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In the previous e-mails we were asking prayers for shoe boxes situation .Finally they arrived ,little too late ,but they arrived .Thank you for your prayers and we are also thankful for the help given by some helpers .The church we started to attend 3 years ago, allowed us to use their building for storage and that helped a lot ,plus we did not pay any rent . Due to this delayed our schedule became little crazy .
We had to beg principals from some schools to bring kids in school some how-they were already in vacation .In some schools was not possible so we still need to meet with kids after 10th of January.
We got about 10,000 show boxes and are thankful we were not alone . When the truck arrived we got helpers 2 of them from Rucar orphanage .The hardest was for Vio as he had to lift up and carry boxes and then to call people from all over the county and give them some boxes to distribute in their own area .
In spite of all this crazyness , there were few testimonials we would love to share with you .
In Rucar – for the first time we went and talked to the principal of the two schools and we were allowed to share the Christmas story with kids alongside with shoe boxes .It was difficult since there were so many and we met them on the hall way .There were about 520 kids divided in 3 groups .At one point kids got little wild and the 9 teachers plus the principal could not make them quite .So we felt like we have to do something about it since our time was so precious and it was extremely cold there and were already sick due to some flu . I asked for a chair stood up and just looked at he kids .Within few seconds was quite and I could give my first message “ Quite or out !” Well, it worked! The principal is the guy with mustache in the dark jacket and he could not believe it .He was so pleased that he is open for partnership. The other ones standing up are the teachers .We thank God for giving us ideas in making the kids quite and also for giving us the chance to share the truth about Christmas .After this the same school in a sport room ,had about 200 kids. To start well we used the same “ challenge” “ Quite or out!” .At the end of the program one of the teachers came and confess “ Kids for sure learned something new ,but I want to tell you that I learned new ways in approaching them from you” We give praises to the Lord that teachers see potential in Christian teaching and methods in working with kids .
With the boxes there was the “ Most precious gift “book .Some kids almost forgot about the box itself ,they were so captivated by the book ,its message and pictures. Praises to our Lord for all the ones helping so that the books could be given away for free and our prayers will be lifted up so that the message of the book will get their hearts.
One of the things we enjoy the most beside sharing the story of Christmas is watching kids opening their boxes .To see how anxious they are .Some of them opened them while we were still there and asked so many questions of things they never seen before and did not know what are for .Others we got them opening their boxes on the street ,in the middle of road even .
In Podul Dambovitei we were for the first time .There are about 5 Christians in the whole village .Leonid is one of them and he gathered some kids .Hard to expect some knowing how hardened the people in that area are .However 35 kids showed up and we promised Leonid form 12 to start a weekly bible study in that village .Beside the surprise of having 35 kids we had another surprise : Fernando ,he grew up in the orphanage ,we had him over in our home living with us for a while some years ago and all of the sudden some one wanted him, for he was good to work .Now he is 12 and we met him in this village .The twinkle in his eyes brought to our minds so many memories . The world is small ,but it is good to find some of the kids that we thought we never see again.
In Micesti it is known that not many kids come to weekly bible studies .Vio had the idea of giving out some invitation in the hope to gather some more kids .And it did happen .About 72 kids showed up at the program ,so praises to the God of impossible for this miracle .
Still spending Christmas
Vio&Estera
One of the most favorite songs our teens had last year in the camp was “To the end of the earth ,You are Lord”.
Never know what the Lord meant by that ,not before we see it .
Last weeks we got in touch with lots of people from muslim countries ,but among all the meetings and so on the one that showed us what the verse means is the meeting we had in Constanta ,8 hours drive from our place, a romanian city next to Black Sea.
There we had for a whole week 15 people with a hearth for mission ,and not just anywhere , but Turkey and some of them were turcks .Moments that lifted us up .All young people and ready to go in spite of what just happened there couple weeks ago.
Had fun parts in this as well, since one of the guys there wanted to have his practicals in Turkish… language.That’s his own language,but praise God he spoke some romanian,enough to be understood ..Here is where we also learned the lesson of prayer…when we thought our prayer is good and long and all of that,but here we discovered the prayer with passion and tears for turkish nation and romanians.
Right after that we met with people from Azeribadjan , Kirgistan , Tadjikistan, and all “stan” countries. for safety reasons we will not use these last people’s names.
The Lord Jesus said once “ you have the poor with you all the time” and we get to see them all over around us. Praise God there are not only poor people but generous Christians as well ,willing and ready to do something about it .
Neemiah House ,proved to be such Christians that care about the needs of others around and they provided us with clothes for some people and children in our area.
To some pf the people that benefit from this generosity we took pictures , and it will take many pages to write their reactions ,but they were all excited.
Florin –is 13 and he is paralised since he was 7 or so .We noticed that his parents have a hard time looking after him ,it gets harder and harder and they did not have enough clothes to change him since he has no way to go out by himself .
He was sure glad to receive the clothes .Florin watched us as we got his jacket ,vest ,blouse and most of all his jeans . None of his parents have job ,his father drinks whatever he makes working here and there He is staying with his parents ,his sister and his grandmother and grand-grandmother .When his grandmother saw his huge smile ,she started to cry.” You do not get to see him smiling often ,but now he is happy. Somebody cares”.
An old lady ,a neighbor from the place we do camps – Tia is 74 .In the last weeks she was sick all the time ,but when we look down to her feet she did not have proper boots ,just a pair of plastic sleepers and wet socks .For her we could find a pair of good boots ,a green vest that since last days when she got it ,she wears it even when she gets to bed ,soooooo excited about it .With her are staying her daughter with 2 little children and her husband .Little Betty got a pink jacket .That made her forget we are there ,though usually she is excited to get visitors ,but this time ,she has her own jacket ,and on the top of everything it is pink one.
Since we got bunch of diapers for babies, we went to the gypsy camp in Valea Badenilor and gave to all babies, diapers and clothes .We almost forgot of their needs ,but when you see no running water in their homes and think of the young moms washing with cold water from the river all their clothes ,then you think “ these diapers really make a difference”
Not to mention they do not know what a crib is …for the ones of you do not know ..they keep their babies in a basket, hanged over parents bed .All of them said “thank you very much “.
As we noticed these clothes brought joy into people and children’s hearts . We continue to bring some needs before the Lord ,and as God provides to take them to the ones in need.
Therefore ,please pray for
• medical needs in villages (vitamins ,medicines ,diapers etc)
• hygiene supplies
• more people to get involved in the work, since the opportunities are great.
There were seminars to prepare for children’s workers conferences and God gave us grace and favor .All participants were encouraged and we give all credit to our Lord.We were asked to give practicals ideas in how to encourage kids and teens be part of a weekly bible study. All together in 3 locations in Romania ,were about 700 people attending.We were useful to them thanks to your prayers ,so you were most useful to them by praying.
Otherwise the ministry goes well ,thought due to lack of supplies ,we do not go as often in the kindergartens .Our desire is to get in touch with crafts company owner and ask if they are willing to give for the ministry ,their garbage ,stuff they throw away and not use it anymore ,not even on sale. Please pray for this step and for favor with them.Pray they will be willing to help us with some supplies ,we do not ask for best ,but leftovers that will make a difference here .
