On April 28^th we had a special Easter celebration at Bethel Baptist Church in Timisoara, like we have had since 1990, and 350 children and young people participated from different children’s homes, orphanages, penitentiary, street children or families with social problems.

This event was called “The celebration of the Resurrection at Bethel – a celebration for each one�. It was a special day in which each person, no matter the social or material status enjoyed God’s presence on the Resurrection Day. There where children from Recas, Lugoj, Deborah House, Beraca, students that where brought up at the orphanage in Lugoj, young offenders from the Correction Penitentiary in Buzias, prisoners from the Penitentiary in Timisoara and a group of street children. Also, among the guests of this event there were city officials, local politicians, representatives of different denominations, teachers and head-masters of these institutions.

The children sang and recited poems and prayed, and at the end they all had a meal together. It was a wonderful day that the children had been waiting for even since Christmas.

Afterwards, Rodica and I continued to work with them, have Bible studies and sing together Christian songs.

We are thankful to God that our relationships with the leaders of these institutions are very good and we are allowed to work with these children and teach them about our Lord Jesus and what He has done for us.

At Buzias we had the opportunity to present two Christian movies which had great impact in the lives of the young offenders there. We are glad that God is working and that the young ones choose to come to these meetings.

Recently, we celebrated Child’s Day, on the 30^th of May in Buzias. Over 200 children came from Recas, Lugoj, Otelu Rosu, Buzias, Bacova and Cheveres. In the first part of the program we sang Christian songs and I had the opportunity to talk about God’s love for us. Afterwards, each institution participated with songs, poems, sketches and at the end we had different games of football, tennis, volleyball.

The children from Recas were visited last week by brother Eugene Groza with a group of friends from Northern Ireland. We all sang and prayed together and had a blessed time.

Pray that God would continue to bless the work that we are doing and that He keep the doors open so that we could continue to work with these children.  We thank all those who pray for us and support us financially, from the bottom of our hearts. You are part of what we are doing.

May God bless you abundantly!

Doru & Rodica Racovicean

After celebrating Easter at Bethel together with approximately 300 children from several orphanages, we had a period full of activities in the orphanages in Recas, Lugoj and in Timisoara with the group of students that we meet with every week.

We continue to have meetings with the children, to learn songs and to study the Bible with them. We are glad that their participation is very good and they happily get involved in what we do. During the school year there are about 80 children who come to school from the villages around Recas and are not orphans. Through them our teachings reach their families. It is a chance and a great opportunity through which Jesus Christ can be known by the little ones and by their families.

We had the joy to be visited by several teams from the States. The children enjoyed their presence, their messages and of course, their gifts.

During the summer holiday (especially those who are admitted in the centers, and do not have families), went to school camps. Together with Rodica we visited them, and both the children and the tutors had the occasion to hear about the love of God. 

At Raul Alb, a camp in the mountains close to Resita, at about 80 miles south-east fromTimisoara, a team from Aldersgate United Methodist Church, from Toledo, OH, USA, lead by Tim Kreps visited the children, and they had biblical sketches, gifts and games through which they presented the Lord Jesus. We enjoyed spending time with the children in the beautiful landscape.

For the international day for children, 1^st of June, we were invited with the children from Recas and Lugoj and with the students from Timisoara to the Young Offenders Center in Buzias where we had a religious meeting. The children sang and said poems, and all those who participated, almost 250 people, were able to listen to a short message about the priority to have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. God opened this door for me to present the importance of having Jesus Christ in your heart.           

Between 10-12 September we went with some of the students from Timisoara and a group of young offenders from Buzias to Surduc (a Christian center for Bible study, 100 miles east of Timisoara), where we studied the Word of God for 3 days, and played sports during the day, while in the evening we had a special time of worship. It was a blessed time.

Another school year has started now and we are daily involved in this ministry. We do appreciate very much your continue support in prayer, we need it very much! We are very much aware that only God can change the hearts of the children we minister to. At a personal level, please do pray for us as family, especially because my father is very ill, mainly is in bed all the time. We thank each one of you for your partnership in ministry! Thank you for your prayers, it means so much to us! During the years you have been such an encouragement and a blessing for us.

May God bless you all abundantly! 

Doru Racovicean continues every week to faithfully minister to  
children and students with difficulties from the children homes in  
Recas and Lugoj, and the juvenile prison in Buzias in western Romania.   

A team from Stonegate Fellowship Church from Midland, TX came to  
work with Doru for a week in March.  The group worked with the  
teachers and children in Recas for two days doing games, testimonies  
and other activities all centering on introducing the Gospel message.

A special group of 11 college students emerged out of the group Doru  
worked with over the years.  He knows the students and was involved in  
their lives since they were 12-14.  The highlight of the week was a  
three-day retreat to Alpinis with Doru and the Stonegate team, the  
college student group and a group of thirty children and teachers.  We  
really appreciated the time at Alpinis, we had Bible studies, worship  
and testimonies, dramas and time for personal discussions.  The group  
from Stonegate had a great impact on all who took part.  Thank you!

Three hundred children from Recas, Lugoj, Buzias and Timisoara took  
part in a special Easter service and lunch at Bethany Baptist Church  
in Timisoara. In all that we do, we aim to touch the children and the  
students with God’s love.
Thank you for your prayers and support in this work.

Please pray that we would be able to continue to bring the love of  
Jesus to those who are less privileged in our communities.

Doru & Rodica Racovicean