New beginnings

  Well, time flew by and we celebrated our one year just last week!  It is crazy to think all that we have learned in this last year, how God has used us already and to see His guiding hands to preparing what He has planned for this upcoming year!!  Lots of exciting things will be coming our way very soon!!  We hope to celebrate by going to the Bucharest Symphony.  : )
  The time is just about here.  God has prepared our hearts and minds, as we have been preparing the house and courses for the transition programs.  We will be moving 6 girls into our house on Saturday, October 6.  Josh and I will be "house parents" to the girls and will be teaching different courses, such as; daily Bible studies, finances and budgeting, 4 Spiritual laws and courses on Biblical characteristics.  There will be other staff members directly involved with teaching music, health, nutrition, anger management and tutoring for those that will take a test to try to get into college.
  Also, we are beginning a new program this year that we will be directly involved with.  We have had a girls transition house and a boys transition house, but this year we have decided to add an alternative transition house (program) for four boys in the city.  They will be living in one of H2H's apartments and will either be working or going to to school.  They will also be included in our courses that we will have with the girls as well.  It will be a busy year!
  Recently, we haven't been able to go to the orphanages much because we have been busy at work getting the house all ready for the girls to move in.  We miss our kiddos but are getting more excited for all that God has planned for us and the girls this coming year!  Here are a few things we have been up to...

Painting the back deck a new color!

Josh cut down a branch that was touching the roof and would have caused problems later.

  We even got some help from some of the boys from Peris.  We had a couple over once before to help do some indoor cleaning and had been asking when they could come again.  They love to spend that time with us outside of the orphanage because they receive more individual attention and they get free good food!  This time, we had a lot to get done but we finished very quickly with their help!!  Here they are in action...

Marin, burning leaves.

Marian Stefan helping Josh rake the extra leaves and walnuts.

L to R: Florin, Marian Stefan, Josh, Marin and I having lunch.

Marian Stefan painting the balcony.

Florin adding support to one of our clothesline poles.

Florin playing in the broken down Damas in our yard.

  When it got quiet, we wondered where Florin was and we always found him in the car.  It made us smile as we would watch this teenager pretending and just being a kid.  It is times like these when we are reminded that these young people are still kids and that God loves them just the same!  : )

Praises:

- Everything that we have gotten done to better the program and all the help we have received

- For this last year that we have had to learn and grow 

- For all the support and encouragement from you all that helps us continue to do God's work here

Prayer Requests:

- That we will be able to finish preparing for the transition programs while we still have time

- For the 17 new family members within H2H this year in our transition programs...this move will be hard for all of them and emotional for most

- Continued clarity with the language with the girls and when teaching