May 2015

Last week at the after-school program we began talking about words we say matter. We can use our words to build someone up, or tear them down.  The kids had a lot of fun playing air hockey with a ping pong, great entertainment.  

Saturday some of us from the church got together and gave the building a little facelift. After painting and cleaning we all enjoyed some pizza from Crazy Pizza. Great Times.

Ready to paint

Painting

clean up

waiting for pizza

Pizza

finished 

Sunday afternoon in the village sometimes bring surpise guests to the Bible study. During the study on the second commandment in walked two lambs. Not afraid and curious to who all was in the room. Always something new, and never a dull moment.

lamb

curious

look at me 

Blessed [is] the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

The ungodly [are] not so, But [are] like the chaff which the wind drives away.

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

-Psalm 1

A friend is roasting coffee to offset the cost of Chris, Faith and their 6 kids while they are in the States. 100% of your donation will go directly to them. Drink coffee and support missions!! 

Copy and paste this link: http://coffeemissions.com/index.php?rt=product/product&product_id=17

or click the link on the right side of the page: support missions- drink coffee

After school program

Esther, a Jewish,orphan prisoner in a foreign land being raised by her older cousin- doesn't sound like much. But because she was faithful to God, her cousin,and her people; God used her to save her people from total destruction. If God can use a Jewish orphaned prisoner, he can use you if you let him. This is what the kids at the afterschool program learned yesterday.

Easter--Resurrection Sunday

“For you shall go out with joy,

 And be led out with peace; 

The mountains and the hills 

Shall break forth into singing before you, 

And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

                                   -Isaiah 55:12

Our Easter here in Romania was a week later than normal as most of Romania follows the Orthodox calendar. We had a great time celebrating Resurrection Sunday with the family. 

During the Easter weekend we joined the Easter procession through Bistrita along with the other evangelical churches.

Our family

From a one-handed cripple

The Bible study in The village of Pintic has grown and during the winter months we have moved the study across the street to another house with a larger room to allow for more people to be able to attend. We have finished studying through the Gospel of John and will be studying through the ten commandments. Every sunday is different with different people showing up with different motives. But no mater what their motive is for coming, they are able to hear God's word.

The last couple weeks here in Romania have been extremely busy, even for a one handed cripple... Yes, i said it... I have been a lefty for just over three weeks. While at a training conference in Vajta, Hungary I dislocated my right shoulder (playing basketball of all things,and so the downhill mountain biking here in Romania has been put on hold for a few more weeks (months if Faith and her mom has any say in it)).  

So I have had to learn to do a lot of things left handed or have help. During a guys conference in Alba Iulia I had to allow someone else to cut my fried chicken and pork (snitel) (for a guy to have another guy cut his food can be little humbling..). The theme of the conference was "the new guy" Growing more like Christ, and because i had planned on using a white board, i again had to have help from one of the guys to help write on the white board as I taught. And to top it off, i was not able to race go karts, or play paint ball! But despite all this it was a great time of fellowship, friendship, and growing together. I will do it again!!--a conference that is!! I like being right handed!!

no, not at the beach.. power of technology at work!

As of yesterday I was able to remove the sling and I have started physical therapy... I will be back to biking.... I mean normal soon!! This typing one handed is terrible, and trying to type two handed at weird angles is tough!!

some pics from theVillage

bible study at the after school program 

At the after school program we have finished studying the ten commandments, and are looking at who we are.. God created man and woman in His image... what does that mean?

In the Tuesday night foundations class we have been looking at the attributes of God, and learning that All of God's attributes work together. God is a God of love, and at the same time a God of wrath. A God of patience and mercy, but at the same time a Just God. thank you God for being all you are.

Some prayer requests:

Please continue to pray for provision for now and during our trip to the States (housing and vehicle while in the states)

Pray for the village ministry

Pray for my shoulder to be healed totally

Pray for the after school program

Pray for the church to grow spiritually, as a church family, and have an impact on our city.

Pray for the vision the Lord has begun to reveal to us that it would continue to be made clear and precise as we begin to plan.

Thank you so much for your prayers.

(if you enjoy coffee, be sure to check out the coffee link on the right of this blog!!)

The Giver

Last Sunday after we finished the bible study in the village one of the men asked us to stop by his house as he had something. Thinking he wanted to offer us a cup of coffee and to chat, we told him we couldn't stay too long afterwards this time, but we agreed to stop at his house before leaving. (We have been meeting across the street at a larger house so that we have more room for more people to come.)

As we arrived at the young man's house, he gave us each; a bottle of oil, a bag of sugar, and some liver patte. I couldn't refuse it because of the joy written all over his face that he was able to share something with us this time. I knew he probably needed it more than I did, but his giving instead of taking and asking was a blessing. I could not refuse him this joy. These verses came to me as I was driving home from the village.

Luke 6:38 New King James Version (NKJV)

38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Matthew 10:8

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Christmas from a four year old

Hard to believe it is already a new day. We ended our Christmas celebration last night with John 3:16, and this morning I was reflecting on this Christmas and just how grateful I was for everything. We weren't sure if we would even have any presents this year and then not long before Christmas our parents blessed us with money to buy things for the grand kids and while we still didn't have as many as the years before this it was the most cheerful and peaceful Christmas in our house. The kids were able to truly realize the real reason for Christmas and to understand as Christians we don't have to wait for Christmas. We get to celebrate and worship Jesus everyday. As we were in Kaufland just a couple days before Christmas our four year old misunderstood the concept of our secret pals, and thought he was shopping for himself.
 As he realized this, in disappointment he started to throw a fit in the middle of the store (1st time for everything). In the mean time while I am thinking to myself how I am going to handle this, a lady walks over and tells him In Romanian of course, that Santa will not come to him because he is crying in the store, and in her shock that did not work because even though he is only 4 he knows Santa does not exist. But the Lord gave me in that moment wisdom in how to handle the situation, and I picked Azi up and told him, "you know Santa does not exist so what that lady said is not true. You will still have a gift Christmas day because I know someone who came and gave us the greatest gift of all even when we did not DESERVE it".
 And with that he stopped his crying and looked up at me to listen to the rest of what I had to say, and we talked about how Jesus came to save us from our sin and that is the greatest gift, and then I explained to him with that love we are here to shop forhis secret pal as a surprise to be loving for others, ( part of our conversation) and the rest of our shopping was peaceful.

 My point for sharing this is that even we as Christians get a little too wrapped up in "a man" that doesn't exist or change anything, and it was not a thought of a gift from Santa that made this little boy want to stop being selfish but the true gift from God in Jesus that caused this 4 year old to change his way and desire cheerfully to show love to his brother and no longer care for himself. And this year besides just doing the Christmas story like in the past we focused on the undeserving gift God gave not just sending Jesus as a baby but also on The cross, the resurrection, and God's word to us. And it really was the best Christmas ever. We even ended up receiving Samaritan Purse boxes last minute and never ceases to amaze me that every year these gifts that are randomly given out are always perfect for our children, Levi's even had running stuff in it, go figure we serve an awesome and loving God