Olympics Summer Camp

  We began and finished our summer "Olympics" before London did!  It was so much fun to have this special time with our kids in a more controlled environment, at the team house.  We all had a great time!!
  Josh was our "Master of Ceremonies" so he lead all of the different "countries" and opened the games up to begin!  It was fun to put his costume together and show the kids our enthusiasm for summer camp.

  We started out with the littlest kiddos (the youngest is about 2 or 3 years) and worked our way up to age 14.  In each group we had 10-12 kids from two orphanages which was awesome to have almost one adult per child each day!  It was so good for the kids to have that more one on one time and attention.  For the little ones we had them for one day then each of the other camps were two consistent days.  The weather was almost unbearable, but the good thing was we have a pool at the team house! 
  Our staff totally worked as a team to fill the days with fun, good lessons and more fun!  I prepared the crafts and Josh gave the salvation lesson.

  Josh used an illustration in his lesson of salvation.  He used gold glitter to represent heaven, black dirt to represent our sin, red candies to represent Jesus' blood that He shed for us, white flour to show how Jesus' death made our hearts clean and covered up all the dirt/sin in our lives, and green grass to represent our growth in God.  The kids really got into this illustration and made it an easier way for them to remember.  We even made bracelets to help them remember the colors and think about what they represent after camp ended.  He did a great job of making it interesting and easy for the kids to follow! 
  We sang songs and listened to stories...

We acted out the story of the 12 spies and the giants.

The people telling "Moses" what they saw in the giants' land...balloons were huge grapes!

Kids listening to Kirsteen & Corny tell a story about having good attitudes.

Corny & Kirsteen reading the story about Adam & Eve.

George listening to the Adam & Eve story.

Putting together the Bible verse they learned during Kirsteen's lesson.

At the end of Steven's lesson, he read a verse with one word missing. They were to run to which word they remembered finished the verse.

  Of course, we had some games and pool time!  We all had a blast! 

Listening to the rules of the pool...safety first!

Amador and the boys enjoying their boat ride.

Haley & Steven trying to pull their boat in first!

Me with Niko in the pool.

Iulian trying to get his frisbee to land in a hula hoop for points.

Josh & Iuli playing in the pool.

Lucica trying to knock over all of the pins.

Trying to pass the hula hoop down the line without letting go of our hands.

Brothers in action to win!

Tug of War!!  The kids loved it with the pool in the middle.

Andrei having a blast!!  : )

Oh no!  They're all tangled!

Cosmin was wanting Josh to push him down to the bottom of the pool so he could reach all the sinking toys.

Samir & I jumping in the pool!

They had to jump 3 times with a cup of water then dump what was left into their team's bucket.

Here Samir is trying to melt his ice block with his face to get the little toy out!

Florin & Cosmin trying to melt their ice block!

Josh keeping the ball from Vic.

Josh, Corny & Drew were the water balloon targets!

They look scared!

  During our break from the pool, I planned a craft of making boats out of materials like aluminum foil, wax paper, popsicle sticks, straws, yarn and tape.  The kids worked with one partner and got really creative!  We even tested the strength of the boats using marble as they floated in the water.

One boat held 43 marbles!

  It was such a blessing to be a part of God's work in the kids lives at summer camp!  Seeds were planted and we are prayerfully excited to see God continue to work in and through them so that they might one day believe and trust in Him more!

PRAISES:
  - We had a great end to summer day camps with the younger kids!
  - We have had some amazing team members that came and helped!  They have been a big part in our kids' lives!  Thank you!
  - We are healthy and feeling more a part here in Romania and within Heart2Heart.

PRAYER REQUESTS:
  - For our last 2 overnight camps with the older girls and boys.  That God will use us as He wants and that He will soften their hearts for a life dedicated to Him.
  - For the lost all over the world.  Here in Romania, there in the U.S., and in every other country.  It is so sad to hear the never ending stories of abuse, death, shootings, loss, sickness, etc.  God has overcome the sin and darkness on this earth!  May His name be forever called upon and glorified in all we do...everywhere!! 

Backpacking with the boys!

So I had the opportunity to go on a backpacking trip with boys from a few of the orphanages we work in!  Every year we do a backpacking trip into the mountains of Romania where we get to spend some one on one time with the boys.  It was a chance for building deeper relationships and planting seeds!  We stayed at the mountain rescue station and we did day hikes to waterfalls, a cave and to a WWI monument commemorating the heroes of that war.  Each location was absolutely beautiful and was a reminder that this was created so that we might worship Him!

WWI monument

One of the many waterfalls.

The monastery was built into the mouth of the cave!

Because we had so many boys that wanted to go on this trip we had to take two trips!  A bummer I know... ;)!  Personally, one of my favorite things to do was to spend that special time with each kid.  I found God had been putting me with boys that I hadn't really had deep relationships with yet.  Those kids who might be a rough around the edges or not looking for that kind of relationship were those kids that God brought me closer to.  God also was able to allow me to spend some time with my boy.  Some might recognize him from our support cards or letter we had sent out!  He has grown a little!

Marian all grown up!

Florin showing some love and me loving it!

The two "Joe cools".

The second trip had a different feel.  I didn't know the boys very well because they are from an orphanage in Rosiori.  I knew about them but had not been able to spend that time with them.  One boy that I was able to spend some personal time with was Amo.  Amo is among only a handful of kids in the orphange who have been baptized and runs hard after Christ.  His faith and actions are a constant reminder to his peers about the sacrifice Christ made for us.  It was through Amo spraining his ankle that I was able to sit and talk with him about certain things that I would never have had the chance to.  Another boy was Darius.  Darius was my challenge for group number 2.  He is at the age where everything is cool except the rules, so getting him to follow direction was difficult.  There were sometimes when he payed attention :).  But it wasn't until we arrived home when I realized just how much God had been working on his heart on this trip.  Before hoping in the van to head back to Rosiori I told Darius, "Be a man after God's own heart".  His reply was simple and humbling.  With his head down he replied, "I know, I need to be...".  That was moment I realized I am just an instrument.

Darius, our independent one of trip #2.

Amo in his morning devotions

Amo and Dani pozing on one of the rock formations.

I believe that the key to a successful ministry is understand that ministry is more about planting seeds than harvesting fruit.  Yes, fruit is extremely important and it is the reason we plant seeds but if we don't consistently plant seeds we won't get fruit.  Planting seeds is never what you expect and many times you do not get to see the fruits of the seeds planted but we must remind ourselves that our fruit lies in heaven and through planting seeds others will get to see the fruit and cultivation God has overseen.  The fruit that I get to see is rarely from something that I have done but rather from the hands that have served before me!

Some more pictures of the boys and the beautiful scenery!

lunch view!

Monastery in the cave

Little waterfall

Iounț and Gaj at one of the caves!

My view from camp!

going up the mountain!

We were in the clouds!

Summer is coming

  With these last two weeks of non-stop rain and the anxiousness of summer vacation approaching, the kids have been...energized.  It is a difficult time for the older kids we are mentoring, as they see the end of their time at the orphanage coming quickly.  They are trying to figure out where they will be living for the months up until our transition programs start in October, trying to find jobs, the BAC test is coming up again (it is like our SAT, they have to pass this massive test in order to get into college), and trying to make responsible decisions for their lives.  Please keep these older kids in your prayers and that God will direct us to the appropriate answers for upcoming situations.
  Both Josh and I love our time with our little ones as well.  We both help each week with Gredinița.  These are the toddlers up to Kindergarten aged children.  I have helped with preparing lessons, translating stories, finding crafts to use, preparing activities and games, etc.  I have loved helping in this area as I feel it is one of my gifts.  When Josh and I started here our group size was 8 kids, then it grew shortly after we came to 10 kids, now we have 14 and by the end of this summer we will have another 10 more added!  Our youngest so far is Maria, she is 2 years old, but she talks more than some of the other older kids and is capable of so much.  She is Josh's little bug.  : )

Josh & Maria.

  Here are a few photos of the little ones; we were drawing together.

Brothers, Inouț & Amendor.

Little Maria.

Florin.

Alberto, brother of Ionuț & Amendor.

Sisters Maria & Antonia.

 

  I am still helping with the music classes and are enjoying them all.  For our youngest class, I was asked to prepare several weeks worth of crafts to make musical instruments.  It has been a blast!  The kids have really gotten into it and after they have made them, they like to play along with music.  It is great.  : )  Here are a few snapshots.

Me helping Vali make his musical wind chime.

L to R: Diana, Robi & Florin in background.

L to R: Robi, Diana, Vali & Florin with their drums, wind chimes, maracas & rain sticks.

  Josh has continued to help teach the teenagers at youth group.  He recently taught that God gives everyone different gifts and that it is our job to accept these gifts and use them.  They read from Matthew 25 and Romans 12 and had a demonstration with fire!  Josh told the kids, if they had a match but did not know what it was or how to use it, it was useless.  But if you know how to use it you know it can give you warmth, light and help you lite a cigarette (as one of the kids said).  He has done such a great job translating his lessons into Romanian and teaching in their language.  Here is a look into youth group.

Listening to someone's response about a question.

Florin reading the passage from Matthew.

Josh's demonstration with fire...ok, it wasn't a big fire!  : )

 To say the least we are busy but loving it!

PRAISES:
- The gifts that God has given each of us to work together and teach these kids more about Him.
-  Our relationships we have with our kids.  They have begun to open up more and it has been awesome to share God's Word with them and see them grow closer to Him.
- The rest and rejuvenation we have gotten this past month.
- His daily guidance and presence in our lives.

Prayer Requests:
- My grandma and family just lost a wonderful Godly man.  Please keep her and the families in your prayers.  He is in such a better place now.
- My sister-in-law will be traveling to Haiti 5 months pregnant.  May God continue to hold them close and be used by Him.
- Please pray that we may stay healthy and get enough rest as our days will be longer with summer camps.
- For Lenuta as she is still getting used to being in London (for schooling), away from her family, friends and kids (at the orphanages).
- Pray also for God's coverage over us as times are stressful.  That we all may be able to continue to work as a team and put others first.