England

The girls and I are enjoying a visit to Kay's in Paighton, a lovely beach community in South East England. The girl's father and his wife have just picked Elizabeth and Sarah up for a day at the zoo.

We travel back to Romania on August 10 and then I leave with the boys from the Vinga youth group for a missions trip to my friend Marty to help with the orphanage he is building.

I hope to have pictures to post soon. I have very little Internet access here.

So much has been happening...!

We are leaving for England in the wee hours of the morning and I realized I have (again) put off updating the blog. This has been about the busiest summer I have ever had...and I am tired. The girls and I are going to visit Kay in England for 2 weeks. She lives in Paighton, a lovely seaside resort. We will spend as much of the two weeks on the beach as we can.

The two weeks of summer camp went really well - this year we were able to sponsor 43 kids as well as 4 adults. Next year I think we will do both age groups together and do one big camp. I have pictures, but the posting of them will have to wait until I get back.

The Toon family is visiting and has been a real help in the ministry. They will be watching over the house while we are in England and continuing with the work in Vinga as well as Mocrea mental hospital. The family, Yancy, Esther, Elie and Jason also went to camp and helped. Their music is a real blessing. The kids all have a good time together and that is really nice. They wrote a song and play for us, including "interviews" with the actors. We enjoyed it.

Patrica and Sandor Varga and their son Bela returned and did an awesome 3 days of VBS here in our village of Sofronea. She had it all so well organized, including games, crafts and snacks. The bible lessons were great and several children prayed with her on the last day. I do have pictures (OK, so I have misplaced the camera....) When we get back I will update!!!!

We get back on August 10 and I am due to take the boys of the Vinga youth group on August 15 to Bulgaria to help Marty Sutton with the orphanage he is building. We are excited to be able to go. Marty and Howard, the builder, were at summer camp with these boys last year.

Much is going on in my life but I do know that God is in control, and His grace is sufficient. Please keep praying for us here and the work.

Camp

How could I have forgotten to say that this year we have 45 kids going to summer camp - Praise God! The younger kids, 9-12, are there this week and the teens go next week. Right now I need to get up there, I have 5 homesick kids. I hope I can talk them in to staying until Friday. Needless to say Elizabeth and Sarah are not among the ones who want to come home. Including transportation the total cost was over $3000 but we made it! God is good!!!!! I will post some pictures next week (that is NOT a promise, but I'll try....)

Whoa...it's been a long time...!!!

I do apologize for not keeping up my blog! This summer is shaping up to be one of my busiest! I have 2 travel trailers parked in my garden now as well as being able to sleep 4-5 in the guest room. Sarah can bunk in with me and that frees up a room with bunk beds AND the couch opens in to a double bed. WOW! Going from not having hardly anyone visit to figuring out sleeping arrangements is an interesting experience, also eating in shifts! Scott and Caroline Poncy and a team arrive next week and will pitch in with the projects while here. Next week a team may go to Mocrea and I can stay home - how exciting!

This week while everyone is at camp I can hopefully catch up on my computer work (I am s-o-o-o-o very late on the last orphan sponsor letters but my computer crashed). I have a lot of financial stuff to catch up on also. Now I can check off my list of things to do "update blog!)PLUS the most exciting thing: I am shopping for a new vehicle - how great is that!!!! Upper Indiana Presbyterian church is blessing me. YIPPEE YAHOO. I need to write a few people about it. I have been witnessing to many about the provision of God and how faithful He has been every step of the way here.

The girls and I go to England July 24 to August 10 and I get to do my almost most favorite thing: lay on a beach! August 15 -21 I am taking a mission team, boys from the Vinga youth group, to Bulgaria to help my good friend Marty Sutton, Obedient Life Ministries, build an orphanage. August 28 is the next ladies meeting. Mary Jill and I are looking at a vacation week in October. Also in October Gena Turley is bring a team here to Romania.

Eye clinic

Ken Cloke and his wife Katy have a foundation and center here in Arad. Ken has been trained to do eye exams and they provide glasses for free or for just a nominal fee. He came to Vinga where we offered free exams. Many pairs of glasses were provided for the the people there. What an awesome blessing!!!!

Elizabeth was a a local village festival and helped represent Sofronea with the traditional Romanian dance. I hope to be able to get her to town sometime this summer to check out the local dance studio for lessons.

Last day of school

The girls look like they are truly best friends here - NOT! They are just overjoyed that this was the last day of school! This week they are at camp and are happy that I am not there with them. Aw shucks girls...

We have a family visiting us from Slovakia - the Toon family, Yancy, Esther, Eilee and Jason. They have pitched in with the work here and their two children are a delight. The Toons are at camp this week with my Sunday school group from Vinga as well as some of the children from the Kid's Club in Sanicolaul Mic. A family from Hungary drove the Toons as well as Mary Jill here the weekend of June 18. This family from Hungary, Sandor, Patricia and Bela (OK so I didn't get a last name!) will be coming back for another visit in July and do a VBS here in Sofronea. They have all been singing in church in both English and Hungarian, it has been a blessing. Yancy will be returning to camp next week to help Bogdan with the teens (another blessing!!)