It's catch-up time!

Sorry it has been so long since my last posting (AGAIN!!!) The winter has been tough but God has provided! My health is OK. Here are some of the highlights of the last 6 weeks.



Elizabeth still isn't too big for my lap! This is her costume for the Rock and Roll dance competition which was part of Teen Fest. They competed against many schools. This part of the competition was performed at one our malls.






Sarah chose to compete in Teen Fest in the Cheer Leading competition. Sarah is on the left in the front row.










Elizabeth's new styles are a flash-back to the 60's for me. Oh please Lord - no bell-bottom pants....












I put this in...just because I think it is G-R-E-A-T!!!!! All those manly men vs. one Romanian country woman...love it, love it, love it...! HHMMM, actually I may know her from my village.




We have really had the snow this year. Entire villages were cut off and driving was a nightmare. It has warmed up so we now are having some flooding. I have checked on all the elderly in the Widow Mite's program, and praise God we have only lost one and I don't think the extreme cold or snow had anything to do with it. I thought we had probably seen the last of snow falling this year (it is still piled up in large dirty mounds and some is still on the ground) This morning I strolled past the window...W-H-A-T??? A white covering on everything??? OK Maybe NOW we are done. I dislike ice but mud is a close second.



Elizabeth is taking guitar lessons and Sarah is taking voice - this picture is a real blessing to me - in church praising the Lord.







Spencer and Lynsey Ball. along with their children Trinity and Jonathan, visited with us for about 10 days. Here is Bogdan. Elizabeth and Spencer helping deliver food to the widows. Trinity was able to visit some Widows too and they joyfully remembered her from 2 years ago. Trinity had donated her own saved up bag of money to buy them all chocolate.



Lynsey and Lorraine helping at Mocrea. Matt and Lorraine Marshall have Friendship Camp where our youth go each summer. Along with their other ministries they have been long time supporters of the work at Mocrea and helped with renovations there.




Spencer and Lynsey's children, Trinity and Jonathan, were in charge of the Play Doh table at Mocrea. Matt and Spencer were really playing too but pretended to supervise. The little guy by the wall is Elijah Marshall - what a cutie he is.




Last week I visited with this family. I took clothing for the children. I also had 3 Christmas shoe boxes left so I included those. The older children were so excited because they thought they were getting shoes. 5 children and I saw only one with a pair of shoes. While the family was praying with their heads bowed I put an envelope on the bed with some funds.

Today I was back there with the Vinga church deacons: Bogdan; Marius and Leontin, to dedicate the baby. There is not a pastor in that village.

George Conte

This is George Conte. he is 72 years old and lives in Dud on a pension that is about $130 a month. We met him when we delivered food in Dec. to Dud, he was visiting our other George. Adina took a picture and put him down as a possible addition to the Widows Mite program. We added him to the program and today delivered food - that is when we saw how he lives.

These pictures don't do justice in understanding how bad the living conditions are.

There was a fire in an old couch which severely damaged the house. We think that was in early spring. Then George took sick. Adina questioned a neighbor about him after we left the food. Apparently after the fire and his illness he just didn't do anything to the house, he kind of gave up I think.


George has what seems to be a HUGE hernia that sits like a large ball on his lower abdomen. The description we were given is that "his insides are coming out" When Adina took the original picture he was visiting his friend George and it was not really visible. When he walked out today from George's house I tried to get him to get in to the car and drive him back to his house to leave the food. He wouldn't get in the car. He had explained that he could walk and with his "condition" he smelled really bad. I was amazed that he walked as well as he did. The neighbor also told Adina that one of the police from Dud had wanted to get him to a doctor but he refused.
I am going to pray ask the Lord if He won't send us a team to repair his house. It would be days just hauling away the trash,burnt furniture and weeds. There is also a pile of broken up cement in one room, a dog lives on top of that pile. I will ask Adina to check with the mayor there to see if they can help with materials come spring. I hope we can get George some medical attention soon.



I have seen some pretty horrible living conditions here doing the work I do - but this is about as bad as I have seen.

We will do something to help him - this much I know.

Christmas Countdown!

This is always such a tremendously busy time. This year has brought some added challenges - I fell, cutting my foot badly and breaking my sternum (now really, have you ever heard on anyone actually breaking their sternum?) After a few days in the hospital I am back home. Breathing is somewhat painful and things like doing my hair is a real challenge - managed to damage my right shoulder also. I am healing.

The good news is that everything is getting done! God is good and has been speaking to me through all of this. I have had to add a few new words to my vocabulary = "I can't do (fill in the blank)" Boy this does not make me happy but it is a must.

I think I will be able to go Sunday the 18th to our biggest single gift distribution and Christmas program that will be in Vinga at our church. Cerbu, from Osana in Timisoara, is coming with a band, puppet show, caroling and a play. We have rented the town hall in Vinga. Cerbu supplied us with posters to put up around the village announcing the show. We hope that many of the yet unreached children will attend. They will also go and do the same show at Mocrea on Monday the 19th.

Irene is here from Wales - please check her blog at: www.reachingromania.com and then go to Irene's Blog. She is involved in everything and is such a blessing. All the shoe boxes and other aid from Reaching Romania arrived here in Romania Thursday Dec. 8. Irene and a team with Adina, Bogdan, Peter, Christine, Vio and Ioanci have all been helping sort and separate everything by all the lists we had made. Irene is a wonderful blogger and has daily updates of all the visits.

Today she and Danny Luca, who has blessed us with much transportation!, are in Timisoara delivering Widow's Mite gifts. Last night they were at a children's home plus other visits with poor family.

Please do check out Irene's blog! She also has wonderful pictures. please hold Irene and the rest of the team up in prayer for strength, health and traveling mercies. Every one has had their challenges lately!

Children from the hospital

Adina is at the hospital with the abandoned babies several times every week. She has earned admiration and acceptance by the staff there. We provide cuddling, bathing, diaper changes and clothing as well as crib toys. Every child is prayed over. Adina follows up with the families if they are returned home. The State diligently seeks out the parents that "forget" their children at the hospital. We involve ourselves in these families, what can we do so that they can keep their children at home and safe? Sometimes it is a matter of food, or providing heat, sometimes finding them a place to live.

This is Alexandra, she lives with a wonderful foster family. She is fast losing her sight due to Glaucoma. Adina has found a doctor that will treat her. We are not quite sure what the cost will be but God has richly blessed us by leading Adina to caring doctors that charge nothing or very little. We then just have to pay for medicines and hospitalization. Child protection calls us when they have a child in the foster program with a treatable medical problem. The State has no funds and these children then suffer needlessly.

Iasmina is between her mom and Adina. Little Iasmina was born severely handicapped, including spina bifida, deaf. hydrocephalic, spastic, and several internal organ problems. The doctors suggested placement in an institution as she wouldn't be much more than a vegetable and the father left. We (this is the type of things I do with your generous support!) give $100 a month to help support Iasmina and her mother and I want to share a portion of an e-mail Adina sent me..."She also said something that I need to share with you -she said that she has been blessed since she meet me/us. She has mentioned she is not referring only to the material aspect, (which indeed is a big help to her), but she said she has been blessed in many aspects of her life -she was blessed with a church (she attends my church now), Iasmina goes to Sunday school and has made friends, a christian kindergarten, and has now found a doctor that is helping her much with Iasmina. I'm so happy God is blessing her through us!" This makes me so happy!


This is Argentina. She is being held by Maria, Adina's mom, after her latest checkup. Adina met Argentina and her mom at the hospital last summer. Argentina was repeatedly in the hospital for an infected channel under her eye. Her little eye was sometimes so infected it was swollen shut. The medical staff were concerned that she would lose sight in the eye. Adina visited the mother and Argentina's sibling numerous times after Argentina was released. We tried to support the family and improve the living conditions. The mother disappeared more than once with the children and Adina was so concerned for Argentina. Praise God little Argentina once again ended back up in the hospital and the mother disappeared. Argentina was placed with a foster family and is thriving. Through Adina's persistent searching we were able to find a doctor that would treat the fissure. Argentina is blossoming with her foster family!

November 19 is World Toilet Day

You may think after all this time of not posting I am making a very frivolous blog - ah contraire! This is a very important holiday and I celebrate it. Sometimes I combine the celebration with Thanksgiving since they are close together - and I AM so VERY thankful for my toilet!

I lived over 6 years here in Romania without running water or indoor plumbing. I was bathing Elizabeth and Sarah with water that was from a hand pump and heated on a wood stove. Going outside to potty at 3AM at -20 temperatures is not something I like to reminisce about. I was just discussing this with Elizabeth and she said she didn't remember having to go outside - that was because you and your sister used a potty-chair!

So - this holiday is MINE and I praise God every time I hear that lovely sound inside the house: of F-L-U-S-H-H-H. When I lived in the States I took many things for granted! Elizabeth thinks I have had many an adventure and need to write a book...someday....

OK - I promise to post a long blog in the next few days, so much has happened!

a girl named Monica

Monica recently turned 12 years old. Her mother went to Spain to work and left her in the care of the grandmother. Monica missed her mother terribly and stopped eating. Monica's funeral was Tuesday - she died of a broken heart.

Monica began a hunger strike some time ago. Her mother came to see her in December while Monica was confined to the hospital. The reports that reached us was that her mother was less than loving to Monica during the visit. Some other reports were that mom found a new man and he would not accept Monica - a situation all too common here. The grandmother apparently just washed her hands of the entire situation. How could a grandmother do that?

Adina as well as another social worker became aware of Monica's plight and they were faithful to visit her but there was nothing else we could do but pray and supply some diapers. Adina and I prayed over the situation on Wednesday, we prayed that the Lord would either heal her or take her home and end her suffering. Thursday Adina was in Timisoara at another hospital. We help a mother with a new set of triplets and four more children at home. One of the triplets needed surgery right away and it had been postponed twice. Adina went and we gave the mother money to give to the doctor - the little guy got his surgery the next morning. How can a doctor put a child's life in danger over a few dollars?

Adina wasn't going to go and see Monica on Thursday after having to go to Timisoara. She was upset over the situation with the triplet and had spent all day there. Adina stopped anyway to visit Monica and met the other social worker. This other young lady told Adina she decided to stay the night by Monica's side. The grandmother had been notified that the situation was now critical, Monica's heart had stopped once - but the grandmother would not come. Monica slipped away about 4AM but she was not alone.

Once this situation hit the news many people were outraged. Monica has brought many situations here to light. Parents are leaving everyday to work outside Romania and leaving their children in care of people who are not suited for this task or plain and simple, don't care. Monica spotlighted the fact there there are few job opportunities here now and the pay is often below minimum wage or people aren't paid at all in some cases. Monica brought attention to the number of abandoned children and a society that is unprepared to help them. Also the situation a single parent will all too often chose a new mate over their children has received much needed attention. Monica will have made an impact in the world that surrounded her.

Monica is no longer suffering, but so many children still do....

There is nothing this blog can do to help, we will continue to help those we can but most of all I wanted you to know about the little girl who touched our lives.

The last 30 days (or some of it anyhow)

I know that blogs are meant to be short blurbs posted often to keep people updated. Yeah well...here's a few highlights of the last 30 days. I had some photos so it jogged my memory but as many of you know I am not very good at photographing my activities. My days have been jam packed though, that's for sure. Today I sort of felt I hit a wall and slid down to the floor but I know tomorrow will be better! A little while ago Elizabeth was outside practicing her guitar and Sarah was singing with her, Blessed It Be The Name of The Lord. Elizabeth doesn't know all the chords yet but the fact that they were worshiping - together, well it was one of those moments I will hang on to for when they are again at each others throats!


Maria had made a decision to follow Jesus many months ago and wanted to be baptized. She backed out at the last minute because her family was against woman preachers. Maria got really sick and was in the hospital, we paid for her health insurance. She was frightened of death and I was called to the house after she returned from the hospital. Maria's sister came in and said I should baptize her right then. I told Maria I would be back soon and I would pray about the timing of the baptism, I wasn't sure she wanted it or her family had decided because their pastors wouldn't come and do it. The family believed that if she should die before baptism she wouldn't go to heaven, so perhaps a woman preacher would do in such an emergency??? When I was called to her home I took anointing oil and we prayed for her. I told her that in doing this not only was there healing but the scripture said her sins would be forgiven. Peace filled the room and I left. The next day I was in Vinga and I thought the Lord impressed upon me to go and baptize Maria. Two of the church leaders were there with me so we went and baptized her. I really did not want the extended family there so I didn't announce it - I wanted this to be her decision. We sang a few songs after the baptism and when I turned around from Maria's bedside there must have been 40 people there. Maria died several days later - but I know she is with the Lord and has received the ultimate healing. I came to the wake and the family asked me to perform the service. I said I would.

Now they don't embalm, as a rule, in Romania and the people are laid out at home. The wake was 36 hours after Maria passed away, and it was over 100 degrees. Oh my...the night of the wake I suggested we have the funeral outside - to accommodate the people coming. I thought I was being tactful - then the husband commented..."and she stinks too". Well yes, there is that. The husband said he may not be able to get the death certificate so perhaps we should postpone the funeral another 24 hrs. NO! I will bury her without it (not legal). The mayor couldn't send transportation from the house to the cemetery so I used the truck. This is the third time it has been pressed in to service for a funeral procession. The heat the day of the funeral was unbelievable and I couldn't keep the truck going slow enough without riding the clutch so the people said to turn off the motor and they pushed the truck all the way through the village to the cemetery!



Sarah is growing up. There isn't a day that is not a challenge with either Sarah or Elizabeth (usually the both of them). Sarah has started voice lessons and will also take acting when school starts. Just right for my little drama queen.


Cerbu, from Osana, came to minister at Vinga. He brought some friends and the music was awesome! One of the musicians turned out to be a cousin to Bogdan - they were both surprised at meeting in Vinga.








Elizabeth continues to dance in the traditional Romanian dance troupe but she says she will give it up if it conflicts with her guitar lessons. She will also start graphic art lessons in a couple of week.



Rici! Don't drink
out of the hose!!!!

Rici has grown s-o-o-o-o-o big!! He turns two on Sunday. He allows me a chance to be a grandma!