Summer 2013 in Romania

We have loved summer ministry in Romania ever since we participated in our first summer camp in 2008.  Summer ministry is a chance for us to give the kids a change of scenery and to pour into them in a very special way.  We started in June with a team of music students from Biola University in California.  They brought their instruments and played for the kids and we also put on a carnival for children’s day.  The kids had the most fun trying out the instruments, especially the French Horn.  After that we had a team from Reno who helped us finish out the school year with fun projects and crafts.

In July we officially started summer camp.  We were able to use a local high school for our camp location which worked out great.  For our young kids curriculum we used a medieval themed VBS program called “Kingdom Rock.”  Each day we started off with a skit and some songs.  Then we would split up into groups and each would go to a station: Bible Story, Imagination Station, Missions, and Games, to teach the kids how to stand strong in God and to have strong faith in him.  In addition to this, every other day we took a small group of kids to the pool at the H2H team house for a swim party.   This was of course their highlight, they just love swimming!

We also did a teen camp where we used personal stories and testimonies to show what real faith looks like.  At the start of each day we played hilarious ice breaker games, then had a great worship time and a message.  After that we played some group games and then had a soccer tournament and more game time.  Each evening we hung out with the kids at the local stadium.  This camp was a highlight for us because we felt like we really connected with these young adults and they also seemed really open to hearing about the Lord.

In August we had time to do less structured things like go to the orphanages to play and hang out.  We spent as much time as we could with Marius, including taking him to the mountains for a few days.  We enjoyed hiking in God’s splendor and the weather was so refreshing.  We also were honored to attend the wedding of two of the kids that were in the transition program this year and the baptism of Elena.  We also enjoyed seeing a teen that we work with, Dan, start reading the Bible, asking good questions, and attending bible study and Church, as well as helping us with camp.  He had previously taken a stand saying that he didn’t believe in God so seeing him change and accept Christ a wonderful answer to prayer!

Please Continue To Pray:

- Praise God for sustaining us this summer and giving us a fruitful ministry.  Pray that he will continue to work in the hearts that were touched by his truth and love.

- Even as things went so well we still experienced hardships and spiritual attacks.  Please pray that fall ministry will go well and that we will be protected from attacks.

- Pray for us as we plan for the fall that we will be able to follow God’s will and work out a schedule.  Also pray for us as we travel to France to celebrate our 10 year anniversary.  Please pray that God will make his long term plan clear to us.

- Pray for staff members Josh and Missy as they leave the field and start the next chapter of their lives back home.  Also for Kirsteen as she went back home at the beginning of the summer.

- Pray for Talitha as she arrives here soon to join our full time staff.  Pray for her transition to Romania and for her language learning.

- Pray for our family, friends and supporters that make it possible for us to be here.  We could not be the hands and feet of Christ were it not for their love, prayers and support.

Thank you for praying and helping us make this a successful summer.  Even after four years God is blessing our partnership and giving us fruit, praise Him!

You can download a printable copy of this newsletter by clicking on the picture below:

Elena's Baptism

If you've heard us talk about Romania and especially how we came to be called here full time, you've probably heard us talk about our special girl Elena.  We met her for the first time at summer camp in 2008 and she made a lasting impression on us.

It was on the long hike to the monastery in the background that we really got to know each other and when she said for the first time that she wished she had a father like me.  My heart melted and I knew we had a special bond.

Later that night we talked more about her life and her past and we shared about ourselves too.  She said that she wished that she had parents like us because her Mom took advantage of her and it was so bad there that she ran away to the orphanage.  She had never known unconditional love but we were happy to offer her our love.

After camp we kept in contact with Elena through H2H staff.  She was one of the main kids that God used to tell us that we should work here full time.  We had the thought in mind that if we could build such a strong relationship in one week then how much more could we do for a longer period of time?

When we got here we tried to see Elena whenever we had the chance and eventually were able to work with her full time when we started working in her town.

We enjoyed going to her Christmas programs and being there for her like the parents she never had.

Elena entered into the girls transition program this year and had a great time learning life and job skills.  We got to spend time together and do fun things like an Easter egg hunt.

We also got to see Elena at church every Sunday.  She has always liked going to church and loves to sing.  But this year she grew closer to God and decided to be baptized, praise God!

Here is Elena reading the Bible with Florin, who was baptized a few years ago.

At the baptism she shared one of her favorite Bible passages.

Even though we knew about her baptism and we had talked about it before she called us up to formally invite us.  She wanted us to be there for her like always and we were happy to oblige.  

We are so proud of Elena for making this decision and taking this stand in a world that is trying more and more to push God out.  We pray that she will be an example to others and that God will use her in big ways.  Thank you to all who prayed for her and the kids that we work with here.  God is working among them and we are privileged to see some of the fruit of all of our labor.

Tattoos and Playing in the Park

When we go to the orphanage we are always looking for fun things to do with the kids.  In the last couple weeks I have found something that they really, really like - tattoos.  It's not a big surprise because many of the older kids have their own real tattoos so everyone wants to be cool like them.  Thankfully the ones I do aren't permanent or down the road they would all be asking themselves what they were thinking!

Here is the whole arm train tattoo...

...a Jedi Knight...

...a dragon...

...and Spider Man, this day we had a new team with us and they painted in the tattoos.

My favorite one that I did was this one of Yoda from Star Wars.

Of course while I was busy being a tattoo artist for hours the others played and spent time together like normal.  We can hardly believe how much Catalina has grown up in the years since we've been here.

Ana loves her animals.

We also were able to travel down to Rosiori where we work during the school year.  We went to see some of our kids and played games and colored.

After that we took them to the park to play for a little while.

We all had a really fun time, even if you can't tell from little Oana's face.  We always love spending time with our kids.  Please continue to pray for them and ask God to watch over them and bless them.  Ask him to protect them from those who would abuse them or take advantage of them.  Ask him to reveal himself to them so that they might know him as their savior.  Thanks so much! 

A little of this and a little of that...

What have we been doing in these past weeks since the end of summer camp?  A little of this and a little of that :)  We have had a more relaxed schedule, but have still spent plenty of time with our kids.  We stayed up in the Bucuresti area for two weeks and spent lots of time with the kids up there.  It has been really nice because during the school year we don't get to see them very often. 

This summer Haley has continued her reading program and we have been helping the kids to read their books.  The kids are really bored and get really excited to read their books.

Ana and I.  She loves to play games her way and to be read to.  She really likes cards and she will count them out, but she usually skips the number seven.

Mark playing cards.  Always have to watch for those who invent their own rules!

Who would believe that behind this cute smile is a little boy you need to keep your eye on?!

We took a trip up to the mountains as well.  It was so nice and cool up there!  We had always wanted to take Marius up there, but it had never worked out in past years.  So he rearranged his work schedule and we went up there for a few days.

It is so beautiful up there, God's handiwork is amazing.

Contemplating life...or just waiting for us out of shape people to reach him?

There was a long line for the gondola up the mountain so we decided to hike up it.  It was a beautiful climb, but a hard one!  Marius really enjoyed it, so that is all that matters ;)

By the lake.  Enjoying each other's company and the surroundings.

Another big event of the summer was Alex and Ioana's wedding.  They both recently graduated from our transitions programs and were ready to start their life together.

The happy couple.

Another happy couple.

Josh and Missy

Steven and Haley

Here Alex is declaring his love for Ioana, a condition for the safe return of his bride.  It was a lovely wedding and we wish them all the best.  As our kids grow up and mature into adults, there are new chapters and challenges to their lives.  Let's remember to keep them in prayer so that regardless if they know God currently or not, that each day will bring them a step closer to him.

Teen Camp Rosiori Kids Part 3

Teen camp in Rosiori was our last camp of the year and we definitely saved the best for last!  Around 30 young adults showed up for our five day camp and we had such a great time.

We started off each morning with some fun icebreaker games.  We played some games from the TV show "Silent Library," where there were six volunteers and the one who gets the skull and crossbones card has to do a challenge.  The funniest one was where one of the boys had to hold a balloon under his shirt while it was being pumped up so big that it popped.

We played other fun games like Birdie on a Perch, where partners have to find each other and one person sits on the other's knee when the music stops.  The last one to make it is out and it goes until there is just one pair left.

After the games we worshiped God through singing.

It was great to hear the kids singing praises to God!

After singing we talked about how we can relate to God and live for him.  The messages were centered around personal stories and also stories of famous sports players that the kids could relate to.  Here I was demonstrating the difference between love and anger in our lives and how they affect our relationship with God.

After the message we played some big group games outside like ultimate frisbee...

...dodgeball, basketball, and lots of other fun games.

Then we broke up into guys and girls, the guy played in a soccer tournament...

...and the girls played games on the X-Box Kinect like "Just Dance."

At one point all of the girls in the room started dancing with the game even though there were only a few actually playing!

Each evening we had a hangout time at the local stadium where we played games and spent time together.  This was an unstructured time that was really nice because we were able to get to know the kids a lot better by just spending time with them.

At the end of camp we had swim parties in small groups, fun as usual.

After this camp was over we had such a good feeling about how it went and we were sad that it was over so fast.  We feel like God really worked here, which is something that we have all been praying for a long time.  We had great turn out, many of the kids that came don't normally come to our programs so it was nice to get to know them.  The kids had a great time and especially when we were singing and talking about God they seemed to be really soaking it in.  Everything went so smoothly with the kids and hearing them laugh and have fun was great.  Please continue to pray that the work God started here will continue in their lives.  Pray that they will be involved in our normal programs that will start back up this fall.  Most of all, thank God for what he did here and for working in mighty ways in these kids' lives.