Dear Friends and Co-laborers,
Lenut(s)a and I have just returned from a week in England and two weeks in Omaha. It was nice to see family and friends again – though we didn't get to see everyone that we wanted to. We were glad to be able to participate in the WMF board meetings. We were also encouraged by the tangible expressions of support from the staff, volunteers and congregation of Trinity church – thanks so much!
As I write we are still recovering from jet lag and trying to find our rhythm again in Galati.
Some of you may have heard that the population of Romania is plummeting. In 1989 the population was about 23 million. Today it is around 20 million, and statisticians predict that the trend will continue until it reaches 16 million. The major reason for the population decline is migration. Romanians are moving to Western Europe, America and Israel in order to find higher wages. Of course, Romanians accept much lower wages than their western counterparts, representing a benefit to the employer and a threat to the labor market.
Since the announcement that Romania will enter the EU in 2007, the situation of migrating labor has received much attention. Much of Western Europe fears a great influx of Romanian workers and foresees the increased social costs of medical care and unemployment. But until Romania becomes a viable economy that offers fair wages, the west will continue to be inundated with Romanian workers.
But the brain-drain and labor-drain is not purely an economic problem; it is a child protection problem. In September, the Romanian government announced that 24,000 children are currently abandoned by both parents who have left to work in the west. Many parents find jobs in the west in order to provide more opportunities for their children. In actuality, the children are worse off than before. Instead of seeing the development of the next generation of Romanians, we are already watching its breakdown.
Last month we struggled to find a family to take in a 9-year-old boy and his 12-year-old sister. They were left without food and heating by their mother who found a job in Italy. This month another father left his wife and their two children to pick fruit in Spain. Although he is a talented and trained craftsman, he cannot find a job that pays a viable salary in Romania.
Although it may mean losing some of its cheap labor, the west must realize that it costs more to service immigrants than to help develop the local economies. And this is what we are working towards. Since 1997 we have been investing in neglected children and their disenfranchised families. We have helped them go back to school and stay in school. We have taught them health care, nutrition and child development. And we hope that these skills can be further transferred within the local community, but this will only happen when there is a healthy local economy.
Miu is one of the boys that we have helped come off the streets, go back to school, and acquire skills in construction and mechanics. Miu decided to become a Christian early on in our relationship and last year was baptized. But instead of using his skills and being a Christian witness in the local community, Miu has considered moving to Italy to find a better paying job. What can we do to help Miu, the poor parents, and the growing children in our community to stay in Romania and continue to transform their communities?
Our response is to develop a job creation project with the following goals:
Community building
We aim to build up the local community by creating jobs where there is market demand and sustainable employment.
Fairness
We seek that each worker receives fair and viable wages in exchange for their quality work.
Participation
We seek to include the marginalized, encourage initiative, and assist through transparent legal and administrative support.
Discipleship
We aim at ongoing discipleship in the local community through teaching life-skills, stewardship, generosity, and the relationship between faith and work.
Recently, we located a piece of land near the bus and train stations on which we can build both workshops and a storefront. The cost of the land is a little over 100,000 USD. Once we buy the land, we will begin building workspace.
Some of the older boys in our program have already been trained in construction and carpentry. Some of our staff have training in web design, textiles, and accounting. We will begin by creating jobs in these fields.
Please pray with us as we establish this project, and please consider partnering with us as we continue to invest in the lives of our friends and families in Galati.
If you would like more information concerning this project, please let me know.
In His service,
david chronic