The story of Samuele, Angela and Vittoria
We had had the desire for a family mission in our hearts for some time, but we knew that the Lord makes everything perfect in His time.
We met Orazio at our church in Parma when he presented the Bethesda ministry and immediately, all three of us heard God’s voice strong in our hearts telling us “the right time and the perfect place has arrived”. So we left with the Lorenzini family to go to Romania, to help at the summer camp. We set out with modest expectations but with a very strong desire to go and serve with our daughters, children in a country known to us only through the stories of Orazio and some childhood and family friends. We were able to cook for them and be available for anything needed.
We arrived at the beautiful farm in Rebricea where we were welcomed by Denis Zlatan, his wife Lavinia and Andrei and Naomi who made us a typical dinner that even thinking about now makes our mouths water! Claudia Pignatelli, Orazio and Eduard Vrince then also arrived with their twenty collaborators, and we all began this wonderful experience together.
There were many inconveniences and difficulties in the kitchen, especially due to the lack of water, but the joy of being there made us overcome everything with immense laughter and huge smiles that led us to devise alternative culinary strategies that surprised even us!
We were blessed to meet more than eighty children, some with stories that pierced our hearts but, through it all, we saw God’s grace and love in them.
We went to Romania to serve them but it was they who enriched each of us with their tender but immense hugs, their looks overflowing with gratitude, their smiles that made our hearts melt.
It was exciting for us to see them play carefree, sing and have fun and see their hearts open to welcome the love of Christ, listening to biblical stories and learning as many verses as possible. All this with our Italian girls who had the grace to overcome the language barrier.
Saturday was an emotionally intense day for us. We traveled two hours on a small road going south to the village of Berezeni where we met other children with their wonderful mothers and we brought food packages to some families in difficulty and we had the opportunity to pray for and with them.
You think certain situations only exist in Africa but instead you are in the European community, just less than a two-hour flight from home.
Our hearts tightened like a fist but despite everything, their smiles gave us great encouragement.
It doesn’t matter what condition you are in, it doesn’t matter what you have. Little or much, let’s strive to always be eternally grateful and even when not everything goes smoothly, a smile can give you the strength to face every situation.
The day to leave quickly arrived. It was hard to give a last hug, it was hard to let go of their little hands from ours, it was hard to say “goodbye”.
But we left not with goodbye, but with the promise of being able to return next year. We boarded our plane with a heart and spirit enriched like beautiful diamonds.
Romania has powerfully entered our hearts, we asked God in prayer to help us understand how to be His powerful instrument in the future in this wonderful nation.
The Olivero family
The story of Samuele, Daniela, Emanuela and Cristina
Finally we’re leaving!
After a few months of waiting, projects, lists and meetings, but above all prayers, the day of departure arrives for a week of camping in Romania.
An experience that encompasses many firsts for our family, but which from the beginning represented the great privilege of being able to make oneself available and dedicate oneself to the service and work of God.
The work that is carried out on the farm in Rebricea is really great and what we saw and participated in exceeded all our expectations. We left full of desire to work, to be used for whatever the Lord had established and would present itself, focused on accomplishing something never done before.
Our task was to prepare meals for all the team leaders and above all for all the children who would participate in the camp, about eighty a day.
As in every mission, the enemy is never happy and will try to thwart every plan, not missing opportunities to attack with unexpected events, but God’s work is bigger and stronger and by remaining focused on this we experienced the power from Above that it brought solutions, joy, peace, love and supernatural strength. We saw the food multiply, the smiles of the children, their voices singing to the Lord, despite their life situations. We saw the abundance of gratitude, love and joy in what for the world is a total lack, we saw young men and women who instead of spending the summer having fun, dedicated their time and energy to proclaiming the Gospel to these little ones, so that they may be Light in their homes.
The theme of the camp was “Light” and we really saw it shine! Through the dedication and profound care of Denis Zlatan, always present and attentive, through the example and strength of his sister Claudia, who exuded an unparalleled spiritual focus, and thanks to Orazio who was the powerful instrument that made all this possible. We were also warmed and filled by the Light of God through other brothers, like Eduard, whose brain worked simultaneously in three languages all week, saving all of us from otherwise impossible communication, caring for everyone like a big brother, including our little girls.
A special place in our heart is dedicated to all the leaders, precious and special children, whom we entrust to God, so that they become increasingly strengthened in Him, continuing to walk in His ways. We conclude by expressing how deep our thanks and love towards the children we met is: Luiza, Lorena, Ionela, Denis and Patri, with whom we were able to communicate in Italian and with whom a beautiful and very strong bond was established, but also with the other children, who stirred our emotions, gave us unforgettable hugs, sweet moments and memories that will accompany us until we see them again, because ours was just goodbye for now.
The work being carried out is too important and precious, a project of God to illuminate the many dark houses that exist, fill the voids and save souls who need Him and we are honored and eager to be part of it and be able to contribute to this. Thank you Lord for the time of blessing you have given us through this journey, the enrichment through these dear brothers and sisters and the warmth of these little ones of Yours. We continue to pray for them and their families, waiting to return and see them again.
Our desire as a family is to work towards the advancement of His Kingdom, and the example we receive from Bethesda Mission is a great edification and blessing to us. We are certain that it was only our first participation which, we pray, can be followed by many others but above all that the Lord bless this work, making it increasingly fruitful and abundant in workers and in the proclamation of the name of Christ in homes through children!
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25:40
With love,
The Lorenzini family
