Projects
Ministry for Children in Orphanage
Independent Living Skills Center
Anchor of Hope Romania is an accredited and licensed center authorized to support children within the Romanian child protection system in developing independent living skills
(License No. LF/0001075).
We believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive—regardless of their background or circumstances.
Our Center for Independent Living is a transformative program created specifically for youth growing up in child protective centers. Through this program, we prepare young people for adulthood by equipping them with essential life skills, emotional resilience, and a strong spiritual foundation. Children learn practical skills such as responsibility, decision-making, and daily living, while also receiving consistent mentoring, encouragement, and guidance.
Since launching the Center for Independent Living, we have witnessed remarkable growth and change. Young people who once felt uncertain and unprepared for the future are now gaining confidence, pursuing education, and setting meaningful personal goals. With each new skill learned and each milestone reached, they are discovering hope—and beginning to rewrite their stories.With each step forward, they are discovering hope, healing, and a renewed sense of purpose—and beginning to rewrite their stories through the transforming love of Christ.
Camps
Camps for Orphanage Children
Our orphanage camps provide children with a safe and loving environment where they can experience consistency, fun, and care outside of institutional life. Through group activities, time in nature, mentoring, and Bible-based teaching, children are given opportunities to build trust, process emotions, and experience the love of Christ in tangible ways. These camps help restore hope and remind each child that they are valued and not forgotten.
Camps for Foster & Adoptive Families
We also host camps specifically for foster and adoptive families. These gatherings offer encouragement, rest, and connection for parents and children alike. Families are strengthened through shared experiences, teaching, prayer, and fellowship with others who understand the unique challenges and joys of foster care and adoption. Our desire is to support families so they can continue providing safe, loving homes rooted in faith and perseverance.
Through both types of camps, we see God working to heal hearts, strengthen families, and draw children closer to Him.Sarah (Anchor of Hope President) Kids
Anchor of Hope Romania was founded in 2011 by Sarah Nicole Smith, with the purpose of volunteering in local orphanages and abandoned baby hospitals. Anchor of Hope, after becoming a legal NGO in Romania, began expanding quickly through the local volunteer program, reaching hundreds of abandoned children. After a few years of “sucessful” programs, baby Alex came into Sarah’s home. Sarah quickly saw the developmental difference between Alex and the other children his age in the orphanage and realized that the ‘solution’ for these children was being placed in families early on. The focus of Anchor of Hope soon shifted to helping support and find foster and adoptive families for children. In 2015, Sarah took a second child into her home. As a single mom, Sarah believed that two children was “enough” but in 2017 the Lord quickly showed her otherwise. In 2017/2018, Sarah adopted 3 more children! 2018-2024, Sarah would eventually have 10 children in her home. In 2024, two of Sarah’s children with special needs passed away and today Sarah has 8 children. “Too many children with disabilities remain in foster care or institutions, waiting for someone to speak truth over their lives and say, “You are seen. You are wanted. You are enough.” Adoption is not something I view as heroic—it is a calling from the Lord. These children are often overlooked, misunderstood, or considered “too difficult,” yet they are fearfully and wonderfully made, bearing the image of God and created with purpose.
I could not ignore the gentle but persistent voice of the Lord speaking to my heart: “They need you, and you need them.”This journey was never about saving anyone—it was about obedience, surrender, and building a family where Christ is at the center and every member belongs.
The world often defines children with disabilities by their limitations, by what they cannot do. But God does not see as man sees. When I met each of my children, I did not see deficiencies—I saw God’s handiwork. I saw eyes reflecting His creativity, smiles revealing His joy, and hearts capable of love far deeper than the world expects. In them, I see the beauty of redemption and the reminder that every life is precious in the sight of the Lord.” - Sarah
