catching up....

I miss blogging about everything Romania!  Our internet has been on the fritz for the last week or so and sometimes we have it and sometimes we don't...uurrrggghhh!

I am going to try and back track and fill you in on what's been going on.

*The Maternity Center has been going well. There are a couple of new ladies there.  I just finished up a series of lessons on the Gospel.  It is so hard for them to understand it all it seems.  The Eastern Orthodox religious system is just SO different than Christianity and following Jesus.
They all tried convincing me last week that my belief in Jesus and living for Him is the same as what they believe in the Eastern Orthodox church!  I don't think so!  So, here I go learning all I can about Eastern Orthodox so I can defend the Gospel and hopefully make much of Jesus.  I want these women to just know Him and the freedom there is in Christ.
We have been doing some crafts together because they like it so much.  Next Monday we are just going to cook together and make Monster Cookies.  Should be fun!

*Sumugiu & Meirleu are finally taking off.  These are the villages where we work in the schools.  We have been to Sumugiu a couple of times and LOVE IT!  They are so excited when we get there.  We cannot wait to get to know them more.  Today we took them snacks and juice bottles ( a huge treat for them!).  Next week we are watching Finding Nemo and talking about some important lessons we can learn from the movie, such as obedience, consequences of disobedience and courage.  The teachers asked us to bring a movie for the kids so this is what we will do next week.
~This Thursday will actually be our first day at the school in Meirleu!  Our paperwork is finally done!!  We are going to be meeting with the kids at the Community Center in the village in the afternoon once a week to share Bible with them, play games, do crafts, give them attention and love, etc.
~Home visits have been something that we really enjoy doing.  We have visited some families in poor conditions in these villages. Praise the Lord that we have a sponsor for one family in the village of Sumugiu.  They have four children and needed help.  

*Steve is starting up a Men's Fellowship the first week of April at government housing (think something kind of like the projects).  Some of the people here are being sponsored with monthly food packages by families back in the states.  We pray some of these men will come too.  Please pray for the men who will come and that they would know and feel that they are free to share openly and will not be judged.

*Several families in several villages are sponsored with monthly food packages by families back in the U.S. We have been typing up quarterly newsletters for some of those sponsors so that they can get updates on the families they support.

*We have been struggling with contentment at times and the Lord has been so gracious to remind us of Paul who had learned contentment in all circumstances.  Praying that we are learning and will live out our life as Paul did. Knowing we have everything we need and more in Jesus!

*Seeing so much poverty, abuse, hunger, etc. is pretty depressing.  We have had many days where we go visit families who only have rice in their home or pig fat to spread on bread to eat.  I don't understand why God chose them to be in those circumstances and not me, but I'm thankful. Every night we thank God for our life and for our good.  We know full well that everything we have has come from Him! His provision! We are hopeful that God will draw these people to Himself and that they would know Jesus!  There is always HOPE!

*It has been neat doing ministry with our entire family.  It has brought about some changes in other families. Namely, other men seeing what a godly husband and father should be doing with their family (thanks Stevo) and them making small changes for the good.  Praying that this continues so that God will be glorified in their families!

*Language learning is coming slowly and surely.  We have weekly lessons (thank Lanie & Ana!) and are learning a lot.

*We have a car now which has made life much more convenient and easier for ministry.

*It has been very cold and wet here lately, but today was sunny and cold, which I will take sunny over rainy any day!  Ready for spring!!

*Lots of other great stuff going on, but I will have to give more details later.  Off to bed!