Sarah Berchtold
President

Born into a family of six older sisters, Sarah learned from an early age that you need to be strong to be heard. Growing up she knew that she wanted to go overseas and help. Sarah vividly remembers a dream she had of leading a group of children out of a war zone to safety. Inspired by women like Gladys Aylward from the movie Inn of the Sixth Happiness and warriors like Joan of Arc and Esther from the Bible, Sarah’s mother always encouraged her to stand for justice and to be a warrior of faith.

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.”

Listen to Sarah Berchtold's interview with Dr. James Dobson on Family Talk Radio: http://drjamesdobson.org/Broadcasts/Broadcast?i=321a0ef9-2eaf-420a-8232-3d130f9546b7

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.

Serving on the board for "Family Talk", Jon possesses the heart of a philanthropist and a passion to preserve the traditional family. Because of his dedication to seeing lives changed and his confidence in what we are doing, we asked Jon Gibson to be one of our advisors for Firm Foundations Romania. He was instrumental in helping us start our 501c3 in the United States and we are thankful for all of his support, advice, and encouragement.

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 process of adopting.

Alisha Sidebottom
Hospital Project Coordinator

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.”

Juliana Timofte
Teenage Project Coordinator

I am from Brasov, Romania and I heard about Firm Foundations Romania through the Greater Grace Church in Brasov. Since 1999 I started attending this church and fell in love with the word of God and the amazing life God has for us in Christ Jesus. I graduated the Bible Institute in Budapest, Hungary. In my last year of Bible College, God placed on my heart a desire to share His life to the people of Peru. God gives the vision and He also brings the provision. One and a half year after the graduation I stepped on Peruvian land. My plans said I would stay in Peru 11months, but God had already prepared 5 amazing years for me to receive from Him while living in Peru. I went there thinking that Peru needed me and I came back saying that I needed Peru.

I have been back in Romania since July not knowing that God had such an amazing ministry prepared for me. I am looking forward to this time in Romania.
I love God because He loved me first. He fills my heart with so much love that I wish to pour it on these precious teenagers that God had placed before me through this amazing Foundation.

Simon & Mary Lynne Mountjoy
Give Back Coordinators

Simon hails from Devon, England, and has a background in horticulture. He first felt drawn to the mission field over ten years ago then, two years ago, things really started to move. Having agreed with Mary Lynne that now was the time to start doing something, they were eventually connected with FFR, and made the commitment to move to Romania long-term.

“I’ve always had a passion for growing food, and have always felt that this was a skill God had given me in order to use abroad. Whilst this is something I will hopefully get to put into practise here in Romania, God is already surprising me with the unexpected ways in which he is using me!”

Mary Lynne grew up in the wilds of Northern Ontario, Canada, where a love for animals and children led her to train as a therapeutic riding instructor. Gradually, through working with children with additional needs, God gave her an increasing heart for mothers, especially for young moms. When her first child was born, she became involved with La Leche League, and found a way to care for both mothers and children by supporting mothers with young families.

“I have always had a deep compassion for anyone marginalized, pushed aside, or who has been unable to thrive due to their circumstance. I’ve had a varied career, as you might say, but always I have found a way to express this desire for others to know life in all its fullness. Life is good - God says so – and I think that as Christians we need to work so that all people can know its goodness, to know their own goodness, and to know the love that God has for them. I am called to follow Christ, and right now this is where He has led me, and I am very grateful to be here, among His people in this beautiful country.”

They come to Romania with their two small children, Rosie (4) and Susanna (1), and their dog, Sam.

Katie Greiner
Donations Coordinator

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.

Raelene Schmalz
Administrator

Coming from my home in British Columbia, 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 led me back to Brasov in January 2011.

In my life, no other experience has impacted me as deeply or blessed me as richly. It is such a priviledge to be called here to serve and show the love of Christ to these people. If you are considering becoming involved with this organization, be encouraged that all that is needed are willing hands and a loving heart.

"Oh, that every true Christian would recollect that he is set as a lighthouse in the midst of a dark world, and would labor so to live that every part of him may reflect light, and no side be dim!" J.C. Ryle

John Greiner
Building Project Assistant

I never thought this would be where God wanted me. If someone were to ask me before this, if I ever thought of volunteering here with my sister, Katie, I would have said, “You kidding? Me, take care of babies? That’s not my thing; I work in the woods, I’ve never even changed a diaper!” Well, God changed my heart through reading the scriptures and when Katie asked me in late 2011 about coming during my break from work there was no longer this hesitation or unwillingness that was present before. So I first came here for three weeks in January 2012. When I got home to Minnesota I thought that was “quite an experience” and moved on with life.

But God wasn’t finished with me. Throughout the next year of 2012 I felt continually drawn back to Romania. I couldn’t understand why. I prayed often, wondering why I felt I needed to go back. When Katie was home for a visit that August, I realized it was because God saw a lot more work to be done in my heart and that if I was going to follow Him this was where He was leading me. So I talked to Katie about volunteering the next year when my job ended and decided to come here from March until around Christmas time 2013.

I’m excited and humbled to be serving our Lord here this year. I will be helping Simon with the building project as well as working with the little ones in the hospital.

Narcisa Corbu
Teenage Project Assistant

"Hello, my name is Corbu Narcisa, I am 21 years old and I am from Busteni. I've lived in Brasov for the past 2 years studying accounting at the Transilvania University. I am a Christian attending the Greater Grace Church in Brasov. I started working with the FFR children since November 2012 and I love it."

Narcisa works with our Teenage project, helping to tutor and mentor the Teens. It is a blessing to have yet another Romanian be part of shaping the lives of these young people.

Ani &Laurentiu Gabora
Project Assistants

My name is Ani Gabora, 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.

My name is Laurentiu Gabora, 34 years old, owner of a construction machinery attachments company and I am from Brasov. I am married and have a wonderful 6 months old boy, Mark. I have found out about the great work of FIRM Foundation from my wife , Ania who already was involved with Firm Foundations for quite some time and I have decided to try to help as much as I can with the boys inside the program and possibly, to offer them a glance of what they can become if they will fight for their future through education, study and good behavior.
I sincerely hope that my activity together with Firm Foundation will make a great difference in those kids life.

Lydia Shade
Assistant/Translator

Lydia is from Romania, but has been living in Atlanta, Georgia for the past 15 with her husband and two children. Lydia has long had a passion for helping the underpriviliged of Romania, as her and her husband met while ministering to street children in Bucharest.

Lydia has been working with FFR for the past year as both a translator and an assistant for our Mom's Program. Having a Romanian woman in the hospital to connect with the mothers there has been a huge blessing and having the perspective of a mother has helped further our project there with the young women struggling with motherhood.

Rosie Dobrota
Assistant/Translator

Rosie has been a friend to FFR for many years. Born in Mexico, she met her husband working on a cruise ship and moved to Romania where they have three children.

Rosie began working with us as a translator for various projects, mainly our Give Back project in Budila. As we developed our Mom's Program Rosie became a great wealth of knowledge and helped us structure the program into what it is today. Working with Alisha Sidebottom she helped make pamphlets and informative handouts for the Mom's and she continues to plan craft projects for the them while they stay in the hospital. 

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