The Wonders of Christmas

December is always a big month for H2H activities! This year was no different. We spent most of the month having Christmas parties at various locations with the kids. We played dress the snowman.

This is a favorite game called Pass the Parcel. Unwrapping a candy bar that has been wrapped with tons of paper and tape with gloves is the challenge. All while dice are flying. It is a fun challenge to see who ends up with the candy bar.


December is also the time for Christmas Programs. This year we had a special program in Rosiori, in which we rented a small hall and had singing, skits, dance, and poems. The kids did great--and nothing started on fire!
While Doro took a break from the Boys Transition House the boys came and spent a week at the Team House. We tried to do many activities to make this time special for them. One evening we went looking at Christmas lights around the city.
Christmas Day, the boys got to open stockings and presents from under the tree with their names on them, a first in most of their lives. It was fun to be able to be there to help make their first Christmas with a family special.
Christmas Day, of course, meant the whole gang was together. These are the families within our group, with the 4 "grandkids."

Ruthie and Rebecca in their Christmas finery. A blessed Christmas 2011!

Photo of the Month!

I love this picture!! Joyce snapped it as a was laughing because Ruthie tried to stick the flower up my nose. She obviously finds is funny as well!

Buhler Team 2011

My Parents, Jeanette Krenzin and John and Joyce Yoder, all from Buhler MB came to spend 2 weeks with me here in Romania. We had a busy couple of weeks. The first week was focused on visiting the orphanages, baby hospital, but most of all preparing for Thanksgiving, which we celebrated early this year on Nov. 12th (see the following post, for more Thankgiving pictures!)We also visited Sinaia. Pausing for a team picture.
Family photo in front of Peles castle.
Joyce and Cristina making a mask.
The men did all kinds of projects around the house. They got a lot of work done!
Jeanette taught some piano lessons.
My Dad and Ruthie--it was fun to introduce my parents to their "great grandkids"
My parents know Mariana from their last visit 5 1/2 years ago.
My families coming together!
We visited the some of the kids in Rosiori as well.
John put his butcher skills to use, and in addition to carving our turkeys, made 25 pounds of sausage for us.
Joyce helping to watch the kids while their mom's were having Bible study with Mommies and Me.
John and Mirela and their beautiful creation!

Thank you so much for spending this time with me and my kids, team! You did so much and your visit meant alot, especially at this time of the year.

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving, as always, is my favorite holiday of the year! It is a time when you gather with people you love, and reflect on the blessings from God in the past year. This Thanksgiving was extra special because my parents and 3 friends, John and Joyce Yoder, and Jeanette Krenzin, were here in Romania to share in the experience. Parts of both of my worlds together to celebrate--an extra special Thanksgiving!Not only did they get in on the celebration but they got in on the work as well! Pie baking.

3 Turkeys
John the professional carver!
Mashing 50 kilos of potatoes.
Making zwibach--our special bread rolls.
A feast for 80

It was a great day!!

New Year at the BTH!

On November 1 we started a new group of boys at the Boys Transition House. Doru is in the middle surrounded by Marian, Adrian, Laurentiu, Robi, and George. We will possibly be adding 1 more by the end of the month of November. The 5 boys from 4 different locations and vastly different in interests and abilities, but they are off to a great start. Doru says they might be the best group he's had so far (though Doru says this about every group!) It will be exciting to see God working in each of these young men.

Ruthie Turns 1!!!

Where did the past year go! Ruthie turned 1 on the 19th.
She's turned into quiet the young princess. Always in some form of pink-thanks to her Mom and Jenny!
Family photo! Robi and Alina, and Ruthie
Ruthie did not like the idea of cake. At first she cried and refused to try it. I think it was more the big crowd and cameras that were trying to document the moment. But after everyone was off eating their own cake, Robi got Ruthie in the spirit. "How old is Ruthie?" One finger in the air, which is Ruthie's trademark, whether she is showing her age or not.
She held on for a long time but the excitement finally caught up to her. Mom and Dad had to open her presents, while Ruthie had a nap!

FALL TRAINING

After returning to Romania from a vacation in the US, in which we attended the wedding of JohnThomas Sorrels and Marinela Moldoveanu it was time to get back into the swing of ministry!

The fall for us at H2H means starting a new school year. We like to start out by getting refocused and prepared for the school year, so we like to do staff training. This year we set the theme to be The Amazing Race with H2H. We split the staff into 3 teams and they had different tasks to do together. It was a fun way to bond together, get to know our 2 new couples, and have some fun together. Sooooo...... meet our 3 teams!
The Best Team (they picked the name themselves): Mark, Ghita, Ramona, Haley, and Kirsteen (Jenny, in the middle, acted as the host and was welcomming them onto the mat after a competition).
Dinamo (named after a Romanian Soccer Team): Steven, Sanda, Corni, and Missy
The Champions: Josh, Mariana, Lenuta, and Rebecca
This was an activity where different members of the team had different obstacles and they had to complete a word find together.
Josh (who was deaf) helping Rebecca (who was blind) to the finish line.
This was a drinking challenge. Each team picked 1 member who had to drink cups of juice until they found the cup with the mark on the bottom. I think that Haley drank about 50 cups full!
In this challenge each team member had to slurp jello through a straw, until their cup was empty.
more jello slurping!
In this challenge, the teams had to recreate a design of different shapes to duplicate the picture.
All in all, it was a lot of fun! And a great kick off to the 2011-2012 school year. I'm really excited about my growing staff and excited about another year set before us!

The Wedding!

Fanel and Andreea were married on August 6th. Fanel is a graduate from our Boys Transition House. He has been living independently working and living in Bucuresti since then. I'm very proud of him and think that Andreea is a wonderful match for him!In Romania there are usually two ceremonies. The first is a civil ceremony that takes place at the mayor's house. Usually the bride and groom each have a member from their family stand up with them as witnesses. I was honored when Fanel asked me to stand up with him.
At the civil ceremony.
The traditional flower exit after the ceremony.

Jenny, Kirsteen and I with the happy couple!

The Wedding Day! Staff before the wedding.

Making sure he looks perfect!

Ruthie, in her wedding finery!

A Romanian ceremony is usually long. This one was 2 hours. So the bride and groom sit down!

The Heart to Heart Staff with the couple at the reception.