ROMANIA — God tells us to remember the orphan, the widow, and the stranger. This exhortation has been put into practice by the Evangelical and Charity Association “Jesus Hope of Romania” in Timisoara, which carries out several social projects. One is the “Manna” project, a mobile social canteen that operates daily home deliveries of cooked meals for people in extreme poverty as well as to the elderly who are unable to procure food on their own.

The “Manna” project of the “Jesus Hope of Romania” Association was started in 1997. After the Revolution of December 1989, our country experienced a series of economic changes that also influenced the social sphere of communities. Young families went to work abroad, and the elderly were left alone.

Ligia Dugulescu, president, “Jesus Hope of Romania” Association:

It’s a very important project, especially nowadays. It was started in the years after the Revolution when many young people left the country and their older relatives stayed here. Parents and grandparents who had no one to supply them with groceries were left here. They had no pensions, or had those small pensions after the communist period and they couldn’t afford to buy medicines and food. It was then that my father and the team from “Jesus Hope of Romania” realized how important it would be for these people to receive a hot meal at home.

For over 20 years, every day from Monday to Friday, the vehicle heads out in the morning to distribute hot food to those who need it.

The beneficiaries of the “Manna” program are disadvantaged people in extreme poverty, families with many children and the elderly who are totally unable to buy food on their own.

Băcioiu, “Jesus Hope of Romania” Association:

We cover some of them, but there are many who need help and among those to whom we take them, there are many with great problems and needs. There are many who depend only on what we take to them. If we didn’t deliver to them, I don’t know how they would make it.

Ștefan Băcioiu, “Jesus Hope of Romania” Association:

I have a lady to whom I go personally, because we divide up at certain addresses, and every day she waits for me at the gate and says: “finally someone comes to me.” It’s such a beautiful thing when you see that you’re appreciated. Plus I’m about the only one who ever enters her house.

Izabela David, social services coordinator, “Jesus Hope of Romania” Association:

From disadvantaged families, which includes families with many children or single-parent families, mothers who raise their children alone, but not only mothers, we’ve had fathers who raise their children alone, to elderly people who have reached the situation of either not having enough income to be able to provide for their daily needs, or their health does not allow them to cook anymore.

In the more than 20 years since this project has been active, thousands of people have received a hot meal, and now almost 100 people are included in the program.

Izabela David:

We now have 95 beneficiaries. Our capacity is 100 places and this varies because there are some people requesting to be on the list, others want to be suspended for various reasons: some leave, others move.

The “Manna” project was vital during the restrictions imposed due to the new Corona virus because the beneficiaries have no other source of food.

Ligia Dugulescu:

Many of them are sick, old and would be exposed if they had to go out to get their basic food. And we are glad that God has helped us to continue this beautiful project and there’s never been a day when the “Manna” vehicle did not go on the route, to stop at each person with hot food, lunch and dinner. We really appreciate the support of the people who sometimes send food, sometimes finance an older person, and the support of the Local Council that is part of it, and thanks to this collaboration, we can have up to 100 people in the “Manna” program.

The charity supports people in need regardless of their social status or religion.

Ligia Dugulescu:

Through everything we do in the “Jesus Hope of Romania” Association we want to present the Lord Jesus, for people to know Him, to know His love, His goodness, to understand that they are not alone, that they are not forgotten, to have hope. And we try, through all that we do, to carry the message of the gospel to people.

Those who know people in situations of social risk can contact the “Jesus Hope of Romania” Association.

Ligia Dugulescu:

All they have to do is give us a call and our social department will check on their situation as soon as possible, to make an assessment and we wholeheartedly want to be able to help as many people from the city of Timisoara enter the program.

God says to remember the orphan, the widow, and the stranger. This exhortation has been put into practice by the Evangelical and Charity Association “Jesus Hope of Romania” in Timisoara, through the projects it carries out.

Read more news on Romania and Poverty Alleviation on Missions Box.