"I remember asking myself, why is God poor in Romania?"
- Emmanuel Bistrian
The Bistrian family.
Living in Romania’s tech hub, Cluj-Napoca, provides the Bistrians and their family the access to modern amenities while allowing them to stay close to the modern heartbeat of Romania’s culture. However, the sacrifice is in the miles which add up when they drive to their real estate development in Arad which is four hours away. On this drive you are exposed to the vastness and beauty of the country while also being exposed to the humanitarian needs.
Romania is still a country that is navigating the aftermath of communism having been converted to a democracy in 1989. The quality of life has improved vastly along with the country’s economy since communism was rid, but their are still areas of culture that have been overlooked such as the gypsy community, the elderly, and the mentally ill. Having noticed the lack of care these communities were recieving, the Bistrians felt as if they were being called to serve these people. And that’s just what they did.
Teaming up with local community activists and non-profits, the Bistrians have given a large sum of their financial wealth to help provide for the underserved. From helping build and improve a series of homes for the mentally ill and elderly, to helping fund a non-profit that is creating jobs in clothing manufacturing for the gypsy community, the Bistrians have contributed to these communities and have begun to create a sense of home and worth that these individuals did not have before.
With four kids and a growing real estate development company, Emmanuel and Bianca Bistrian have a full schedule that might lead one to think there is no time to focus on giving and impacting their community. However, this is not the case for the Bistrian’s as they have dived into giving emotionally, spiritually, physically, and financially to their community and country of Romania.
Using their knowledge of real estate development along with their passion for helping those in need, the Bistrians have managed to create a giving culture in Romania that is benefitting the mentally ill, the elderly, the gypsy community, and many others. Through their giving they have begun to prove that God, in fact, is not poor in Romania.
Emmanuel sitting atop the first tractor they purchased for their development site.