Volunteer Testimonials

I thoroughly enjoyed my two weeks volunteering with firm foundations. The work the charity does is of such importance and I felt privileged to be part of it. It was the most wonderful thing to see the happiness the volunteers brought to the babies and the genuine love and care shown to each and every one of them. It was a tremendously touching and moving experience. Most of all it was a joy to be able to in some way relieve the discomfort of the babies in the hospital.

I was also lucky enough to work in Budila at the kids club and after school club. I could see first hand how the long term team cared for the children and knew them so well as they have grown in the hospital and returned to the village. The work here helping educate and support the children and their families is invaluable and it is clear to see they are well appreciated.

Being part of donations was also a heart warming experience, the thought that so many others were touched by the project enough to wish to send clothes, toys and diapers to support the cause, from as far as Sweden and the U.S. was lovely and really demonstrated how far the concern for these children spreads. I will be making plans for a fundraising event at home to encourage both financial support and donations.

The firm foundations team themselves were nothing short of amazing either. There warm was so welcome, especially Katie my hostess at the Better than a Hostel accommodation. She personally made me feel very at home during my stay.

The rest of the volunteers I encountered were also a joy. It was lovely to be part of such a dedicated hard working team who shared such similar concerns and ideas. It made what can at times be a tough experience all the easier to have such warm people around for support and encouragement.

I know without a doubt I will be back, two weeks just wasn’t long enough and I already miss the beautiful babies.

I hope this project continues to grow strength to strength as its work is really changing the lives of so many children.

Nicole Hendry

I find it very hard to articulate what working here with FFR means to me in the same way that I find it hard to articulate my faith – both are life and love affirming!

I’m able to love very special and unique babies in the hospital and disabled children in an orphanage; I can be part of an organization that seeks to help the poorest in a very poor county by providing practical and emotional help – from donating nappies and soap to running a pre-school, after school clubs, homes for teenagers and so much more!

As an older person, with family commitments, I am so grateful that I can serve short term (and I’ve just returned for the 5th time)! I hope and pray that I fill a gap. I honour and respect everyone who is able to serve long term – you do an amazing job providing continuity and love! Thank you again FFR!

My Romanian roots were the driving force to travel to Romania once again after decades. My husband and I discovered a few little villages and small towns in Transylvania. Of course we were enthusiastic about Brasov, the most beautiful town in Romania!

A few months later an article in a Christian magazine hit our eyes: ‘ The lost children of Brasov’. What a great idea these two young women had about ten years ago! Such a precious work certainly needs support! Celebrating our 50th birthdays we had the opportunity to collect money for FFR, then we got in touch with Steffi Vogel.

We met Steffi shortly after she had traveled with her three beautiful and sweet children to her hometown in Germany for a promotion-tour. Learning about her organization through video and lecture was very touching. Finally, I knew that I wanted to go to Brasov for helping to support the hospital with the kids.

My wish became true in September this year. It was wonderful that my daughter Mariana decided to come with me. It was such a wonderful experience! Sometimes we were impressed, horrified, surprised, thankful, sad, hopeful, motivated… I think we were well informed before starting as volunteers. We had studied the homepage and several times we had watched the video of Sarah’s sad but beautiful song ‘unwanted’. Each time we had tears in our eyes.

However, seeing little babies sit in their barred beds all day was heart breaking. There they would spend most of the days without Mum and Dad or any toys. Children want to get out, need movement, need love and care. So during the shifts all the helpers put the babies out of their cribs to play with them, to laugh with them, to change their diapers and to feed them. By playing with them, hugging the little children, you earn an enchanting smile. So we fell in love with them immediately. They are so cute, so beautiful and thankful for any care. It’s a sad moment when the shift is over and you have to leave them crying. The next day, everything is forgiven, they smile and look forward to the time you will spend with them.

Looking back, we are so happy that we had the chance to go there, and we are planning to go there a second time. We would be glad if our report called out some of you coming to help as well!

Thanks to the FFR-team, long- and short-volunteers, we wish you all the best, God bless you!

Constance & Mariana

During a year of thoroughly researching volunteering opportunities in Europe, I stumbled upon FFR and boy did I discover a gem. One of the things that drew me to them was the genuine dedication and selfless love, online and offline, that they had to making a change to the lives of the children in Romania. Working at the hospital was truly life changing, to the point that I can’t begin to verbalise my experience that’ll do it justice. To sum it up though, if i didn’t have to go back to university I’d have never left! I tend to get a little bit teary eyed when I think about every child that I held, changed and played with; they left a massive impact on me. I pray that the amazing angels that are in the form of the long term volunteers are granted life, strength and resources so that they may continue to serve Romania for as long as they are needed.

Going to Romania and volunteering with Firm Foundations Romania was one of the best experiences of my life. I have always held a special place in my heart for children, and was looking for a way to start giving back. My friend and I decided to embark upon the adventure of going to Romania and volunteering together. I never could have imagined the impact that the trip had on my life. All of the work, all of the money, & all of the time that it took to get everything ready for the trip was worth more than I can even describe. I was nervous to go all the way to a foreign country, and stay in a place I had never even been to, & work with people that I didn’t know.  But boy was I surprised at how quickly I felt so welcomed and comfortable there. ALL of the volunteers, both long term and short term, are so kind, helpful, loving, and welcoming. I instantly felt right at home with family once I had met them. They went out of their way to make sure that my trip and experience was going to be great. I had so much fun hanging out with everyone, singing karaoke, making dinners, exploring the town, playing in the snow, going on a gondola ride, etc. Working in the hospital was one of the most rewarding and heart breaking times all in one. The children are absolutely beautiful and all they want to do is be held and loved; which was perfect for me because I LOVE to hold babies. Getting the opportunity to impact these children’s lives, if only for a few weeks, changed my life forever. It warmed my heart to see their smiles when I was holding them and spending time with them. I am so proud of the women and other volunteers that have dedicated any amount of the time, money, and life in order to trying to give these children and families a better life and to show them God’s love. I met some of the most amazing people in the world while working with FFR. And I can say without a doubt that those people will be a part of my life forever. I make sure to pass the word around about FFR everywhere that I go, so that people will understand how important the volunteering position is, in order to help give these babies the love and attention that they NEED and DESERVE. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be a part of your close nit Romanian Family!!! I hope at some point in my life I will have the opportunity to be able to re-visit everyone again!

My favorite thing about volunteering in the hospital was the opportunity to pray and speak life to the babies and kids with whom I came in contact each day. I loved being able to hold the babies and pray for chains to be broken in their lives; for health and healing to their bodies; for God’s love to consume their being; and them to have an understanding of Whose they are.

My concern prior to getting to Romania was not speaking the same language, but I found that it wasn’t a barrier and praying for them in my language was natural.

Being a social worker, I thought my heart would be prepared to meet abandoned and semi-abandoned babies, but I found my heart still breaking. A scripture I rested on each day was John 8:58. Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM!”  God is for sure the Great I am.  Though my heart doesn’t understand the how’s and why’s, His heart does and I trust He is who He says He is.

A friend told me about the babies in Romania needing to be held and loved. He did not have any information on projects in Romania so my search began. I found Firm Foundations Romania (FFR). A month later, I was on my way to a life changing experience.

After arriving in Brasov, I started my hospital visits the next day. Words cannot describe the first time you walk into the hospital rooms and see all the loving babies in their cribs where they would spend most of their day if it was not for the FFR volunteers.  The first time you pick one baby up you will fall in love with them. They are so sweet and love to be held so much it is hard to put them down. It seems no matter how much love you show them, they always seem to love you more!

I wasn’t sure what else we did at the hospital, but I found out we helped feed and change diapers. Don’t worry folks, if you don’t know how to change diapers, the other volunteers will show you, and you will get lots of practice.  The feeding time is an amazing time to bond with the babies.

It is hard to leave especially when you find one special baby that steals your heart, like little Stefanie!  The first trip made such an impact on me I went back two months later. This trip I
saw Budila, the gypsy village where most of the babies come from. It is hard to see the village living conditions and the kids so dirty.  I was able to Stefanie again, this time with her mother and family!!!  It is amazing the level of trust everyone in the village has with the FFR team.
While I was there I learned about the great projects FFR is trying to start: the shower project, bringing doctors into the village, and also going to a give back meeting where the kids watched the movie “Cars” in Romanian while the FFR volunteers taught the moms about inner beauty.

Once you go, it will be hard not to want to stay longer and you will want to go back again. It is truly an amazing experience. If you are thinking about doing it, stop thinking and go!!!  I know it will change your life too. I’m already planning my third trip.  The FFR long term volunteers are wonderful and make you feel like you are part of the FFR family right away, even if you are only there for a short time. It’s amazing to see a group of volunteers from all over the world come together for such a wonderful cause.

So a quick recap (just in case this is all you read):
The babies are so cute and love so much, that you will not want to leave, and you may even want to adopt one!!

I had always thought every once in a while about volunteering abroad, but it wasn’t until my sister and brother in-law told me about their short yet memorable time spent volunteering with Firm Foundations Romania that I knew it was something I had to do.  Thanks to the dedicated and caring people behind FFR a mere 10 days after talking to my sister and brother in-law about their time in Brasov I was on my way to Romania.  Having heard from both my sister and Sarah (FFR President) that Firm Foundations mainly received female volunteers I was a little apprehensive that I would be of any use having never before done something as simple as change a diaper. However, as soon as I met Sarah, Steffi, Alisha and the rest of the FFR team these doubts quickly faded and it soon became very clear that all you need to work with FFR is a big heart and the willingness to help.

I have volunteered with many organizations in Canada but it wasn’t until volunteering with FFR that I experienced the feeling of making a difference. I can still remember my first day in the hospital when I walked into one of the rooms and met a little girl named Monica. As soon as she noticed me her expression immediately changed to one that can only be described as astonished and as I went over to pick her up she immediately began to cry. Being one of only two male volunteers at the time, Monica like many of the children at the hospital in Brasov have been exposed to little male affection, which is essential for their development and to build trust that may have been tarnished by other men in the past. After continuing to visit Monica everyday I spent in the hospital she began to recognize me. By the fourth visit as I walked over to pick Monica up she was sitting in her crib waiting for me with her arms open and a massive grin on her face. It ‘s moments like this that really define your trip in Brasov as nothing short of inexpressible. No one could ever have prepared me for what I experienced during my stay in Brasov, not the feeling of holding a sick child, the friendships I made or finding a new love for the German soccer team. I intend to live up to my promise and return to Brasov for a longer period of time and I hope if you are reading this you take my word for it and pack your bags and go to Romania with FFR. Just do Sarah and Steffi a favor and give them more than 10 days notice.

“What was your favorite part of Romania?”  This is a question I received on more than one occasion after returning home from Brasov, Romania.  And my answer?  “The people.”  I knew going in that I would get to spend time with some sweet babies, but I did not anticipate the fellowship I would find with so many wonderful people.

I arrived in Brasov on a Friday evening and was immediately welcomed by the Firm Foundations leaders and volunteers.  Before I even got to the hospital on Monday for my orientation, I already knew most of the people I would be working with and felt very comfortable with them.  Getting to spend time with the children in the hospital was only made more memorable by sharing that time with the short and long-term volunteers.

The long-term volunteers that live in Brasov are amazing!  They have huge hearts and truly desire to share the love of Christ with everyone they come into contact with.  It never ceased to amaze me how they would see a need and then do whatever they could to fill it.  And it was very obvious that the Lord is blessing their work in Romania.  Simply reading in the FFR newsletter about all the projects they are involved with demonstrates God’s provision.

The other short-term volunteers I met were great as well!  I can honestly say I fell in love a little bit with each person I got the chance to know.  We would work in the hospital together, experience Brasov together, share life with each other, and in the process created some great memories. I have been back home for about 3 months now and I still think of my trip often.  I find myself using any excuse to talk about Romania and those precious babies.  So if you are thinking about going to Brasov, stop thinking and go!  When we pour ourselves out for Love, it is a life changing experience.  An experience that is worth the cost and that will be paid back many times over, often in unexpected ways.

Ever since I was in middle school I dreamed of going to Romania and helping the abandoned babies there.  In 2006 God blessed me with the opportunity to go and do just that for 2 and a half years.   I started working in the hospital project in December of 2006 and truly loved every minute of it!

The projects that volunteers are able to participate in are so rewarding and eye-opening to life in another part of the world.  The hospital project itself where I was able to hold, change, feed, and just love on babies who were left there for various amounts of time without their moms changed my life forever.  I had no idea how much a little love and attention could change the life of a baby.  Watching them transition from being afraid of contact and being held, to standing up and crying to be picked up the second we walked into the room is something I will never forget.   The full time supervisors who work there are amazing people who are truly dedicated to making the lives of those babies better.

Having the opportunity to get more involved in the lives of some of the babies and their families by visiting their homes in the nearby gypsy villages was one of the most unique experiences I have ever had.  To see how little these families have and the conditions that they live in really makes you think about life and all the things you take for granted.

I would highly recommend going to Romania and volunteering with the hospital project for anyone who has a love of children and a little extra time to give.  You don’t need to have an abundance of skills, just a lot of love to be willing to pour out on some little people in desperate need of it!

Since 2005 I’ve been thinking of volunteering in a social project somewhere in the world, but it was almost 3 years later when I finally took some serious steps. My decision to go to Romania was based on curiousness for the Eastern part of Europe and a documentary about the horrible conditions in some Romanian orphanages I’ve seen on TV.

For me it was pretty clear I wanted to work with children, since that’s what I love to do right now and possibly in my future job too. So in July 2008 I took the plane to adventure, knowing almost nothing about what would come and how I would react to it. From the moment I was sitting in the car from Bucharest to Brasov, I knew it was about to be a special experience, but this feeling became much stronger when I first came to the Children’s Hospital. I was shocked by the amount of abandoned kids and it broke my heart when I heard in what kind of conditions most of them normally live. One day I got to see a glimpse of their lives, while assisting bringing back babies to Budila, a gypsy village close to Brasov. It made me sad, but I realized once again that basic things like being loved by your family, clean water or growing up in a safe environment, are things a lot of people (including me) take for granted. But actually, we just turned out to be lucky. During my Romanian experience, it was heartwarming to see how dedicated the HFTN volunteers are. They do everything they can to help and support the children in the hospital  and their families. Working with them made me see how important this hospital project is, and how standing up to do something can really make a change, although it might take a while. Coming to Romania to take care of the kids in the hospital and learn more about their community, was one of my best and also most intense experiences. This country and their people got a special place in my heart. That’s why I decided to come back last summer. And I’m pretty sure it won’t be the last time.

I couldn’t have ended up with a better organization as a first-time volunteer abroad! I spent 2 great weeks in Brasov during which I was part of FFR’s hospital project.  This project is so great because it truly is something different and extremely rewarding.

It is a project where you learn to appreciate things in your life, such as the fact that you’re living with a roof over your head or that you have a family that loves you. I really liked the fact that the size of the group of volunteers (long-term and short-term) was small enough to allow me to get a personal relationship with each volunteer! Brasov as a city is small and lively with beautiful surroundings. When I was there it almost felt as if I could see a part of each continent gathered in one city…anyone could feel at home here! I wish that everyone could be part of what FFR offers in Brasov in their lifetime, and I hope to go back soon.

Sitting on the plane after a two week volunteer experience, I find it hard to find words to describe what an amazing experience I have been through.

I had no specific expectations of what I was going to experience besides the tourist information online, but this trip has enlightened me much further.

This organization has given me an insight into the real Romania, it enabled me to see further than what I expected. Living in a rich part of Europe, it is difficult to see that we do not need to travel very far and suddenly be in a whole new world. A world full of needs, which FFR helps reduce, making this part a better place.

Every morning or afternoon during the week days I would walk to the children hospital to help change diapers, nurse the babies, play with them and give them some love. Because many of the kids stay in the hospital for long I got personal relationships with the babies knowing their individual needs and names. After a trip to Budilla, a poor village 30min from Brasov, to drive home one of the babies with whom I had played with the past 10 days, I realized how important it is to show these babies care and love. Being in a new place can be scary, especially if your parents cannot afford to come visit you or to pick you up. I felt that being there changed a great deal for the babies; even though most of them can’t speak yet, I knew and felt that they appreciated me and the other volunteers being there. Every day walking into a room, noticing that the crying babies got smiles on their faces because we arrived, made me feel that this is really something worth doing. Most of these children in need come from a world I cannot imagine living in. After being in Brasov – Which is one of the most charming cities I have visited in a long time – I was shocked by the fact that not far away people and the babies were living under such horrible circumstances; with poor shelter, lack of food and clothes and with no money. I now know that FFR makes a difference to the world of many people and especially the babies in Romania. I wish for this project to be as successful as possible and I can only encourage others as much as I can to be a part of this experience which change you for life, with memories that you will always have in your heart and experiences of a different world. And last but not least the volunteers, whom I will never forget for their gracious commitment and their open and loving hearts.