Navigating Winter’s Challenges at Maria Naomi

By Florina Darvell, President and Director of Maria Naomi

This winter at Maria Naomi, the season’s chill has brought with it an urgent need for warmth and care, particularly for our elderly residents.

Our village, while small, has seen a growing demand for essential supplies such as medicine and firewood to help those most vulnerable among us endure the cold months. Thanks to the outpouring of support from our global community of donors—friends from Romania, England, and America—we have been able to meet these needs with love and timeliness.

The dilemma of how best to allocate our resources between transport, mission activities, and direct aid weighs heavily on our hearts. Each decision is bathed in prayer, seeking discernment on how to balance the immediate with the impactful, ensuring that every penny spent is a seed sown into the fertile ground of our community's future.

This holiday season, our usual pause in the children's program took a different turn. Moved by the eagerness of new faces at our Christmas celebration, we chose not to take a break but instead welcomed these young newcomers into our weekly gatherings. Only two new children may have joined, but in our eyes, every single soul is precious. Their laughter and excitement during bible studies and table games are reminders of why we continue to open our doors each week—the joy of community and the simple pleasure of shared moments.

2025 has started with a bustling children’s program to the local children we reached during our Christmas programs

Looking forward, we extend a heartfelt invitation to you—our extended family of supporters—to deepen your involvement with Maria Naomi.

As we strive to provide not only physical necessities but also spiritual nurturing and a strong community, your contributions become the threads weaving this tapestry of support. Whether it’s through donations, volunteering, or sharing our story, your engagement is vital.

Let's step into 2025 with a renewed commitment to empower, uplift, and transform lives through the love of Christ. Your financial partnership, prayer, and volunteering doesn't just support a mission—it propels our mission to strengthens communities in Southern Romania by providing sustainable employment, skills training, and Gospel-centered outreach in Jesus’s name.

From our humble village to your home, wherever in the world that might be, we send our deepest thanks and warmest wishes for 2025.