STREETWORK IN BUCHAREST

Five hours’ drive away from us, Moise, our long-time companion, connected us with the human catastrophes at Bucharest railway station. There are drop-in centres for the homeless where they can find first aid, but they can’t get there – or they are banned. At Moise’s urging, we started street work again: a warming centre, washing facilities, a canteen and a room where street people can bring their worries. This is how our project Casa Luisa fell from the sky.

Fabian Robu and Lucian Biru started the street work in Bucharest. Every day they go to the railway station and the surrounding area, to Piața Matache. The street people await them, often with questions and requests, with hunger, but also with open hearts. They long for warmth, peace and community. Friendship strengthens them. Fabian listens, reassures, mediates, bandages wounds, takes them to the doctor or hospital. He has provided some of them with simple accommodation.

Casa Luisa, near the railway station, is the base for street work. Many come to the house in the afternoon. There is tea and sandwiches. They can take a shower and warm up in the cold winter days. They gather in the chapel to pray. The singing is also warming, many requests and worries are sent to heaven, there is also joy and thanksgiving. With these powers, perhaps some of them will manage to get off the streets after all.