Tijs and Jessica run their charity Pe Lunca. Tijs, Jess and their 3 children moved to Romania in 2013, as they clearly felt called by God, to help those who are very poor. They help in many different ways.
Children’s and youth work
We provide children’s and youth programs in the very poor villages. We try to teach good values and positive behaviour in a creative and playful way, simply because they do not learn these at home, because their parents did not learn this either. The Bible is therefore very often the guiding principle in the stories of the programs. How can a person get to know the right knowledge and wisdom, the most exciting adventure stories and the REAL love the best?! We do sports programs and creative programs because we believe that relaxation and enjoyment are also very important for a child. We help the children with their homework so that they remain motivated to go to school and not fall behind. Many of the children have learning difficulties and therefore have poor results leading them to leave school early without gaining qualifications! With the help we offer, their learning methods improve, their self-confidence increases and their chances of gaining qualifications increase.
Social surveys (finding out about each family and their needs)
We keep records of all families through social surveys, which give us a clear picture in every situation. We listen to their problems and pray together. We aim to help where we can
The families are living in severe poverty. They struggle to be able to afford to buy food. Many houses are without doors and windows, often they consist of just one room, sometimes two. They sleep with the whole family. If they have a stove it is often broken, worn or there is no wood fuel to warm themselves with. The situations are simply indescribable in terms of the poverty they live in!
Tjis praying for a family
Jessica doing a social survey
Community Centre
God has miraculously provided for Pe Lunca, by providing a building in a very poor area. Tijs and Jessica will be using this to do various community work with families.
Tijs and Jessica have named the centre: Centru ‘Inima Lui’. Inima Lui means ‘His heart’