As usual December was a very intensive month. FCE receives trucks from Scotland and Sweden and many generous and engaged people are involved in the work to prepare Christmas gifts for all ages, food supplies, hygiene products and other things that are sent. It’s an enormous job to prepare these transports in the different countries. Follow this link to see a video clip from Blythswood Care Scotland, which shows the joy in receiving a Christmas gift.

For those of us who work here in Marghita, there is a lot of work to distribute and deliver all the Christmas gifts but oh, what a privilege to be at this end of ‘the Christmas present chain’! We receive appreciation from grateful people and this ‘THANK YOU’ we want to pass on to all of you who, in love, have shared what you have!

It is great being a part of making a difference and even if a Christmas present or a food package won’t lift anyone out of poverty, it gives joy and hope that there are people who care and this makes it worth every effort!

Many of the children and young people in FCE’s family homes joined in the work with distributing clothes, Christmas gifts and food to poor families.

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The employees and volunteers at FCE have a tough, but fun job in December.

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Food, clothes and Christmas gifts are being distributed to poor families.

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Two happy brothers receive Christmas gifts.

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A little girl with a new Christmas hat.

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Three of the young people, who had their birthdays in December, shared their cakes at the Club’s Christmas party.

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The Christmas party for the children from poor families was really appreciated.

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The elderly also rejoice in receiving Christmas gifts.

Students from the school across from the FCE base were also involved in collecting and distributing. We would like there to be more integration and understanding between people in the same city who actually seem to live in separate worlds.

This year there was no big Christmas party with 300 people, instead the different projects in FCE arranged smaller parties that were held in different ways. The employees gathered one morning for Christmas ‘breakfast’ with a traditional folk dancing display and the giving out of Christmas presents. There was also the premiere of showing FCE’s new information film made by the Swedish film production company, ‘Watermark Media Lab’. The Daycentre had an extra festive lunch one day when they all received their Christmas gifts. The children in the special needs school had a nice program in the Club and they are happy that when they start their Christmas holiday, they can also bring Christmas presents home for their siblings. The children in the After School project had their own Christmas party, and so on.

The children, young people and leaders who usually gather in FCE’s youth club all dressed up and went to a restaurant the Friday night before Christmas! This of course was very much appreciated! One Saturday evening approximately thirty children from poor families were picked up and brought to the Daycentre premises for a good meal, games and a fellowship they are not used to. After that, they all went to the park to look at the Christmas lights.

On Christmas Day and Boxing Day, the young people who live at Brandusa (the halfway home) and in their own apartments in town were invited to Christmas gatherings with food, fellowship and games both in the Volunteer team & guest house and in the Club. There was a warm family feeling! We want those who do not have any relatives to feel a sense of belonging.

Something that is very close connected to Christmas in Romania is the tradition of Carol singing. At all kinds of parties and gatherings there is an opportunity to sing. At the care home in Ciutelec this is really appreciated and our visit there in December when we visit all the rooms to sing and give out Christmas gifts means a lot.

At FCE, we are able to be a part of providing positive experiences so the celebration of Christmas is meaningful in a country where it’s not taken for granted that you have Christmas presents for the children or something extra to put on the table.

THANK YOU to all of you who faithfully support FCE’s work in Marghita, Romania!