Birthday Celebrations & Last Day In Tinca

A little delayed, but have to share the celebrations of birthdays and our last day in Tinca.  The week went faster than ever and we really wanted more time, but know how to plan for next time.  We took every moment to play and love on the kids and to thank and encourage the FMN team.  This is a family, a big family and we were blessed to be part of it.

It is so amazing to see these kids who have been part of the Isaiah Center since the opening.  Alex has been blessed with a totally different life.  When he first came to the center he was 3.  He couldn't sit up or express himself.  It was thought that he may never walk.  His grandmother was raising him along with her other children and did not have the extra time to work with him, but she loves him sooooooooooo much!

Alex is now 9.  He walks, he runs, he plays, he laughs, and he LOVES!  He has been given such a huge gift of a healthy and happy childhood and has so much ahead of him.  He is so smart!  Love his sweet smile and his contagious laugh.

Look at all of the smiles and see all of the love.

We'll have more pictures and videos to come.  We just can't keep any of this to ourselves.  We want everyone to see what God is and has done through FMN in Romania!  AMAZING!

Blessed Beyond Belief!

This is Thursday's post, 3/26.  Didn't have time to get pictures cropped and loaded so here you go!

Today was an incredible day!  This week has gone by so fast.  Next time we're coming for two weeks!  What a blessing to share this experience with our family.  Mike has really enjoyed getting to know Dave and all of the kids!  Zoe has jumped in, plays with the kids, helped with puppet shows, helped with food deliveries and has a lot of night time play time with Iza.  They are so cute together!  I'm thinking it might be a hard "see you later" when we leave, but Zoe already said she wants to come back next year!

We spent time with the Seeds of Hope kids playing outside this morning.  The weather this week has been amazing so we were outside every day.  In the village there is nothing for the kids to do but get dirty.  At the center there are swings, tree house, play house, sand box, bikes......you name it.....they have it through many donors!  The get to be kids!  They don't have to worry about a thing because they know they are safe and secure.  We have gotten so attached to the kids!   So many laughs, so many blessings, and so much fun!

After lunch, the ladies came for Bible study and JoyBeadz.  They showed us how they made the beads.  Christy and Zoe got in on the action.  These ladies do an amazing job and this brings in income to help provide for their families.  A testimony was shared and it was a special time with these ladies.  Then it was time for them to learn how to make the tie blankets.  They did awesome and each one took home their blanket.  Just as the Seeds of Hope moms that made them the night before, all will be able to purchase fleece from the FMN store with their Bible study points.  We brought a ton of fleece to get them started!

Mariuta wasn't able to come.  She is paralyzed from the waist down and also just had surgery a few weeks ago so it would be too much to load her in and out of the van.  FMN has a lift and hopes that sometime down the road, they will be able to have a vehicle to load this on so she can participate in all of the programs and in fellowship with the other ladies.  Mariuta and Adrian have an amazing family!  Rachel, Christy and I went to their house and were able to show her how to make the blankets.  It was so sweet as Adrian was on his knees right next to the couch, and holding the fleece for Mariuta to help as she cut the strips.  She was smiling and happy, and said, "It's so easy!"  Mariuta deals with depression from the paralysis as we all would.  We want to do whatever we can to help her be more independent and give her opportunities like making the blankets or other options that will keep her busy and also will bring in money to help support her family.  She is a beautiful woman with a beautiful heart.  Adrian is a man of faith and cares for her daily needs.  Two of their kids, David and Naomi have been coming to the Isaiah Center for the last several years.  A wheelchair accessible bathroom has been added on and has been tiled, plumbing put in and ready for the toilet and sink to go in.  They are so thankful!  It's so exciting to see such a blessing for them coming to life to add quality and a little more independence for Mariuta.  

Tomorrow is our last day here.  There will be tears, we know.......and then she cry.....but so much joy in our hours from all that God has done this week.  We will go to the center tomorrow and all of the Seeds of Hope kids and Isaiah Center kids will be there along with the staff to share lunch and birthday celebrations for five of the kids and one staff member.  There will be sweet treats and presents, and a big "family" celebration.  

Paul and Dana, our friends from Caminul Felix will be picking us up tomorrow around 2 for the four hour drive to Budapest.  They will be spending the night with us at a hotel really close to the airport to get us to the airport for our 6:30 a.m. flight.  It will be some more special time to share with them on the drive to Budapest, at dinner and spending the night to be more rested for their drive home.

So many pictures (shock!) to share, again, each one telling a story.  We also have some short video clips to share.  We will be taking a lot more pictures tomorrow and will share as soon as we can. 

Prayers please for our travel to Budapest and our long travel home.  Prayers please for some rest on the plane.  None of slept on the way here, except for Zoe who slept on the very last plane and some in the van on the way to Romania.  We are expected to arrive in Louisville late Saturday night.

We'll have more pictures and more to post from our last day in Romania, 3/27, coming soon

Love, Christy, Zoe, Mike, Lois, Rachel, Iza, Dave and FMN Team