Celebrating Christmas in Cluj

There were 80 parcels prepared this year for the inmates in Cluj penitentiary, 55 for the women and 25 for the teenagers. A group of 7 people, 2 of the staff and 5 volunteer girls went in the Penitentiary. Even if there were only few of us, you could feel the joy when the good news of the birth of our Saviour was shared. We brought this good news through the carols and poems. The women that were at the meeting prepared a surprize for us, singing a few carols themselves. They sang with all their heart for us and even more for the Child born in the manger, the One we celebrate this season.

Anca Micle had a word of encouragement for them, talking about the true joy of the Celebration, which is not offered by the worldy things, but by the salvation given from above. Most of them are mothers, and they miss their children, and their worries grow during these moments. They were challenged to surrender their children in the arms of our Heavenly Father, who knows them and loves them. And they received this advice in tears.

Our prayer is that this joy they felt would not be over once we left, but that it would keep growing and working in the hearts of these women.