The Big Day--Alex and Ioana's Wedding

It was again our privilege and honor to be able to host a wedding for 2 of our kids.  Both Alex and Ioana grew up at the orphanage in Peris and graduated from our Transition program this past summer.  They asked us if we would help them to get married the right way.  It was a joy to see them go through the steps of engagement, counseling, and planning for their big day.  Neither of them had ever attended a wedding, so it was a learning experience, but everything turned out beautiful and it was a day that none of us will forget!

The 16th was the cununie, which is the civil ceremony held at the mayor's house. 

 After the cunanie we had a rehersal and decorated.

 

Aug. 17th-- The moment has arrived!  Getting dressed!

 

 Ioana was blessed to have many MOB (Mothers of the Bride)  Jenny and I got to be 2 of them!

Emi and Ruthie were the ring bearer and flower girl.  They actually walked in and did exactly what they were supposed to!  So sweet!!

 The ceremony

 The reception

What is this?  Costel actually taking a good picture!

 

 Receptions during Romanian weddings include games.  This was a version of the Newly wed game--who is more likely to....

 The atmosphere

 Ioana was only really passionate about 2 things about this wedding.  She knew she wanted to marry Alex and she wanted to dance! 

 The cake

 Cheers and Casa de Piatra!  (Casa de Piatra is a Romanian blessing which means, may your house be built on a rock)

Quilt of Memories

I had an idea quite a few years ago, that I wanted to make a t-shirt quilt with some of my H2H t-shirts.  So over the past hand full of years I found them and took them back to Kansas with me.  I started with the oldest shirts.  I asked a woman from my church, Charlotte Smith, to give me some pointers and teach me how to do it.  I made the blocks from the shirts and Charlotte graciously pieced them together for me, since my time in Kansas was short, and had it quilted for me.  The Buhler team that came this summer brought the finished product over for me, and I love it!  It is fun to look back and reminisce about the first years with H2H.  Thanks again Charlotte!

Camps and Teams

July means 2 things for us here at H2H:  Camps and Teams.  This is our busiest month of the year and this year was no exception.  We had around 30 team members and we held 8 different camps.  This year's idea was to do week long day camps in each orphanage for kids under 14 and a separate camp for the teens.  All of the camps ended with pool parties at Pipera. 

  This is part of the team members who joined us over the month of July!

 Three more Buhlerites came to help out.  It was a pleasure to have Karley, Rhonda, and Stacey here!

 Teen Camps

Graduation!

This year we had one of our biggest graduating classes from the Transition Program that we've ever had!  We graduated 14 young men and women.  It is always is a great time to stop and celebrate how far they have each come, and look forward with anticipation to what God is going to do in each of their lives.

 For each of the graduates a staff or team member who has a special bond with the graduate shared a verse or passage of scripture as a blessing over him or her along with memories and encouragement.  It was a special moment for each graduate.  I blessed Ionut, whom I've known since he was 8 years old.  With the majority of these graduates we've watched them grow up through our programs, which makes it extra special for those of us that have helped raise them through the years!

The graduates with some of the H2H staff.

JUNE

Whew!!! June was a very busy month!  We had a team from Biola University to help us start of the month celebrating Children's Day, which is June 1st.  We finished out the school year with end of the year programs.  We also got ready for summer ministry to begin, among many other things. 

We put on a children's carnival in Rosiori for the 3 orphanages that we work with in that area.  The Biola team, kicked it off by playing the Romanian national anthem.  Then we had booths the kids could go to.  There was face painting, balloon animals, obstacle course, fishing pond, and hot dogs to eat, just to name a few!

 

Our orchestra from the Peris orphanage was invited to play at the opening of a new Romanian foundation that is piloting a program to take young people from the orphanage and teach them to be chefs.  The foundation will be taking a few kids from the Peris orphanage and it will be a great opportunity for those chosen.  The launch of this foundation happened at the Marriott hotel in Bucuresti, which is a very fancy, expensive hotel here.  The kids were wowed by the building, the food served on fancy plates, and playing in front of some important and famous Romanians.  It was a night that they won't soon forget!

 

 School ended on June 20th.  Each year the schools have a promotion ceremony.  At the Peris school the orchestra performed. 

 Some of the classes also put on a play for us.  Can you guess what it was?

 The Jungle Book!

The Reno Team was here to help us celebrate the end of the year!

 Taylor and Bekah Wedel from my home church in Buhler, were also here.  It is always fun to people from home here who share my love for these kids!

 We finished out the month of June preparing for summer camps.  You never know what you are going to get to do here for ministry.  Josh and Mark's task was to paper mache helmets for the knight who will be the emcee for summer camps!

Field Trip Fun

We were able to continue field trip fun during the months of May and June.  We were able to take 2 groups of kids from Rdv to the Bucuresti zoo. 

 Some of the Canadian team came along to join in the fun!

 No trip to the zoo is complete without ice cream!  Thanks Canada Team!!

 We also were able to take Steven and Haley's reading students to a bookstore in Bucuresti.  They each were able to choose a book to purchase, thanks to Steven and Haley's home church The Wave, from San Diego.  This was a very significant thing for these kids to do, since they have no children's books in their classrooms.  They were thrilled to be able to pick out their own, and are excited to read them!

 After the bookstore we all enjoyed lunch at McDonald's.