TIMELINE
2000 – Dr. Ted Bashford took his first trip to Romania. Our work began immediately upon his return. Later that year, we provided assistance to an orphanage to repair the doors and windows in their building, as well as purchased a car for a missionary working with the street children in Bucharest.
May 2001 – Survey trip made by James McPherson (Dr. Bashford’s grandson) to select a location to begin ministry.
September 2001 – First U.S. mission team trip to build a church in Simand, a gypsy village.
August 2002 – Mission team conducted Vacation Bible Schools and nightly services in villages.
March 2003 – First Pastor’s Conference held in Lugoj. Began work on Bashford Foundation legal documents.
August 2003 – Mission team conducted the first medical clinic in Lugoj.
March 2004 – Bashford Foundation is established in Romania. Daniel Toc, then Foundation president, began search for land to build on.
2004–2016 – U.S. mission teams traveled twice a year providing medical and wellness clinics, training, and construction projects.
2010 – Land purchase of 100 acres completed. Work begun on Master Plan for property development and feeding programs for families.
2011 – Master Plan for property completed. Work begun on detailed plans for property.
2012 – Detailed plans completed and work to fence property begins. (All property in Romania must have a fence around the entire property.)
March 2014 – Groundbreaking ceremony for the first building to be constructed on the property.
May 2017 – Construction of first building completed.
August 2017 – Opening of the first Children’s Home, named Casa Linda after Linda Bashford Vaughan.
2020 and 2021 – All Reaching Romania mission trips canceled due to Covid pandemic.
Spring 2022 – Ministry at Casa Linda Children’s Home and property, as well as Food for Body and Soul benevolence visits. Retrofitted former mechanical and maintenance spaces to create our second Children’s Home—Casa Armonia (House of Harmony)—to serve more children in need.
Summer and Fall 2022 – Reaching Romania offers emergency housing in Casa Armonia, practical aid, and spiritual support to Ukrainian orphans and their caregivers displaced by Russia’s war against their homeland.
Winter 2022/2023 – Reaching Romania hires additional house parents to staff Casa Armonia. Ministry also undertakes infrastructure construction of water delivery and electrical systems to prepare for the new EU- and donor-funded children’s homes and multipurpose building. U.S.-based mission team assists with campus improvements and ministry.
2023 – Reaching Romania is renamed Reach Romania for better synergy with its website URL.