I've just returned from a very rewarding but also a very exhausting trip from Romania. This was to work on behalf of a charity called Cry in the Dark. My next few blogs are will be exerts from my diary whilst I was there.

A Helping Hand in Romania "The Day Before"

Stanley Knife. Tick

Hammer. Tick

Tape Measure. Tick

The list goes on. There seems to be so much more to pack than for the usual summer holiday. Space has to be found for the odd couple of tools, bed linen and work wear. This is likely to make the suitcase heavier than normal.

Still this is going to be worth it. Tomorrow (Saturday) begins a week long venture, not only a voyage of discovery about our physical abilities and our building skills but also our emotional wherewithal. Being involved with the charity "Cry in the Dark" will no doubt be an extremely testing time for the heart strings but also a richly rewarding experience too.

Our task over the next seven days is to assist in the building of an extension to an orphanage. Casa Lumina is an orphanage in Comanesti, Romania that is home to twenty three children, all with varying degrees of learning difficulties. The orphanage remains committed to providing a home for these children as they progress into adult life. The expansion of the orphanage reflects the growing needs of the residence as they leave childhood behind.

Saturday 29.08.09 sees the departure of a team of eight from two churches in Tenterden, heading for Romania hoping to make a difference, even if it is only in some small way. The fund raising efforts across the two churches; the Zion Baptist and St. Mildreds have proved to be magnificent, producing the £1200 per person required to send out each individual.

It will be an early start for the team; 6.30a.m. It will be well into the evening before we arrive in Comanesti. A long day awaits, but in doing the lords work and developing fellowship amongst us, the adventure will be worth the effort.

Continue to follow the team through the week and see how their efforts bear fruit.