People all over the world value milk for many reasons. It is nourishing, delicious, and comforting. Without thinking of its worth in many countries, we in America pour milk over cereal, use it to make gravy to spoon over hot biscuits, and enjoy it with freshly baked cookies.
But for many Romanians, having good milk on a regular basis is a luxury they cannot afford. For them, raising a goat or cow for milk is becoming increasingly difficult. Large farms are taking over in some communities, plowing much of the pastureland. This makes it difficult or impossible for those with little means to find sufficient grazing land for animals. Some villages once had 100 to 200 cows, but now have only 5 to 20.
Each week, Christian workers drive to Romanian villages to deliver milk to more than 1,500 people. Milk may not seem like a large or significant gift, but it is treasured by the elderly and handicapped and by young families with children. The weekly deliveries also pave the way to build relationships with some of Romania’s most vulnerable. Many elderly recipients look forward to receiving their milk supply for the week. With anticipation, they sit outside to await the delivery man.
One elderly Romanian widow, Elena, is in her seventies and deals with chronic illness. On top of her own health struggles, she cares for her three handicapped children. Her only income, a government pension of less than $225 per month, doesn’t reach far, especially with her family’s medical needs. The milk she receives eases her burdens a little. Like her, other struggling Romanians express their thanks for this nutritious blessing.
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