Christmas in April?!?!

Each Spring we have a team that comes from Canada.  They are led by Dan and Luella Hewson, who head up our H2H Canada branch.

Each year they come prepared to do a project and this year we decided that their project would be to help with Christmas presents.  We usually give out between 600 to 1000 presents each Christmas and, as you can imagine, this takes a lot of planning and organizing to get accomplished.  Usually we are working about a year ahead of Christmas, because of the logistics.  Up until this point, we have been very low on gifts for this coming year.  I had very little stocked up from the year before and no transports scheduled to come in before this coming Christmas.  So when H2H Canada asked for a project we said "let's go shopping."  Fifteen hundred dollars and 8 carts later we put a major dent in what we needed.  God provided once again!  Thanks H2H Canada for being willing vessels!

Baptisms!

Sometimes when you are in relational ministry God surprises you!  There are times when I look at some of the kids that we work with and I think, "this one is so close to following Christ,"  and other times I think "this kid is so far from following Christ."  One thing that I've definitely learned is that I can't always predict whose hears are being softened and turned to Him. 

In the past couple of months we've had 2 of our Transition Graduates make professions of faith and be baptized.  Nicolae Toader is a guy that I've known since he was a small boy.  I've seen him grow and be moved around to 3 different orphanages and then he went through our Transition Program.  He has had a heart after God for many years, but it has been a joy to see that now that he's out of our house he has made his faith his own and persevered through many of life's challenges.  

I didn't meet Marius until he was in high school.  He has been a kind and sincere guy since I met him, but when he entered our Transition Program, he told me that he didn't know if he believed that God exists and if He does, he didn't know if He is trustworthy.  Two years later, with great joy, I got to see Marius be baptized. 

 For both of these young men they've had to work out their faith.  They both struggled to learn to forgive parents that abandoned them and instead of being bitter towards God, recognize that He's been with them through their journeys.  Both are living independently and working and volunteering with us when possible.  This "breaking the cycle" is what our ministry is all about!

La Multi Ani!!

A few years ago we discovered that one of the boys from one of the centers that we work in has the exact same birthday that I have.  Since that point Fernando always counts down until "our" birthday.  This year was no exception and he was especially pleased that March 3 fell on a Tuesday, which is the day of the week that we are at his center to do classes with him.  So I would be there exactly on our birthday!  When we arrived the whole center was full of energy and excitement to celebrate our birthdays, so it made the day extra special. 

 Our most recent "birthday buddy" photo!

 To add to the day, we had a team here from Mission Possible. This is a team that comes back each and every year the first week of March, so a couple of these people have celebrated the last 5 birthdays with me!

Jenny made a scrumptious ice cream cake and David, one of our grandkids, helped me blow out the candles! 

Introducing Karla Vaduva!!

On February 26th, we were pleased to welcome into the H2H family, baby Karla.  Robi and Alina are proud parents and Ruthie is a proud big sister!

Valentine To God

What would you say if you made a Valentine for God?  That is the challenge that I issued two weeks ago at our Jr. High and Sr. High youth groups in two of our orphanages.  We spent the lesson talking about love, an appropriate and "normal" theme for the month of February,  But I wanted to challenge the kids to think of it from a different angle.  We "know" that God loves us, but why do we love Him?  I hope that these words bless your hearts.  Pray with me that each of us, and each of the kids that we work with will have these truths embedded on each of our hearts daily!

Here is what some of our kids said:

 "I love you Jesus because you created me and you gave me peace and life."

 "Lord, I love you because you were there when I really needed you.  I love you because you take care of me and you created me."

 "Lord I love you because you are always beside me."

 "Lord Jesus, I love you so much and I thank you that you care about me."

 "Lord, I love you because you care about me.  You bless me.  You guide us and you love us exactly the way that we are."

 "God, I love you because you are always with me and you give me strength and faith."

"I love you because you are beautiful.  You fulfill all of my desires and you are good to me."

H2H Turns Twenty!

After my furlough in Kansas in December, I returned to Romania to host the Holiday Team.  They were here for 10 days and in that time we visited the orphanages, handed out Christmas presents, celebrated New Year's and spent lots of good bonding time with the kids.  

On January 8, the entire Romanian based staff headed to the US for the long awaited 20th Anniversary celebration.  The first 10 days were spent with the staff scattered around the US to speak in different churches, small groups, and missions committees.  It was a busy time, but full of so many blessings as we were able to visit many people who have spent time with us here in Romania, and have become important parts of the H2H family!  

My first 6 days were in Reno, Nevada.  We have had a team come to Romania each year for the past 10 years from Reno.  The first evening, there was a dinner in which past team members and their families were invited.  There were over 30 people, many of which are near and dear to my heart.  I was able to stay with my good friend Katy, and see her world in Reno, as well as visit with many past team members and missions committees from 2 different churches. 

From Reno, I spent the next 5 days in Sacramento, California.  I stayed with Shannon and Mark Toews and their little one, Mariana.  It was so fun to be a part of their family, as well as meet with past team members and speak in 4 different church services at the Bridgeway Church.

Then it was time to head down to Southern California.  On Tuesday, the 21st the festivities kicked off with a trip to Disneyland!  What a fun day!  The staff was joined with some friends and past team members.  Going to Disneyland and riding rides with our Romanian Staff was a riot.  I laughed so hard that there were tears at times.  It is so rare that we get to just have fun together!  It was a priceless day that I will not soon forget!

The rest of the week flew by with day trips to visit sights around San Diego and also speaking engagements with different small groups. Each day the number of guests from out of town increased.  In a blink,  it was Friday, and time for the celebration banquet.  In true H2H fashion, we prepared the meal and spent the day preparing the location.  It was a special evening with too many highlights to name, but in the end we were able to accomplish what we had set out to do, which was to be able to come together and reflect on God's faithfulness to us over these past 20 years!

The current staff and some of our retired staff that were able to attend.

 Speaking during the program.

 The staff presented Jim and Jodi with a quilt made by Sally Lepley and friends from Indiana.  It was made out of H2H t-shirts from past years.

Saturday and Sunday were spent with guests around the San Diego area.  It was so nice that many people were able to spend the whole weekend so we had a better chance to talk and catch up.  My parents were able to come out for almost a week and it was special for me that they were able to be there to experience this important event with me.  

The sunset on our time.  Our guests returned home, and the staff returned to Romania.  But the memories made during this time will last a long time!  To God be the Glory, Great Things He has Done!

A New Fall

     The 2014 school year kicked off again the middle of September.  A new year always means new challenges and this year was no different.  In Aug. and Sept. we had two couples from the H2H staff return stateside, so we are down to just 10 full time staff members here in Romania.  That has meant that we've had to make a lot of decision to how to have the most effective program that we can with the staff that we have.  I think that we are off to a great start!  A smaller staff means a few less logistics and a need for me to be more hands on at the orphanage, which is a great thing in some ways.  I'm helping to lead a Jr. High group at one orphanage, a youth group at another, assisting in Character/Bible classes, teaching clarinet lessons, and whatever else I need to do.
     Another change this year is that we have a new director at one of the orphanages.  This is a great change and she is proving to be a great advocate for the kids and has vastly improved the environment at this orphanage.  One of the biggest changes is that she has been able to get some of the teens enrolled in a high school program.  This particular orphanage is characterized by the government as a special needs orphanage and therefore the kids only go through 10th grade.  They then, of course, have great difficulty in getting jobs because they only have a 10th grade education.  We have many kids from this orphanage that have been mislabled and do not have special needs.  This new director was able to convince a high school to take 9 of them that finished 10th grade last spring so that they could go on and get a 12th grade diploma.  We are EXTREMELY excited about this for this group and for the future potential that it gives to them.

     This high school is about 45 minutes away from the orphanage and so the kids are boarded there during the week.  We, the H2H staff, have made a commitment to check in on them and we have a weekly visit to see how they are doing, check their living conditions, verify homework and class attendance etc.  A month in we are down from 9 to 6 that have stuck with it.  We are proud of them and ask for your prayers for them in the coming months!

     One of the very fun parts of our ministry is celebrating life moments with our kids.  I've talked about this many times before but it is one of my favorites parts of what we do and I think that it is extremely important!  This past month I had 2 experiences that stuck out to me.  The first was celebrating birthdays.  Once a month we gather the kids together from each orphanage that have a birthday during that month.  When I was gathering the kids together for the small party for October, I called one little boy, Nicu, who turned 11 this month.  When I called him to come he asked why I was calling him.  I told him that we were celebrating his birthday.  His face lit up, his eyes became huge, and he said, "It's MY birthday?  When?  How old am I?"  My heart shattered in a million pieces and I was reminded once again the importance of loving these kids, helping to define moments in their lives, and how small things like a cupcake and a small gift can make such a huge impact!  

Another favorite moment in the past month was that I got to play tooth fairy.  One of my favorite little guys, Doro, had a really loose tooth and I helped give him confidence to pull it out.  After it was out I told him about the tooth fairy.  Knowing that I couldn't sneak into the orphanage to put anything under his pillow, I told him that it was something that happened in America and since I'm an American he should give me his tooth, I'd put it under my pillow, and we'd see what happened.  My next visit to that orphanage I took him a new toothbrush with cars on it and 5 lei (about $2).  When I gave it to him I said "look at what the tooth fairy left."  He gave me a huge hug and said very seriously, "I know that the tooth brush is from you."  Another boy walked in the room and Doro told him,  "look what I got!  The tooth brush is from Jen, but the money if from the Tooth Fairy!"  Making him happy made my whole week!