Summer Fun!

Summer Ministry is my favorite time of the year!  It is a time when we don't have to worry about school schedules and interuptions, but can focus on providing fun, memory-making experiences with the kids.  This summer was no exception.  We did day camps for the kids under the age of 14.  They were able to come to the team house and have pool time, games, crafts, great food and good lessons.  We also did a tween camp this year for kids 12-14 and a teen camp.  The theme for the year was Perseverance and we focused on different parts of this; faith, hope, purity, purpose and discipline. 

There were so many great moments that I can't tell you about all of them, so I'll let the pictures tell most of the story.

The pool was a favorite activity, as usual!  The month of June for us, was pretty cool and rainy, so many of the swimming days with the little ones were was a bit cold.  But if you only get to swim 2 days a summer, you swim, no matter how cold you are!

 Our new addition to the pool this summer was basketball hoops.  James Lynch, from Buhler along with Steven came up with and built (with some helpers), 2 hoops.  We had a lot of fun playing basketball!

There were some intense games--but I was able to hold my own!

 I always pray a lot for protection over the summer.  With all of the driving that we do, activities with the kids, and pool time, there are tons of opportunity for injury.  But God was faithful again this summer and it was a very safe summer!  The biggest injury....when one of the kids' head connected with my ribcage in the pool.  His head was fine, I had a bruised rib all summer, but all is good!

Part of the fun of summer camps is good food.  The kids look forward and argue about what they are going to eat each year! A typical conversation in the van on the way to came is, "what are we having for lunch?"  "I bet pizza, because we had pizza last year, or maybe soarma, or maybe hot dogs, or maybe...."

 I was blessed to have "Buhlerites" (people from my home town), here ministering with me this summer!  Parker Wedel, Elisa and Josh Brikerhoff, and James Lynch.  They were great, and once again proved me proud!  They were hard working, flexible, and ready to jump into wherever the need was, including cleaning up from the Flood of 2015!

Craft Time!

The kids love skits!  This was an amazing rendition of Daniel and the Lion's Den!

Putting on their Armor of God!

 For the Tween and Teen camps we had obstacle courses to encourage the idea of persevering.  They were FUN!

 This is the new favorite treat of the summer.  A new ice cream store that opened down in the old city center.  Want to know how good it is......come to help out with summer ministry and we'll take you!

Dental Team

We were once again privileged to have Dr. Larry Payne and Dr. Brett DiSalle here to put on a H2H dental clinic.  This year the clinic was held here at the team house.  We focused on Transition kids and graduates as well as some kids from Rosiori.  This is always a different kind of ministry for me, as I fill the role of dental assistant and translator for the week.  In addition to the dental clinic we had 15 other team members here do a Vacation Bible School in Rosiori, Peris and Voluntari.  It was a busy week!!

                             The dental team after we finished putting in a bridge for Mariana

 Ruthie came to the dentist for the first time.  Mommy had to sit in the chair with her, but she was able to be brave and get her one cavity filled.

                                                            Dr. Larry and I in action!

                            One of the most important jobs of the week---holding someone's hand!

If you spend must time with me (have sat through my orientation), you know that I don't put much importance in numbers defining success of ministry.  But, dental week is a special week, and here were our numbers:  69 patients, 1 bridge, 1 crown, 10 sealants, 142 filings, and 62 extractions.

Thank you God for blessing the work of our hands!

Wrapping Up the School Year!

 The end of the school year is a busy time for everyone, and that is the same for us here in Romania.  We try to get in end of the year field trips, rewards for good behavior that have accumulated, celebrate Children's Day on June 1st, and recognize the accomplishments of another year.  

As a reward for good behavior throughout the year, we were able to take the kids from Peris to a special children's concert at the main symphony hall in Bucuresti.  This is a beautiful building that most Romanian's find it a privilege to go to, so to be able to take some of our kids, was a rare treat.

We had a team here from Biola University again.  They bring a group from their symphonic winds every other year.  It is always great to have Bob Feller back and his talented crew!

 They also helped us to celebrate Children's Day.  This is an international holiday that occurs on June 1st every year.  It's equivalent to Mother's or Father's Day, but celebrates Children.  It is widely celebrated here, so we try to do something special for our kids as well.  This year we held a BBQ in Rdv, and a carnival at Peris and Voluntari.  Fun was had by all!

 Romania schools also have end of the school year promotion programs.  Think about that for a moment.  Who attends promotion celebrations?  Parents and grandparents, right?  So who attends to cheer on our kids?  We do.  Getting to fill in the role of a proud parent and cheer on our kids and their accomplishments is one of the best parts of our ministry here.  It is such an honor!

 This is the annual family photo of Nicu, Vic and I that we always take on the last day of school.  For the first year, they are both taller then I am. 

Favorite Pictures of the Spring!

 Sometimes some of the best ways to show what I've been up to is to post some of my favorite pictures.  Spring means teams and the picture above is a team out of Maryland.

 I have 5 clarinet students that I've tried to keep playing throughout this school year.

 On a field trip day for some of the kids from Rdv, this group of boys and I had an intense game of whiffle ball going!  It was a fun day!

 Easter at Pipera means Transition Graduates coming home.  It is always fun to have the family together!

 Baby Karla's first Easter!

 The Canadian Team also hosted a baby shower for Alex and Ioana.  Another fun event to celebrate our growing family!

 Grandpa Jim

 Costel turned 65!

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!