It's very easy to be drawn to the younger kids when visiting the various orphanages and villages. They are just beautiful and when you look into their eyes you can still see the innocence that any child should have. They love toys, they love candy, they love attention.
But as I scan the crowd of children that are waiting for our team at each place we visit, I can't help but stare at the older girls, who are usually in the very back row. I am desperately burdened for them because their future is grim. You see, Moldova is one of the top countries who sell young girls into the human trafficking ring.
For those girls who live in the orphanages, the government stops funding for them at age 16. This means that they will then be released either back to their village and back to their families (if they have any) or they will end up on the streets. Even if they do have families, I have come to find out that many of them don't want the children back, because they cannot afford to take care of them. Heartbreaking.Frustrating.
These girls have dreams~some of the girls I talked to dream of being a cook, a tailor, a teacher. They are ordinary girls with ordinary dreams. So they will do anything to pursue these dreams~try to find a job anywhere..they look "abroad" to another country so they can save up money to go back to school. However, this is when Evil preys upon these young girls naivete. They become tricked into thinking that these adults ~men AND women~ are there to help them "find their dreams". And before they know it, they are locked into a living hell and are held prisoner. Innocence is soon taken away. They are threatened that if they do not comply their families will be killed and they will then be killed.
I know that I cannot save all these girls..there are millions that are thrown into this disturbing lifestyle. But God calls me to pray. And how can I pray?
Pray:
1. For their souls. ONLY Jesus can give their lives hope. I am comforted by Revelation 21:4, which promises that there will soon be no more pain and suffering.
2. For more transitional houses to be built. These homes give young girls the chance to learn a trade, receive education, and be spiritually changed.
Click here and learn how one ministry is changing lives, one girl at a time, and is offering the hope of Jesus.
May God continue to keep me humble and burdened.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Do I know what it is to sacrifice?
No...I sure don't. This is one of the many lessons I was taught while in Moldova this year. Sacrificing and giving are two totally different words with two totally different meanings. According to Webster's dictionary the definition of "sacrifice" is a "destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else." I saw this definition lived out in two Moldovian women who worked with our team. They shared with me over dinner their love for the children in the villages/orphanages and how sometimes they give up their grocery money for the week in order to provide special meals for orphans. I was brought to tears when they told me this..they are living the life of sacrifice.
After this conversation I started reflecting on my own life...what have I sacrificed? I came to the conclusion that I haven't really sacrificed anything..yes, I have given my time, money, resources to various friends/organizations..but it has always been within my comfort zone or within my budget...
But God wants us to sacrifice..and I know for sure that He will provide opportunities for each of us to do that. I had been reminded continuously while in Moldova of the widow who gave all the money she had to God...an amount that would be pennies to us today. She gave it sacrificially because she loved the Lord and knew His promises.
God is calling us to be weak..quite the contrast from the messages in the secular media. Christ promises in 2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
After this conversation I started reflecting on my own life...what have I sacrificed? I came to the conclusion that I haven't really sacrificed anything..yes, I have given my time, money, resources to various friends/organizations..but it has always been within my comfort zone or within my budget...
But God wants us to sacrifice..and I know for sure that He will provide opportunities for each of us to do that. I had been reminded continuously while in Moldova of the widow who gave all the money she had to God...an amount that would be pennies to us today. She gave it sacrificially because she loved the Lord and knew His promises.
God is calling us to be weak..quite the contrast from the messages in the secular media. Christ promises in 2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Transitioning back to home...
...It is so hard~this time being harder than years past. I am not sure why, I but know that the Lord has opened my eyes to things that I hadn't noticed before and caused me to feel things that I needed to feel. And I welcome this growth..I NEED this growth. This is my 4th time to Moldova and before leaving I had prayed that God would not allow me to view this as a routine trip for me, but a time where He makes me uncomfortable and stretches me.
The past two years I have been making a more conscious effort to get to know a couple of the children and/or adults on an individual basis. It is always amazing who God brings across our path. I met Adriana for the first time this year. She is a twelve year old girl who has been living in the orphanage in Tocuz since she was in the first grade. It was heartbreaking to hear of some of the more personal things she revealed as we continued our conversation. But I am thankful that God brought her to me. Adriana loves God..she told me she wants me to pray that God would help her to pray more. I love the honesty of children! We prayed together right before I left the orphanage..and my prayer for her is that she know Jesus..not to just know OF him, but to KNOW Him. 
It has been very sad for Adam and I to leave Moldova this year...we just love the children and families. But with every return home, I feel that God continues to show us what He needs us to do to in the mean time..to prepare, to grow, and learn more about Him.
We come home to a place where we know we are surrounded by people who are hurting and both of us have been challenged to be prayerful for the needs of those around us...not only to be prayerful, but to take action. We have been blessed with so much..more than what we deserve!!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Suhat village
Our team was able to visit Suhat~our third time to this particular village. It is wonderful to see how they remember us from years past. It is one of the poorest village~by poor I mean many of these people live day to day, not sure if they will have food to give their families.
There is one particular woman who we have been able to know beter as the years pass. Her name is Ana, a young mom of three beautiful children. Her husband is in the picture sporadically, and alcoholic and abusive. Our team talked this morning about "feeling the pain of the poor" based on some Scripture verses. As I looked into her eyes I just see a woman who loves her children and wants to give them the best life she can. It is humbling and heartbreaking to step into her small small home and see that she only has one small twin sized bed that all the kids sleep in. Our team was able to deliver food and some blankets that will be able to take some of the pressure off of her for at least a short time.
Ryan was able to sing "My Jesus I Love Thee" and were all able to pray with her at the end.
Going to this village is always the highlight of my trip. To see that these people literally have nothing but feed us a meal that they normally only get once a year gives us a new perspective on the life we have back home.
We also served a meal at a soup kitchen in a small village. There about 20 or so people, elderly and small children. For most, this was the only meal that they would receive that day.
I feel that words don't even do this experience justice. It is hard to write down what we are actually feeling. I have felt almost at a loss for words.
Please keep praying for us..we so appreciate it. Please pray that we continue to see these people as Jesus would see them and that we would continue to be humbled and broken.
Love to you!
There is one particular woman who we have been able to know beter as the years pass. Her name is Ana, a young mom of three beautiful children. Her husband is in the picture sporadically, and alcoholic and abusive. Our team talked this morning about "feeling the pain of the poor" based on some Scripture verses. As I looked into her eyes I just see a woman who loves her children and wants to give them the best life she can. It is humbling and heartbreaking to step into her small small home and see that she only has one small twin sized bed that all the kids sleep in. Our team was able to deliver food and some blankets that will be able to take some of the pressure off of her for at least a short time.
Ryan was able to sing "My Jesus I Love Thee" and were all able to pray with her at the end.
Going to this village is always the highlight of my trip. To see that these people literally have nothing but feed us a meal that they normally only get once a year gives us a new perspective on the life we have back home.
We also served a meal at a soup kitchen in a small village. There about 20 or so people, elderly and small children. For most, this was the only meal that they would receive that day.
I feel that words don't even do this experience justice. It is hard to write down what we are actually feeling. I have felt almost at a loss for words.
Please keep praying for us..we so appreciate it. Please pray that we continue to see these people as Jesus would see them and that we would continue to be humbled and broken.
Love to you!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Having a blast!
Friends and Family,
We made it safely in Moldova Friday evening and just completed our first distribution at Tocuz. Tocuz is the orphanage that our church directly sponsors. We spent the evening there and just had a wonderful time. We were able to get to know the children and staff in an even more deeper way and I feel that each year that we are there the relationship continues to get stronger and stronger. The director says that she considers us like family and "has complete trust in us." The girls decorated picture frames and were able to get pictures printed out by a photo printer that Kim and Joe, 2 team members, donated. The girls were ecstatic! The boys were able to learn "American football" and played many games of basketball with our guys.
Our team was very encouraged by how the kids are growing in their Bible knowledge. They have a wonderful teacher who is dedicated to these kids and is dedicated to their spiritual growth.
When we said goodbye there were many tears shed, not just by the kids but by the director herself.
Our team continues to be humbled by what we see. The director told us that they are in financial crisis and that before we arrived, they did not have any laundry detergent or soap for the children. But she knew our team was coming and that they would be supplied with the necessities.
Tomorrow we go to the village of Suhat, one of the poorest villages.
Love to each of you!
We made it safely in Moldova Friday evening and just completed our first distribution at Tocuz. Tocuz is the orphanage that our church directly sponsors. We spent the evening there and just had a wonderful time. We were able to get to know the children and staff in an even more deeper way and I feel that each year that we are there the relationship continues to get stronger and stronger. The director says that she considers us like family and "has complete trust in us." The girls decorated picture frames and were able to get pictures printed out by a photo printer that Kim and Joe, 2 team members, donated. The girls were ecstatic! The boys were able to learn "American football" and played many games of basketball with our guys.
Our team was very encouraged by how the kids are growing in their Bible knowledge. They have a wonderful teacher who is dedicated to these kids and is dedicated to their spiritual growth.
When we said goodbye there were many tears shed, not just by the kids but by the director herself.
Our team continues to be humbled by what we see. The director told us that they are in financial crisis and that before we arrived, they did not have any laundry detergent or soap for the children. But she knew our team was coming and that they would be supplied with the necessities.
Tomorrow we go to the village of Suhat, one of the poorest villages.
Love to each of you!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Our team schedule
MOLDOVA MISSIONS TRIP ITINERARY
OCTOBER 22-Leave Boston at 10PM
OCTOBER 23: Arrival in Chisinau,Moldova.
OCTOBER 24-25-Distribution at Tocuz;sleep over at Tocuz;Pizza party
OCTOBER 26: Distribution at Suhat;Serve at LSM Soup Kitchen ;Visit LSM After School Program
OCTOBER 27: Distribution at Socii Noi;Visit LSM After School Program
OCTOBER 28: Distribution at Zuzuleni;Kim will spend entire day at LSM Clinic in Sofia;Serve at LSM Soup Kitchen
OCTOBER 29: Distribution at Poiana;Serve at LSM Soup Kitchen;Visit LSM After school Program
OCTOBER 30: leave Moldova and spend overnight in Budapest,Hungary
OCTOBER 31-Home
Prayer requests:
Safety for our team as we travel
Prayer for our drivers-we spend many hours in a van travelling
Good health and strength for each day
That the love of Jesus will be evident through us as we minister to the children and adults of Moldova.
OCTOBER 22-Leave Boston at 10PM
OCTOBER 23: Arrival in Chisinau,Moldova.
OCTOBER 24-25-Distribution at Tocuz;sleep over at Tocuz;Pizza party
OCTOBER 26: Distribution at Suhat;Serve at LSM Soup Kitchen ;Visit LSM After School Program
OCTOBER 27: Distribution at Socii Noi;Visit LSM After School Program
OCTOBER 28: Distribution at Zuzuleni;Kim will spend entire day at LSM Clinic in Sofia;Serve at LSM Soup Kitchen
OCTOBER 29: Distribution at Poiana;Serve at LSM Soup Kitchen;Visit LSM After school Program
OCTOBER 30: leave Moldova and spend overnight in Budapest,Hungary
OCTOBER 31-Home
Prayer requests:
Safety for our team as we travel
Prayer for our drivers-we spend many hours in a van travelling
Good health and strength for each day
That the love of Jesus will be evident through us as we minister to the children and adults of Moldova.
Back to Moldova!
For those of you who have never heard of Moldova,Moldova is the poorest country in Eastern Europe, located between the Ukraine and Romania. It was a former part of the Soviet Union, just becoming free in the 1990's.
It's hard to believe that in just 24 hours or so Adam and I will be headed back to Moldova. This will be my 4th time going! I love the timing of this trip because it is right before the American holiday season kicks off into full gear. These trips have put my life into a perspective that I may not have gained otherwise. We will be with moms and dads who don't know where their next meal is coming from to feed their family. We will be with children who are beyond ecstatic to receive toothpaste. (and when I say ecstatic, I am talking about the equivalent to a child here getting Xbox under the Christmas tree) It is mind boggling and humbling at the same time. I look around my apartment and in my refrigerator and in my cabinets and am amazed at how blessed and easy my life is compared to some of my friends across the world.
The words "intentional" and "deliberate" are two words that I have been focusing on for my personal life,my family life, and my marriage. And when I think of Moldova and what this year's trip means to me it is the same two words that come to mind. In preparing our team these last few months, we have been discussing our goals. Yes, we will be distributing out food,clothing, and basic necessities. Items that the adults and children are lacking. Our goal is to be INTENTIONAL and DELIBERATE with the message that these items are a testament to the grace of God..that he sees them and loves them. And that we are hear to tell them of a Gift that will change their lives forever...truly the Gospel message of the Cross and what Jesus has done for each of us is the only thing that can change a person's life.
We covet your prayers as we travel tomorrow! We will be gone 10/22-10/31. I will be doing my best to update the blog as time allows.
Thank you for your prayers!!
It's hard to believe that in just 24 hours or so Adam and I will be headed back to Moldova. This will be my 4th time going! I love the timing of this trip because it is right before the American holiday season kicks off into full gear. These trips have put my life into a perspective that I may not have gained otherwise. We will be with moms and dads who don't know where their next meal is coming from to feed their family. We will be with children who are beyond ecstatic to receive toothpaste. (and when I say ecstatic, I am talking about the equivalent to a child here getting Xbox under the Christmas tree) It is mind boggling and humbling at the same time. I look around my apartment and in my refrigerator and in my cabinets and am amazed at how blessed and easy my life is compared to some of my friends across the world.
The words "intentional" and "deliberate" are two words that I have been focusing on for my personal life,my family life, and my marriage. And when I think of Moldova and what this year's trip means to me it is the same two words that come to mind. In preparing our team these last few months, we have been discussing our goals. Yes, we will be distributing out food,clothing, and basic necessities. Items that the adults and children are lacking. Our goal is to be INTENTIONAL and DELIBERATE with the message that these items are a testament to the grace of God..that he sees them and loves them. And that we are hear to tell them of a Gift that will change their lives forever...truly the Gospel message of the Cross and what Jesus has done for each of us is the only thing that can change a person's life.
We covet your prayers as we travel tomorrow! We will be gone 10/22-10/31. I will be doing my best to update the blog as time allows.
Thank you for your prayers!!
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