Spearheaded by several St. John’s parishioners, this ministry was started in response to the appalling living conditions of the three to four thousand orphaned children living in Romania. During the 1990’s, after the Communist government in Romania was overthrown, there was an initial flurry of relief work for these orphans. At the present time only one third of the original relief organizations are left. Our afghans are distributed through an agency (Archway Kids) that has remained and works in the midst of these children to provide housing, food, and clothing. St. John’s has sent over 247 hand knit afghans to these children, many of whom make their homes in the sewers under the streets of Bucharest. The children find warmth in the winter sleeping on or near the heating pipes that run underground alongside the sewers.

If you can knit and have leftover yarn, simple eight by eight inch squares are needed. After enough are collected, several of our parishioners assemble them into the colorful afghans that are the finished product.

Call Paula Weathers, 760 758-1172, for more information. Or visit www.archwaykids.org to learn more about the organization and the children they support.