Livada Orphan Care Inc

I have spent many years partnering, encouraging, supporting, and praying for Livada Orphan Care. They bring Hope, love, care, for children who have been abandoned, scarred and labeled as societies out casts.

The Livada staff are very warm, welcoming and loving. Their passion for the children they care for is so very apparent and genuine. While in Romania our team stayed comfortably at Casa Rene and joined the staff in a week of summer camp. It was a wonderful experience to work with people who love the Lord and are excited to share His gospel message to all. They are a wonderful organization. July 2024 Michelle W

Ma numesc Galaczi Zoltan ( ZOLI ). Am trai la Casa de Copii Ludus. Am trait clipe minunate alaturi de voi, iar pentru aceasta va sunt foarte recunscator! Sunteti o echipa deosebita si profesionisti devotati in a ajuta copiii orfani si defavorizati! Cu respect Zoltan Galaczi ( ZOLI )

I'm not American, and possibly that's why this org simply stunned me. Why, of all places, would you put in so much effort, for the kids of a tiny, unknown, area of Romania? So I went, and I saw, and it left me changed for the (so much) better.

It's hard to put into words the greatness of the people that I had the pleasure of working with. I've volunteered for Livada for about 2 years and it's been a fantastic opportunity to bring change to my community, to be able to work with so many wonderful kids, other energic volunteer, and larger than life staff.

Keep up the good work!

I had the wonderful privilege of being part of a team working with Livada the Summer of 2001! It was definitely a life changing experience. God had allowed me to live in Romania as a missionary kid years prior to this trip. However, it was during the time spent with Bruce and the other leadership that I became aware of my own deep desire to serve in Romania! We lived and lead Camps, VBS style, for hundreds of orphans over the course of the summer. The Gospel
was clearly presented day after day as we had the honor of loving these precious children! That was the first summer Livada impacted Romania and my life, but it’s ministry and work continue to inspire and bless uncountable numbers to this day. I am a supporter and a benefactor of my time spent on a short term mission trip with Livada Orphan Care!

Livada rescues the souls of children and empowers them. They are doing unbelievable work!

An outstanding ministry that I was lucky to serve alongside of for 5 summers! Livada goes above and beyond when caring for and meeting the physical, spiritual, and emotional needs of orphans in Romania!

Livada Orphan Care provides support and care of children from newborns to teenagers. We, my family and I, had the opportunity to join Livada in Romania as volunteers. We hosted teens aged 15-18 for a week of music, athletics, arts & crafts, and games. The Livada full-time staff was everywhere, managing the week and keeping the volunteers and attendees on track, safe, and having a great experience. We could see the teens responding to the attention and fun and really enjoying themselves. It was a real summer break for everyone. Livada also hosted us on an tour of different opportunities for service as well; they provide orphan care Summer programs, after school, small group, and hospital volunteers. Our experience with Livada led to our continued support for the last 8+ years. The work they are doing with under-served children, providing them opportunities and changing lives, is inspiring. We enjoy reading the updates and newsletters and look forward to some day soon, we hope, going back to serve again.

I have been on mission with Livada 3 times. Between myself and others in our family, we've been on a total of 5 mission trips with them. Livada has a strong partnership with the people of Romania, and I've watched them develop great programs over the years. I've had the joy of working with 3 different groups on the 3 trips I took, once with children and teens from orphanages across the country, once with a small group of orphan teens, and once with abandoned babies. Livada does a great job reaching out to the many needs of the children in Romania, and also communicates constantly what they are doing so that we can keep praying for those in need there. We currently sponsor 4 children there with the help of Livada and get to see how our donations are helping those there. I hope to go back to Romania with Livada soon.

I volunteered as a summer intern years ago and loved it so much that I moved over! Livada is a great organization with an amazing staff both stateside and in Romania. They are dedicated to making a difference and developing fruit that will last.

Served as a summer intern in 2010 and revisited for a week in 2015. Had such an incredible experience serving with this organization. Bruce is an incredible leader. I'm extremely thankful for the summer in Romania that helped shape my life and lead me to where I am now.

I went to Romania with Livada Orphan Care in 2012. The work that Livada does is truly amazing. We held a 5 day camp for foster children, visited the group homes, the gypsy village, and the Baby Hospital, having the opportunity to show Jesus' love to these children. It was a great week and I saw God at work through the services and programs that LIvada provides.

I first went to Romania with Livada Orphan Care in the summer of 2003. It was an eye opening experience that forever changed my life as I spent a week working with at a summer camp. The next summer I went again to Romania with Livada Orphan Care and spent two weeks serving with the ministry at a summer camp. I ended up going to Romania for the next two consecutive winters and was able to work closely with Livada Orphan Care's home ministries wherein we met with kids at their group homes and also visited kids in orphanages.
Livada Orphan Care is a wonderful ministry and I would gladly work with them again!

I have been a supporter and volunteer with Livada in Romania. They are a great organization that does great work with children. The people on staff are some of the most caring individuals I have ever worked with. The impact on children's lives is really incredible and will last for eternity. My involvement with Livada began over 5 years ago and I still remain as committed to their work as when I first heard about them. They have my complete endorsement.

Livada is a very caring and compassionate organization. Their ministry to children of all ages is exceptional, and the results show in the lives of the kids. My husband and I have been part of Livada for over 6 years, and I’ve had the tremendous privilege of serving on two different trips. We love the staff who work so diligently and conscientiously with the kids, and of course, we’ve fallen in love with many of the kiddos. I give this organization my highest recommendation and look forward to continuing to partner with them.

Livada does great work for the abandoned children and the gypsies in Romania. The organisation helps clean up gypsy villages in addition to their focus on helping young orphans. For example, they help young toddlers develop in both physical, mental, and emotional growth.

I love Livada Orphan Care! I spent this past summer as a Livada camp intern in Romania and was encouraged by the Romanian and American staff's love for the kids in orphan care. I am so thankful to have been able to witness staff love on these kids all summer long. I admired and learned from their dedication to having fruitful relationships with the kids that proclaim the gospel. The Lord is working miracles in Romania & I am confident that He is using staff at Livada as a tool to do so. I am so thankful to have been able to be a part of this ministry this summer & can't wait to return!

I've volunteered with Livada for the past 5 years. It's been really encouraging to see how the missionaries invest consistently and sacrificially with the kids they work with in Targu Mures.

We have supported Livada Orphan Care for years. The staff and missionaries really care about the children they serve and build lasting relationships with them. They hold, feed, and care for babies. They play soccer, hold weekly Bible studies, and hang out with the older kids. Summer consists of VBS type camps, which the kids love! When you donate to Livada, you know your money is going to help children in Romania. That is important to me.

I served as a summer intern with Livada working alongside Romanian staff and American Missionaries. It was a wonderful summer to be able to work with Romanian Orphans and abandoned children. This organization is greatly being used to reach the lost in Romania. The staff works diligently investing their whole lives into this ministry. I am grateful I had the opportunity to serve them and serve alongside them. The previous summer my church went on a week long trip and this encouraged me to return the next summer as an intern. Our church continues to partner with Livada and send teams to continue the Lord’s work in Romania.

My daughter and I served with Livada for a week in July. The Livada team was welcoming, prepared and went out of their way to make us feel a part of their team and ministry. We got to experience many different aspects of their ministry. At every turn, they were seeking to build relationships with the children they serve and make the summer a meaningful time in preparation for their ministry for the rest of the year. Their decisions and vision are well thought through. We have also supported Livada Interns and full-time missionaries over many years. I have no hesitation at continuing to support and participate with Livada.

The work that I have witnessed with Livada Orphan Care is the most selfless work I have seen. The staff has such a passion for serving the kids that is evident in everything they do.

Foundation Livada in Holland works together with LOC since 2008! LOC is a very serious and good organisation. They work with their heart and give all the love they have to the orphane kids! Together we Will make the world better, together we Will make it!

I've been working as a volunteer with Livada and contributing financially for the last several years. This organization and its founder are a model for other organizations that to follow.

Visiting the baby hospital during the summer and seeing first hand the love and commitment from the Livada staff was incredible. It was evident that they love those babies so much and invest into each one. I left there knowing the God is surely working through this organization and making a huge impact in the lives of these children.

Loved our time in Romania serving the orphans. It was a great opportunity for my then 12 year old daughter and I to do a mission trip together and to learn about another culture. We could see that this organization was making a huge impact for Christ serving these children and sharing God's love with them.

This past summer (2016) was my 4th trip to Romania to work with Livada Orphan Care. This year we had a team of 15 that worked a week in Summer camp working with State orphans. THERE are no words to describe the experience but I will give it a try....exhilarating, heart warming, faith building, exhausting, lovely. The love, kindness and compassion that the Livada team shares is transforming. MY 14 yr old daughter served at my side and her life has forever been changed. You can't leave Romania without a new and fresh look at life as you know it. MAY God continue to bless their efforts in caring for the children of Romania.

Livada has given me a lot more than I could give them. I have volunteered as a translator for 3 years, and I learned how to be kind and all the ways I can use my skills to help people and to put a smile on someone who really needs it.

WOW! Volunteering with Livada Orphan Care was such a blessing! As we loved upon precious lives, we made friends and experienced joy that can only come from true love! Thank you LOC for loving the one and listening to the Fathers heart

I served with Livada as a team member with my church one summer and then as an intern a few summers after. The heart for Jesus and children this ministry has is endearing. I loved being a part of this ministry and literally being the hands and feet of Jesus. This ministry isn't just about going, sharing Jesus and leaving....they plant roots, they share Jesus, build enduring relationships and bring glory to Jesus' name!

I served with Livada briefly in 2014. What a privilege to work alongside an ethical, caring and effective Godly ministry that truly cares about changing lives of children and young adults.

This organization is amazing! They are truly servants who pour their lives into serving the Romanian children, orphans, and people. I volunteered with them for several years and couldn't have been more blessed! Wonderful organization!

I was a volunteer this summer. And Livada is the place where I met awesome and heart-loving people, both from staff and other volunteers. For me it was a first-time but they really made me feel like I was part of something bigger, I was part of their familly. There is not a bad thing I can say about this nonprofit organization.

I am impressed with the heart of the leadership of Livada Orphan Care. Their love for the Lord and for seeing the orphans in Romania grow, thrive and develop healthy relationships with adult mentors is encouraging. My church has begun to gather donations and such for the ministry and my 20 yr old daughter was a summer intern at LOC this past summer 2015. It was life changing for her and she wants to continue in some capacity to serve the orphans she mentored. Livada Orphan Care is a solid, well structured ministry that has a deep impact on the lives of Romanian orphans.

This organization changes lives every day. Their impact will be felt for generations to come!

Awesome organization !!! My wife and I keep coming back year after year to see the fruit of this ministry.

I have personally worked with this ministry for multiple years. Livada is an ethical and fiscally responsible non-profit organization. I would recommend it to anyone seeking to invest or donate to a ministry that helps children.

Excellent Charity, that is making the world a better place.

So dedicated to the children in Romania. The full time team stateside and in county are wonderfully humble. Love how it's a life long commitment to the kids, a true family!

They do outstanding work placing Romanian orphans with American families. I have know Livada for years and i recommend them without reservation.

This is the best place for a kid to be raised, helped, take care of, loved and nurtured!!! Here I found people with a genuine heart to help and love those who are helpless and were unloved! But now they are loved and have hope for tomorrow!

I am blessed to be a part of Livada's story. The ministry is holistic. Livada Orphan Care is helping abandoned babies, preschoolers, school aged kids and teens, and even young adult orphan graduates by sharing the Good News with them AND offering practical hope. Most importantly they are trying to find Romanian forever families for the abandoned kids and offering training to the at-risk Roma kids families so that they can stay together and work their way out of poverty. Livada daily cares for 40+ kids in their full time care, 300+ orphan kids in state care, and 200+ at-risk Gypsy kids. The LOC team is AMAZING and so are the volunteer opportunities year round.

Wonderful ministry!!! The staff really care about loving and serving.

I have served with the Livada Staff in the passed and have followed the Livada ministry from its infancy. 'Blessed people bless people' is the best was to describe the Livada team and all the kids, caregivers, policy makers and surrounding community they touch!

I have volunteered with Romania as a member of short-term mission teams and as a summer intern. Each of my experiences with Livada has been eminently fruitful--the methods, motivations, and vision of Livada's staff evidence a profound compassion for the orphans and at-risk children they serve. Their work is undoubtedly both important and effective.

I just returned from a month-long trip to Romania. Working with Livada and the orphans was one of the greatest blessings of my life. Livada is doing amazing work with orphans, translators and many others involved with the ministry. I am now sponsoring one of the orphans in State care. We're planning to take the entire family back next year.

For many years I have been associated with Livada Orphan Care through their sponsorship program which enabled me to help a young girl with some of her needs. I have grown to love her like my own. She was 8 when I started the journey and now she is 15. The Livada staff does an absolutely outstanding job of keeping the sponsors updated on the progress of each child you help. They are the most organized and successful staff with their ministry of any I am honored to help. Last summer and again this summer, I was able to go to Romania and meet my girl and work with the children of the camp we support. It was an experience I will carry in my heart forever. You see I am 72 years old and for me to carry out such mission work was a true miracle of God. Thank you for giving me the opportunity of expressing my love of this non profit group called Livada Orphan Care.
Ellie Langston

Livada Orphan Care is positively impacting the future of Romania by meeting the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of its orphans. Livada has a proven track record of shepherding the most vulnerable children in Romanian society, children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds, through adolescence and on to healthy, independent and successful adulthood. Livada's work is changing orphan-care approaches and practices throughout Romania, exposing and stopping systemic corruption and child abuse as they are encountered, and involving caring and concerned individuals and churches in Romania, in EU countries and in the US, in an ever-broadening scope. We live and work in a formerly communist country that borders Romania. We have a pretty good idea of how difficult it is to affect systemic change in a place like Romania. We marvel and praise God for what he is doing through Livada as we follow its work remotely through email and social media. Jesus Christ came to earth to set the captives free. He desires that HIs followers do the same in His name and in His strength. He is accomplishing just that through Livada.

I was an intern for the summer in Romania. Wow. Talk about life-changing! I would have never been able to experience anything like it if it wasn't for Livada. They not only prepared us physically and mentally for the trip, but spiritually as well. Each person that I talked with was so nice and personal;God truly worked through their words, actions and emotions.

I spent the summer of 2013 as an intern with Livada Orphan Care in Targu Mures, Romania. My experience was incredible, and with such a multifaceted approach the orphan problem, I was able to see the rescue effort from a variety of angles. It was challenging, encouraging, touching, and exciting to so many different children cared for and protected by LIvada. Their work is incredible, and their heart for these kids is unmatched. They long to change the world, and they are starting here. I am blessed to have been a part of it.
As an intern, I spent 7 weeks at a summer camp, caring for both orphaned children in state custody, as well as children from a nearby gypsy village. The opportunity to love on these kids and encourage hope is a treasure that is indescribable and invaluable.

I have volunteered with livada orphan care since it was founded. Livada is an exceptional organization who's staff and volunteers deeply care about people. Their efforts are focused and the staff and leadership are people of integrity. When you support, pray, or volunteer with Livada you can be sure that your partnership will be fruitful and filled with wonderful memories that will last forever!

We have worked with Livada for several years now and have been to Romania on four times with them. The work that Livada has been lead to perform in Romania with these kids is amazing and has such a positive impact on the surrounding area.

Livada Orphan Care is a wonderful heartfelt organization. I was able to to go there 4 years ago and do summer camps with the kids. Even though I haven't been able to personally go back, I have had the pleasure of supporting all their many efforts to love and and care for the many needs there. From physical to spiritual needs Livada cares for and impacts the lives of these children. Giving them hope and the support they need for a bright future.

Our family is been involved with LIvada for more than a decade. It changed our lives. We are grateful that we have been able to serve the Lord through this ministry in Romania. The work they do in Romania is wonderful. We have done several summer camps, baby orphan ministry, children sponsorships, prevention of abandonment programs, humanitarian aid. We have developed deep relationships with the LOC kids, the staff and volunteers. I would recommend anyone Livada!

Outstanding organization that works and cares for orphan kids in Romania.

I have spend 10 days each of the past 2 years and will be spending another week with Livada Orphan care in Romania in October 2013. Seeing the impact this organization had had on children that I've just been able to witness over the past two years, but that has actually been years and years in the making has shown me what it means to be 'in the game' for the long-haul. Livada is in the community in Targu Mures, Romania and getting the opportunity serve along side them is a pleasure and highlight of my year every year.

My husband and I have worked with Livada for 2 years now, traveling overseas 4 times alreafy, getting ready to head back again in October to work with these kids. We have had a wonderful and fulfilling experience every time. Livada is a great choice of organizations to serve with. It is a blessing to be a part of what they are doing!

Livada Orphan Care has changed my view on what holistic life change and impact really should look like. I spent some time volunteering with their summer ministry, but have also seen the behind-the-scenes planning, prayer, and strategy state-side as well. Their desire to see children impacted by Jesus while also developing into secure, independent, excited and contributing members of Romanian society has had an enormous impact on the lives of the children they serve.

I have volunteered with this ministry for many years. I have seen incredible blessings on the children within Livada's care. As they enter a family atmosphere for the first time in their lives, they begin to blossom. As they are discipled, they learn to walk in faith. For those who have attended Livada summer camps or Bible clubs, they hear God's truth spoken and lived out so their hearts are moved to live in God's light. Babies who are confined in state "baby hospitals" receive love and attention but even more, they work with manipulation and care. It's amazing to see a four-year old child take his first steps, preparing them for Livada's Foster-to-Adopt program! The vision for Livada continues to grow and touch the lives of more at-risk orphans and gypsy children.

I spent two months as an intern for Livada Orphan Care, and I was very impressed with how the organization was run. The staff in Dallas and the staff in Romania all worked efficiently together and were completely dedicated to serving the children of Romania. I am proud to have worked with such a passionate organization and I am excited to be working with them in the future.

I have participated in five trips with Livada Orphan Care to the country of Romania in the past two years. They are a very well organized with all of the planning and executing of each trip that I've been a part of. From Bruce Thomas on down to the staff at Livada in Dallas, they are very helpful and dedicated to the ministry to the ophans. The staff in Romania are very kind and extremely efficient with maintaining a schedule for the number of people that visit each year. They also demonstrate a committment to the ministry that they provide to orphaned and at-risk children and teens in Romania.

I served with livada in Romania this past summer. We had a fantastic experience. God is using livada in mighty ways to make a lasting impact on the orphans they work with.

Livada Orphan Care is a wonderful ministry to orphans in Romania. We have supported them financially for years and began sponsoring a child monthly this past January. Our family will be going on a mission trip to minister at Livada July 6-15. We are so excited! Wendy Howard

I have been volunteering for Livada in Romanian for almost 6 years now. It has been an absolute privilege and joy to love, pray for, and minister to the orphan children of Targu Mures County through Livada. Our goal is simple, to love abandoned and at risk children with the love of their Heavenly Father and to impact their lives for eternity. Our methods for demonstrating this love are many- from singing, playing games, doing crafts and building relationships to parenting, teaching important life skills, mentoring and training them for independence. While I moved to Romania to impact others, my life has been forever changed through my time serving with Livada.

I had a really wonderful time working as a volunteer for Livada Orphan Care and being there for the kids that whenever they see your, they fill your life with joy and smiles.

I had the amazing opportunity to go to Romania with Livada Orphan Care last fall. The trip was nothing short of life changing. Bruce and all of the staff in Romania were passionate, knowledgeable, friendly and welcoming. As I was the only volunteer on this particular trip, I was worried about feeling alone or out of place in a country where I knew no one, not much of the culture and little of the language, however, the minute I met Livada's staff I knew I was with family. During the days I spent in Targu-Mures, I built relationships, met some of the most amazing children in the world, and truly helped to show the love of Jesus to those in need. Livada allowed all of this to happen. They serve a country in need with the highest standard of excellence in their administration, execution, and organization - more importantly than that - they serve the people of Romania with a passion that is deeper than any words can properly articulate. I think of Romania every single day and look forward to serving with Livada again.

My daughter, Dana Cortright, was one of the first Americans to go over to Romania with Bruce Thomas to found Livada Orphan Care. We visited her that year - about 9 years ago - and fell in love with Romania and with the vision Livada has to change the lives of orphans and at-risk gypsy villages!

I have volunteered for Livada twice now and this summer I will be going my third time. Each time has been different but also a new life changing experience for me. Livada is an organization dedicated to the Romanian people and loving on orphans and gypsies and the Romanian people. With every experience that I have through Livada and their incredible staff, I have a growing love and passion of children and their families. I believe that through the experiences that I have had, thanks to Livada, I have had my calling from God confirmed over and over. The range of opportunities that Livada provides is outstanding and each of them is an amazing blessing to those involved and those that are being served.

My family and I got involved in Livada Orphan Care a little over a year ago and it has been a huge blessing to us ever since. Livada does so many special things for orphans in Romania. They are the “mother and father” to 27 orphans in their direct care – providing for their needs – physically, mentally, and spiritually. Livada also volunteers at the community’s baby hospital where babies and toddlers are abandoned by their parents. This aspect of the organization is particularly dear to my heart. These babies are abandoned and the staff of the hospital is busy taking care of sick patients; therefore these babies get little to no interaction every day. They become mentally and physically delayed in many cases due to the lack of human contact and interaction. That is where Livada has stepped in to help. Weekly Livada goes to the hospital to interact, feed, play, and help these babies any way they can. Many times a visit from Livada’s staff is the only contact they will get so it is much needed in their development and growth. Lastly, Livada has outreach with the gypsy villages. They love on and help the children in the villages and work with the gypsy families to help reduce abandonment of their children in the future. Livada is a worthwhile organization that is truly a light in Romania. I am blessed to be able to play a part in it.

I volunteered this year to work in the Livada Orphan Camps. I traveled with my 10 year old son and we spent time supporting the camp for the children in the local village in Romania. It was life-changing. The work that Livada does is life-changing for these kids. They are introduced to Christ and see HIS work through the work of Livada. We went to the baby hospital and loved on the babies and spent time at the home where the kids live. Livada Orphan Care is amazing organization that I am proud to be a part of and I will definitely go back and work with these orphans again!!!

I participated on a trip with Livada last summer for ten days. The amount we accomplished and the number of kids we reached out to, far exceeded my expectations! I was so impressed that currently I am back in Romania serving for 10 weeks with Livada. They are such a blessing to so many! They leave no life left unchanged!

Livada is a loving parent to many adandened kids in Romania.  We have adopted 40+ children who now live in group homes, away from the challenges and horrors of their former lives.  We also go to  adandened children in the local orphanages and impoverished villages with two goals: love the little ones where they are, and work towards abandon preventionment.  It is my joy to serve with this team, to see more than just shoes, clothes and backpacks handed out.  It is the opportunity to love the babies and kids when no one else will.  While I serve remotely in the US I have the upmost respect for the Romanian team and their commitment.  My family has been blessed to support Kristina, see here grow up these many years, just like our children. 

Ever since I was a little girl (40 some years ago), I had the urge to help orphan children. It wasn't until 2011 (when I became a so called orphan myself after losing both of my parents) that I had the opportunity to go to Targu Mures, Romania, to partner with Livada Orphan Care. I was very blessed to have taken my two daughters as well. It was such a life changing experience for all of us. Our role was to be camp counselors for approximately 80 orphans. I was very amazed to see how this organization helps with the at-risked and orphaned children that I returned once again in January of 2012 to help with their very first boot drop. . This time I was able to spend a little more time getting to know the staff and their heart....and wow! They truly have a heart for these children. Once again I was blown away to know that they care about every aspect of the child's life - from infancy to adulthood. This time I was able to go into some of the villages and wash the children's feet and present them with a new pair of socks, a new pair of Roma boots, and a chance to pray with each one. We were able to minister to over 600 children! Needless to stay, Livada has become very close to my heart. I believe God is going to continue to do a mighty work with them as they continue to seek His guidance on how to care for these children of this county. I am returning once again in July 2012. This time I am leading a team of 26 from my church to go and partner once again with them. We will have 3 separate ministries heping out. Some of our members will be going to the baby hospital in Ludas to help with the abandoned baies, some will once again volunteer as camp counselors to the Ogra Gypsys, and the rest will be on the construction site volunteering their service to projects. I am looking forward to this trip to Romania once again to see the children that Livada reaches out to. Because I have firsthandedly seen the heart of this ministry, I will continue to support their efforts and tell others of their heart.

I had chance through this organization to travel in USA 3 times, to be an exchange student in the Netherlands, I accomplished my academic education with LIVADA ORPHAN CARE help both in Romanian - undergraduate and MA level overseas. While I was in Romania I also had the chance to develop my social work skills by volunteering for over 5 years in this organization. Amazing stuff I have done in this organization. Now I am a mature 28 years old guy able to get into society and face all the challenges are posed. Thank you LIVADA.

I was working as a social worker in a group home and was looking for a new challenge in my life. So I was throughout the last summer visiting several organizations in Romania. And I decided to work as a volunteer with Livada. I spend one day each week with the kids of a gypsy community together with 10 other volunteers. We try to have a fun time with them, to play games, to hear a bible story, to eat snacks, to talk to each other ... but we try as well to have an impact on their behaviour and life. So they have to come with clean faces and hands and we try to build relationships with them, so that we can support them when they are going through difficult times. From the fall on, we will start to work in a separate setting with the teenager girls (talking about Hygiene, prevention of Human Trafficking, relationship with the other sex, behaviour in public, ...). When we have enough funds together we would like to start a day center in this village. Than we would be able to help a group of kids through school, so that they are remaining going to school and have a place to get extra help and do their homework in a quiet place. But to start with that, we need ground and a building with the necessary facility. And that is just one project of Livada.

I just recently returned from my second missions trip with Livada Orphan Care. What an awesome ministry! My first trip was in 2010 and my first missions trip ever. Both trips were very fruitful in serving Orphans, Infants, and gypsy's! Sharing the Love as well as the Good News of Jesus Christ! It was so great to see the growth in the ministry between the 2 years! I am so blessed to be able to serve and be a part of such a great organization! I pray that they will continue to raise support and awareness that they may continue to give Hope to many more!

I've been on two week-long trips to Romania with Livada Orphan Care. I can't say enough about what a great ministry Livada has to orphans and at-risk children in Romania. The first time I took my oldest daughter (then 13) and we helped run a summer camp for the orphans. It was an absolute blast to play with the kids and share the love of Christ with them. The staff that ran the camp were clearly gifted in that type of ministry and did a fabulous job connecting with the kids and making it a fun and meaningful time in sharing the truth of the gospel with them.
Two years later I took my two oldest kids and we helped run a day camp for orphans in the morning and a day camp for at-risk Gypsy kids in the afternoon. What an amazing experience that was! I still get choked up thinking about the enthusiasm and joy in the kid's eyes as we sang songs full of scripture and hope. It was a fantastic week and I was very blessed to be able to participate. Livada is a wonderful ministry and I highly recommend it!

I first became associated with Livada after previously going to Romania for 2 weeks with another agency. The other agency was scaling back service in the country at a time when the orphans desperately needed advocacy. Livada filled that gap with gusto. The drive and vision of founder, Bruce Thomas, is beyond measure. His dedication and advocacy to these children is amazing and infectious. Thanks to Livada, I have spent many summers since 2001 building relationships with children in their care. I have watched them grow in Christ and in confidence as Livada expanded the scope of care and service to them. Their summer camp, group homes, and mentor programs are so important for continued growth and advocacy of these children. Livada stands in the gap for them. I have been privileged to watch many of the children I first met as 8 and 10 year olds grow up, graduate from school and obtain employment and be more successful than they ever dreamed they could be or would have been without Livada loves and service. Livada is AWESOME.

My time with Livada Orphan Care in Romania was an opportunity to put hands and feet to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Livada staff in Romania served us so we could serve the children even better.

My husband and I have been to Romania on six different trips with Livada Orphan Care over the past 10 years. They have done an outstanding job ministering to the orphans and widows there. I'm a nurse and my husband is a dentist. We have gone to give free dental and medical care.The growth , accountabitlity,love and steadfastness that they have shown is second to none. When the going got tough, and it has so many times, they just kept going and perserved. The experience in Romania was very interesting because of their past history with their government being a dictatorship. Livada's philosopy has been great as we didn't go there to make Romania like the US but rather to partner with what they had and try to support, encourage and teach them safe and more effective was to reach their goals.

They do such amazing work to help the orphaned and abandoned children of Romania.

I have volunteered with Livada Orphan Care for the past 16 months. They are an amazing ministry that truly reaches and serves the orphaned for Christ. Their staff in the US and in Romania operate with integrity and honesty. I am looking forward to many more years working alongside them.

I'm so impressed with the multi-faceted approach Livada takes to help Romanian orphans. From involvement with the kids in institutionalized "care" to providing group foster homes to give them better individualized care to abandonment prevention programs with the Roma population, I can't think of a better ministry!

I have been overseas with Livada numerous times, and have always benefited from the experience. Having the opportunity to touch lives for many years has been awesome. Some of the children I know have grown to adulthood, and it has been exciting to watch them grow. The Livada staff is wonderful in the way they work with the children, and with the volunteers who join them in serving orphans and at-risk children.

Livada Orphan Care and the experience of serving Christ in Romania in the summers of 2008 and 2009 were the two best experiences of my life! We worked with the Romanian orphan children and gypsys. We put on summer camp filled with praise songs, skits about Bible lessons, crafts, and sports. I thought we would be teaching them about Jesus and leading by example, but instead they touched my life in a way I never thought possible. I would give anything for the chance to go back and spend more time with the children I've grown to love. I find myself wondering how they have grown in their walk and in their life. Livada strives to do the Lord's work everyday even through the obstacles the government tries to put in their way.

I traveled to Romania the in May 2002. It was a life changing trip for me. I was extremely saddened of the condition of the orphans in Romania. However Bruce and Katherine are a light in the dark dreary place. They have an organization that really is the hands and feet of Jesus. What they have done and are doing is amazing!!!

I fell in love with Livada during the summer of 2008 when I made the life changing decision to join a team serving the kids of Romania. The experience opened my eyes to the absolute joy in serving "the least of these" and I have never been the same. As I boarded the plane for home, I knew Livada would be part of my life going forward. The work this organization does for the kids of Romania is unmatched and the stories there for telling will rock your world. Livada changes lives. I've been a sponsor since the month I returned home and give extra whenever I can. There is zero doubt in my mind that every single dollar is well spent because I have seen with my own eyes the lives they pour into.

I volunteered in summer of 2009 to help with Livada Orphan Care's summer camp program. I only spent 10 days in Romania, but the one thing that was abundantly clear was that the staff at Livada really love these Romanian kids. They have devoted their lives to Romanian orphans. The organization was great to work with, logistically. Everything was well-organized, and I felt that they took very good care of us as far as food, accommodations, directions, money exchange, etc etc. It was a great experience. I would definitely do it again!

I had the privilege of working with Livada Orphan Care for 4 summers as a camp intern. Each summer I was blessed by Livada's ministry because its focus was singular -help minister to the hurting orphans of Mures County. Without Livada's ministry in Romania, I am afraid thousands of orphan children would have continued to be neglected. Livada daily lives up to its slogan- "Helping orphans find a place to belong." I count it a blessing to be affiliated with Livada Orphan Care and its ministry in Romania.

I have been involved with Livada Orphan Care from the beginning. I was a summer intern working in the orphanage with children aged birth to five years old in 2002. I was touched deeply. The individual care given to these precious children by Livada is immeasurable. Without the attention of Livada Orphan Care, many of the children of Romania have no hope.

Livada has several group homes that tend to the basic needs of many abandoned children. These homes have "moms and dads" that look after the children very similar to a family setting. They celebrate Christmas (which they wouldn't get to do in the orphanage). They get to have a celebrated birthday. They are provided items of their very own that they don't have to share with hundreds of others. They equip the children/ young adults for life after government care: they learn how to handle money, get a job, pay bills, go to church, etc...

The children are changed because of Livada Orphan Care. There is a brightness in their eyes. Hope is restored. The programs and follow up care that is provided to the hopeless and abandoned children of Romania by Livada Orphan Care is innumerable.

I was a summer volunteer with Livada in Romania in 2002 and then came back in 2003 leading a small group. The heart of Bruce and Catherine for the children of Romania is hard to duplicate. The first summer that I spent there, "street" children would come up to us and ask where Bruce was. They are loved and cherished among the children there and they have been able to impact the children's lives for the better. Livada meets the needs of the children in various ways Sometimes, they are able to provide a place to live ior a child in a group home or they are able to teach life skills to a child transitioning into adulthood. They pour into children's lives through camps and interacting in their daily lives, ultimately teaching the children about the love of Christ. Livada strives to work with the government at hand, but respectfully crusades for the rights of the children who are often forgotten. I highly respect this organization and hope to work with them again in the future.

A young girl at our church went on a trip with Livada and came back with pic and profiles of kids that needed prayer sponsers my husband and I had been looking for a child to sponsor for about 6 months and when she gave me her profile I feel in love with that little girl we descided to sponsor her financely as well and I know the work that Livada does is God inspired.

I spent three summers interning with Livada Orphan Care. I have been involved with quite a few outreach programs and I must say none have been as fulfilling as working with Livada. I was remarkably blessed by the relationships I developed with the staff of Livada and the orphans. It is impossible not to feel and see the Godly work being done in the country of Romania through Livada Orphan Care

I was blessed to have been able to take a trip with Livada Orphan care in 2005. My first experience was incredible and made enough of an impression on me that I have taken a group of students back to Romania every summer for the last 4 years. Livada has done an incredible job of serving the community and rescuing and caring for kids from local orphanages. They have incredible staff-both Romanian and American-who have great hearts for the Lord and for the kids they serve. The trip continues to have a lasting impact on me year after year.

I've been to Romania with Livada the past two summers (and will get to again this summer) and also been able to sponsor one of the children in their care.
Working in the non-profit world and going on many other mission trips, I can easily say that Livada is one of the best managed organizations. I've never been on a mission trip where such care is taken to provide a great experience, they've always been well organized and managed. Each trip has been a wonderful, memorable, impactful experience.
I also count it a great privilege to share in the care of one of their children. They are quick to respond to any questions I have and give frequent updates.
I love to talk about Livada and think very highly of their ministry.

I spent three summers in Romania with another organization before my fourth and final summer with Livada. That was the first trip that Livada took and it was by far the best of the four! The leadership is top notch and the experience traveling with them is a true blessing.

Last summer I was able to spend the summer with Livada as an intern. I was able to work with the gypsies, orphans, and in the baby hospital. I was so blessed by the experience and the relationships I was able to form. I feel like the 'harvest is ripe' in RO and I love how Livada is committed to longterm investment with the kids they work with in the Mures county area. I am excited to be going back this summer.

I had a most powerful visit to Romania in 2011. The Livada staff and volunteers are engaged in a remarkable work to address an overwhelming problem with profound results. To witness the progression of children through the ministry from abandonment through graduation was a life-changing experience for me. God's grace is abundant and manifest.

Livada Orphan Care is a wonderful place to do missions work. I have been accused of being a very honest person and I have also traveled quite a bit - so my words are true when I say Livada is a great foundation in its mission and hospitality. I was fortunate enough to experience two trips with Livada and though the trek from America to Romania is a long one, the flightplans went smoothly. When we were supposed to meet someone, they were there on time and fully capable of facilitating our experience. The work requirements were never too much. I felt fulfilled and accomplished without feeling too wore down. The impact Livada and its volunteers make is easily identifiable in the lives of the children and the communities - not to mention the hearts of the volunteers. The second trip I made with Livada did have some issues with the Child Services in Romania - but these circumstances were unforeseen and out of Livada's control. We were kept updated on every development and did the best we could with the new restrictions imposed by the Department. The restrictions affected the activities and time alottments with the children. Livada does a good job of explaining Romanian culture and current events during your stay there as well. I came back with a better global understanding and more knowledge of the Romanian people. Accomodations for each trip were good as well. The first trip we stayed in a beautiful guest house that was more than expected. The second trip we stayed in a very accomodating hotel located within walking distance of Livada's main office which was great.

I went there with the thought that I would be doing a service onto the Lord and touch the lives of some of these orphans, instead I have grown a Deeper love and appreciation for my Lord and Savior and fell in love with all the children that I came in contact with including the teens, I thought I would touch there lives, yet they changed my live so much for the better. To see what this organization has done with these orphans by taking them out of such a dire situation and provide proper food, clothing, education, and love and then to receive the kind of love back from these children as they gave me, is something I will carry the res of my life. My co-sponsor child Krisztian before meeting her was just two picture we had hanging on the wall of our home, now after meeting her she is someone who I desire to invest my time money and live to in order to see her grow and become a productive in the Romanian society and then become a wife and mom I want to be part of her live and me a part of hers.