P.H. IN THE BEGINNING

My name is Oana Stoian Ciucure, director of the Potter's House and founder of Chosen Romania Foundation. I am a licensed family physician and I would like to share with you a story of God's faithfulness...  

The Potter's House was a dream.  It all started from going with a pot of soup to the children from the sewers of Timisoara. Groups of ten or more children would sleep underground, in the sewers, on the hot water pipes, because there was no other place for them. Dirty, with clothes that were too big, they scared the people around. They didn't scare me. It was like a special attraction to them and I was never afraid.  

It wasn't like that from the beginning. I didn't want to go then, but God has ways of pushing us against our will. His will is supreme and it gets fulfilled. Didn't it ever happen to you that you were pushed to do something that you didn't want to and you knew that you couldn't do it by yourself? Yes, it happened to me... This is how, after months of going on the street, the relationship with those children, called street children, was established. It was motivated by the vision of evangelism, which compelled me to go and tell them about the wonderful love of Jesus.  

One day, a boy called Alin hanged himself. Nobody was around him when he needed help. He didn't know where to find me in time of need. There was no place where he could go. He died. He became a pot of dust... reminding all of us that we come from dust. From that moment on, the desire to have a place for these kids followed me every moment. I had no more peace. It was like a fire in my soul. It didn't look possible, as I am a simple Romanian, with nothing else - just the Lord.  

The Lord was all sufficient. 

It seems like that proved to be enough. The Lord was all sufficient. He made it possible for a house to be bought. This became the Potter's House.

Isaiah 64:8 expresses very well the vision from the Lord: "Yet, O, Lord, You are the Father, we are the clay, and You our Potter, and we are the work of Your hand." God alone can change these kids and heal their wounds, as He did with you and me. Praise His Name.  

Now, at the Potter's House, 25 children from poor families and gypsy families are coming every day after school to the Day Program. They were once beggars on the street. Now they are enrolled in school and attend our program. Meals are provided. Homework, games, crafts, computer, English and Bible studies are activities they can do every day. The Day Program aims to prevent children from being abandoned by their families and to reduce truancy from school.  
 
Encouraged by Ecclesiastes 11:1: "Cast Your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days," all of the staff serve the Lord knowing that the rewards come from Him only.

Please, pray for us that we may remain faithful and also for the children that they may know he Lord.