Roza's Baptism

Roza was quite shaken by Mihai's passing. She was worried about being baptized.  We had a fairly long discussion about the requirements to be baptized and the meaning of it. I asked her to tell me what she believed. It was really amazing. As many years as I have known her she had never spoken about the Lord the way she did then. Her Christianity is a very private matter to her.  The village assumes she is not a believer because she refuses to attend church, we discussed that too - she is no longer strong enough (she has gangrene in both legs and has refuses amputation) but more importantly to her is that the churches are full of hypocrites in her opinion and she wouldn't bother even if she could make it that far..HMMM - not much I could say there!  With Spencer, Bogdan and Edith we had a baptism service in her mud house and then I served her her first Communion. There are no words to express how glorious it was. So often I think I am just banging my head against a stone wall...and then I see the flash of light, a quick trip to the mountain top..."It is well with my soul..."  Here are a few pictures, not really good but the lighting was really bad but I did want to share them:

Ministry doesn't get much better than this!!!!

Missing Mihai

In Early May Mihai Florea went home to be with the Lord. Mihai suffered from TB as well as heart issues for some time. He had just come out of 4 months of hospitalization. Mihai loved reading the Psalms in church, he loved the Lord...but he did not have an easy life - Mihai fought alcohol for many years. He hated himself when he would start drinking again but I would remind him he had stayed sober just a little longer this time than last - just keep on fighting. He no longer has to fight - he is at peace.

Osana

It is so exciting to see the girls at Osana mature and grow!  I was there recently for a visit with Irene from Reaching Romania (this charity in the UK sponsors children  as well as supports many other of the projects I am involved with here in Romania) Christine and also Grant Croxford were also with us.  Grant sponsors at Maranatha and came to Romania for a week to visit and help in several of the projects we have.  I love to have people come and see the work firsthand.

The taller two girls in the back row are especially close to my heart. I have been involved in their lives since they were born. Their mother is in Mocrea and I visit with her each Tuesday while we do the program for the patients there.

Spring has sprung!

We had a really mild winter, which was wonderful in helping our wood supply stretch. I know the elderly in the Widow's Mite project were blessed.  Just last week we bought a little more wood for our two sisters in the program from Vinga.  I had taken pictures as we had visitors but I also have a new operating system on my computer so I have no idea where they may be hiding in my system. Cati, one of the sisters has apparently had a stroke - her right arm is paralyzed so she has great difficulty in cooking and cleaning. Her older sister Roza has gangrene in both legs. She has deteriorated a little more every time I see her. It is amazing she is still on her feet. She is waiting to die. She refuses to go to the hospital as she says they will amputate and she can not get  long in a wheel chair.  Irene, from Reaching Romania as well as Christine from England visited the sisters last week. Grant Croxford was also a visitor here for a week.

I will see her again tomorrow.  I will offer to take her laundry home and take her some food she won't have to prepare. I pray for relief from the pain. 

Tuesday is Mocrea day

We are having an ever increasing number of patients join us on Tuesday.  I think there is an attendant  that watches how many people get out of our vehicle and then decide to start opening the rooms depending on how many THEY think we can handle.  Our normal size group is now usually over 45 patients.   

Although we usually have a prayer time and singing after the craft and snacks, I never want a patient to feel they are obligated to take part in any of that so they can have the coffee and cookies.  I know many people think you could not really effectively take the gospel in to a place like Mocrea. Maybe... but we can love them.  This last Tuesday after we read a chapter from the bible and had sung I felt moved to do what I guess you would call an "alter call". I had never done that in all the years ministering there at the mental hospital. Again no obligation but if you do believe in your heart then you should confess with your mouth and if there is anyone that had never confessed out loud their belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior that we could lead in a prayer right then.  Raise your hand if that is you. There were two or three that raised their hands and stood up. Bogdan started to prayer and have them repeat after him...as Bogdan prayed more and more stood up and joined in - it was...AMAZING!  We are to come as little children and that is what they did,  I just wanted to share this with you.              

Where do we find the widows for Widow's Mite?

So many times people who visit here ask me where/how do I find the widows and widowers for the Widow's Mite program.  Sometimes someone knows of an elderly person that seems to be going hungry and they heard I have a program to help feed the elderly.  Priests have asked me to help. I have found them begging on the streets and also going through trash cans looking for food. It takes time to talk with them to gain their trust before they will give me an address so that I can visit.  Many have very small pensions and some have none at all.  

This is Margareta from Arad.  I was parked along the main street through town and spotted her sitting on the steps of a pharmacy.  I asked Elizabeth to go and talk with her.  Margareta was holding x-rays of her hips - they have big screws in them and she needs further surgery. She says she has no pension nor children. Elizabeth was asking for an address and Margareta was looking suspicious so I got out to talk with her myself and ask if we could take a picture.  Many times there is no actual street address as is the case with Margareta.  Do I know where the colony is by the old sugar factory?  Ah...no.  I gave her my phone number to have someone call with a little better address. Someone did contact me and there is no actual street or number. I will call next week and we will meet by the Serbian church by a piata and they will lead me to where Margareta stays.  Not everybody that I go and interview meet the requirements.  When I did receive the phone call it seemed there were many people in the background.  I'll know more after the home visit.

2nd Chance

2nd chance is the name of the State run educational program here in Romania. It accepts school drop outs from all age groups, over 16 I think. The school will issue a diploma which is almost a must to legally obtain employment. The drop out rate is very high among the Roma kids I work with in Vinga. It is usually OK with the parents for them to drop out, which makes it very hard to convince these kids they need an education. Last year I was able to fund getting 5 students to school and back daily from my own personal funds. The first semester of this school year the Vinga church paid for the transportation but is no longer doing that. The second semester starts in a week and I do not have the extra funds needed.

Do we have high success rates with these kids? No, not really. We have had two so far that were able to get jobs. If a student gets a job the 2nd chance program allows them to stay enrolled and continue if they can pass the exams. Just being in this program gives these kids a better chance at getting jobs.

As most know - I really don't fund raise and often do not do a very good job of making the needs known. So I am making a need known now.  The cost for our five students to go to school this second semester is $350 a month and $1575 total for the semester. This sum also includes their school supplies. This program is near to my heart. Their culture is such that self motivation is not usually seen.  The kids that are enrolled in the program attend the Friday night youth meetings at Vinga. Bogdan is doing a wonderful job and the group is growing. Bogdan knows that had some of you not helped him he never would have been able to attend a University.

Will some of you invest in the future of these kids? .