The community in Gemelčička was the first community of the Province Slovakia, which was founded in Romania on 15 September 1990. The first sisters came to this hilly, beautiful, trilingual region (Slovakian, Romanian and Hungarian) in the poorest of circumstances. Unfortunately, many young people emigrated abroad due to the lack of job opportunities here. As a result, only the elderly are left behind. Agricultural work is difficult and exhausting, even though the farmers receive subsidies from the EU (European Union) to cultivate the meadows and fields.
Thanks to the generous support of the Swiss parish of Sarnen and the Swiss architect Mr Hans Burch, the Caritas home with a retreat for the sisters, a house chapel with a pastoral room, a small outpatient clinic with a few rooms for patients was built and inaugurated in 1993.
They set such a good example with their lives that several young women joined the Holy Cross Sisters.
The sisters are still committed to helping the poor here: three sisters work as nurses and as cooks, as well as in social and charitable works, caring for the elderly and sick in the Caritas home, in families and pastoral work in the parish.
In this way, the sisters live our charism and mission very closely with the people and give a beautiful testimony to being Holy Cross Sisters.
The two communities in Romania are about 15 kilometres away from each other. The sisters therefore constantly meet on special occasions.