Sarah Berchtold
President

From Massachusetts to California, Sarah first came to Romania in November 2003 with Youth with a Mission to work with street kids and orphans. She fell in love with Brasov and came back independently the following year to figure out what God was calling her to do. A friend referred Sarah to an American school to substitute teach, and after a year, she became a full time elementary school teacher. During this time, she also began volunteering at a large orphanage in Brasov. After the state orphanages closed down in 2005, Sarah and Steffi ventured to the Brasov Children's Hospital to find the children that were still in a social crisis.

Four years later, Sarah is now the president of Firm Foundations Romania. She received her Romanian residency in 2009 and considers Brasov her second home. “Always remember to keep stepping out of your comfort zones because you never know what God has in store for you.”

Stefanie (Steffi) Vogel
Vice-President

While volunteering at the orphanage, Steffi fell in love with a little girl named Roxana. She first took Roxi in placement in 2004 and began to work towards her adoption. After four long years, Steffi completed the adoption in 2008! During this time, Steffi volunteered alongside Sarah in the hospital working with the abandoned and semi-abandoned children left in their cribs.

During the years, Steffi took out two more children who had been left for months in the hospital and she is currently working on adopting both of them. “There is nothing more satisfying and touching to me than making a sad and lonely baby smile and feel loved.”

http://www.dornstetten-evangelisch.de/cms/startseite/missionsprojekte/stefanie-vogel/

Mary Buckalo
Secretary

Mary came to Romania in March 2008 to visit a friend for three weeks. During that time, she volunteered in the hospital and quickly realized that she wanted to spend more time holding and loving the babies. The beautiful city of Brasov, the friends that she had made, and the opportunity to serve God in this capacity all captured her heart. Mary extended her trip for two more months before returning to Texas to move out of her apartment.

Mary returned to Brasov in July as a long term volunteer for Firm Foundations Romania. She feels blessed to have the opportunity to serve the country of Romania and to love the children who so desperately need to be loved.

Jon Gibson
Board Director

Jon Gibson, president of the Jon Gibson Company, is a real estate developer in California who has developed residential and business properties in eight cities over the last 34 years. His favorite real estate development project was the relocation of Focus on the Family from Southern California to a new campus in Colorado Springs.

http://www.jongibsoncompany.com

Ron Kubek
Advisor

We first met Ron Kubek in Romania in 2006 when he traveled with his church when they came to do a home makeover and volunteer with us at the hospital. Since then Ron has traveled to Romania twice a year to volunteer with us and see the progress of our association. We have asked Ron to be an advisor and Mentor for Firm Foundations Romania since one of his skills is helping individuals and businesses as a motivator and coach to grow and reach their potential. Since working with us in this role, Ron has helped us form a strong team with great systems and has helped to hold us accountable to all our goals and plans. Ron has also helped us form many great connections to people that he knows to further assist in funding. His heart is with the children and people of Romania and whenever we have an issue or project and we get stuck, we like to turn to Ron for his guidance, wisdom and fundraising abilities. He can really see the benefits to what we are doing here.

Ron is also involved in other volunteer works including Habitat for Humanity and has worked in Comanesti Romania many times with the local affiliate.

Check out some of his projects and thoughts at www.ronkubek.com/blog

Gabi Slavitescu
Social Worker

Gabi is the social worker at the Brasov Children’s Hospital and works alongside Firm Foundations Romania. Sarah and Steffi first met Gabi in the hospital back in 2006 where she was the key player in helping to start the hospital project. "Without Gabi our projects could have never started," quoted Sarah Berchtold. “She truly is the voice for the voiceless in Romania." Gabi Slavitescu is married and has two children, one of whom she is in the middle of adopting.

Ioana Agliceriu
Project Assistant

Hello, my name is Ioana Agliceriu and I am from Brasov. I met the FFR team in December 2011 and I feel blessed for it. I feel so grateful to be part of such a wonderful team that does so much for our community. I've held babies, fed them, and changed diapers for the first time during shifts alongside experienced people. Even though it's been such a short period I feel I am evolving by the second and learning during each meeting with the team. I've never met people more loving and open to others than these girls. When I see their determination to change things, it makes me want even more to help them fight all the barriers and make a difference. If there would be more people in the world like this team, it would be a better place to live in.

I thank Him every day for making this possible and showing me there can be another way of helping and giving back to those who aren't as fortunate. I just hope I can return all the love and care that He has shown me all my life.

Alisha Sidebottom
Head Supervisor

I first came to Romania in 2008 as a short term volunteer. After spending three weeks here I knew I wanted to come back long term. I did not know how this could happen but I knew that my heart was pulling in the direction of helping the children of Romania. After much prayer and preparation, exactly one year later I returned to Brasov. God has been so faithful to provide for me to stay in this country.

It is amazing to watch these children grow and develop in ways that once seemed impossible. I have worked with children for many years, and working with these babies that are in high risk situations has changed me in ways that I never could imagine. Being a part of these children's lives and watching them develop and grow has been a great joy. As I continue to serve in this country God continues to open up doors to work with the people of Romania. Working with FFR has shown me that "With God all things are possible.”

Raelene Schmalz
Supervisor

I traveled to Romania at the beginning of 2010 after talking to a friend who had volunteered with FFR. Feeling led to volunteer I came to Brasov and spent three months working at the children’s hospital. It did not take long for me to fall in love with the precious children and with the team of remarkable people serving here.  After much thoughtful prayer I am very happy that God has led me back to Brasov. In my life, no other experience has impacted me as deeply, blessed me as richly, or allowed me to learn and grow as much. What a blessing to be called to serve here and show the love of Christ with these people. If you are considering becoming involved with this organization, please be encouraged that all that is needed are willing hands and a loving heart.

“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need.  My power works best in weakness.'  So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

Erin Deale
Teenage Coordinator

For as long as I can remember, God has put a desire in my heart to live and serve overseas for at least a year; however, I never thought it would be in Europe.  I’ve been on many missions trips and with each trip came an inquiry “Is this the place?”  It wasn’t until March of 2011 when I came with a team from my church in Michigan to help Firm Foundations Romania establish a baby closet that I knew this was “the place!”  Having more than ten years experience in social work serving at-risk children and families was a perfect fit for the current needs of FFR to strengthen and expand their outreach programs to the children in the hospital and the teens and families in Budila.  My personal mission within social work is for every person to know that someone believes in them and that they are worth something.  That is my mission here as well.  As I work with the teenage project, hold a baby in the hospital or talk with parents in Family Sponsorship, it is my prayer that each and every one of them know that they are a child of God and they have been created for a great purpose: to love and be loved.

Katie Greiner
Supervisor

Ever since I was little, I have felt God calling me to care for the orphaned and abandoned; and when I was 17, God started leading my heart towards Romania. At the time, I had no idea how it would happen, but knew that He would someday bring me here. After volunteering with FFR for 2 months in the fall of 2010, there was no doubt left in my heart that this is where God was leading me. I returned to Brasov at the end of March 2011, and am so happy and thankful to be able to serve God here in this way. To have this opportunity to love these babies, wipe away their tears and bring a smile to their faces, to hold them and make them feel safe and loved, to sing the little ones to sleep... nothing else I've experienced can ever compare to this. I do not know all that God has planned for me, but I am thankful for every day I have here and my heart is at rest knowing that I am where He wants me at this point in my life.

Mada Ivan
Assistant/Translator

My name is Mada and I am from Brasov. I started working with FFR in August 2010 but at first I thought I will help them only with paperwork and translation. Later, after I did some shifts in the hospital, I realized how precious their help is for all those cute little babies and decided I want to continue volunteering in the hospital. It is a joy every time I am there, holding those babies, feeding and changing them, and showing the abundant love and mercy of God. I've always wanted to help those in need but doing it in my own city makes me even happier.

I know that God loves all those babies and He has many plans for Romania. I am blessed to be part of this wonderful team, serving this country that I love and making a difference. Romania needs change and every time I am involved in a project, whether it is MOMS, Give Back, Teenage Girls or my afternoon shift in the hospital, I can see the change right in front of me!

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Acts 20:35

Ani Mircea
Translator

My name is Ani Mircea, I'm from Brasov, Romania. I am a psychologist and I am working with autistic kids. When Sarah and Steffi first asked me to join their team I was SO impressed about everything that was happening there and I felt the urge to try and be a small part of it.  From then, I tried to participate and help at any event I was needed at.

I really respect and cherish everything FFR is doing in Romania and I'm honored to know all these amazing people.