Time is flying by

I can't believe how fast my time at home is flying by. I have been home now a little over 3 months and head back to Romania next month. There is so much to do and so many people to see before I leave.

A brief summary of my time at home:
A week in Hilton Head with my grandparents and friend Lyndsay from college
Visiting friends in South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Louisville
Playing in the volleyball league at church and winning the tourney
National Missionary Convention
Trip to Newport News Virginia to visit a team that came two summers ago
A wonderful Christmas with my family
Passion Conference in ATL with 22,000 other young adults (so POWERFUL)
Rodeo

There are so many things to be thankful for. I am thankful for all the things that I have been able to take part in.

I cannot wait to get back to Romania and get back into ministry and see the kids that I work with. I also know that it will be hard to say goodbye to all my family and to my new and old friends.

Thank you to those who have been a source of encouragement to me and for those who have supported me last year. I am so excited for what 2010 holds!

Hey everyone!! So I am up at 3:30 in the morning due to a mosquito having a feast on my hands and arms. Ugh!!! So I thought I would share what is going on here in Romania. The past week has been really good. I have been trying to get everything done before I head to the states here in 8 days. 8 DAYS!!! I can hardly believe it!! Saturday I had a wonderful time with my small group from church. We each shared about the struggles we are currently going through and asked each other what the Lord is trying to teach us through them. It was my last meeting with them until I return in February.
I hope the next few days fly by. What I really want to say is I wish it was already Wednesday afternoon and my mom and sister were here!! Soon enough though! Lots to do before they get here and I still need to start packing!!
Not looking forward to saying goodbye to the kids this week.
Well I am gonna try to get back to sleep. Hopefully no more bugs attacking me!
Night all!

Last week was one of the best weeks I have had in Romania. The week started out with me having 3 of the gypsy girls over for a sleepover. After the center that day I went home with them to make sure it was okay with their mother. I was then given a gypsy skirt to buy from the mother. I had been asking for awhile now. So they dressed me up with the skirt and a scarf and we took lots of pictures. We then headed across down to my apartment. We played Uno and watched part of a movie. We then went to McDonalds which was an adventure for sure because two of the girls have never been there before. After we ate we came back and did some craft stuff, they took showers and then went to bed. The next day I made them pancakes and took them to the mall to buy school supplies. Then we headed back to their house where they pulled everything out that I bought them and talked about the whole night. Their mother Mandra was telling me about how she had a limp and her leg had been bothering her and she had been praying and crying out to God to heal her. She has been healed for 3 weeks and she was explaining how she now believes in the power of prayer. She wanted her daughter to write down my name so that she could pray for me and my family. That was a huge moment for me. The people that I came to serve and to minister to are now ministering to me. I really feel like this family has accepted me and I love them to pieces.
Later on in the week, Susanan told me that her older sister had something to tell me that the Lord had laid on her heart. When I recieved the letter the next day I felt so blessed. A fourteen year old girl felt the Lord telling her to tell me something. The letter basically said that God has me in His hands, He loves me and wants the best for me.
Friday I took Ana, the girl that I have been praying for, to the mall for a movie and dinner. We ended up seeing Hannah Montana which was hilarious because I was the oldest person in the theater. We then had pizza and bought school supplies for her and her two sisters. When we got back to her house she pulled out everything to give to her sisters and to show her mother. Her mom started to cry and was so thankful for what I was able to give the girls. She then told me about how her husband and her had gotten divorced and she now has to raise 4 children by herself. But Praise the Lord she found a job and started today.

These two families that I shared about are the two families that I have visited off and on throughout the year. Their children are so precious to me and I will miss them so much while I am in the states. So this was basically a summary of my great week. It may not seem like much but to me, feeling accepted by these families is very important to me. Oh and I almost forgot one of the best parts at least for me. On my way home after dropping Ana off, all the kids were outside in the neighborhood or part of town and they were all yelling at me and came running up to me. These are all kids from Children of the Promise. My heart just swelled up. I was thinking all the way home, the kids love me!!!!!

9 days til my mom and sister get here and 15 days til I will be in the states. So much going on and so much to do before I head out but I can't wait to see friends and family. But I know I will miss the kids and my friends here.

Baby Hospital

This is Brasov where my friend Rachel lives. I came for a visit but while I am here I am kinda helping out. Last week we sorted through boys and girls clothes that were donated and were just piled up in their storage room in the hospital. And today I was able to help out in the hospital with the babies. Oh I love babies and I am never around them in Oradea. For a little over an hour I got to hold a couple babies. Then we were off to deliver diapers to the different areas of the hospital, feed the babies and then change the diapers. The only little boy that I held for most of the time; his diaper was completely wet, the poor little boy. So I wrapped a little sheet around him so that I could hold him until it was changing time which only happens 4 times a day; in the morning, at noon, at 4 in the afternoon and at night. When I finally put him down to go after diapers so that we could change him, the front of me was completely wet. Kinda gross but I knew that it would probably happen and the only time the poor baby wasn't crying was when he was held. I was only there for a few hours but it broke my heart to leave the babies there just waiting for the next person to take time to hold them and love them. All the babies that the organization works with in this hospital are ones that have been abandoned so the staff that works the hospital are the only people that hold and care for the little ones.

Well Rachel and I head out to a camp near Sibiu tomorrow until Wednesday afternoon. It's a short time but I am sure I will come back with a story or two.

August Week 1

I had a wonderful week back at the center, Children of the Promise. Wednesday after we were done there I left with the girls to go to a park and play Uno. Well we ended up visiting one of the other girls home and then to the park. We played one game before some other kids joined us and they wanted to teach me how to play a game. I was amazed that the kids who joined us knew who I was. So I attempted to learn this game, which I don't know the name of, and it is played with two sticks. I wasn't very good but after I got the idea of how it was played, I really enjoyed it. I love those girls and the kids. I ran into Frunza today at the market who was buying bread with her mom. I love the fact that I know her family and they seem to enjoy having me around. Her mom told me that she enjoyed the brownies that I send home with the girls the other day.

I know I say this a lot but it always amazes me. I love the way you can interact and meet new people just through playing sports. Our church went to this place right outside of the city last night and we played volleyball and soccer. I played volleyball the whole time and met a lot of new people. I love my church here. God has been so good in bringing new people into my life.

I am excited that Wednesday I will be in Brasov with my friend for a week. I will be helping her organize some donations for the hospital, spend a few hours in the hospital holding babies and then just hanging out with Rachel. I can't believe how fast this month is already going by. I am expecting a few more guests this month so I know that time will continue to fly by.

Thank you for all your prayers, encouragement and support! You are truly a blessing!!

Summer Overview

Summer is flying by. I can't believe it's already August. The past couple months have been very busy but really great.
The beginning of July, Megan (my cousin), Megan (our intern) and I headed for our cross-country trip. We headed to Brasov to do some sightseeing on our way to the sea. We were able to visit a palace in Sinaia, Bran Castle (Dracula's castle) and a fortress in Rasnov. We then headed from there south to Medgidia where we spent 5 days working with a couple there.

We spent 3 days going to a school in a local village where we helped the teacher with the Turkish Gypsies that were coming for summer school. These kids were extremely behind in their studies and struggling to learn Romanian and some could not even do simple math. It was so sad but we had a lot of fun with them. We were also able to visit a apartment building called Casa Alba (White House). There are about 80 one room apartments and it is so filthy. There is trash and human waste all outside of the building. It broke my heart to see the conditions that these people were living in and especially the kids. I was very thankful for this opportunity to see all that this couple is involved in. I am planning on visiting again sometime next year. One afternoon we were able to go to the Black Sea and hang out there. It was cool to say that I have been to the Black Sea but it's not anything special.

After our 16 hour train ride back, my cousin and I got on another train and headed to Budapest where we spend a few days before she headed back to home. We had a wonderful time sightseeing the city. The week after I got back I took some time to myself and was able to catch up on sleep and get lots of things done around here.

Last week was my first week back to the center, Children of the Promise, after being gone for a few weeks. It was so good to see the kids and the girls. They are so sweet. We have been reviewing English, playing cards and games.

This has been a wonderful summer even though it has been really hot.

I'm sorry that I haven't been posting as often. My goal is to post every couple days.

(Since I am without my computer, I will post pictures as soon as I can)

Its been a little too long since I last posted. I am doing well. Looking forward to the start of a crazy summer (the next couple months). One intern coming tomorrow and will be here til the beginning of August. My cousin comes for a month which I am really looking forward to.  I am excited to spend time with the kids at Children of the Promise and with my friends from church.

I am in Timisoara right now and have had a wonderful couple days down here. I love my friends here and am so thankful for them. I have been spending the majority of my time with my friends Steve and Kristi who have returned for two weeks from the states to pack up and sell their stuff then move back to Arizona. I am sad to see them leave but I know they are being obedient to the Lord. I have had lots and lots of time with their new little boy Andre. He is such a sweety!! 

It's going to be a great summer and I can't wait to see all the Lord is going to do!!!