Tanner Romania Mission

AUTUMN 2026 NEWSLETTER

9/26/2026

Looking forward to the warm days and chilly nights of autumn, we start by gathering pumpkins. The 40 we see in the photo at left are just half of what we'll eventually harvest.

Another sign of the season is the appearance of combines which invade the countryside and provide the year's highlight for Mihaita...............

Of course, we have to prepare for the colder weather to come, especially since the natural gas lines have not yet reached this far. So below left, Daniela and Adina show off the wood pile at Casa Hannah. Earlier, we put up an insulating wall so we can continue activities at Jacob Center throughout the winter.....................................................

The best news is the addition of two new residents, Florentina (42) and Valentina (30), newly arrived from a closed group home in Iasi County.

We've been delighted by visitors, too, as here, above center, we see Pastor Costel and his wife Rodica joining us in our weekly worship service.

After months of study and preparation, Anca passed her driving test and received her license which here she displays beside the Opel car which was donated to us by the El Chicco association.

Mariana was thrilled by a visit from several of her relatives who have kept in touch through the years. As has become a custom, our good friends Eithne and Stefania organized a sports day this summer, as here we see Maricica giving her all in what seems to be a particularly gruelling event...........................................

Because we have tried to economize, we haven't had many activities beyond our own homes, but above left Petrica & Anca enjoy an afternoon at the local swimming pool. With so many residents, we endure the occasional health issue. Constantin spent a week at the Focsani hospital with digestive problems and anemia but has fully recuoerated. Above center group home manager Mariana comforts him on his first day. Sadly, Alexandru, once a beacon at Casa Hannah, passed from our care at the hospital in Galati. His relatives assisted in his funeral and he was buried in their family plot in his hometown.

..............We still have fruit trees at the homes, including apples, plums, pears, cherries and quince, as here Romeo, Costel, Florentin and Gelu show off a few of the fallen fruits.

We haven't had much chance to photograph our managing council together, but we had the opportunity a few weeks ago, so below we see Mirela, Bruce, Eithne and Ettore posing at the activities center.......................................................................................................

And now a few words about finances. Based on past years, about 23% of our expenses are covered by friends & churches in USA. For the rest we rely on donations from friends in Europe (especially Noi per Loro in Italy) & support for handicapped persons from the Romanian state. Projections for the remainder of 2026 imply a shortfall of $11,000 to meet our obligations. As always, we remain in God's hands & in the hearts of our faithful human helpers. That includes employees and those who contribute prayerfully & financially from afar. May you all be blessed!

For donations, checks may be sent to TANNER ROMANIA MISSION, PO Box 61, Greenville, Ohio 45331
or via PayPal using Tanner Romania Mission, [email protected]
or, for bank transfer information, contact Bruce by email: [email protected]

SPRING 2026

5/18/2026

As we leave the cold months behind, we have used the last of our firewood supply at Casa Hannah and Sarah. And Mariana, Maricica & Adina can be seen packing a basketful. Our plans for next winter are to utilize natural gas which is at the moment being brought into the village. With the help of an Italian lady, we were able to install furnaces & radiators in all the group homes.

Above we see Mihaita, Florentin & Nicusor admiring a mini furnace at Casa Rachel. To supplement the heat costs which are at this point unknown, we will keep the wood stoves, and we hope to keep the workshop and worship services going this winter. This will require about half the usual firewood purchase.

At the workshop, Jacob Center, we see Eithne, who supervises handicraft making, beside Ciprian, Maricica & Gelu. Other activities have included egg coloring (Costel in this case) and Easter dinner, enjoyed here by Adina & Constantin.

We have excellent relations with area churches of different denominations, as here the Orthodox priest serves communion to Mihai at Casa Hannah & Petrica with a Baptist volunteer from Arkansas part company after Petrica served a week as translator for their mission group.

The normal spring activities, such as pruning apple trees & planting the garden at Casa Elisabeta continued. Among the special projects, we were able to purchase, with the gracious contributions of friends from Ireland and America, a new electric wheelchair for Gelu; and of course we celebrate birthdays every month, as here Daniela happily takes a "stroll" through the park in Tecuci with Florentin & Mihaita.

We still help area families as much as we can. Above are Ciprian & Romeo with a huge stack of bags holding an assortment of clothing awaiting distribution. Some of you may recognize Marius who visits now & then with special requests, as here we were able to give him a new pair of sneakers, courtesy of Mariana whose cousin in England occasionally sends donations.

Several of our residents receive allowances, and some have used savings to plan their futures, as here Anca studies for driver's education.

We thank you all for the blessings you have made possible for these children of Romania.
With the deepest Christian love...Bruce & All

As you all know, financial needs to continue our mission are as urgent as ever & we trust in God to encourage supporters to keep up their faith in the work here.

DONATIONS MAY BE SENT BY MAIL TO TANNER ROMANIA MISSION, P.O.BOX 61, GREENVILLE, OHIO 45331 or VIA PAYPAL TO [email protected] (TANNER ROMANIA MISSION) or BY DIRECT DEPOSIT (contact Bruce at [email protected] for details).

TRM NEWSLETTER-WINTER 2025-26

1/18/2026

It's been months since our previous newsletter, but that's not been for lack of news, rather because so much has happened. For organization's sake, we'll categorize the news. First come personal improvements. Below Romeo gets a haircut from volunteer students brought by a local cleric, and here is Gheorghe just released with a clean bill of health from a week-long hospital stay, and Mihai receives holy communion in preparation for Christmas...........................................................................................................................................

Next come the physical improvements as below Andreea is wheeled into our new Fiat van after her kinetotherapy session in Tecuci, while the annual truck-full of donations arrived from Noi per Loro in Italy and work is completed on a new roof at Casa Rachel just ahead of bad weather.................................................

Our third category is visitors and we were blessed by many, among them being Jim & Linda from Texas; Ettore, Luca & Frederika from Italy; Clare from Colorado and carollers from a local church...........................

These we follow with the obvious necessity: food, and below we unload potatoes from Ireland and Costel is about to chow down at Thanksgiving.........................................................................................................................

Finally, assorted activities included pumpkin carving, digging for a water leak at Casa Rachel and Anca studying, hoping to take driver's education in the upcoming year...........................................................................

A few words about finances. As our supporters age, their ability to contribute financially sometimes diminishes, making new sources important. We have steered away from applying for grants & funding that may tempt us to lose focus on God's will, so we rely on prayer & word of mouth. Also we have relied more & more on help from the Romanian state which was our hope from the beginning. Still, foreign donations typically address about 48% of our needs, although this past year was higher with the van & new roof at Casa Rachel. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR VARIOUS WAYS OF SUPPORTING OUR WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Donations may be made by mail to TANNER ROMANIA MISSION / P.O. BOX 61 / GREENVILLE, OHIO 45331 or via PayPal to TANNER ROMANIA MISSION ([email protected]) or by direct deposit (contact Bruce by email: [email protected])

AUGUST 2025 NEWSLETTER

8/3/2025

The mission of TRM has been, since 1991, to give assistance to the children who had been placed in Romanian institutions, little ones who had been orphaned, abandoned or for other reasons found themselves in squalid conditions. A lot has changed since then, not the least being that those tiny beings have grown with the passing of 30-plus years.

At our group homes in Nicoresti, we supervise 19 of them. All have advanced, even those with the most serious physical or mental disabilities.

IF YOU ARE READING THIS NEWSLETTER & ARE CONSIDERING MAKING A FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE MISSION, PLEASE KNOW THAT FUNDS ARE NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER. OUR NEEDS REMAIN CONSTANT BUT INFLATION HAS CHALLENGED OUR ABILITY TO MEET OUR USUAL HIGH STANDARDS. BASIC MAINENTANCE OFTEN MUST BE DELAYED & IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALMOST OUT OF THE QUESTION. CONTRIBUTIONS MAY BE MADE BY MAIL TO TANNER ROMANIA MISSION / P.O.BOX 61 / GREENVILLE, OHIO 45331 OR VIA PAYPAL TO TANNER ROMANIA MISSION ([email protected]) OR VIA DIRECT DEPOSIT (CONTACT BRUCE AT [email protected]).

Assistance is 3-pronged: helping others, accepting help from others & helping ourselves; and we rely on God's direction in each area. We've been blessed to be able to donate bicycles to young & old alike, to give toys to area children, to channel basic foods to needy families, as well as such as medicine and bottled gas.
To be able to help others, we must accept help as well. Most influential are the financial contributions of loyal or one-time supporters. But our faithful & well-trained staff is essential to success. Local neighbors & friends occasionally give us produce from their gardens: cabbage, watermelons, squash, etc. And appliances such as Gelu's hospital bed have been invaluable to our residents' well-being.

We help ourselves too, of course, by canning fruits & vegetables, rigging our own irrigation, recycling bottles & creating objects at our activities center that, under the direction of board member Eithne Barion, are used to raise funds in Italy & Ireland.

Since we are printing this newsletter in summer's heat, we'll mention some appropriate activities, like Florentin's enjoying ice cream, warm weather haircuts, walks in the park & our annual sports day with friends from group homes near Iasi. We also have occasionally visited those friends in Iasi as below we see Romeo & new friend Florentina. We hold monthly birthday celebrations at Jacob Center, as here we celebrate Mariana's 46th birthday with good friend Clare from Colorado. Of course meal times are the focus of each day for residents & employees alike as here 5 of our boys enjoy Sunday dinner at Casa Rachel............

WE JOIN YOU ALL IN PRAYER THAT GOD'S WILL BE DONE IN ALL OUR WORKS, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE...MAY YOU ALL BE BLESSED AS WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED!!!

SPRING 2025 NEWSLETTER

3/19/2025

As winter draws to a close and we anxiously await glorious spring, we recall the blessings of the past season, made visible by our precious donors who contribute monetarily and prayerfully. For years we've received Christmas gifts in the form of packed and wrapped shoe boxes and this year we were blessed to meet the ladies from England's Hope Foundation, pictured here at Jacob Center.

Although we had little snowfall, the past winter was cold as ever and here we see the boys loading bags of charcoal in our van.
Only a few of the residents' natural families visit, but Mariana's kin see us once or twice a year, most recently in December; to the right are Mariana's father, sister and aunt.

We are thrilled to be able to pass on donations that are in abundance, and that includes bikes from Italy...............

....as well as food from the Romanian food bank and as shown here, a plethora of shoes.

Cold weather kept everyone indoors much of the winter, so when visitors came to help with activities, as here Ettore from Noi Per Loro in Italy conducts a bingo session at Casa Rachel, it's a welcome distraction. Other activities include the daily workshop in which nearly everyone participates, weekly worship service and choir practise; at the left the group gathers around Petrica at the keyboard

Our local doctor makes home visits every month and we have frequent dental check-ups; above Romeo shows off his new upper partial plate.

Most of the activities however are work related and the able residents relish collecting bottles and cans which they clean and take to the recycling canter where they are thrilled to gain pocket change. Here Anca is washing the recyclables discarded along the road. (No, the beer bottles are not ours.)

.On the local scene, all the streets and alleys throughout Romania, including Nicoresti, have been dedicated with names and proper signing, Here some of the girls from Casa Hannah show off their placard which happens to be the date of the revolution that eventually led to their escape from the "orphanage." Interaction among the residents is a must, as they eat, sleep, work and worship together. Occasionally some of them will have outbursts resulting from frustration and inability to communicate.........................................................................................................................................................................

.......We happened to capture the moment when Daniela consoled Mihaita after a disturbance. It was a particularly touching scene as Daniela is more typically the troublemaker.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention finances. As always we are in God's hands, and trusting in Him and our faithful supporters is paramount. Rising prices, wages and other obligations are coupled with ever-slower increases in funding from overseas and the Romanian state. Despite looking forward to warmer weather, we also must anticipate the inevitable need for firewood next fall and winter, and now is the time to begin preparations. Experience shows that the total cost will be a bit over $10,000 (9000 euro). Plus it won't be long before we must replace most of the roof at Casa Rachel which will entail an outlay of $12,000 (11,000 euro).

But it is with a sincere gratefulness that all of us, residents, employees, volunteers and myself, wish all of you who have sustained us until now a blessed season of joy and renewal.

DONATIONS CAN BE SENT TO Tanner Romania Mission,
P.O. Box 61, Greenville, Ohio 45331
Or via PayPal to TANNER ROMANIA MISSION ([email protected])
And of course you can contact me anytime by email: [email protected]

CHRISTMAS NEWSLETTER 2024

12/5/2024

GREETINGS OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON TO ALL THE FRIENDS OF TANNER ROMANIA MISSION!

Since our last newsletter, we've moved from a sweltering summer through a glorious autumn, to approach an uncertain winter.

Always preparing for the future, we were able to purchase firewood with the help of a special donation from faithful folks in Alabama. So we split lots of wood, mostly by hand, but also by utilizing a hydraulic splitter which was donated by the Pro Vida organization, a huge blessing!

The blessings just kept on coming as our friends in Cumpulung paid for new flooring in the Casa Hannah hallway. We were able to distribute food to area families with occasional food bank deliveries. Plus, Mariana's relatives frequently supply us with extra treats. As the weather turned cooler, activities changed, concentrating more on the workshop. Below is just one of the many projects, supervised by Eithne from Italy; she is seen here with Bruce and Mirela ............................................................................................................

(Page 2)
TANNER ROMANIA MISSION NEWSLETTER -- CHRISTMAS 2024

While film evenings are a staple of summer activities, gardening and gathering became a more urgent need as here the Casa Rachel boys take a break under a productive quince tree...........

Ciprian's mini-house projects are a delight to all who visit; among the visitors were Beatrice, Mick and Adrian from Ireland..........................
We try to keep close tabs on residents' health with monthly home visits by our family doctor and trips to the dentist in Tecuci every 4 weeks. To the right, Anca takes Maricica's blood pressure and Daniela shows off her new partial plate..................................................................

You can see that our mission depends as much as ever on donations from kind and faithful people from various nations. Over time some of those people have passed on or are no longer able to support the work to the degree that they have until now. So it is that we respectfully and prayerfully ask anyone who is able to continue, increase or initiate donating to this cause which I believe is still a worthy and God-ordained one. In Jesus name I personally wish you all a blessed Christmas and prosperous new year!

TO THOSE WHO SEND THEIR SUPPORT, BE IT IN THE FORM OF MONEY, GOODS OR PRAYERS, WE ALL EXTEND OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE FOR YOUR FAITHFULNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Donations can be sent to Tanner Romania Mission Inc, P.O.Box 61, Greenville, Ohio 45331
OR VIA PAYPAL TO TANNER ROMANIA MISSION ([email protected])
MY EMAIL IS: [email protected]

SUMMER 2024 NEWSLETTER

7/14/2024

Summertime, when the hot hours drag on endlessly, but before you can say a cross word, it's winter and you're longing for their return. Relief comes at every turn if you look in the right place, like Maricica imbibing at the horse trough, or the thrill of the blooming, short-lived sunflowers, or a walk/bike ride on a country road, or the garden's bounty, in this case 3000 onions.

Birthday celebrations provide a welcome break & party games provide for friendly competition....

Visitors come occasionally, met with joy and love. Here Daniela is thrilled to see godmother Pauline & Mihaita gets to nuzzle our faithful supporter Eithne......................................................

Unwelcome breaks in the routine can force us to adjust plans, but even they offer a reason to praise God........

.......To the left, Ciprian is recovering from an appendectomy at the Galati county hospital.

With a surprise donation from folks in Alabama,
we were able to buy firewood for next winter &
trimming trees helps, too!...........

Daily workshops provide a creative outlet, and outreach to neighbors provide an opening to receive blessings. Thanks to Catalin, Ettore & Eithne, we now have a permanent picnic shelter
at Casa Rachel & a temporary one at Casa Hannah.........................................................................

To our supporters, via money, goods or prayers, we extend our deepest gratitude for your faithfulness!!!!!!!!

TRM NEWSLETTER SPRING 2024: APPEAL FOR FUNDS

3/31/2024

FROM TRM GROUP HOMES, 22 DECEMBRIE 1999 NR 2, COM. NICORESTI, JUD. GALATI, ROMANIA 807218

FIREWOOD: Once again we are taking inventory of the firewood left from the past winter & estimating our probable needs for next winter. We anticipate that the cost will exceed $10,000 (9000Euro). In the past we have been able to cover this expense with current funds, but this year we simply don't have enough available financial resources. This photo shows Ciprian preparing dead branches & roots to be used to supplement our purchased firewood.

EXTERIOR SECURITY: Romanian law has obligated all housing for special needs persons to install security cameras, motion detectors &registration equipment. The total cost will be in excess of $2500 (2300 Euro). Our current security relies primarily on our 4-legged guardians, as pictured here, but that doesn't seem to satisfy the laws of the land.

DETERIORATING ROOFS: The old-style sheet metal roofs on our houses have a maximum life span of 20 years before the rusting results in damaging leaks. Casa Rachel is about to complete 24 years, and it's showing. Based on experience, replacing the original sections will cost us $9000 (8300 Euro).

Of course work goes on. As the Quakers say, "Work is love made visible." To the left, our employees are our main resource.

And here Tina, Maricica & Adina team up to hang laundry on a sunny spring morning at Casa Hannah.

All the able residents assist with gardening. At Casa Elisabeta, we have our largest plot, where you can see Petrica helping Doina plant late peas.

A basic activity throughout the year is the workshop which Anca oversees at Jacob Center. Below Costel prepares to paint a scene to be used in one of the creations with which our friends at Noi Per Loro in Italy will raise additional funds.

We supplement our garden with weekly shopping trips. Everyone helps, and above Gelu struggles to restrain a sack of spuds while Mihaita guides his wheelchair.

We have a local doctor on call. She makes weekly visits and is seen here checking out Gheorghe.

An ongoing project is distributing clothing & food to needy families in the area. Here we are packing the van with more clothes, shoes, bedding, school supplies & toys.

To keep residents informed of our activities as well as their right and responsibilities, we conduct monthly meetings. They are surprisingly attentive and ask appropriate questions.

DONATIONS MAY BE SENT TO TANNER ROMANIA MISSION, P.O. BOX 61, GREENVILLE, OHIO 45331, USA........or.........
VIA PAYPAL ACCOUNT [email protected]

With love & blessings to our
faithful supporters, past, present & future, in the spirit & in the flesh............................
[email protected]

NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2024

2/4/2024

FOR OUR FAITHFUL SUPPORTERS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE, IN THE SPIRIT AND IN THE FLESH.......

Winter at TRM began by preparing for chilly weather. As seen here with Tina, all residents and employees received flu vaccines. Firewood is essential for survival in this climate, as Maricica demonstrates.

A year-round constant is the involvement of 12 of our capable residents in the workshop, turning out a variety of gift items for fundraising. To the right, Eithne instructs Adina and Costel concentrates on painting.

It's important to keep active while spending most of the time indoors. We have organized exercise programs mornings and evening. Above, Daniela practises walking and left, Ciprian displays one of his creations.

We were blessed again this year by a truckload of donations from our friends in Italy. Here we see the unloading process and the distribution of one of the 54 bicycles we received.

We have mentioned in prior updates the help we've received from area churches, a welcome supplement to the generosity of loyal supporters in USA, Italy and elsewhere. Below, we are receiving food from Orthodox friends, and Alexandru taking holy communion.

We get sustenance both physical and spiritual, as we see Baptists carolling at Casa Hannah (above) and Mihai at lunchtime (left).

Outreach programs have continued through the years. Above, a photo from 2004 shows volunteer Clair with Petrica and Constantin, ministering to one of the widows we have served. And this year, Petrica delivers a modest package to a widower.

We'll never forget the joys we've experienced in our mission, as the memories of the loved ones who have passed on remind us that God is still calling us to serve. That's Lica and Fanica who both died in the past 13 months, below left is our dear Sandie in her heyday. Below right are the sweet souls Raluca, Florentina and Luciana. May we one day meet again in everlasting health..................................................................................

Please contact us anytime at [email protected]

NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2023

10/13/2023

We have in past newsletters mentioned that a few of our residents have maintained contact with their biological families.

In general, the birth parents are no longer in the picture, but brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles have sometimes kept up communication. Typically there are large gaps of time when we don't hear from them. Then suddenly there will be a flurry of calls and visits.

Nicușor was visited in August by his uncle and aunt at Casa Rachel

Those times can be confusing for our people, although we have dutifully kept them informed of their familial relationships and how it is that they are now living with us.

On the left, Mihăiță is visited by his brother and sister-in-law..

On the right, Mariana enjoys a happy reunion with her aunt, her brother and sister-in-law.

As the years roll on, those visits and calls become even more powerful reasons for rejoicing.

Above, the first of 2 groups is at the Bucharest airport, preparing to depart for a mini vacation in Italy.

With some extra donations from friends, we were able to purchase enough firewood for the coming winter. Praise God for this dynamic witness for prayer and faithfulness.

Eight different residents were able to enjoy 2 separate vacations at the Campground Maroadi on Largo di Garda, Italy, hosted by our long-time friends, Ettore and Eithne Barion. That, along with monthly birthday celebrations, jaunts through the park in neighboring Tecuci, various sporting activities and gardening provided entertainment and occupation for us all.

Above left are Anca, Maricica and Adina at the Tecuci central park. Center shows Constantin with Anca and Mihăiță toting watermelons. At the right is Ciprian trimming hedges.

Romeo gives it his all at the tire challenge during Sports Day 2023.
Costel and Florentin are in the background, cheering him on, as well as two of our friends visiting from a group home for girls near Iași, Romania.

Of course the main activities take place at Jacob Center, which is on the same property as is Casa Hannah. Daily workshops see 12 of our folks creating an assortment of handicrafts that they hope to sell to supplement our finances. Jacob Center also serves as our place of worship, and every Sunday morning we gather to read scripture, sing hymns, pray and praise.

While our operation depends on the financial contributions from friends in several countries, nothing could be possible without the dedication of our loyal employees. Each has an individual relationship with our residents, which allows us to maintain a healthy, warm environment for us all.

FOR A SYNOPSIS OF EACH OF OUR RESIDENTS, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CHECK OUT THE ”SPONSOR A CHILD” PAGE, ALSO ON THE TRM WEBSITE

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