July 22 newsletter
This messages are copied and pasted from Estera’s communication. Estera and the Bethesda Foundation staff is heavily involved in helping the refugees. Galati is very close to the Ukrainian Borders
We turn with great love, first of all, to God, from whom all good things come … and
then to you, with many words of thanks and appreciation for all the help we have received
… to continue what we have started, for the refugees from Ukraine.
We didn’t think it would take so long … but, looking at how events are unfolding
there, we think it will take time … So, the help we have to give them will be long-lasting….
Thank you so much for being a part of this help!
Some news, updates about this project;
Since the last report and now, we have helped 29 people from Ukraine.
1 family (4 people) stayed with us for a short time, as they were in transit.
3 families (8 people in total) returned to Ukraine, Odessa because their documents expired.
So, at the moment, we are left, in the long term, with 17 refugees from 6 families:
To protect privacy we will not include pictures.
-the Sokolov family – consisting of the grandmother, the grandmother’s son with his wife
and their two children (an older boy and a girl, born in Galati while away from home because of the war)
-the Zheldakov family – consisting of a husband (who has been ill with a rather advanced
form of Parkinson’s disease for 14 years), his wife and their two children (a boy and a girl)
the Semonova family – mother and son.
Dragni family – consisting of a grandmother and 2 daughters, one of whom has her own
baby, also born in Galati, in June.
the Nikolaiev family – consisting of a son only
the Gieoka family – also consisting of a son
4 of these families are housed at the Multifunctional
Centre of the Foundation, where we have set up furnished
apartments for them,
the 2 boys are housed at the Day Centre in one of the rooms there.
We keep the habit of helping them financially every week with a
fixed amount of money … to buy the necessary items: food,
cosmetics, etc., in addition to what they receive from us;
sanitary products, cosmetics, food, clothes and shoes.
We managed to make Romanian documents for the newcomers as well.
Unfortunately, although we managed to get IDs for all of them to be registered in
the health system (most of them having great medical needs), the Romanian system does
NOT recognize these codes … and they are still medically uninsured, which has led to
increased expenses for them in this area:
Serghei Sokolov, the 36 year old man with diabetes, had a very severe (and
dangerous – he was in a coma, he could have lost his life) – hypoglycemia attack (he had
blood sugar 25) and had to be taken by emergency ambulance to the hospital and “put back
on his feet”
Unfortunately, although we managed to get IDs for all of them to be registered in
the health system (most of them having great medical needs), the Romanian system does
NOT recognize these codes … and they are still medically uninsured, which has led to
increased expenses for them in this area:
Serghei Sokolov, the 36 year old man with diabetes, had a very severe (and
dangerous – he was in a coma, he could have lost his life) – hypoglycemia attack (he had
blood sugar 25) and had to be taken by emergency ambulance to the hospital and “put back
on his feet”.
And for Oliviia Sokolova (Sergei’s daughter, born in Galati in March 2022), we did
many medical investigations. Since birth … about 3 months … she cried almost non-stop
(and when she ate; when she slept … she slept only 5-10 minutes and woke up immediately
… and continued crying). Apparently it was the result of stress (caused by the war),
accumulated by the mother during pregnancy. Thank goodness the little girl is now fine.
She cries much less now. She is growing and developing well.
Kira Dragni is the other girl born in Galati (on 29 June 2022) we have not been
able to register her with a family doctor. Doctors are reluctant to take refugees as
patients … knowing that the medical system does not recognize their codes …and that in
the end, they (the doctors) will pay for all the money spent for them (refugees). So we’re in
a big bind …
Viktor Zheldakov is the gentleman with Parkinson’s. He is in great need of help. He
has moments of “rest” of the disease, when he is normal: he moves well, speaks well …
But most of the time he is dependent on his wife (whom we really, really appreciate seeing
how she cares for him with patience, love, tact): even to move from one place to another …
he needs help.
We try to give them all our support to have a full and “normal” life as possible. We are happy that they relate well to each other. There are no tensions between them and also with us, with our whole team.
The children enjoy the playground, the friends (both Ukrainian and Romanian). The
good news is that this summer a special school opened for them for Ukrainian children. This will mean that, from autumn, together with our Romanian children, they will physically go to
school, the Ukrainian children too. It’s a big plus … and we are happy.
We encourage the adults to find jobs. Of the 10 adults, only 3 can work: the 2 boys,
18 years old, who have already found work in the restaurant as a cook’s assistant; and one
of the women, younger, as a cook.
Thank you very much for all the support, encouragement and for the future support we continue to have! We pray that you are blessed, from here in Galati!
We want to give you a short up-date about how the things are going on at Betesda …
At this moment, all the rooms from our homes are full.
We have 3 groups of refugees:
1. A baby (5 months) , a child 4 yrs, the mother and the grandmother. They are Christians.
2. A baby (1 year), 2 children (4 years old), 2 mothers and a grandfather.
They came soooo scared … crying a lot …
Also …. sick. They need lots of treatments …
3. A child (8 yrs), his mother , father and the grandmother. The mother is pregnant with her second child (a girl 
). 8 years ago, in 2014, when she was pregnant with the first child, she was living in Donetk, Ukraine, the disputed area with Russia. The first war started exactly when she had to give birth. Because of the fear and stress, they decided to move in Odessa. After 8 yrs, these days, another war started. She is again pregnant. She run … from Odessa … and came in Romania. Please pray for her. We hope that , any day now, she will have … an healthy child … and also, she will be ok. Her husband (36 yrs), is with her, here. He was able to leave Ukraine because he has a severe form of diabetes. From when hr was 14 yrs. He is taking every day 3 injections on insulin. Very sick 
They are not Christians … and we are privileged to show Christ love to them ……….and we can see on their faces it makes a big difference …… Praise the Lord!!!
Since all of these groups came, I am almost all the time with them. I leave home in the morning … and come back at home very late, in the evening. Even I am very tired (and all the team), we are happy to serve these people … to show them God’s love for them ….
Many of them come sick (because of the fear, of the stress, of not taking their usual medicine, which they need to take, being exposed to viruses, bacteria after living for weeks in crowded basements together with many other peoples, so, please, pray for their healing, for their emotional suffering , for their loved ones left at home … and most important for their salvation ….Pray for us to have constantly – love in our heart, wisdom, patience, strength, and resources ….
Apart of them, we need to continue to do Bethesda work … to care our children .. with lots of challenges ….We will appreciate very much your support in this, too …
Just a short update …A fuuuull week-end past …Friday came to stay with us another mother with her child. We have now, in total 18 people. Yesterday we invited all of them, for lunch, to our home. It was such a joy for us to have them with us !!!!! At the end, we invited them to our church. Today they were in the church. Victoria, the director from R. of Moldova, was with us and she translated for them. They were very, very touched !!!! Only 3 of them were Christians The other are no Christians. Some of them never heard this word: Bible (
). Please continue to pray for their salvation … as they will continue to be with us … Also pray for the 36 yrs old man with diabetic …. very serious. We want to continue to help him more. Some doors opened … to do this. Also, pray for his wife … in around 10 days it is planning for her to have the baby …We will keep you in touch with more news ….
Wednesday March 23With Gods’ help, surgery, Natasha gave birth to a baby girl, 3,200 kg. Praise God !!!!! Both of them are in good health !Also Serghei, Natasha’s husband, with diabetes, is going well with the new treatment. We continue to pray for their salvation !!!!!
Also, last night we received another mother with her child. Pray for them, too ….
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