaming at us as we entered, allowed us to speak and introduce ourselves, and then allowed Jonathan and I to sing a song we had prepared for their worship time.
As we started singing, all the younger girls sitting in the back of the church whipped out their phones and started taking pictures of us. Many of the older men and women shouted 'Amen' and their faces were just filled with the love of Jesus as we sang. It was an emotional experience for me, personally. During the bridge of the song (a line that repeats 4 times), we were surprised when these people who don't speak our language picked up on how our song was repeating and sang right along with us! For that matter, I was so impressed with how the entire congregation sang every single song - they sang loudly and boisterously. It was such a blessing to experience.
One of the Point of Hope teachers leaned forward during the sermon and told me (in English) a summary of what the pastor was saying, to the best of her ability. Watching his passionate expressions and emotions as he spoke in his language while she pieced together bits and pieces of stories I was already familiar was incredible. He had said before we started that the Holy Spirit was powerful enough to transcend our language barriers - and he was right.  As he was finishing up his sermon, he looked right at Jonathan and me and spoke a few words. The translator said, 'He wants you to sing another song.'
It was surprising, but we were totally up for it. Again, I wondered, how would something like that go over in our culture?  You mean we're just going to do a song right now unexpectedly?  A song that the band hasn't practiced?  Do we have sheet music for that?  But in this little church, they just let the Spirit move - and we were so blessed to be a part of that.
After the service, people came to the front to shake our hands and kiss our cheeks.  They said things in a language we didn't understand, but it was obvious the sentiment - they were happy we were there. I just kept smiling and saying, 'Thank you.'  Without a doubt, going to Gypsy Church was my favorite thing we have done so far on this trip.
So, it's been quite a trip already - with a lot of travel, some sight seeing, eating, meeting new friends and discussing plans. Tomorrow, we are all excited and looking forward to more directly engaging with the community and making relationships there that will hopefully make a difference in our lives and theirs.

By Monica Barrett from Chattanooga, TN.