September Update

Greetings from Romania!

I arrived safely to Lucia and Sorin's on the 17th of September at 4:00 a.m. Lucia and I stayed up until 6:00 a.m. talking and catching up and then I decided to sleep for a "few hrs"...next thing I know, Lucia is knocking at the door, encouraging me to come eat dinner! So much for a productive first day:).

We (Lucia, Sorin and their 3 year old son Filip) spent my first weekend in Bratcuta at their cabin. Bratcuta is a little town in the mountains, about a 2 hr drive from Oradea. We had a lovely time hiking to the top of the mountain where we were rewarded with blackberries, apple, pear and walnut trees. I was able to see the promise of autumn as the trees were beginning to change colors.


Monday I came to Oradea to stay for the week. It has been a week full of visiting friends and working with Dora at the Rehab Center. I was able to work with several children from the orphanage...especially Erika, Sandor, Remus. It is so encouraging to see their progress, but even more beautiful to see how loved they are by Dora!













The highlight of the week was seeing Denisa and her family. She is nearly 7 already! Her brother Adam is 4 yrs old and is now able to talk. Lucia and Iuliu love the children so much and have given them a beautiful life. I am thankful to be a part of their family.

Tomorrow I leave for Sancraiu. Unfortunately, there is not a train on the weekends where I can manage my luggages (it only runs Monday through Friday) so Nicu is coming to pick me up. I am excited to begin my time with the Hagiu's and remain thankful for all your prayers and support!


By His Grace,

Dawn

Going out in with joy, filled with peace....

" For as the rain comes down and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper in the thing which I sent it"
Isaiah 55:10-11 (NKJV)

21 hrs and 15 minutes from now I will be on the plane, heading back to Romania~not that I am counting or anything :). I am excited to be going to my second "home" and reuniting with my Romanian friends and "family" in Oradea before beginning my new adventure in Sancraiu.

This year seems extra special as it marks a decade since my first trip to Romania. Little did I know how much that short term missions trip with Wheels for the World would radically change my life! It is so amazing to reflect on the journey My Abba Father has taken me on thus far and I am thankful He is not through with me yet!

For those of you who have followed my adventures over the past 10 years, you know that I have loved the time I have spent serving in Oradea, the city and people that so captured my heart in 1999. I am so blessed to still have strong relationships with several of my translators from that first trip. Carmen, Ramona and Adela have become sisters to me and their families have truly adopted me as their own. So living in Oradea is relatively easy for me, I have been surrounded with amazing friends who support and encourage me, plus I absolutely love working with the abandoned children in the hospital and orphanage!

However, sometimes God needs to take us out of our "safe place" so He can stretch us. For it is only through this stretching that we can grow in our faith, in our trust relationship with Him. Over the past year, God has clearly closed some doors and yet, has opened up new and exciting opportunities for me to continue to serve Him in Romania. A little over 2 years ago, I travelled to a small village, Sancraiu, to meet John and Charity, missionaries from CC Treasure Valley. We prayed even then that God might send me to work alongside them as they reached the gypsies of Sacuieu and Calatele (Vladeasa). Last year I was able to return there again, but this time I was able to come alongside Nicu and Silvana, native missionaries who have since taken over the ministry of Calvary Chapel Vladeasa. We continued to pray and seek His guidance in regards to my coming. And God answered (as He always does)! So God is taking me out of my safe place (Oradea) and beginning a new work in Sancraiu. I am so excited!

I will also be traveling to various cities throughout the country, primarily doing trainings and teaching therapy techniques to Romanian caregivers, therapists, nurses and parents.

Internet availability is questionable; however, I will try to post at least 2x/month, so please check back! I am thankful for all the encouragement/support I have received and know without reservation I am being covered with your prayers.

Har si Pace (grace and peace)

Dawn

Festival of Flowers: Oradea, August 21, 2008

After finishing at the hospital, I had arranged to meet up with Isabela (my old roommate) as she is currently home on leave. Isa is a missionary in Kenya with Food for the Hungry, and we had not seen each other in more than 2 years. We had a great time catching up, praying together and sharing stories of how God is working in our lives. Isa is a true inspiration. So after strolling through the city center, we stumbled across this festival and ended up staying for 2 hours. What a huge treat! I had really wanted to see some traditional costumes and dancing this year, but I had completely forgotten about this festival. Just another special gift before leaving...Oh how He loves to shower His children with such gifts!

A little about the festival: Every August 21st the "Festival of Flowers" is celebrated here in Oradea, complete with elaborate floats, a craft fair, great food and amazing folk dance performances. Actually, this is primarily celebrated by the Hungarians living in Romania as it is really a continuation of "St Stephen's Day" (the most important Hungarian holiday, August 20th). Stephen was Hungary's first "Christian" King and is credited with "Christianizing" Hungary. But enough history.... I did however get to use my limited Hungarian and ended up having a conversation with a lady. Good practice since I am leaving for Hungary tomorrow. I will be in Budapest for 3 days before returning home on the 26th. So until then, thank you all for your encouragement and support! I look forward to seeing many of you and being able to share many stories and pictures (I have thousands!). May He receive all the glory and honor!

One more play date...

Yesterday was my last "working" day at the hospital. I was able to finally meet up with Rachel, the missionary from CC Costa Mesa, and spend a little more time with Anisoara, Dorina and Mia (3 of the amazing Christian "caregivers" on the genetic unit). It was such a joy to show Rachel ways in which she could stimulate development, especially for sweet Ioana. Please pray for Rachel as she adjusts to Oradea and as she works with the children. Also pray for her to find favor with the hospital staff to be able to take some of the children outside. I also had the great privilege to pray over each child, and then with the caregivers. Precious moments.

Just a quick update on some of the children: Anca is now walking by herself and becoming more confident in exploring her environment; Evelina continues to grow and may soon be able to have surgery for her cleft lip; and Soledad is rolling! Sadly, Levente is having more seizures, has less head control and thus is basically confined to his crib. I was able to hold him for about a half an hour and he even smiled! Please continue to pray for these beautiful children and for their wonderful caregivers.

Hannah's Heart

I had to include these 2 pictures of Alex and Anca enjoying this awesome play mat/convertible tunnel. It was purchased by Hannah, one of the youth from my church. Last year Hannah chose to use her birthday gift cards to buy toys and equipment for me to bring to Romania. Just another proof that we still have some amazing young people willing to look beyond themselves. Thank you Hannah!

Jewish Prague

Prague has a very rich Jewish history and many synagogues date back from the 13th-18th century. I was able to visit several of the synagogues and learn more about the legend of Golem. Interestingly, Hittler spared the destruction of the Jewish quarter of Prague as he had intended it to be "the museum of the extinct Jewish race". Apparently God had other plans and preserved His Chosen Ones for His great purposes!

Prague

I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Prague August 3rd-August 9th with my good friend Carmen and about 40 other young adults from Oradea and Arad, Romania. Carmen organized the trip through YMCA, but it was open to friends and family as well. Over 6000 young people from all over the world were represented at the YMCA Europe Festival! Here is just a sampling of my more than 500 pictures. I will be posting more on my Picasa web page, so feel free to check it out!

Prague's Castle Hill

Georgiana and me on Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge's Royal Way

St Peter and Paul Church, Vysehrad

Looking onto the Vltava River

On Charles Bridge

Castle Hill at night

The Astronomical Clock, Old Town

Carmen and me, behind us is the Church of Tyn

La Revedere Tinca Part 2: House 2

Alina and I pose in the last of the sunflowers

This past week I returned to Tinca to meet with Alina (the psychologist for Romanian Relief) and to do some final trainings on how to use the writing equipment with Viorel. Alina also helped me to explain to Viorel that I was leaving to go back to the U.S., but that I loved him very much and would not forget him. He is only 4, so I am not sure how much he "got", but I know it was important to try to explain. I am going to so miss my little guy. He is one amazing child and has captured my heart. Saying goodbye to Alina was also hard. We have become quite close and I will miss our brainstorming sessions, professional collaboration and most of all, our laughter!

Here are some pictures of the younger children in "House 2". Please continue to pray for these children and also for Alina and the other staff.

Maria is all smiles!

Viorel and his masterpiece

Dawn with Cristina (playing the harmonica) and Iasmina

Andrei and his lollipop. He is too cute!

Claudiu loves his frog puppet (with Silviu, house father)

Cristina with Lia (one of the workers)

Dorina enjoying her inghetata (ice cream)

La Revedere Tinca! (Goodbye Tinca): House 1

Before leaving for Prague, we had a little goodbye party with all the kids, complete with party favors (thanks Coreen and Wendy) as well as yummy ice cream. Most of the children can't really understand that I am leaving, but my sweet Abel and Nicoleta kept asking me why I had to leave and when I would be coming back!

Due to the number of pictures I want to post, I am doing 2 entries: one for each house. Here are the older kids from "House 1".

Darling (and daring) Darius

Adorable Abel

Loving Lidia

Nicoleta

Precious Pami

6 Day Countdown

Yes, it's true. In just 6 days I will be back on U.S. soil. Arizona specifically. This last month has been full of excitement, with lots of traveling and tons of pictures/stories to tell. So now I am finally sitting down (it's 11:00 pm Romania time) and trying to figure what to blog. I only have 2 days left in Oradea before heading over to Budapest to spend my last 3 days there in hopes of having some "decompression" time before coming home. Upon returning from Prague, I have been busy seeing kids, saying goodbye to families and dear friends, and trying to keep focused on what He has for me each day. Last Friday was my final day in Tinca. I then spent the weekend in Nojorid with the Dorog family, especially to have a few more days to play with Ipu. This week I had my last home visit with Cristina and returned to the Rehab Center to see Dora. Tomorrow I will be at the Children's Hospital to say goodbye to the kids and staff. I will also be providing a few hours of training for Rachel, a fellow Calvary Chapel missionary. I am nearly packed and am coming back with less than I came with- yea!

Julia and Cristina checking out their new bubbles

Michelle and Cristina "having a ball" during therapy

Chloe's Clothes

My little friend Chloe Stafford (she's 5 years old) has been donating her clothes to Romania since she was just a baby. Well, maybe her mom Bobbie started this tradition, but when Chloe Nae-Nae was only 2, she promptly and independently emptied her drawers and joyfully gave me clothes to take to "R-mania" (her cute way of saying Romania). This year I sent the clothes to Nicu and Silvana to give out in the gypsy villages. When I was visiting with Silvana, she shared some pictures of the children receiving the clothes and told me how appreciative the parents and children were, especially to receive tops and bottoms together! One of the favorite outfits was actually made by Chloe's mom. Thanks Chloe for sharing Jesus's love with the kids in Sacuieu!