Mias Children

We’re on Facebook!

 in Mia's Children / Romania / Website  tagged Facebook / foundation / friends / interactive by

Better late than never! Mia’s Children Foundation has a Facebook page!

So to all our wonderful donors, supporters, friends and family:

Check out the page and click that you “like” us to become a follower.

You can also invite your friends to join: on our Facebook page, click “suggest to friends” under the Mia’s Children icon at the top left of the screen.

We will be updating the page regularly with news and special info. Feel free to write on the wall, upload fan pictures and start discussions on the page. Just make sure to use discretion, especially if you have pictures of the children, as it’s all public.

You can also access it on this website’s sidebar to the right of your screen.

Thank you for being an active part of Mia’s Children. We hope this will be a helpful resource for you and a fun way to interact with the organization!

What is Oina?

 in Bucharest / Mia's Children / Recreation / Romania / Sports  tagged baseball / football / Moldova / oina / P.E. / tee ball by

In our last post, we spoke about Ion (John), one of the boys at Mia’s Children involved in sports. Ion plays, among other things, the game oina.

Oina is like a mix between baseball and monkey in the middle, but it is much older than either sport. Invented in the 1300s, it has become the national sport of Romania because of its ties to the country and its long tradition there. In fact, there are only two oina federations in the world: one in Bucharest and one in Moldova.

Oina is similar to baseball. There are two teams: a team at bat and a team at catch. The weight of the ball for both games is nearly the same, and the bats are similar.

But while a play in both games begins with a pitch and a swing, in Oina the pitcher and batter play on the same team. The pitch is simple and close up, like in tee ball. And once the batter hits the ball, regardless of whether the opposing team catches it, the team at bat runs from one part of the field to another along lanes on the field (called advance and return corridors).

The opposing team waits in the outfield and tries to hit the runners with the ball. The runners can deflect the ball with their hands, but can’t catch it. If it hits their bodies, the opposing team scores and the player leaves the field.

The game only takes 30 minutes and thus is a popular P.E. activity in Romanian schools.

Sound complicated? Well, it is. But try explaining American football!

This video shows a partial game of oina:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKTgScqdcU4&feature=player_embedded#!ref=0]

Soccer, Oina, and Good Grades, Oh My!

 in Family / Orphanage / Recreation / Sports  tagged baseball / Concordia / games / grades / oina / siblings / soccer / tournament by
In Mia’s last letter, she spoke of the sports that some of the kids were playing.

James, 13, is on his school’s best soccer team. It is a competitive team and he travels around the country with his teammates for tournaments. He received a Certificate of Excellence from his school. James also plays “Oina,” an old Romanian game that preceded the American game of baseball. He plays in a league also. All this as well as getting good grades in school.

James for a while lived in an orphanage with his sister, Nina, because his parents could not feed their family. Now he has been at Mia’s several years with his 6 siblings.

Belu, 6, Matei, 7, and Nicu, 8, all play soccer on the Concordia team. They go to the soccer field almost every afternoon to practice and on Saturdays they have their games. Concordia also provides other sports where they can develop their athletic skills.

Belu and Matei have been at Mia’s about 3 years along with their 2 sisters and their mother, who helps Mia with the cleaning and care of the house.

Consider the Motherless for Mother’s Day

 in addiction / Art / Family / Fundraiser / Home / Hope / Mia's Children / Orphans / poverty / Racism / Roma people / Romania  tagged Ceausescu / Mother's Day / orphanage / sacrifice by

This Mother’s day, we at Mia’s Children hope you have a special time celebrating with your love ones the great gift of motherhood.

In America we are so over-worked, over-played, overwhelmed that we sometimes forget the importance of sacrifice, of love and of a hot cup of soup when we’re sick.

Mia’s Children works with young people every day who have not known the love of a mother or a father. When precious children come along, they are too often seen as a burden more than a blessing, and they are pushed out.

We encourage our young people to show their mothers honor on Mother’s Day and every other day. In the past, we’ve even held special ceremonies for them!

But there are some children whose mothers will never attend those ceremonies. And here is what those young people have to say about Mia’s Children:

“I am coming from a family of 9 children. I lived long in an orphanage. Before I came here I never was loved. Thanks to you I can have love and a safe place to live in.”

“You gave me another life. I am what I am because of what the Lord did for me through you.”

“Here…I can experience the true love and I can dream and hope.”

“We feel you are our parents, big friends, forever bounded with us in the love of Jesus.”

This Mother’s Day, we ask that you will consider these children as you also consider your own mothers and children. Please consider making a donation to this ministry in your mother’s honor or memory, and we would be glad to send an e-mail on Mother’s Day with a painting by one of the children, letting her know about the gift in her honor. You can customize the message if you’d like!

Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to our donate page and make a donation using the options there.

2. Write us at info@miaschildren.org and let us know about your donation and in whose honor or memory it is.

3. If you want us to send an e-mail, include the e-mail address you would like for us to write to on Mother’s Day. We can send it to you so that you can customize the message, or we can send it to the recipient of the honor.

From all of us at Mia’s Children, have a wonderful Mother’s Day!

– Joanna Miller

A Letter From Mia’s Children – Romania

 in Art / Recreation / Uncategorized  tagged backyard / games / I Am / Ovidiu Hagima / results / sports / Thank You / Xanadu Restaurant by

Dear Friends,

With God’s grace we can again be in touch with you, praising our Lord because He is faithful and so good with all of us.  We are amazed to see that God will do above all one can ask or think, even in the little steps of life and even in little private desires… He is providing abundantly for those who are connected with Him.  We have been experiencing this wonderful Scriptural truth, especially during the last two months.

Even though times here in Romania, as throughout the world, are very difficult and the crisis continues—lack of jobs,  hopelessness, great disappointments—God is giving us the assurance of His presence and the vision to continue the work we do; He is bringing people around us who are willing to help and support us.  Individuals or groups from both Romania and other parts, together with Mia’s Children Foundation, Rotary Club, Adobe Foundation, KBFUS Foundation, ING, Madison Advisors, Transylvania Bank, BCR Bank, are among some of them (please excuse us if we do not mention all of you, but we so appreciate you and are grateful for your support). 

In all our activities we can clearly see the good results in different ways:  we were able to build another needed storage room; we created a garden with a water fountain, eating area; a family of plastic ducks & ducklings; a peacock; a small playhouse & slide—it has given the kids a delightful way to imagine they are part of a happy fairy tale in their own yard, with even a small patch of green grass and flowers.

Many new games and some sport activities are giving the children a special meaning and importance in their daily lives.  The activities the children do in the added back room of the house, which is for studies and projects ( we wrote about it in an earlier newsletter), have been enhanced by the outdoor fun they now have in the new garden area.  Now God is enabling us to develop creative ideas for school curriculum, etc..

Around Eastertime we were given a special dinner by the owners of XANADU Restaurant here in Bucharest.  We thank you so much for the dinner prepared so graciously for us.  During the past two months also other people came to us— like Tedy and Anda, Simona and Georgio, Alex and his group of motorcyclists, Jonathan and Ralucka, etc..  Thank you all so much for your care.

We want to thank Mr. Ovidiu Hagima for the movie he made with Mihaela and Elena, two  young enthusiastic artists,  about Mia’s Children.  They are making a documentary movie about how you can serve needy children and change their lives,  turning them from darkness to light through faith, art, caring showing that humanity has a choice and a hope for the future.  We thank Mr. Hagima for the courage and commitment he had to take with him to Iraq 47 pieces of the children’s artwork, making an exhibit illustrating the truth of the words above.

For us knowing God is so very important, and we are doing a Bible study entitled I AM, the “I AM” words of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of John.  To know God in an intimate way is the key of success for a changed life, and if we look back where we started with the kids, we see there is success with the kids because we all have an intimate, daily relationship with God.

We want to thank all of you for your financial support for the kids, and for both Costel and Mia.

Prayer requests for:

 *a new home

 *constant support of friends

 *for good health and encouragement

 *a message sent to the world through the fruits of the children’s lives

 We thank you and bless you in the Name of the Lord!

                                Mia’s Children

Himme’s Mia’s Children Cards Available Again

 in Art / Fundraiser / Ministry  tagged birthday / cards / gift / Himme / holidays / Mother's Day / notecards by

We are excited to tell you that notecards made with our children’s artwork are available again through Himme Productions. Just in time for Mother’s Day!

1/3 of the proceeds from the cards goes directly to Mia’s Children. Use the cards for birthdays, holidays, and thank you’s to support Mia’s Children and raise awareness for our ministry!

To learn more, and to place an order, visit our Get Involved page and follow the notecards link, or just go straight to Himme’s Mia’s Children page!

Thank you for your patience as we took the time to get this important feature back up on our new site.

[slideshow]

The Volcanic Ash Cloud Over Romania

 in Uncategorized by

If you are like me, I have been concerned about Mia’s Children after hearing about the Icelandic volcano ash cloud covering Europe.  In fact, we have neighbors who went to the Ukraine on a mission trip and have been delayed coming home.  So, here is a short update on how Bucharest and the rest of Romania is fairing. 

The English/Romanian newspaper, NINE O’CLOCK, reported Monday morning that Romanian air space would remain closed until noon.  Romanian Air space was closed Saturday at 6 p.m. as the cloud of ash covered Romanian territory by 9 p.m., at an altitude of 6 to 10,000 metres. 

“The cloud of volcanic ash is currently covering the entire Romanian territory, but there is no excess in maximum admissible polluting substances recorded and there are no problems as regards air quality, so we have no special recommendations for the population,” Prime Minister Boc reported.

Time will tell if the sky will be clear enough for flights out of Romania to land in other airports across Europe. 

I have requested a first hand account from our on-sight reporter at Mia’s Children.

For the full article…..http://www.nineoclock.ro/index.php?issue=4662&page=detalii&categorie=homenews&id=20100419-12887

NEWS FROM MIA

 in Uncategorized by

Greetings in our dear Lord Jesus!  Because we are in the midst of another blizzard, I was unable to go to Mia’s today; the roads are in bad condition.  But Mia and I had a very good phone conversation.

I see a definite deeper hunger and thirst for the Lord, the Word, prayer growing among them at Mia’s. She tells me how she continues to seek the Lord.  The atmosphere in the house seems loving and united, and even the 2 dogs are peaceful, especially the large Boxer-type one, Sarah by name; She’s so gentle.  We have delightful Bible study together each week with the young children, the staff that’s at the house (Luminita, mom of 4 of the kids who works & lives there, is becoming so lovely), and Mia.  It’s a precious time!  I gave Mia an anointed Bible study “I AM”, the 7 claims of Jesus in the Gospel of John, which they really like. She said last night, when she was very tired having been for medical tests among other trials all day (including being without gas power in the house), the young people insisted on having the study, and they read, prayed, pondered together “Jesus, the Bread of Life” and “Jesus, the Light of the World.”  A couple of the teens confessed sins & repented, one boy of having taken some money that wasn’t his and one of the girls, asking forgiveness for the sin of anger she shows from time to time. The teenage boy is a prodigal, so to speak, who had left & with tears pleaded to come back, and now the Lord is really changing him. Mia said it was a most blessed time!  She has mentioned that several times.

I have not seen Costel for some weeks, as he stays mostly upstairs & does work up there,  but Mia says though still weak, at this time he’s doing better, day by day. Some of the younger children like to go up and take their naps with him. The Lord surely is a Miracle Worker, working wonders by His divine grace upon grace, like John 1:16.  Also, Costel is drinking fresh-squeezed juices daily, which Luminita prepares, and that can be so physically healing.  I know you are continuing in prayer for him, too.

Mia has really needed some medical tests to check her health, also a thorough eye exam and new glasses; one lense has been cracked for some months now… wearing glasses myself, I imagine that is a real eye strain for her.  This past week she realized she must go in and have some of these tests, and the partial results showed her state of health not good, really needs attention.  She needs to have blood work done, check up regarding her heart condition, difficult breathing, high sugar; the doctor was not at all happy with the results so far.  She needs to see a good internist, maybe Dr. Milt or Linda Hanson, or whom they suggest right away,  and begin some treatment. The testing here is expensive, and what the cost might be is not known yet.  I surely wish I could help more. Mia really doesn’t complain, but I think her body is telling her she must attend to it and NOW.  Please pray and if some souls have the Lord’s burden to help, I believe He would be very pleased.

One thing that has added to stress was that last week the mom, brother, and little Florica Valeria (the very sick, dear little baby, who had come to Mia’s and was doing so well until the mom asked to take her back…this at the “father’s” insistence) called for help, asking Mia to help them find a decent living condition.  To make a long story short, Mia and 2 of the older boys from Mia’s and several police went to where the above 3 were living.  Mia was nearly overcome with grief seeing the despicable conditions, beyond anything she said she could imagine.  She went to the Child Protection Headquarters, trying to get help, and none was available.  She realized she cannot do anything to help nor to get little Florica back apart from fervent prayer…and continuing asking for God’s mercy.  She saw many, many little ones and teens, along with adults, living in these wretched conditions that really affected her.  Yet I believe at the same time she is re-inspired to train up those the Lord by the Holy Spirit has brought to her and Costel…to train them up to know, love, serve Jesus and know who they are and can be, transformed by Him and His love.

To Him be ALL the glory!!!

Welcome to Our New Site!

 in Uncategorized by

In case you haven’t noticed, things look a little different around here.

We have a whole new, redesigned website! And we hope you like it!

I want quickly to introduce you to a few new features:

  1. You can now donate to Mia’s Children online! Use the Donate button to the right of your screen or visit the Get Involved page to access our donation info.
  2. Our e-mail address is still info@miaschildren.org – but now it works! So you can e-mail us there with any Mia’s Children related questions and concerns!
  3. You can sign up for an automatic e-mail notification that will tell you any time we update the blog. Do this by using the signup button to the right of your screen.
  4. Every page is newly designed with updated information!
  5. You may use the Search feature on the right side of the screen to search the website and blog for names, dates, etc.

Feel free to look around using the tabs at the top of the page! We truly hope you enjoy exploring all that this new site has to offer.

Sincerely,

Joanna and the Mia’s Children Team

NEWS FROM MIA JANUARY 2010

 in Uncategorized by

Beloved Friends and Faithful Supporters,

After experiencing Jesus’ birth at Christmastime, with all the joy and with many people around who wanted to bless the children through their generosity, then in January God allowed us to extend our experience of faith in Him.

Right now, looking back, we can confess and praise God who showed us that even when you are down, sick, He is faithful and never lets you down. We just passed through a couple trying weeks with 17 children sick with chickenpox, high fevers, irritating spots both inside and outside, and all giving a rather pitiful picture of what the body can handle. But no matter, we continued by the grace of God to function, work, to be blessed and to bless. And only little Mario had to be hospitalized because he just couldn’t breathe, endangering his life. But in this way we again received a wonderful lesson of life according to what God is teaching and showing us. In times when the body is weak or failing, the spirit can grow stronger and the soul can become more appreciative. In all this time God sent us His angels to protect, to encourage, and to give us goals for tomorrow. In this way we continually blessed by the Foundation Mia’s Children, by the friends from ING, Rotary, other friends who are trying to provide a support, encouragement, love, by Carol and her church praying for us…so many caring friends.

Through two of our friends–Mirela and Nely–a Romanian diplomat, Mr. Ovidiu who works in Iraq (the Council of the European Union) came and was very impressed by the paintings made by our children, by the grace of God. And he made a project in which he wants to involve exhibiting our paintings in some cities in the world, letting the creativity of the kids speak to betterment of the world. He wants the gifts God gave these children through art to speak for them a hope of a better future in the world. This will create bridges around the world, he believes, and in different societies, like Iraq, United States, so on. We are honored to represent Romania because it is a way to display how God has put in these children His gifts, with seeds planted, and we all together help them grow and be fruitful. So it is not only about art; it’s about something beyond–the love of God to and through His children and all His people who answer the commandment to love one another, instead of despising and/or giving no hope for the hopeless. It shows the agape love of Jesus in action.

We praise God and thank you for the wonderful team we all together are in caring, educating, growing, transforming, & building the true character of each child. To help the kids understand and develop their qualities we continue to study the Bible and the truths God teaches there, and it’s awesome to see how they understand better how to live honest and wholesome lives, no matter what the circumstances are.
Each child has his own responsibilities in participating in maintaining the house, cooking, cleaning, washing dishes and clothes…but at the same time, they started to paint in the evenings, after their homework, and it’s amazing what God is developing in them– their imaginations, their skills, their creativity. Looking at their painting gives an overflow of the love and expression of the joy of our work together, including each of you.

As you know, our son Costi built a room on the back of the house, where there had been a porch. We very much needed this room after we realized that we could not put the 9 little kids in school. I have been teaching them at home, and this room has truly been a God-send. When the older children come home from school to do their homework, the little ones play there; in the morning we have our kindergarten class there. In this way we joyfully use this additional space. God provided almost all the furnishings. What a blessing the additional space is, and what a testimony it is that through faith in God all things are possible.

We have a good report regarding Costel’s health. He is stable right now and full of hope and faith. He is on a strict diet. But more than that, he is grateful for your prayers and thanks each of you.

Here are some prayer request; please pray for:
* Everyday guidance and a deep relation with God through Jesus.
* Sponsors and supporters, as the world crisis is greatly effecting our budget.
* New glasses for the kids and Mia.
* Strength and health for all of us…it has become a problem to maintain health needs for Costel, Mia, and the children.
* God to bring new opportunities to manage the activities, the budget, the costs, needed additional help.
* Us to continue to be joyful, thankful, and content in our life and work through God.

Thank you so much for all your love, caring, prayer.

Mia’s Children