Greetings, and I hope that this finds you well today, and in good spirits on this most blessed day of Meatfare Tuesday.
It has been a few days since our last newsletter, so I am sending one out to keep those interested up to date. Actually, we have been having some activities, and I have more than once felt the need to write.
A most blessed thing was that one of the babies in Ancuta's program, The Protection of the Theotokos Family Center was baptised recently. What was really nice about this was that the father of the child was there. This is sort of unusual, as usually the mother is abandoned by the father when she gets pregnant. He had been in jail, but is out, and trying to find some real work. We hope for all the best for him, and will try to find him a job. This may be hard to do, as things are pretty slow over here these days. I was able to chat with him a little, and he seems like a nice guy who just needs a good start in life.
We have a new bishop in Cluj, Archbishop Andrei Andreicut. I knew him previously, and we are very much looking forward to working with him. Well, we have in a way, as yesterday we did a training course for a priest and some other folks from Turga Murus, a town 70,000 about 120 km from here. They are wanting to start a counseling center, and so we are helping them by doing some trainings for them.
A nice story, two of them actually. The first guy that came to our treatment program at Polyclinica St. Pantelimon, in 2001, has now celebrated 10 years of sobriety. This was a joy for me, as his life was a disaster before he got into our program. His wife was divorcing him, he could not hold down a joy, his kids were not speaking to him, and it was all down hill. All of that is now in order, and he is back in his Church. Also, he is working with alcoholics in the Greco-Catholic archdioceses program. (We had a hand in starting that one also!! The guys who actually started it up and got the finances for it had both gotten sober in our program!)
Well, there are many churches but only one God. I thank him for his love for each of us. Please do keep us in your prayers, we always need them.
In His Love,
Floyd & Ancuta Frantz
OCMC Missionaries in Romania
If you would like to contact us please use: floydfrantz@gmail.com
You can visit the St. Dimitrie Programs web page at www.stdimitrie.org
If you would like to make an online donation in support of our work in Romania please go to the Orthodox Christian Mission Center web site at www.ocmc.org After finding the Frantz Family page, you will need to log in, but it is a simple process and it is very important to us. You may also call 877-GO-FORTH, and they will assist you with making a donation online or with your card.
Showing posts with label St. Dimitrie Program. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. Dimitrie Program. Show all posts
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
St. Dimitrie Newsletter: from Missionary Floyd Frantz
Greetings! I hope that this finds you well today, and in good spirits on this most blessed day of Meatfare Tuesday.
It has been a few weeks since our last newsletter, and people have been reminding me of this so I am at last going to get down to the "doin" of writing one. I hope you have time to read it, and that you will enjoy having it. Actually, quite a lot has been going on over here since my last posting.
You may remember Christina Semon, my OCMC colleague here in Romania. She has been doing some therapy groups with the St. Dimitrie Program in the Tbc hospital in Savadisla, and we have been going at times to the Republic of Moldova to help with the project of Fr. John in Leova, Moldova. She had requested reassignment in Moldova for her second term of missionary service, to focus on establishing vital youth programs and developing youth leadership. Well, last week she was given a go-ahead, and will be working in Moldova while applying much of what she learned during her first term as a missionary in Romania. It is going to be a very good assignment, and I hope that you will keep up with it at OCMC's web site, www.ocmc.org.
On our side of things, the Holy Romanian Synod has approved our addictions courses to be used in both the faculty seminaries and in the high school seminaries. This was actually more than we had hoped for when we submitted them last year. Of course, it means that we will need to keep it updated, and will need to develop it over time. It is very exciting for us as it has been a long term goal of ours for several years to have this happen.
One other item of note is that Deacon Stephen Holley from St. Michael's in Westminster, California has been visiting us and doing some very nice presentations in the local parishes to young people on "How to choose a mate for life", which is based on his short book about the subject. He has been well received, and in now in Iasi doing the same over there with Fr. Iulian.
There is much to say, but I do not like to send out long emails as few people have the time to read them. I will try to be more faithful about writing in the future, as I would like to share about some of the people in our program. They have been bringing joy to my heart, and in the next email I will share this with you.
In His Love,
Floyd & Ancuta Frantz
OCMC Missionaries in Romania
If you would like to contact us please use: floydfrantz@gmail.com
You can visit the St. Dimitrie Programs web page at www.stdimitrie.org
If you would like to make an online donation in support of our work in Romania please go to the Orthodox Christian Mission Center web site at www.ocmc.org After finding the Frantz Family page, you will need to log in, but it is a simple process and it is very important to us. You may also call 877-GO-FORTH, and they will assist you with making a donation online or with your card.
It has been a few weeks since our last newsletter, and people have been reminding me of this so I am at last going to get down to the "doin" of writing one. I hope you have time to read it, and that you will enjoy having it. Actually, quite a lot has been going on over here since my last posting.
You may remember Christina Semon, my OCMC colleague here in Romania. She has been doing some therapy groups with the St. Dimitrie Program in the Tbc hospital in Savadisla, and we have been going at times to the Republic of Moldova to help with the project of Fr. John in Leova, Moldova. She had requested reassignment in Moldova for her second term of missionary service, to focus on establishing vital youth programs and developing youth leadership. Well, last week she was given a go-ahead, and will be working in Moldova while applying much of what she learned during her first term as a missionary in Romania. It is going to be a very good assignment, and I hope that you will keep up with it at OCMC's web site, www.ocmc.org.
On our side of things, the Holy Romanian Synod has approved our addictions courses to be used in both the faculty seminaries and in the high school seminaries. This was actually more than we had hoped for when we submitted them last year. Of course, it means that we will need to keep it updated, and will need to develop it over time. It is very exciting for us as it has been a long term goal of ours for several years to have this happen.
One other item of note is that Deacon Stephen Holley from St. Michael's in Westminster, California has been visiting us and doing some very nice presentations in the local parishes to young people on "How to choose a mate for life", which is based on his short book about the subject. He has been well received, and in now in Iasi doing the same over there with Fr. Iulian.
There is much to say, but I do not like to send out long emails as few people have the time to read them. I will try to be more faithful about writing in the future, as I would like to share about some of the people in our program. They have been bringing joy to my heart, and in the next email I will share this with you.
In His Love,
Floyd & Ancuta Frantz
OCMC Missionaries in Romania
If you would like to contact us please use: floydfrantz@gmail.com
You can visit the St. Dimitrie Programs web page at www.stdimitrie.org
If you would like to make an online donation in support of our work in Romania please go to the Orthodox Christian Mission Center web site at www.ocmc.org After finding the Frantz Family page, you will need to log in, but it is a simple process and it is very important to us. You may also call 877-GO-FORTH, and they will assist you with making a donation online or with your card.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Christina Semon: Beginning my Second Year in Romania
Dear Supporters,
Doamne ajuta! (May God help us!)
First I want to acknowledge that I would not be here another year if it was not for our communication through prayer, and God's love and mercy for us. Through your sacrifices and offerings my ministry can progress and adapt more into the Romanian life. I am touched in my heart through your participation with me, especially those supporters who have committed to monthly donations to make it possible.
After Pascha my goals had slightly changed their focus, as learning about the culture and doing ministry are now on par with each other. What this means is that I decreased my language lessons to three days a week and increased my ministry work.
In my first year in Romania, I was learning and assisting with minimal responsibility at the Protection of the Theotokos Family Center (PTFC). It was crucial to remain free from any heavy responsibilities because I wanted to focus on learning the language and local customs so that I could understand Romanians by actively integrating into their way of life. But this takes a life time as well. I am trying to do the best I can. Now that I have entered my second year of my first term, I have moved to the St. Dimitrie Program while still offering some service to duty at the PTFC. This program is a daytime social services and addictions counseling center targeting the homeless and impoverished in and around Cluj-Napoca. It is also very involved in doing trainings for other archdioceses so that they can start similar programs.
Even though I don’t have a background in social work, God put me in an area where there was a need. Through the help of my supporters, I bought a used car in August 2009, and I have been furthering my services to the St. Dimitrie Program by using it for driving to various hospitals, a prison, and even to the local mall to pick up food packages for the poor. I also travel with staff members to conduct group meetings and informational groups. In the midst of this driving, I am organizing recreational activities at a tuberculosis recovery hospital for the patients that come to the 12 Step group meetings. I like what I am doing, and I am using every bit of the language skills that I have acquired during my first year. I am humbled when I interact with Romanians because I still have so much to learn about both the culture and the language. I hope to keep the attitude of a student as long as I am in the missionary field, and throughout my life.
Usually, the toughest part for me is to get patients motivated to participate in the activities. We play ping-pong, croquet and badminton, and mount icons. I was told by Floyd Frantz, the Director of the St. Dimitrie Program and Missionary Field Team Leader, that a very good thing is to get them to laugh and smile. Many of the patients have problems that we cannot solve. We can, however, help them along the way as they solve their problems on their own. We do this by providing positive activities, including involvement with the local Church and the priests. This gives them a new sense of hope and strength as they strive to help themselves while working on their recovery from addiction or alcoholism.
Through the grace of God and your prayers, I hope to continue my second year as a servant of Christ in my missionary ministry. I am praying to the Holy Trinity and Mother of God for guidance about what will happen next, after I finish my first 2-year term. Please pray for this with me from now on, and that especially when it comes down to the moment of decision making, I will be attentive to my heart and hear God's communication within me to chose the journey that would lead me to an even closer relationship with Him.
In Christ,
Christina Semon
OCMC Missionary to Romania
Doamne ajuta! (May God help us!)
First I want to acknowledge that I would not be here another year if it was not for our communication through prayer, and God's love and mercy for us. Through your sacrifices and offerings my ministry can progress and adapt more into the Romanian life. I am touched in my heart through your participation with me, especially those supporters who have committed to monthly donations to make it possible.
After Pascha my goals had slightly changed their focus, as learning about the culture and doing ministry are now on par with each other. What this means is that I decreased my language lessons to three days a week and increased my ministry work.
In my first year in Romania, I was learning and assisting with minimal responsibility at the Protection of the Theotokos Family Center (PTFC). It was crucial to remain free from any heavy responsibilities because I wanted to focus on learning the language and local customs so that I could understand Romanians by actively integrating into their way of life. But this takes a life time as well. I am trying to do the best I can. Now that I have entered my second year of my first term, I have moved to the St. Dimitrie Program while still offering some service to duty at the PTFC. This program is a daytime social services and addictions counseling center targeting the homeless and impoverished in and around Cluj-Napoca. It is also very involved in doing trainings for other archdioceses so that they can start similar programs.
Even though I don’t have a background in social work, God put me in an area where there was a need. Through the help of my supporters, I bought a used car in August 2009, and I have been furthering my services to the St. Dimitrie Program by using it for driving to various hospitals, a prison, and even to the local mall to pick up food packages for the poor. I also travel with staff members to conduct group meetings and informational groups. In the midst of this driving, I am organizing recreational activities at a tuberculosis recovery hospital for the patients that come to the 12 Step group meetings. I like what I am doing, and I am using every bit of the language skills that I have acquired during my first year. I am humbled when I interact with Romanians because I still have so much to learn about both the culture and the language. I hope to keep the attitude of a student as long as I am in the missionary field, and throughout my life.
Usually, the toughest part for me is to get patients motivated to participate in the activities. We play ping-pong, croquet and badminton, and mount icons. I was told by Floyd Frantz, the Director of the St. Dimitrie Program and Missionary Field Team Leader, that a very good thing is to get them to laugh and smile. Many of the patients have problems that we cannot solve. We can, however, help them along the way as they solve their problems on their own. We do this by providing positive activities, including involvement with the local Church and the priests. This gives them a new sense of hope and strength as they strive to help themselves while working on their recovery from addiction or alcoholism.
Through the grace of God and your prayers, I hope to continue my second year as a servant of Christ in my missionary ministry. I am praying to the Holy Trinity and Mother of God for guidance about what will happen next, after I finish my first 2-year term. Please pray for this with me from now on, and that especially when it comes down to the moment of decision making, I will be attentive to my heart and hear God's communication within me to chose the journey that would lead me to an even closer relationship with Him.
In Christ,
Christina Semon
OCMC Missionary to Romania
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