Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Giving Tuesday 2019

The Latest at PHFTC

  Good Morning Friends,

    We are at that wonderful time of year again when there are so many ways to give and to be generous! I always find so many worthy causes to donate to on Giving Tuesday and I'm sure that you must too! In fact, it can be a little overwhelming being barraged all on one day of the year! But I have come to find that with our hectic lives, having to focus on this a specific day is actually really nice (and exciting, too)! This day we can make such a difference in so many causes, just by giving the equivalent of our coffee money for the week, a dinner out, or a weekend away.

I am writing to ask you to consider giving to Project Hope for the Children today. We might not be a large, well known foundation, but we are consistent in serving our population (for over 16 years). We have real relationships with the Romanian hospital workers and with the NGO directors that I visit annually and communicate with often. We make sure that vital baby essentials are available for the hospitals at all times to use on the needy babies coming in, we support after school programs that are feeding and educating poor children, and we are feeding children in group homes and supplying food and hygiene products to co-ops- Every. Single. Year.

On this day, please head over to our website or Facebook page to make a donation that will assist our yearly budget and help ensure that we can continue to provide these things and more as we reach out others in their need and distress.

Thank you for all your support .We do not take it for granted! 

Blessings,

Ramona and the Board at PHFTC

https://www.projecthopeforthechildren.org/catalog.html

https://www.facebook.com/phftc/   

Monday, October 28, 2019

November Service Team

Hello Friends!

      It is hard to believe, but after 16 years, I am finally able to take a team over to Romania with me to serve! I am so excited and stressed all at the same time!

   We have a great group of ladies going and they are so enthusiastic about serving! The unity I have felt in our meetings is amazing and I pray that all of them will be blessed because of this opportunity!

   We leave this coming Friday evening, the 1st of November and return Sunday, the 10th, close to midnight. We will be working afternoons at the hospital in Sibiu with the children there; holding and playing with them. We will assist a local, private orphanage one morning with anything they need assistance with and visit Association Smile and Hope for the Future to see the children at the after school program. While there we will make crafts with the kids and give them winter hats, mittens, and scarves. I also have some sightseeing of the two cities scheduled in so the team can see a little of the beauty and culture of Romania.

   This week there has already been attacks from Satan with illnesses, operations, and resignations so please be in prayer for our safety, health, and emotions as we travel. Below are pictures of the individual team members. If you want to know more about Sandy, Judy, Doreen, Beverly, Megan and Olivia, you can visit our Facebook or Instagram pages to read their bios. The links are at the bottom of this email.


   Many Blessings,

    Mona

 

  
  

  
 

 

Edit

The hospital in Romania

Ramona in the hospital

Jack and Ramona Cummings

Monday, October 7, 2019

Project Hope for the Children, Inc: October Changes

Project Hope for the Children, Inc: October Changes: The Latest at PHFTC Hello Friends,    I hope you all are enjoying the change in seasons to Autumn weather and foliage! This season is alwa...

October Changes

The Latest at PHFTC

Hello Friends,

   I hope you all are enjoying the change in seasons to Autumn weather and foliage! This season is always a goodbye of summer and a waiting for winter, which is what our ministry is doing right now. Last Thursday was our last day working in the hospital in Oradea. It was a hard farewell for us, but without the contract from the Manager, we could no longer continue to work there with the babies. 

    It was sad to say goodbye to the place where Project Hope for the Children was "birthed". Last week was spent cataloging our supplies and deciding what to take and what to leave at the hospital. On Thursday, thanks to modern technology, I was able to be videoed in with Ali as she left the hospital. I saw the babies, spoke to some of the nurses and a doctor and had a farewell look at the outside of the hospital. There were some tears, however, we know that God has a plan and we are doing our best to seek out what the next step is in that plan. We still have our foundations in the Oradea area that we support and the hospital in Sibiu to keep us busy.

   We also have our Service Team headed over in November! Alina and I will be taking 6 wonderful ladies to one of the after school programs that we sponsor to do crafts with the kids, hand out scarves, hats, and mittens, and visit in the Roma village. Then the majority of our time will be spent in Sibiu holding and playing with the babies in the hospital. I am so very excited about this opportunity to share "my Romania" with others and let them be blessed by serving others!

   Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers for all the changes and emotions Alina and I have right now as we look for new projects to care for the helpless in Romania!

  Many Blessings.

    Mona

  
  
   

 

 

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Our Return

The Latest at PHFTC

  Hello Friends,

     We have been home just over a week now from our month in Europe and I am settling into a routine, putting away luggage, and mulling over my time spent in Romania. This trip was different from any other and I needed time to sort out the blessings from the disappointments.

   After one of the worst travel experiences I have ever had, we arrived in Romania at 3 AM on June 20th. All I can say is my children and our nanny were troopers! Our transport driver waited over 6 hours for our flight to arrive, which was such a blessing and our Airbnb hosts smilingly let us into our apartment in the middle of their sleep. Alina, my dear friend and employee woke up and brought all my bags of necessities from our supply room to us, along with the groceries I had requested for the next day! I have never been so grateful of the kindness of others!

   My paperwork had been submitted to the hospital requesting that I be allowed to work in the hospital as usual, as well as, another request asking if we would be allowed to stay on in the hospital after the contract expired in October. While waiting for someone from the hospital to give us answers, we left for Sibiu to check out the hospital there! We were greeted warmly and our request for the November Service Team was again granted so we are cleared to bring over the group of six women committed to the trip! This was great news and so encouraging! 

  We played with the three babies that were in the hospital over the next two days and I was able to meet with both our workers there and talk with them! I especially enjoyed taking my children shopping to buy books and toys that our part time maternal assistant could use!

   Back in Oradea, we continued to wait to hear from the hospital about my status. I was able to tour several of the foundations we assist, visit with the directors, and once again see first hand the wonderful work they are doing! I was even able to track down a little boy that I have cared for in the hospital a couple of times in his village! Seeing his sweet, patient face made me cry and my children were thrilled to see him again after having held him three years ago in the hospital. It made my heart glad to see even with all his physical disabilities, just how loved and protected he was by the village family.

  I had a bout of sickness and after recovering and still not having any answers from the hospital, I decided to go myself. We had been told that the Manager does not give audiences to anyone, even his own doctors, but I prayed and asked the Lord for favor and any decision so that we could proceed. Amazingly, the Manager himself came in. He decided that I could no longer work in the hospital as the children are not abandoned any more (which for some is not true), that it would be illegal for me to care for the children without releases from the parents (though his own hospital staff can rarely get a signature from the parents as they NEVER see them), and furthermore, he would not sign the contract again in October, though we would be permitted to stay until then (with our employee apparently working illegally without releases from the parents). It was sad, but what I had expected from him. He has many progressive ideas, of which, I can agree with, but his ignorance on this subject and the fear that the hospital personnel is under is sad to see.

   I barely bought any hospital supplies this trip, but only what we would need for the next four months. If this is a closed door then we will start searching out other projects and places to help. My only concern is for the hospital staff and babies that are left in the hospital without help and for our employee, Alina, as her job will be ending and we need to find something else for 2/3rds of her time. Please join us in praying for solutions to these problems and wisdom and guidance for the Board and I over these next few months.

   Overall, the trip went well, but was just different and a little confusing. Thank you for all of your support and encouragement! Please feel free to check us out on Instagram and Facebook where you will fins updates and pictures from the trip.

   Many Blessings,

   Mona

 
 
 

www.projecthopeforthechildren.org

Monday, June 17, 2019


Hello Friends!

   It has been such a busy last two months with speaking engagements, our Mother Daughter Tea, planning our November Service Trip with our wonderful group of 6 ladies, and preparing for my work trip to Romania! I have met so many new friends and have enjoyed spreading the word about what Project Hope for the Children is doing!

  I want to thank everyone for coming to out first Tea! We had a great turnout of about 75 people, excellent reviews, and some great input that will we use in our next tea! If you want to see the pictures, please go to our Facebook page listed below to see yours!

   Tomorrow, I am leaving for three weeks in Romania! I am so excited to be going back "home"! This year, the children and my cousin will be accompanying me again and my husband will join us later on for a vacation in the UK afterwards! Though, I am going with eagerness, I also have some anxiousness. We are uncertain about our future in the hospital in Oradea and I need to approach the Manager of the hospital about our contract, which is up in October. If that is not a possibility, we need another project to place our employee, Alina in.

Please, read our prayer needs below and keep us close in heart.

* Safe and expedient travels with the children
* A softened heart of the hospital manager
* Clear direction on our hospital work in Oradea
* Health- Katie is already suffering from allergies and my fibromyalgia has been very painful and exhausting lately.
*  We are a blessing to the other foundations that we partner with.

As always, I will be posting updates on our Facebook and Instagram pages so you can follow our journey! Thank you for your support and interest! We are so grateful to every one of you!

Blessings,

Mona
https://www.facebook.com/phftc

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Project Hope for the Children, Inc: March Madness 4

Project Hope for the Children, Inc: March Madness 4: Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!   While I do not have any claim to the Irish, I can say that St Patrick himself was a wonderful r...

March Madness 4

Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!

  While I do not have any claim to the Irish, I can say that St Patrick himself was a wonderful role model of humbleness and forgiveness that everyone should copy and I like to teach my children how to emulate him in those ways. If you are of Irish descent,  I hope you are enjoying your day!

  Anyway, I am popping on to write this email today as we are halfway through the month and our March Madness Fundraiser. Donations are trickling in and we are so grateful to all of you, who have taken the time to sit down and send in your donation! Any and Alldonations are so crucial and we are encouraged when we see yours~ Thank you!

   If you haven't been able to send one in yet, don't feel bad as there is still time! You can donate through Facebook, our website, and the old fashioned way of sending a check to PHFTC 6983 Chase Rd, Fabius, NY 13063.

And here is where some of that money goes for: Travel! My traveling to and from Romania can be expensive and I am going twice this year. (Once for my normal work trip and once to lead a small team of women over to hold babies at our Sibiu Hospital and to bless some of the other foundations we partner with. Let me know if you are interested in going) Last year,travel made up 16% of our budget. We need to pay for airfare, transportation across the border into Romania, Airbnb housing, rental car, food, etc. We shop for the best deals and our conscientious of our money, but still it requires several thousand to make the trips happen.

Here is an excerpt from 2018's expenses for a two-week work trip:

  Airline flight- $1300
  Car Rental- $460
  Fuel- $185
  Housing- $725
  Meals- $642
  Taxi- $120
  Other Travel Expenses - $220


I am staying longer this year, which will allow me more time in each hospital location, with our employees, our partner foundations, and in the shopping of supplies so you understand that that the cost will be more. If you would like to help us meet this budget need, we would so appreciate it!

Thank you for your support and interest!

Blessings,

Mona
Edit

The hospital in Romania

Ramona in the hospital

Jack and Ramona Cummings

Saturday, March 9, 2019

March Madness 3

Hello Again!

PHFTC buys supplies and gives those supplies to the hospitals or foundations. We do not give money as I want to be 100% sure that our money is being used appropriately. However, there are always many needs..

This month, I am looking for new monthly sponsors(and the return of old ones:)

For the amount of $12 a month,(or multiples of that) you could help with the purchasing of three boxes of cereal. When I first entered the hospital 16 years ago, the cribs were filled with emaciated babies. Carrot juice and a cream of wheat mixture was the diet unless someone donated formula. It was heartbreaking to see! One of the first things I started buying was rice cereal to fill their tummies and help put weight on their bodies. Still to this day, we supply cereal to the children in our first hospital. 


Also, toys are always a part of our budget as the babies and children in our care at the hospital sit in their cribs all day, every day. Please consider becoming a monthly sponsor at $10 day (or other multiples of 10). This, for example, would provide two or more toysfor the stimulation and comfort of these children.


Please consider sacrificing a "coffee" or two a month to send us a donation for these amounts. It can be a donation every month or you can make one time donation for the whole 12 months.  You can make the donation on our website or send a check to PHFTC, 6983 Chase Rd, Fabius, NY 13063

Thank you for your compassion and generosity!

Blessings,

Mona
https://www.projecthopeforthechildren.org/support.html

Monday, March 4, 2019

Quotes for Good

Good Morning All!

  Just a quick email to say a thank you to our first friend for committing to be a monthly sponsor.  We still need fifteen more new donors this month. Why is this a big deal? Because it is so much easier for us to commit to projects and helping others when we can plan on a certain amount being in our budget.

If this is something you cannot do, please do not feel pressured! One time donations are just as valuable and we  do understand when someone just cannot donate for various reasons. We still are grateful for your interest, prayers and other ways in which you help PHFTC!

Also, for the month of March, we are collaborating with State Farm for our March Madness Fundraising! If you stop by or call Van Travis (father to two awesome kids from Romania) at State Farm Agency, to get a quote and mention Project Hope for the Children, they will in turn donate $10 to our organization! No purchase necessary. Please share with your friends!


Click on the picture below to send you to their website. 

Blessings,

Mona

Saturday, March 2, 2019

March Madness


Hello Everyone!

   It is that time of year again when we at Project Hope for the Children start our fundraising activities to raise monies to buy supplies for our hospitals, foundations, employee salaries, and travel expenses, etc. This is a major part of our budget and it is a month full of fun and blessings as we watch people give sacrificially to the ministry so that others 5,000 miles away can benefit!
You can go here to see what our expenses were for 2018. 
https://www.projecthopeforthechildren.org/support.html

As this is the 16th anniversary of the start of this project, we are looking for 16 new monthly sponsorship commitments. This can be any amount that you are comfortable with and sent to the PHFTC monthly or in lump sums~ your choice! We have people that donate through PayPal, personal check and even bank checks that are automatically sent to us every month via the bank. If this is something that you think you can do please contact me to select the way that works best for you!

We also just unveiled our new online catalog where you can choose to donate money for specific supply bundles, as well as, a general donation. Click on the link here and it will take you directly the page and let us know what you think! https://www.projecthopeforthechildren.org/catalog.html

Stay tuned for more emails and challenges on our Facebook and Instagram pages!

Blessings,

Mona

Monday, February 25, 2019

Partnerships

Hello Friends!

  Before our March Madness Fundraising starts, I wanted to finish writing about the other half of our ministry. As you know, the hospital work is how this ministry got started, but more and more, I was noticing a need elsewhere. 

Many of my friends had NGO's in Romania and were working directly with parents and their children at a grassroots level. The philosophy is that when you can retrain and empower mothers (and fathers) to care for their families and when you can educate families spiritually and academically then you will see a change. When children are literate and educated about the outside world THIS will end the abandonment issue!

I love this heartbeat and I have seen fruits of this type of training so we at PHFTC started partnering in small ways to help. Last year, we helped four other foundations by donating baby supplies, school materials, appliances, and food! These foundations run preschools, afterschool programs, foster and safe homes, food co-ops, and work opportunities for women (Aka JoyBeadz).

Every year, I look forward to visiting with the directors or managers, seeing the improvements and asking how we can bless them that year. We have had seen so many signs of improvement and even though we are small, we have seen where God has used us when fundraising for another foundation has been low. It has been so awesome to be part of this project and we thank you for the part you have played in it!

Please enjoy the pictures of the places and people we have shared about and if you have time click on the pictures to go to their links and see what their ministries accomplish.

Also, I am excited to announce that our website now has an online catalog where you can "order" supplies by donating to something specific! This is a great way to get your family, classroom, home-school  or Scouts group and Sunday School class involved! Let me know what you think! https://www.projecthopeforthechildren.org/catalog.html

Association Smile and Hope for the Future



New Life for Children


Forget Me not Ministries


Romanian Relief/Humanitas

 Blessings,

Mona

Thursday, January 17, 2019

A New Year

Dear Friends and Supporters,

  It has been a while since I have written to you and I apologize. I am determined to do so more frequently in 2019! 2018 was a bit tumultuous for our family and I had much on my plate. Our son needed some extra caring for and we received more diagnosis of possible ADHD and Autism on top of his other challenges. My goal is to love each one in my family at the level they need and my life was full with that and directing the ministry oversees. Even with all that, God has blessed us here at PHFTC so much!

 We have a fabulous Board that has come alongside me and so encouraged me! We have some volunteers that help us, one being Samantha, that graciously and almost effortlessly keeps up our website! Our employees, Alina and Dora, are wonderful with the children and communicating with me and our Volunteer Liaison in Sibiu, is one of the most gracious and selfless women I know! I cannot tell you how much in awe I am of what has evolved over the years from my simple girl's heart.

We are still a very small non-profit. This year we have a budget of $35,000 and we are totally going on faith for that, but we see much need and know that consistency in our service in the hospitals and with the foundations we support is key to having a good testimony in Romania. Every year, we are given a new opportunity or a new way to serve the children and families there and we want to be ready and able to say, Yes!

Let me re-cap 2018 a bit for you:
1. We had a brand new worker (Dora) in the Sibiu hospital and she gained her footing quickly, as well as, the respect of the staff. I was so blessed to work with her this year and watch her affection for the babies and attention to detail.

2. We helped four foundations with their beautiful ministries this year. They had basic needs such as: food, hygiene products, appliances, detergent, fencing, school supplies. It was such an honor to assist each project and meet with each Director while in Romania this year. These people are so committed to their ministry, but often shackled by finances. I love being a part of each of their foundations!

3. Alina continues to work in the Oradea hospital and spread joy to each person. Her contract was up this year and the hospital was not signing it. We were concerned about our continued efforts there. After months of waiting and praying a former director intervened and recommended Ali and I and the contract was then signed!

4. After jumping through several hoops, I was allowed back into the Oradea hospital to work for the two weeks I was there! I was overjoyed to hold the little ones that have such a bleak life ahead of them and see first hand the needs!


As we go into this new year, we need your support more than ever!  We recently found out that one of the foundations in the hospital is pulling out and we are taking over the supplying of those areas. Another foundation is waiting to see if their contact will be renewed. We assist this ministry with supplies, as well, but if they are forced to leave, we do not that the money to hire the three woman they employ to work with all the children left without help in the hospital. Thankfully, we do not have the amount of children abandoned at the hospitals like we used to, but it would still be devastating.

My airline tickets are purchased to go for three weeks this summer and my family will be going with me this year to help and learn! I am so excited about this as each year my heart yearns more and more to live in Romania for parts of the year (maybe one day). PHFTC also is planning on a short service trip in November for ladies!! If interested, please let me know!

Lastly, be thinking or praying about your involvement this year.. What gifts and talents can you bring to this ministry? Is there anyway that you can help us meet our budgetary needs? Become a monthly sponsor, perhaps? Open your church or organization up to having me present our work? Please visit our website, www.projecthopeforthechildren.org , to see our goals and financial statements or to donate.

I'm excited to see our growth this year and all that will be accomplished!

Many Blessings,

Ramona

*Bottles labeled by last name for the babies.
 
*Supplies for the Special Needs Safe Houses and Preschool Program