Romania
He was just five when tragedy struck his family. They lived in rural Romania, where many work their fingers to the bone to eek out a living for their families.
When Marius’ mother passed away, his father, an alcoholic, couldn’t care for Marius and his two sisters.
(Name changed for privacy.)
By God’s grace, they were not taken to just any children’s home. They were taken to ITMI’s Casa Dorca Orphanage.
Casa Dorca Orphanage is the result of several churches in rural Romania coming together many years ago to establish a place where children from surrounding villages and towns could be cared for when their parents couldn’t take care of them or had passed away.
The rural area where ITMI's Casa Dorca Orphanage is located.
Casa Dorca's Ionel Iovescu with another Casa Dorca staff member.
Casa Dorca is one of ITMI’s longest-standing projects. Under the leadership of Ionel Iovescu and the support of many believers in the States, Casa Dorca continues to flourish today.
At Casa Dorca, Marius and his sisters were given love and support as they grieved for their mother and adjusted to a new life. This is a rarity for children’s homes in Eastern Europe.
Though he was grieving, from his first days at Casa Dorca, Marius was funny and well-behaved. He was quick to get involved with activities and helping around the house.
As he grew, Marius became someone the adults at Casa Dorca could “trust and rely on.” Marius liked to play football. He would have played football all day long if he could.
He even played on a local team for a few years. This really shows the dedication that the Casa Dorca staff has for treating the children there as individuals and helping them pursue their individual goals and dreams.
Marius was part of a local church, attending services each Sunday, along with the other children at Casa Dorca. In December 2015, Marius received the Lord Jesus as his savior and was baptized!
Ionel shared, “It was a great joy for us as we can see how God is working in his life and we can see how God’s seed grew and blossomed.”
Last summer, Marius went to Austria where a friend offered him a job. Last month, he officially “left” Casa Dorca.
“We can say that with one eye we smile and with one eye we cry because he left,” Ionel reflects, “He became a man in the full sense of the word and we have only God and you to thank for helping us accomplish this in his life.”
