February ... finally the last month of winter!

          February started with a very gratifying event for us. Alexandru, one of our boys, of 18, decided to leave his life led by the example of Christ.

          We were very glad when we were visited by Georgeana and Diana, two girls who grew up at Casa Ray. They came to visit his two brothers, Vlad and Cristian, who are still at our center. Georgeana has two girls and Diana has a boy; they came with their children. It was a great joy for all to meet again.

         Virus diseases which filled the whole town did not spared us also. Ana and Ciprian have even needed hospitalization, and four other children (Laura, Nicu, Doina Constantin) had treatment at home, barely managing to get over a cold.

         For home treatment took care Andreea Manole, our girl who finishes the nursing college this year. And this we enjoy very much, that we can see the results of these years of study.

We all, the employees, the volunteers and all the children of Casa Ray, entered the new year good, healthy and cheerful.

The first day of the year, high school students have spent the New Year's Eve in their families. There they played games and had some interesting discussions, and counsel from a girl who grew up here at us, but now she has her own family.

We did not have much snow this winter, it snowed a few days and melted very quickly. However, when it was snow, children took advantage and played with great pleasure.

"I'm so glad I grew up in Casa Ray! I'm glad I was educated there and that I could become a MAN in this life. "

                                                            Mihai Slavu

           “Although my parents abandoned me and left me an orphan, God took care to give me another chance in May and a new family, "Father Mihai and mother Tatiana."

Although they had no obligation to raise other children, they have done it, not just with two or three, but with many others. We have benn offered a future! I have now my own family; I was able to realize my own family with the things learned in Casa Ray! Casa Ray was and will be my house/home!

          "What I can say is that if I had not been to Casa Ray, I would not have known Jesus and now most certainly would have been lost!”                                                     

Cristi Ursache

            "Now I'm 21 years old and currently living in England, but I remember it was a beautiful day in the summer of 2001, when together with my younger brother, Petru Sandu, we entered the gates of  Casa Ray. We did not know what to expect, but since the first day I felt a warm welcome. I was only 7 years old, but had lived so many stories before, that I feel I am grown-up and no longer a child. But here I learned to give during childhood and learned what play, work, school is, but what is most important, we learned to be honest, to love those who need love, to help those who need help ... and last , but not least, here I met the Father of orphans, who did not forget me wherever I may be. Not you either!

             As in any family, we had difficulties, sorrows, but always appeared people who cared about me and loved me. In closing I wish to thank all those who contributed to my growth, both those who I know and those who I do not know. I have a quote that always makes me remember fondly from the childhood spent at Casa Ray: "There's nothing more exciting than to go back to a place that remains unchanged, that you realize how much you've changed. "

"Firstly, I regret that I left Casa Ray, for the period of life spent there was like in stories. I do not remember elsewhere to have had a childhood more beautiful than in Casa Ray. Besides, I learned about my God ..... what He did for me, and how much He loves me. These words I say from the heart! "

                                                            Mihail Pastravanu

"12 years ago, as a child, shy and hopeful, I was passing into a new house ... this was Casa Ray. Here I made many friends I considered my brothers and sisters, but here I met also those who took care of us, who were the first people I really thought as my mom and dad.

"Casa Ray" formed me as a person and here I learned how to behave in society, to make the difference between good and evil and what is most important, to respect my neighbor.

           Dodita Ioan swas born on February 12^th, 2001, Dodita Florin was born on September 13^th, 2002 and Dodita Vasilica was born on  August 9^th, 2004 after a cohabiting relationship between Dodita Ioan and Birzu Vasilica, the three being recognized by the father.

            Mother sadly died in 2007 (suffering from TB) and the father is unable to nurturing and educating three children, because he is bedridden (paralyzed for 8 years) and the paternal grandmother is in the care of minors, a 80-year-old woman.

           They live in a building consisting of two shabby furnished rooms, their only income being the grandmother's pension and the father's pension. In the family they had no access to education, because they did not attend any form of preschool education.

           After this, it was established the measure of protection for the three, in emergency and then they were institutionalized in Casa Ray placement center - Dobreni, Neamt county.

            Misaila Ionut was born on August 25^th, 2003, and Misaila Cristina was born on March 18^th, 2005 in Piatra-Neamt city.

           The children come from a cohabiting relationship, being recognized by the father, but the parents showed a total lack of interest in the growth and education of children, living in inadequate conditions, in a building consisting of two  unfurnished, unhealthy rooms, which did not ensure a minimum for decent living conditions for both parents and children.

           When establishing protection measure for the two children, the mother left home, implicitly also the children, and the father was admitted to hospital emergency in Bisericani, being diagnosed with  disabling TB and chronic alcoholism.