A Lesson From A 17 Year Old Orphan

Yesterday our team did a small presentation at church about our trip to Moldova this year. Below is the portion I had written out for it, however this story just brings me to tears and I could barely get through it yesterday..haha:)  So reading it is far better than me trying to say it:)
I just LOVE Olga...

During our team meetings in preparation for the trip, we had dwelled on a verse – Ephesians 5:20 which says “Now all glory to God who is able, through his mighty power at work within us to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” So we are here to report back to you how the Lord is answering the prayers of this church, so we can share together in giving Him the glory in how He is providing for the orphans in Tocuz.

We have been praying for the kids to grow spiritually; for the kids to come to know the Lord as their Savior and as their Heavenly Father; for this is really the only thing that will completely change their lives. Over the past few years we have been blessed to hear how the kids are being taught by a Christian teacher on a weekly basis; they are learning from the Bible and are exposed to it’s message. But we have been praying for the kids to not only who Jesus is in their heads, but in their hearts.
God is answering. Let me tell you about a young girl named Olga. Olga is in her last year in the orphanage. She is 17 years old and will be one of the young girls being given the opportunity to go to the Christian school next school year. This past summer, Olga accepted the Lord as her Savior. She said she had been hearing about salvation and Jesus over the last few years but wanted to make the decision because she wanted to, not because someone else was telling her it was the right thing to do. Olga is learning and growing. She loves her Bible and just at the mention of Jesus her face lights up and in broken English says “Jesus is life.” But Olga is also growing in the love of God, a love that puts others before herself and a love that allows her to joyfully sacrifice. Let me explain.

Olga had been asking me who her sponsor was. And I told her that it was my mom’s co-worker who helps oversee a local daycare center. Pat had been sponsoring Olga for the last 3 years. So we chatted for a bit and Olga told me that she wanted to send Pat a gift and would give me something before our team left. To hear this wasn’t out of the ordinary because the kids make us cards and pictures to take home so I was expecting it to be along those lines. The night before we left, Olga asked me to come into her room, and through our translator said she had the gift she wanted me to give to Pat. She handed me her doll. Now, to see any child in the orphanage with a toy is pretty rare. But she had one and shared it with the 12 other girls that she roomed with. She had it since she was a baby. It was her one fun thing, her one prized possession. I started to shake my head and said I can’t take this. But she grabbed my hand and said "Please. You all sacrifice so much for me. It’s my turn to sacrifice for others. This is for the children in the daycare so they can have something to play with." After saying that, she handed the doll to me with the biggest smile on her face. Olga a 17 year old orphan gets it. She has taught me, as I hope she teaches you, to sacrifice. To sacrifice joyfully. To not hold on too tightly to the possessions we have.

I pray this encourages you; encourages you to continue to pray boldly because God is moving and answering your prayers.

French Toast and Cookies

Our team spent alot of time in the kitchen in Tocuz this year! For the past few years we served them a special meal, so this year we decided on french toast. We all got up bright and early to guesstimate in how we could make this a success.  Surprisingly, the orphanage had the perfect set up for this! They had a huge griddle stove and lots of counter space.
A BIG thanks to Cracker Barrel who donated 125 bottles of individual sized maple syrup bottles...the kids have never had maple syrup before:)  Overall, the breakfast was a great hit..altho there were some kids who were not impressed...haha:)


Robin getting ready to cook!



Bill, Adam, and Jenny unwrapping all of the syrup bottles.
Thankfully, none of then broke on way from the States!

Ala loves the kitchen:)



Valentina




Ana..always so happy!





Olympia...believe it or not, was not a fan of french toast.



After we recouped from breakfast we got things ready to start baking cookies. Robin is AMAZING at this..she had everything organized and had such a passion to bake with the kids. Our team bought a hand mixer at one of the local shopping centers and all the kids were intrigued by it. They were all excited to have a turn using it.

The ones who had the most fun baking were the older boys! One of them told Robin that this (spending time in the kitchen) reminded him of home. So sweet. There were a bunch of kids who did not want to leave..they wanted to spend all day baking. It was such a great way to show them love and spend quality time with them!

By the end, I think we made around 34 dozen cookies!



The final product!



A Reality Made Real In My Small World

For those of you close to me, you know I am deeply burdened for those victims of human trafficking.  It's easy to keep it at arms length tho~ I live in a small bubble, have a great family, wonderful friends, and a fantastic church.
But my thoughts started to change 5 years ago when Adam and I started traveling to Moldova. The kids became like family and each year we grow closer and closer to them. I am drawn to the older girls because their temporary safety in the orphanage is quickly coming to an end. Their future is bleak.
Richard Stearns says in his book "The Hole In Our Gospel" that when we take away statistics and actually connect with a face, a real person, our attitude changes and we become more motivated to take action.
Tragically, sadly, I can now connect a face with child slavery.
I met Christina on my second trip and connected with her instantly. Coincidentally, Adam and I sponsored her cousin the year before. They looked like sisters.  Each year after that, we sponsored Christina and became extremely close to her. Even tho we could never communicate with her directly (unless through a translator) we could communicate by being with her, hugging her, or holding her hand.
So this year was no different..when we arrived at Tocuz we always look for certain kids. Christina was no where to be found. As we started our distribution, I had her bag in my hand waiting to give it to her. But the director saw it and started shaking her head. I pulled Ala, our translator aside, and asked her where Christina was. She told me that her mother "forced" her to get married. At 14 years old.  If you have ever had the wind knocked out of you, that was kind of how I felt.
14. "Married." To me, it was sugarcoated...if she was "forced", my intuition tells me that money was involved for the mother.  She was sold.
Why do I share this? Because my prayer is that whoever reads this, will connect Christina's face to the astounding statistics. That when you hear the phrase "human trafficking" or "slavery" you will see Christina's face, a young girl who likes music, clothes, and everything a typical 14 year old girl should.
But don't just read. Take Action. Pray. God tells us in Isaiah to "Seek Justice." Not someone else. But you and me. 
I shared this story with some people and one person's reaction was "Oh." Don't become complacent to terminology or statistics. Remember Christina's face.


Christina, Oct. 2009, opening her Face Of A Child bag.




Christina and I right before our team left Tocuz. Oct. 2009



Our next couple of days

It has been a busy couple of days here, prepping for our distribution and time at Tocuz. We are so excited to see these kids. For those of you all who are praying, I just wanted to send another update b/c our schedule just keeps changing:)
We are headed to Tocuz Monday! We will be there until Wednesday morning.  Our tentative schedule for Tocuz looks like this:
Monday: distribution of FOAC bags; Creation lesson and craft; games
Tuesday: cooking breakfast; baking cookies; Jesus film.  At some point we will meet with the older girls and talk to them about discernment for when they leave the orphanage.
PRAY for us:) We are so excited to see what the Lord is going to in the lives of these kids.
Wednesday morning, when we leave Tocuz, we are heading right over to Suhat.  We are still waiting for the second container to be released from the Ukranian port~ we praying in faith that it will be released so we will be able to distribute the bags to Suhat and another orphanage in Visoca. ( I have been to Visoca twice...these children are 100% orphans and are mentally handicapped.  It would be a real joy to be able to visit these kids again!)
Overall, our team is doing well. We have seen probably every Moldavian grocery store in Chisinau, buying all the necessary ingredients for the breakfast, and have been able to see some of the downtown area. But, we are excited for the real work to begin and see the children.
I keep coming back to Isaiah 1:17~ "Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows." Our prayer is that these kids will come to know the Lord and that they can experience love from their Heavenly Father.

Pictures 10/17

Moldova Team leaving Boston 10/14

Here we are filling candy bags to give to the kids throughout the week. 

 

 

We filled over 300 Bags!

Our team in dowtown Chisinau.

Robin, Ala,Me, Jenny

Me and Adam downtown Chisinau.

First day down!

Our team arrived in Moldova without a hitch on Friday afternoon. We were met by our friends: Kate, Valentina, Ala, and George. They took us out for lunch at a traditional Moldavian restaurant and we had a great time catching up over the last year. Altho, we have found that Facebook has made the world a much smaller place..we have all been able to keep in touch on a regular basis.
Ironically we ended up having dinner at McDonalds, which was hilarious because Ala said we must feel right at home here...haha:)
This morning we were able to arrange a visit at a baby orphanage, where babies,toddlers, and children up to 7 years old are taken care of. There are 150 children in this particular place; 40 of the children are physically handicapped, some bound to wheelchairs. A small number of the kids are waiting to be adopted or placed into foster care. Pray, pray, pray for willing and capable families to take these precious children in.
We weren't able to see all the children but did see two groups of the smaller children and they did a small performance for us by reciting poems. We bought the children bananas as a small gift...you would have thought we had given them chocolate...they were so thrilled. We also were able to see the infants:)...one of the highlights.:)
A great part of this orphanage is that they try to encourage the mothers to care for their kids and have special housing for them if they need it.Currently, they are helping 8 young women in caring for their babies.
We also took over the "Metro"..Moldova's version of Sam's club or BJ's. We did all our shopping for the breakfast we are making for the kids at Tocuz. We are a little overwhelmed that we are cooking for about 125 people..pray for us..haha:) So 10 dozen eggs and 10 lbs of flour later, we are good to go.
If you could pray that we get sleep, we would greatly appreciate it..none of us slept well the night before.
Our schedule has changed again..we are heading to Tocuz on Monday and staying til Wednesday. The schedule has been a bit crazy b/c the 2nd container that has all of the other gifts is being held at the Ukranian port, waiting for inspection. It is supposed to be released any day now.
So we are looking forward to Monday to see the kids in Tocuz...it will be the highlight of the week, being reunited with these precious children.

For Those Of You Praying...

Just a couple of things:

1. For those of you praying for us each day, just wanted to update you that our schedule MAY get switched.....we may be going to the village of SUHAT on MONDAY instead of Saturday.

2. Pray for Adam~ he's not feeling well..ahh...gotta love the timing!

We read this passage at our last team meeting on Monday. We are so excited to see the work God is doing in Moldova.

Isaiah 55:8-13
8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

10 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens
and stay on the ground to water the earth.
They cause the grain to grow,
producing seed for the farmer
and bread for the hungry.
11 It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
12 You will live in joy and peace.
The mountains and hills will burst into song,
and the trees of the field will clap their hands!
13 Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow.
Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up.
These events will bring great honor to the Lord’s name;
they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.”

Moldova Itinerary and Prayer Sheet

It's hard to believe that our trip has come up so fast! Below is our itinerary of where we will be and what we will be doing. We have included specific prayer requests for each day. We appreciate your prayers. We will be updating as much as we can:)

ITINERARY FOR MOLDOVA MISSIONS TEAM
OCTOBER 14-23

Thursday, October 14- Flight departs Boston at 5:05PM

Friday, October 15 – Arrive in Moldova at 12:30PM (5:30AM Eastern time)

Saturday, October 16-Face of a Child Distribution in SUHAT
Please pray for:
1. The Gospel message to be clearly delivered to each child and adult we meet.
2. Relationships to continue to deepen between our team and the residents of Suhat. (This is our 4th time returning to this village)
3. Our team is specifically praying that at least one person will come to know the Lord so he/she can continue to disciple this village year round.

Sunday, October 17- Attend Church in Chisinau or possible FOACP distribution in another location (depending on arrival of 2nd container in Moldova) This has not been verified yet.

Monday, October 18- FOACP Distribution at LALOVENI
Please pray for:
1. The Gospel message to be clearly delivered to each child and adult we meet.
2. Safety traveling to and from the village.

Tuesday, October 19- FOACP Distribution at TOCUZ. On this day we will be giving out the bags with the gifts as well as playing games and baking cookies with the children. We will also be teaching them John 3:16 in English. We will be sleeping over this evening.

Wednesday, October 20- TOCUZ. We will be cooking breakfast for all 100 children; teaching them the story of creation, do a craft to go with the lesson, play games, bake, speak to the older girls about discernment as they prepare to leave the orphanage, and in the evening show the “Jesus” movie in Romanian. We will be sleeping over this evening.
Please pray for:
1. The children and staff to be receptive to the Gospel message, especially during the movie.
2. That our relationship with the orphanage director will continue to deepen. Please also pray that she becomes receptive to the Gospel.
3. For one of the boys to come to know the Lord and help disciple his peers.
4. That a Christian male role model will come on staff that can minister and be a positive example to the boys.

Thursday, October 21- Leave Tocuz; head back to Chisinau in the afternoon.

Friday, October 22-Leave Moldova and spend the night in Bucharest, Romania.

Saturday, October 23- Arrive in Boston at 8:15PM.

General Prayer requests for our team:
1. Safety traveling to Moldova, as well as when we are in country. We spend a great deal of time in the vans getting from orphanage to orphanage.
2. Good health
3. Team unity- grace and compassion for one another especially as the week goes on.
4. That each of us will have our eyes and ears open to how the Holy Spirit is moving in deepening GracePoint’s work in Moldova.

“Now all glory to GOD, who is able, through HIS mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

Learning the true essence of forgiveness

Have I ever really been wronged by someone? I mean, wronged by someone or some people so bad that could leave devastating repercussions? This was the question running through my head as I listened to one of the field directors employed by IJM. My answer to myself was "no". Nothing so traumatic that the course of my life would change. But boy, I can hold a grudge..a grudge over the pettiest thing. I learned a lesson very quickly Friday night from 3 young girls who I believe were from Cambodia.
This particular field investigator was revealing a story of three young girls who had been rescued from a brothel. Did you know that the going price on a human life is around $100. More than likely that is what these girls were sold for as they entered into the most evil of worlds. Unfortunately for them, they were sold to one of the most powerful men in this area who had no conscience and no value for a human soul. These young girls were rented out multiple times a day and were expected to comply or they were beaten, deprived of food, or in some cases beaten so bad and then left to die. For these girls, this went on for months. Until IJM found them and rescued them.
Unfortunately the trauma doesn't stop when they leave the brothels~ in order to prosecute this man and his colleagues, each girl would have to go to court and testify against him, reliving the shameful details of the months of torture they endured.
The day came when they were to go to court. The girls were very nervous and didn't think they would be able to go through with it, but knew they had to in order for other girls to be protected in the future. The husband and wife who ran their aftercare home sat them down and told them they were like David and Goliath...David confronting this powerful giant..an unlikely story, however with God on His side, nothing was impossible. This man gave each of them a stone to carry in their pockets with one simple word on it "TRUTH". This word representing the message they were to deliver.
As the hearing ended, and this powerful man, this Goliath, was prosecuted and charged for his crimes, the girls were weeping. Happy, yes, that justice was done. But weeping FOR this man..this man who stole from these girls and violated them in the most evil of ways. It was reported that these girls had found forgiveness for him...no grudges held, but had true forgiveness in their hearts. A forgiveness so powerful that they weeped for his soul. A forgiveness I can't even fathom and am not sure if I ever will.
When I think of the forgiveness that Jesus has given us, I think of these girls. They are the true models of living out the love of Jesus. A lesson that I will always carry with me.

Hope in the desert

Isaiah 58:11~
The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.

The first part of this verse is on a scrap piece of paper I haphazardly threw into a book I am reading. When I got to work Friday morning, I opened it up and just stared at it. I needed to read the rest of the verse. The words couldn't have jumped out at me anymore than they did.
For the last several months I have been feeling like I am in the desert, wandering aimlessly and clinging to anything that appeared to be a way out. I have had moments where I have felt like all the life has been zapped from me and that I am in limbo.
But with this verse brings hope. This verse offers life despite the impossible, dry desert that surrounds me. The Lord has offered life in the desert.
Recently one of the inmates I talk to on a regular basis shared with me his testimony on how he found Jesus here in jail. His life fell apart from drugs and alcohol, he lost his family, his good paying job...everything was gone. He had hit his own "rock bottom". It was HERE in his jail cell that he cried out to God to reveal Himself. He is now living LIFE. He tells me that he has never been happier. Hope in the desert.
I am so thankful for the reminder that God uses THESE times to bring hope and life..it is a true testament to His power and grace.