Romeo is no stranger to hard work and responsibility. He and his wife Oana are parents to eleven children younger than twenty years old. The family lives in a three-room house in Romania.
Romeo struggles with diabetes, so he can work only when he feels well enough. High living expenses for his large family, particularly schooling costs for seven of his children, strain his limited income.
Six years ago, a kind local shepherd gave Romeo several lambs. Romeo worked hard to expand his small flock, hoping to better provide for his family. Raising sheep was not new to him. In his younger days, he had worked in a sheepfold and learned the secrets of the trade. He already knew how to milk sheep and make cheese.
Slowly Romeo’s flock grew. Together, he and his children built a shelter for the sheep and a stable for their cow, horse, and goats.
Then a drought swept through Romania. The drought forced Romeo to sell twenty of his sheep at a low price, to provide food for his
other animals.
After this loss, Romeo’s income decreased. He realized he needed a larger, more consistent income to provide for his children. But how? His family had a work force, experience, and a good location to raise sheep. But their flock was small and they lacked funds to expand it.
CAM staff members in Romania became aware of Romeo’s needs. Because of generous donors, the Family-Self-Support program provided funds for the family to purchase a ram and forty ewes. This expanded their flock and gave them hope.
Romeo and his children work together to raise their sheep and make cheese to sell. They also plan to sell lambs in the spring. “You can see they are used to hard work,” observed a staff member. Romeo’s sons share their father’s love of working with sheep. The family hopes to continue expanding their flock so they can become financially independent.
A staff member in Romania says, “[The help] is a big boost for this family!” Thank you, supporters, for helping Romeo’s dream of providing for his family come true.
To help support the Family-Self-Support program, please click below to give a one-time gift.
