A Full Life

Hello Everyone! Its been a little while since I've written an update. Hopefully you're connected into my facebook or Instagram and have been seeing pictures and updates of a very busy past couple of months. With so many kids and graduates that make up the H2H family I feel as if I've become an event planner! I'm either planning an event, having an event, or cleaning up from one and sometimes all three at the same time!! I love the fullness of life and am so deeply grateful that God has placed me in Romania with these kids and young adults. It is a priviledge to live life with them! Thank you for all that you do to help make that happen! Here are some of the hightlights! Ruthie turned 13! I can't believe that she's a teenager, but am so proud of the young woman that she is becomming!

We hosted a fall party at the Nenciulesti house for the Rosiori teens. All the fall favorites were present: Apple bobbing, pumpkin carving, plus dressing up in funny costumes!

The 25th annual H2H Thanksgiving feast was celebrated. We had about 50 people here and enjoyed all the great food, but also had a very special time observing what we have to be thanksful for and to Whom we give thanks!

In between events, we had our "normal" schedules: going into the different ministry locations and teaching lessons. We are focusing on different character traits and also teaching cooking lessons!

We were blessed to have Cassie intern with us for 6 months. She did an amazing job and was a great addtion to our staff. It was had to say goodbye, but our prayer is that it was just a see you soon!

The first snow of the season, the Bucharest Christmas market, and decorating for Christmas!

I am one of the teachers in the kids program at our church and we had a very special kids program that everyone worked really hard on!

We were able to host Christmas parties and hand out around 400 gifts.

We had Christmas and New Years gatherings at the team house, where I live. A revolving door of people and fun.

I will be in the US during the next month. I'll be in California for a week and then be based in Kansas with several other small trips planned. I'm excited for this coming year and seeing what God has in store! I hope I'll see many of you over the next few weeks to personally wish you a Happy New Year and heartful thanks for partnering with me in this full life! In Him! Jen

Vessels

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. After 24 years of living in Romania, I shouldn't be surprised when God works. I think sometimes God must look at me and shake his head that it takes so long for me to catch on. He made it clear throughout the New Testament that His choice for spreading His love to the world is humans. He picks ordinary, unspectacular people and allows them to be His vessels to pour out His love. What an honor and a privilege it was to be a jar serving among close to 60 people this summer all with the same goal: To bring the Love of Christ to the poor and orphaned in Romania. There were many times that I looked at numbers and logistics and I thought. "I don't know how this is going to work!" God's math isn't mine and it was fun to watch Him show up and meet the needs. It was an incredible, busy summer. We had two teams from the US. One from Orchard Church and one from Emanuel Faith, both in the Escondido area. We added a few others from the US and some translators and helpers from our church here and our H2H graduates. We had 7 different groups of day camps and helped out with the AlfaOmega VBS in two locations. The H2H staff was a small but mighty group. We added in an intern, Cassie, and past staff Jenny, came to assist for the month. I was more then happy to hand over the kitchen to her! The next generation was also involved. Ruthie and Karla, two of our “grandkids,” helped out as well. Ruthie, age 12, was one of our translators, assigned to a team, and Karla, age 8 helped out translating as well. Thanks for all of your prayers for our summer ministry. I am thankful for each of you! Our theme was "We are light in the darkness." and we talked about different characters from the Bible that were lights in dark places. We used a cave setting and had a great skit with some cave explorers!

We had different stations and four teams. The first week I was in charge of the memory verse station.

We few 50-70 people per meal so there was a lot of grocery shopping involved!!

Free time! The favorite part of the day. They could zipline, jump on the trampoline, play games, do arts and crafts (tye-dye and bracelet making being the favorites),and when at the team house they could swim. The two weeks at the boys house, without the pool, were very hot and water games where a must!

Keeping the teams unified and informed is a huge part of what I do. We had morning devotions and evening wrap up each day, plus orientation and debriefing at the beginning and end. There were some very special moments and it was a privilege to lead.

Other hats I wore were chauffer, maid, laundress, doctor, and counselor, and tour guide!

I love summer ministry. It is always busy and a lot of work, but watching God show up and His love be poured out is something I never tire of! Come and join us next year!!