Daniel Centre

André and Gaby are working well, Cipri is still having his ups-and-downs.  New resident Damian is working now and in good form, having acquired a puppy for himself – a mixed blessing for the other residents.

All of the residents have had their first vaccination, and most of them their second.  Alex the ex-night-watchman is settling to his new administration responsibility.

The demolition work on the depot has been frustrated by the fact that no landfill sites in the area meet EU specifications and the rubble cannot be removed for the time being.

The Hungarian government’s Volunteer League have now selected the 15 final candidates for 2 training sessions for the Kenya project.

Talita Kum

There is no update at the moment on Adi’s situation with the future of Talita Kum.

Daniel Centre

André and Gaby are working well, Cipri is now feeling better and ready for a job in a bottle- and jar-making factory.  Silveu is currently subject of a police investigation.  New residents Damian and Ioan are showing more attitude problems and are not so keen on working.

Alix and Julian have been working hard to empty the depot and demolition work has now begun.  The other Alix who had been night-watchman and was taken onto the care staff is struggling with the new burden.

The Hungarian government’s Volunteer League have received 27 applications for the Blythswood-sponsored school in Kenya and there are many extremely good candidates who will have to be whittled down to the final 8 or 10.

4 of Blythswood’s young people are due to take up rent-free accommodation at the end of May and there are already two new lads interested in moving in to the vacated places in the Daniel Centre.

Talita Kum

The Blythswood board remain committed to the TK1 and TK2  and are seriously studying the conversion of the free space there for the TK3 and TK4 project since they already own the building.

Daniel Centre

André and Gaby are working well, Cipri is now on medication and has been offered a job in a bottle- and jar-making factory.  Silveu’s time at the Centre has been terminated and he is possibly facing charges for theft.  New residents Damian and Ioan are settling well and looking for work.

Damian, Ioan and Alix have all been helping empty the depot to prepare it for demolition to begin next week.

The Hungarian government’s Volunteer League have interviewed 35-40 potential volunteers for the Blythswood-sponsored school in Kenya and will select between 10 and 15 of them on April 10.

4 of Blythswood’s young people, including Alix, have now accepted offers of 2 years of rent-free accommodation, but Balazs suspects some will return to the Daniel Centre as there is no offer of any other kind of care.

 Talita Kum

It is possible afterschool activities, such as TK1 and TK2  will have to close because of the Covid situation but that some of the work originally planned for TK3 and TK4 will now be developed in the current TK2 building, the Blythswood Board having taken the decision to drop the whole TK3 and TK4 project because of the lack of local government support and lack of EU funding.

Daniel Centre

André and Gaby have currently found work but Cipri is in hospital for assessment.  Silveu is no longer bringing friends to the Centre but did not come home one night.

There have now been offers for developing the depot and an offer by one tenant to take over those made redundant when Blythswood closed their charity shop.

The Hungarian government’s Volunteer League have not come on board to find volunteers for the school which Blythswood sponsor in Kenya.

More negatively, a social agency which offers 2 years of rent-free accommodation to young people, and receiving considerable EU funding for this, has been irresponsibly trying to lure young residents away from the Daniel Centre with no offer of any other kind of care.

Talita Kum

The local government had voted 6-0 with 6 abstentions against retaining tax exempt status for Talita Kum, which has been demoralising for Adi. 

The rejection of his proposal for EU funds for the running costs for TKs 1-4 probably means that the whole TK3 and TK4 project will have to be dropped.

Daniel Centre

André, Gaby, Cipri and Alix have found work in a local factory in Cluj.  Silveu has brought questionable friends back to the Centre and needs to improve his attitude.

Istvan  has moved out with friends, probably a permanent goodbye.  Alix has suicidal moments and has spent €2000, which he can ill afford, on a hair transplant which he doesn’t really need.

Covid infections are rising again in Romania.   There have been no tenders yet for developing the Blythswood’s depot.

Balazs hopes the Hungarian Presbyterian church will join the Hungarian government to help with the school Blythswood sponsor in Kenya.

Talita Kum

Adi has unfortunately lost an appeal against the local government’s removal of tax exempt status for Talita Kum and his proposal for EU funds for the running costs for TKs 1-4 has again been turned down.  Bureaucratic nit-picking is a major hurdle for projects like these in Romania.

Daniel Centre

André, Gaby and Cipri still have no work but Daniel continues with online school and has a part-time electrician’s job.  The new resident Silveu has already found work with a construction company.

Soreen is now trying to move out with friends, not a good idea.  Marian has a job fixing tyres to earn enough to refurbish his new flat.  Alix will likely have to leave the Centre at the end of March because of his attitude.

Covid infections are falling in Romania.  Blythswood is now awaiting offers for the development of their depot.

Balazs has had an excellent meeting with the Hungarian government representative – they are very open to sponsoring 24 months of volunteering and also for building an extra room for the school in Kenya.

Talita Kum

TK1 is now back to providing afternoon care as the Romanian schools are open again for grades 1-4.   TK2 is still open the mornings as well in their normal afterschool mode.

Adi’s appeal has passed another milestone in acquiring EU funds for running costs for TKs 1-4.  There is still a considerable shortfall, however, for getting TK3 and TK4 up and running.

Daniel Centre

The ambulance will no longer come for Cipri’s nose bleeds.  André and Gaby still have no work.  Daniel continues with online school.  Silveu has joined the Centre.

Soreen seems to be still in Italy.  Istvan had left to live with relatives but is now back, having been beaten up and put out by his uncle.  Marian will stay on for 2 months to earn enough to refurbish his new flat.  Alix no longer works in the Covid situation and causes conflict in the Centre.

Covid is generally under control in Romania but with fewer residents working and contributing to their keep, the Centre’s food bill is rising.  The re-development of Blythswood’s depot is now out for tender.

There is reasonable hope that the Hungarian government – the only European government that officially aids the persecuted church – will give a grant towards The Centre’s project to help adding rooms to a school in Kenya.

Talita Kum

TK1 and TK2 are, unlike the Romanian schools, open again.   Because the schools are still closed, TK1 and TK2 are now operating fully, but now in the mornings as well in their normal afterschool mode.

Adi’s appeal has been granted and they are waiting for a re-assessment of their situation for EU funds for running costs for TKs 1-4.  There is still a considerable shortfall, however, for getting TK3 and TK4 up and running.

Daniel Centre

The church’s FEBE old folk’s nursing home initially lost 3 residents to the Covid pandemic but the home is now Covid-free.  The number of daily cases in the country has fallen from above 10,000 to just above 4,000.

André, and Gaby are still without work.  Daniel continues to do occasional delivery jobs but is still very serious about his studies.  The Centre currently has 2 vacancies.

There has been no update on news over the festive season about Soreen in Italy wanting to come back to the Centre.  Cipri and  Alix need to see big changes in attitude if they want to continue at the Centre.

Two businesses have expressed serious intentions of renting in the re-developed Blythswood depot.

There are hopes that the new government will be less mired in bureaucracy than the outgoing one.

 Talita Kum

TK1 and TK2 are, like the Romanian schools, closed again. Over the festive period, there has been no progress on Adi’s appeal against the initial refusal of their application for EU funds for running costs for TKs 1-4.

Daniel Centre

The Covid situation in the church’s FEBE nursing home has improved significantly.

Cipri still struggles with his health, more emotional than physical.  André has lost his work for refusing to sweep floors.  Gaby still has no job and brother Daniel has had to give up his job.

Soreen has phoned from Italy, wanting to come back to The Centre.  Marian is not quite into his new flat yet.  Alix’s mortgage hopes are on hold because his working hours are reduced by the Covid situation.

The re-development of Blythswood’s depot goes out for tender in January with work to begin in March and the Blythswood shop there due to close in January.

Most of the residents watch an online church service and then eat together each Sunday.

Talita Kum

Adi is more positive again.  TK1 and TK2 are back in action in the mornings, with breakfast and online school lessons though schools themselves are still closed!   No answer yet to his appealing the refusal of their application for EU funds could well be a good sign.

Daniel Centre

The number of Covid-19 is levelling off in Cluj and a total lockdown may be averted, but 66 out of 68 residents at their church’s FEBE old folk’s nursing home have been affected by the virus and two have died.  Most of the staff are self-isolating but asymptomatic.

Cipri is still struggling with health issues and will have a week’s assessment in hospital.  André has now been working at a filling station for the last two weeks.  Gaby still has no job.

Soreen is making noises about wanting to return to the Centre from Italy but would have to go through the interview process again.  Daniel is getting weary at holding study and work together and may have to quit his work.  Marian has had his mortgage approved by the bank and has the keys to his new flat.  Alix is encouraged to do likewise.

The re-development of Blythswood’s depot has had final approval for go-ahead from the local mayor, but the architect himself has now contracted Covid-19.

 Talita Kum

There is no new news from Adi this month but they are still in a bureaucratic impasse in re-licensing TK1 and TK2 which could undermine their application for EU funds for running costs for TKs 1-4 submitted last August.