Busy & Fun Day!

First thing this morning, Iza got up to find her boots filled with candy and treats. This is a tradition in Romania when Mos Nicolae comes this time of year, and the kids leave their shoes at the door, and if they are a good little girl or boy, Mos Nicolae fills their shoes! Apparently Iza has been awesome this year because her boots were filled to the brim! She was so excited!

Iza's cough was better this morning and Kim felt somewhat better and was able to go with us to the center! We missed her yesterday and were so thankful that she felt better. Anyone who knows Kim knows she's the life of the party! Thanks for your prayers.

Iza went to school and we did some shopping for supplies and then off to the center we went! Laundry has been going all week, and we are surely spoiled with technology at home! They do have washers and dryers here in Romania, but they only allow you to do small loads and take forever! It's all caught up now! We got ready for the kids and made pizzas for them for lunch, baked the cupcakes and made the snacks for the party. We also cleaned and organized some more in the kids room and in the kitchen.

A lot has been going on at the center this week. Some men from the village were hired to help load wood into the furnace room and cleaning up outside in the yard. The furnace man had to come and make some adjustments. A new security door was put up, rewiring is to begin tomorrow, some windows will be replaced soon and a security system put in place. Rachel and Dave their tails off running back and forth to the village and dealing with the electrician, the men from the village who have been working some this week which helps to support their family, and loving and caring for the kids. Please pray that God will send more workers who can work on a regular basis at the center with the every day duties so it will relieve Rachel and Dave to focus more on the kids and the future plans for the ministry. We believe in the power of prayer!

The kids came and as always, were excited to be back at the center. They all got baths and dressed in clean clothes, and then we had a PIZZA PARTY! They loved it! You can't imagine how much these kids can eat, especially when they get different foods that they don't get at home. They had a little play time, and then we were ready to get the party started!

It was Mariana's family party today, and oh how they were excited. This is the family that was the first to get the new wood stove that was posted on the blog last night. Snacks were served, and pin the tail on the donkey was a hit as in the other parties. They sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and LOVED the cupcakes. Then you know who showed up.............Santa! Its "amazing" how he has an English accent! The kids were all so excited to see him, except for Simona. She was crying and backed up on the couch with a look of fear. Santa kind of gave her a little hint of who he was later, and she felt much better.

The kids all received their gifts and the joy that was in that room was overwhelming! Mariana is the newest child at the center, and Rachel chose this family to work with because they have nothing. She said they are a great family and really in need of help. The wood stove is such a blessing to them and they are overwhelmed that anyone would do so much for their family. Rachel shared with us this morning that Mariana was in an orphanage for a couple of years early in her life and then back with the family. She does not know the details, if it was just a difficult time for them when they had Mariana or what, but said that it took Mariana a while to adjust to being at the center because of all she's been through. From what we've learned, in the Roma culture, and not sure if it's because they are considered outcasts and treated with such prejudice, but even in their own culture, they have nicknames for everybody in the village. We should all strive to build one another up, not tear each other down, but unfortunately these nicknames are not for fun. Mariana is called "orphanage girl" by the other kids in the village. This broke our hearts when Rachel shared this.

Oh how Mariana stole our hearts (you can probably tell by all the pictures of her that we've shared). She was so excited to see Santa, and when she first opened her Barbie, she was just beside herself. She was so overwhelmed with joy! She then opened her outfit that also included a pair of socks, and she said, "look Mommy.......socks (in Romanian of course)!" We take so much for granted and to be so excited over a pair of socks! She held up her top and just couldn't quit smiling! She was picking up paper on the floor and picking up without being asked. She had her outfit, socks and her barbie in a box and when we said something about her barbie, she looked up and said "Mult'umesc (thank you)!" What a blessing to be able to be part of Christmas in Romania!

Thank you to our families for managing without us at home this week, and for your love and support! Thank you Rachel and Dave for being faithful and honoring God's will for your life, as it is obvious that this is where you both are supposed to be. God is never late, always on time, and it's amazing how He "connected the dots" and brought you both together to work alongside one another and others through this ministry. Thank you God for Iza! While we anxiously await the adoption to be final which should be very soon, it is obvious too why you placed her in Rachel's life and in her heart, because you are using her as a mini-missionary in the center and in the village! She is beyond her years, has a heart of gold and is definitely a gift from God. It's amazing too that she looks and acts just like Rachel!

Tomorrow is our last day in Romania, and while we're tired and excited to see our families, we are sad to leave. We have had an amazing time. We've worked hard, loved a lot and have been blessed more than we can express.

Love to all!

Missy, Kim, Lois, Rachel, Dave & Iza