Looking back but not too back..

Being part of a ministry involves tones of paper to write down all things happening in just one year .We will not take the time to do it now for we tried to keep you up to date as much as we could ,but we would love to look back just in the last 3 weeks and share with you some of the things that had happened.

Training in Dambovita county-this area had been in our thoughts and prayers for several years already and finally we got to hold a training week here .There were about 17 students attending it ,13 of them graduated but we were very pleased with the opening .Some elders from different churches wanted to be present to take notes and it was a joy indeed to hear them making comments about the training .Since children’s ministry is very news to the area we decided to meet once a month from now on with the students and whoever is interested from churches in Dambovita county and give them more ideas and encouragement in starting and developing a kids ministry and soon our hope is they will also develop youth ministry in the area as well as other ministries .
We were excited after these days –the students and people from churches wanted to take advantage of our presence there and most of the days the training will start at 9 in the morning and end at 9 at night ,plus two kids to look after and so on..now hope you understand why we appreciate so much God’s help and protection and your prayers in all we do, because it is a matter of a TEAM.

Shoe Boxes 2008 –were a challenge in many ways ,not that we are afraid so much of challenges(after they are over ..uh).This year we got 10,800 shoe boxes to distribute.They came in time thanks for praying for this and that allowed us to contact more new schools and kindergartens .It is no need to tell you of the kids reactions ,but we would invite you to see more pictures on the snapfish account and be happy for all the kids that rejoiced getting a box and a book this Christmas.

In Mesteacan –we did some ministry in the last months and were glad to give out gifts . At the Bible lesson kids and parents were part –as in most of the places and at the end we understood some of the tears in parent’s eyes “ I could never be able to get such a gift for my child ,but it happen, some one else helped me “.To write the thousands of “thank you” we heard it will take a lot ,so we will not botter .

For a while on our heart has been the gypsies communities .We went to V.B valley to the school and gave gifts to the gypsies kids from that school-though 600 kids are in the community only around 120 attend a school, as we learned from the mayor .He came there and gave us a warm welcome and had a wonderful time together .Most of kids could not afford to attend the school due to lack of supplies .
We learned that if some invests in gypsies it is worth the work. Went in Valea Corbului for the first time .Heard about a great ministry going on among gypsies there and we were all so impressed with what God and education can do to a nation, even to gypsies .It was like a different world ,but that world made us dream that one day perhaps such projects could be developed in Valea Badenilor –the gypsies village we try to work in , but we not help what so ever .

This year more authorities were involved than ever-lost of mayors wanted to come and see what is all about shoe boxes and they all had great comments about project .In Albesti-another place we have been for the first time the mayor asked that beside the books we gave to the kids about Christmas story ,he wanted us to give him bunch of books he could take in the city hall and while people will wait for papers ,council and so on ,they will get to read the books .We hesitated for we did not expect such a reaction-the mayor not being a Christian and then some how God brought to our memories the story with the talking donkey in the Bible –“ if God used a donkey ,he can certainly use a nonchristian mayor” .

Today one of the teachers from a new School Vio went with shoe boxes this year stopped by and said “One of the boys was disappointed ,for some how his book got lost and all the kids in his class talk about how interested the book is and he would love to ask for one “.
Continue to pray that all kids that got a Christian book this Christmas would want to know and love the Lord .
As a family –we experienced our first Christmas ever ,in 8 years we were never together on Christmas ,one of was in a village doing a Christmas club, another one in an orphanage doing whatever ,but this year together with Daniel and Andrew we experienced a real Christmas –not with meat and fancy things ,but a peaceful one and happy ,giving thanks for the greatest Gift .
We continue to pray for Daniel(3) and Andrew(6) and give thanks to the Lord for the improvement in their lives ;
Andrew memorized 2 poems in one week and he knows by heart lots of Christian songs already.
Daniel –started to talk well ,learned lots of new words and he prays when he eats ,well.. saying some words of his own and then closing with AMEN.
We know it is a long letter ,but as we said it is only little things of what happened here in the last 3 weeks and because we want things to happen in the future too ,we would love to ask you to pray and see how you can be at use in the future to the work here.
So many things happened because people like you pray and people like you or others give and because we work as a BODY.
To the Head be the glory

Vio & Estera