Meet Richard and Sandra Scott of Springtime House

Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard and Sandra Scott.

Richard and Sandra, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Sandy and I met a couple in 2003 at a friend’s home fellowship group from our church.

Lidia and Peter Tat were visiting their daughter in Houston and while here, came to our Bible Study group. We became good friends with them during this time. Within the same year, Peter had a heart attack and recovered but needed to go back to his home in Romania. While in Houston Peter mentioned “the home he built for God”, Casa Primavara (Springtime House) which housed orphaned children. Several years later their daughter told us that if we wanted to see Peter again we should plan to go to Romania, so we looked on the map to find Romania and flew there in 2009 to visit the Tat’s.

What a beautiful time we had for 3 weeks as we ate with many of their friends, traveled the countryside, visited and laughed with Peter and Lidia in their flat in Cluj-Napoca. It was during this time that we traveled to Casa Primavara and met the foster care parents, Vasile and Elena and the children, Roza, Kati, Heidi, Miki, and Martin. All the orphans brought to Casa Primavara were being cared for financially by a non-profit charity out of the UK, “Primavara in Romania”, UK, Barbara Waldron, Founder.

Barbara had been going into Romania since the fall of communism after Romania’s revolution in December 1989. Looking at photos of that time and seeing the plight of the children in State orphanages was horrific and woke up much of Europe and the world into action. Sandy and I traveled back home after 3-weeks. Months later we received the news we dreaded to hear, that Peter had passed away. Wanting to keep our promise to Lidia, we had planned to return for his funeral and weeks before had submitted Sandy’s passport to be renewed, but we still had not received it and his funeral was four days away! Greatly disappointed Sandy left out-of-town to visit her Mother and I stayed home.

Feeling disappointed and missing Sandy, I called a friend and began complaining about how we could not help these dear children without a means to raise support. He quieted me down and said, “I was just appointed as an associate Pastor and we can bring you under our non-profit so you can raise funds.” Not to be outdone I said, “Well that’s all good but we can’t go to his funeral next week because we don’t have Sandy’s passport!”

As I was saying this (this is the truth) the doorbell rang and I asked my friend to hold on. When I opened the door a postman handed me a letter saying “Special delivery”. I opened the letter to find Sandy’s passport and told my friend this. He then said a most remarkable word, “The mountain is shaking Rick, now the only question is, what will be your response”. So in 2010 Sandy and I flew back to Romania in time for Peter’s funeral, where we met Barbara Waldron.

The next day, while sitting around the kitchen table at Casa Primavara with Vasile and Elena as well as a new friend, Marcel, our interpreter, it became obvious that the home and Foundation was in great need. Funds had not really been sufficient. Yes, the children were well cared for, but talking and seeing Vasile and Elena we knew they were on the edge of exhaustion and needless to say very underpaid.

Sandy and I have done a few things over the years to help people:
* After our two children left home for college we fostered three more children in need
* Sandy was a volunteer at a Pro-Life clinic mentoring young women
We worked at an area orphanage every other Saturday night for several years
* I was a CASA volunteer (Court Appointed Special Advocate)
* Sandy led a women’s trauma group
* Together we had been going to Carol S Vance prison under the care of Prison Fellowship every Friday for the last 6-years teaching and encouraging the men.
* Sandy was on the Board and a speaker for Stonecroft Ministries.

But this was different and we knew it. It is one thing to write a check and give our support, but entirely different when you become the one who knows of the great need because you have seen it, you have hugged the crying children and heard the cries of mothers, and now must be the one to ask others, “Will you help?”

So that is how a guy and gal from Texas ended up in Romania. We came home and looked at each other and said, with Gods help and friends, “let’s go”. Within two years we had our own 501 3 c non-profit organization. Now in 2018 Springtime House in Romania USA has grown to caring for 81 children in eleven foster care homes… and growing!

Has it been a smooth road?
It has been a blessing and a great challenge. The biggest struggle has been time. Sandy was retired from Shell Oil as a Senior Secretary and able to give most of her attention to the Charity, but I continue working full time at Shell Oil as an operations coordinator.

The amount of time it takes to inform others that orphaned children from Romania cannot be adopted out of the country and that their orphanages are antiquated and very overcrowded has been incredible. Daily accounting and correspondence can be all-consuming, yet fundraising business strategy are critical to any non-profit. Sandy handles grant writing which is very time-consuming. Quarterly reporting how the funds were used, plus photographs, is a requirement after funds are donated to Springtime House USA.

In an effort to keep overhead costs low, especially during the first six years as we were building up the charity, the two of us did the majority of the work in our home office with some part-time help. In 2016, we began leasing a tiny office space and have one administrator who works with us and our daughter, who is the office manager (though she works full time at a law office); she also handles payroll plus coordinates monthly accounting with her CPA friend. The two of them work pro bono!

The other challenge has been the technical aspects of Information Technology, e.g., creating and maintaining our website, Pay Pal / Braintree donor systems, Facebook, Eventbrite and MailChimp and other social media have been steep learning curves and takes significant time. Our Romanian Administrator / Translator maintains our website and facebook. She is a big support when we take mission teams to work with us in Romania.

Relationships between U.S. and Romania people can be a challenge until we listen to one another better, pray and try to understand a different point of view. As with all companies, there are internal relationships which take energy and time to work through, whether it’s among staff, board members or a mission team. We’ve been very blessed to work with some of the finest people who really love the work they’re doing on behalf of fatherless and at-risk children in a country that is still recovering from years of communist oppression.

In our professional jobs at Shell, we were both well trained in quality control, providing accurate records in a safe environment. As a non-profit business, the time to apply all of this, in our USA office as well as with the Romania staff takes much time, energy plus learning another culture which is very different than the USA.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Springtime House in Romania – USA – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Springtime House in Romania-USA is a non-profit charity rescuing and restoring orphaned and at-risk children in Romania. We do this by talking to individuals, business, churches and other Foundations to raise awareness and financial support.

We own and operate a Foundation Home and Charity in Romania named, Fundatiei Crestina de Caritate Primavara in Romania (translated, “Springtime Christian Charity Foundation in Romania”). For short, we call this home, Casa Primavara or (Springtime House). It was built with loving donations from Great Britain’s Founder, Barbara Waldron (ref: “Our Story”). As she collected donations, she sent them to Petru (Peter) Tat, Executive Director, who helped her purchase and clear the land. Peter also was the general contractor who hired the Romanian labor to build this 3-story home for orphans. The first children chosen to live at Casa Primavara were five preschool siblings from a local orphanage in 2003.

A Romanian couple, Vasile and Elena Rus, heard the call from God to become foster parents to these children, after rearing their own three children. The first years were very difficult for the couple, who had healthy children and these five were ill physically, emotionally and spiritually. They hid food because they were not sure if there would be another meal. There were nightmares and trips to the hospital. They were all developmentally delayed and required preschool tutoring and yet required help each year to keep up in class. It was a very challenging time for these godly foster parents.

We began with only this one house and five orphaned children in 2010. Now, Springtime House the USA provides support to 11 homes with 80 orphaned or at-risk kids (of all ages) in cities of Floresti, Cluj, Dej, Timisoara, Ghiroda, Arad, Mociu and Samboleni. The most important thing we do is introduce the kids to the Lord Jesus/Yeshua so they will be grounded in faith. The next most important thing we do is to provide the best education each child is capable of attaining.

In addition to our 80 kids, we raise money for school supplies for another 40 Roma children who are not allowed to attend public school without supplies but do not have money for them. Our goal is to break the cycle of poverty and give the kids a future and hope over what they experienced as children. Many orphans go through public school and then to a trade school to learn a specialty, then get a job. If an orphan can pass an academic test at age 15, their entire education & housing is paid for by the State.

Two such students are at university now and we support one who is in 4th-year law school and another in 3rd years accounting college, providing each a laptop, books and materials. We’re proud of each child and their individual accomplishments, regardless of their academic ability, so we seek grant money for a transition fund for each orphan who turns 16 years old to have their own savings accounts. Setting us apart from others: Human trafficking is a huge problem in Eastern Europe, especially for vulnerable orphans released from orphanages at 18 years old with no job, no place to live and no support system.

One “house” Springtime USA Supports works with Interpol bringing girls out of this insidious industry, gives them a safe place to live and be rehabilitated. Another “house” is for unwed mothers who wish to give birth to their babies and learn how to mother and support them. All of the foster parents Springtime House USA supports give their lives to provide a safe home, helping these kids feel loved and wanted for the first time in their lives! It’s such joy to see one young adult become independent and contribute to Romanian society.

Our hope is that they will “pay it forward” one day and help others like themselves. As an organization, we are proud of the fact that we operate mostly with volunteers. My wife and I, as Founders, continue to work to supply our own living as we volunteer our time and give financially to Springtime House in Romania-USA. We provide our donors with an Annual Report so that they may understand the work they are doing and how effective their money is being used. We provide metrics about some of the children and homes. All our USA Board members are volunteers and donors and we also have a volunteer Romanian Board, which I lead.

What makes us different is the percentage of donated money going to the actual cause – caring for orphaned children. We have led 4 mission teams to Romania to work on one or another of the houses Springtime supports. While part of the team does physical labor, the rest teaches either ESL (English as a Second Language using the Bible as text) or Vacation Bible School to the fatherless children in the homes of that area.

How? For six years my wife and I did 99% of the administrative work from our home office, allowing 90% of the funds to go directly to the care of the children. As of last year, we had to seek part-time administrative help and a small office, but we are still very proud that the majority of donated funds go to help orphaned children. We travel to Romania annually whether a mission team goes with us or not. The Charity pays my way once per year and we pay for Sandy’s trip expenses personally, though she serves as the Board Secretary and does much of the work.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
LIKE:
As native Texans, we love our great state and its conservative values! Texas is “The Friendly State” and this applies to the metropolis of Houston, as well. Sugar Land is in Southwest (best part of) Houston, where we raised our children and are proud of the school system, the dedicated teachers and administrators.

We have worked our entire career here for a wonderful company and have enjoyed having the opportunity of working with numerous multi-cultural individuals.

We love the arts and have season tickets to The Houston Ballet where we enjoy classical ballet and The Houston Symphony. We love theatre, especially world-class musicals at The Hobby Center and Christian plays at the George Theatre (A.D. Players.org). The restaurants in Houston / Sugar Land area are multi-cultural and outstanding. We love our Congregation Beth Messiah, where we worship with many dear friends and supporters.

During our time of raising funds, we have contacted many local business owners who have contributed with open hearts and pocketbooks. Springtime House USA has been proud to “fly our business supporter’s colors and logos on our website”. Their names are also listed on our Annual Reports and at our Fundraisers. We’re very grateful for their support!

DISLIKE:
It seems too many other people are hearing about this wonderful place and are moving here… the traffic! The tropical summer climate is great for the skin, but some dislike the humidity.

Pricing:

• * To sponsor a child to receive a year of education – $50
• * To sponsor a child to receive food, clothes and transportation for one year – $50/month
• * To sponsor an after-school tutor to teach and allow special needs children the chance to “stay caught up” in school – $400/month

Contact Info:

• Address: 104 Industrial Blvd. Suite D Sugar Land, TX 77478
• Website: http://www.springtimehouse.org
• Phone: 281-903-7230
• Email: info@springtimehouse.org
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/springtimehouse
• Twitter: @SandySpringtime

Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.