The story of 3 eggs !

The story of 3 eggs!

It is a story to us ..but it is a fact to Silviu ,a 12 year old boy from Pauleasca(Arges),about 40 km away from Campulung.Vio sees Silviu and many other kids every Saturday.This past Saturday,Silviu eyes were shining in a strange way. Sunday (two days ago) was his birthday ..just listen why he had that kind of sparkle in his eyes a day before his birthday:
“ Tomorrow it is my birthday Vio and mom saved 3 eggs just for me ,to make me a birthday cake ." But his excitement was ruined..they are 8 kids in the family,mom no job,suffering of cancer....coming back from school they found no food.Two of his brothers –not knowing the real purpose of those eggs,saved with huge sacrifice ,came back from school,one ate 2 eggs ,another one 1.But there were still 6 more that wanted something for lunch .They started to visit their neighbors and ask for an egg to fry in the hope that one day they will give it back .So,Silviu’s dream of getting a birthday cake on his birthday was ruined… Hard to say who was more disappointed, Silviu or his mom seeing all this and not be able to help at all.But God loves Silviu,He wanted Silviu to get a birthday cake and on Sunday the cake was taken to his home. No movie could ever capture those feelings, those tears of joy and the excitement in the air of that house. .our prayer is that we continue to be more than just “teachers” to all the kids we work with.


In order to strengthen our relationship with some of them we will have a 2 days camp the first week of February .About 40% of kids are first time in the camp,each of them have been waiting for months so their turn will come and they could come in the Christian camp. We are both excited ,especially knowing where some of the kids come.2 of them come from a family with 17 kids ,they are from Negreni,a village Vio started to go to ,every Sunday, only few months ago. They all and us including have been saving for months to have funds for this event ,and this is how far we could go.Pray these 2 days will be “perfect” and that in spite of the shortage ,the power of God will be present ,at work in little lives.

Still believe in prayer?

We would love for kids to experience the power of prayer and help them believe in prayer and practice it .Therefore Vio will start the Kids Prayer group on the first week of February,in Rucar. Please help us in prayer so that the life of the ones attending ,will be changed and their growth will have a great impact on others, including their families.


Junior Youth challenge

Youth has been a challenge for many and now we would love to challenge the youth in Cotesti(about 20 minutes drive from us) and a Junior Youth challenge group will start there in few days .It is a two ways challenge, for the youth and for us ,but we are glad a youth group was asked to start in this village.


Book of hope




In the mission field we learned that every paper,pencil,or crayons could become a great tool to teach kids about God's love for the world!But when we come to Christmas it is one of the greatest opportunities to share His love.To increase the amount of the bible message given on Christmas ,each child that got shoe boxes,also got the Book of Hope,which was donated to us by wonderful friends!Some of the kids put aside the box ,so that they could read the message of the book.

Dany and Andrew

It is not only you that is anxious to hear about the adoption situation,we are too,but we have no news.Laws change from a day to another ,people are corupt,Satan has plans of destroying,but may we all remember the final WORD is HIS.


To Him be the glory for ever!

Glad to be in His and your team

Viorel and Estera

summer 2009

Summer 2009

.....and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.

2 Thesalonicians 1:11

Dragos-to your encouragement and first of all to God’s glory we declare that fruits that last started to show up and Dragos is one of them.10 years ago, he started to to attend the weekly Bible studies ,he came in the camp, trusted the Lord ad that’s where the great journey of his start. About 3 years ago we had as a missionary focus on India, Indian food, Indian dresses, Indian culture and words, Indian prayer requests and the needs in the Indian mission field. In all this time the Lord was working in Dragos heart. So he started to work among high-school mates and among students in Universities in Pitesti and just days ago he came with the news “ I am going in India in this coming September”.We are all excited how God is using Dragos and we pray for His protection over Dragos as he is serving Him in a dangerous area.

What can I do in return?

We continue to pray and work with our little ones Andrew –soon to be 7 and Dany soon to be 4.Just couple nights ago ,while talking about God’s love and Jesus’s sacrifice Andrew became very concerned about this issue and all of the sudden he asked “ if He loved me that much, what can I do in return?” This question brought so much joy in our heart and we encourage you to keep praying for Andrew and Dany to know the Lord, and to trust Him in all aspects of their lives. As for Dany he learns new words every day. Soon kindergarten will start and your prayers are appreciated as we need to buy and prepare lots of things for both of them. We are also asking lots of prayer requests for their dad and for us as we are approaching Department of Child protection regarding Dany’s adoption in the next days.

Summer camps

Either we were too blind before or did not see so many wonderful things. We had only 3 camps for kids(136) and 1 for teens (35) this year.. Each of them different with a special touch of the Holy Spirit.

One week we had 15 out o40 kids attending for the first time a Christian camp. It was precious to see Betty,Ralu,Geanina and others trusting the Lord to become their Saviour.

Georgi-from Poienari(in this huge village there is no Christian church at all,but for the last year she had the desire to participate into a Christian camp and know about the Lord and know The Lord. The day before they left we talked about things in heaven and things that can not be found in Heaven and her prayer was so simple” Thank you dear Lord that in Heaven is safety”. Alma is another girl coming for the first time in a Christian camp with her brother. She became a Christian and we believe God is going to use Alma in a wonderful way. She dreams to use her talents(watch the flag she made in the camp) and she wants to do paintings and use them in caritable purposes for poor kids.

The third week-it was from our knowledge the first time we had a boy from Bucharest ,member of EMO( a Satanist movement ). At the end of camp he promised to come back “ I was impressed and amazed. I really loved it .It was not what I expected( he asked his parents before he came, if drinks and disco’s are available at the camp) but I really enjoyed it “.

In the teens camp-it was our turn to be amazed-a worship leader from a very well known church in Romania, a gypsies church came 2 evenings in row to talk about worship and have real worship with teens .The Holly Spirit was just moving, touching , awakening (for the ones that do not know in our churches leaders do not allow instruments or alive music, so this helped all of us to see what a heart of worship does).

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Tract distribution

For about 2 weeks Vio took young people that we knew in the last years ,most of them with a relationship with the Lord and we were pleased to see that 12 of them responded to invitation of helping with Christian booklet distribution .First time when I saw them back I was “little “ surprise that in our car can fit 11 young people .They went in far ,far away villages, where people or other Christians won’t go and gave out 30,000 Christian tracts called “ Meet the king” .Of course they had all kind of experiences ,good ad bad, but it was so encouraging to see them all in the evenings coming back with “reports” and touching stories.(the distribution team in picture)

Open air Evangelism and tent ministry

Having helpers it makes the work little easier .4 of the young people we trained in the last years joined in the open air evangelism ministry this summer .Thanks to this team, kids from 9 new villages

heard the Gospel : Lunca Corbului, Negreni, Aninoasa Cariera, Berindesti and so on. In some places kids and neighbors heard the Good News. Praises to the Lord for this and thanks to the ones helping.

In 3 of this places we are planning to open up weekly bible studies for kids-your prayers are valuable o this issue.

The reasons we shared all these with you are 2 at least:

You will understand ad forgive us why to writting so much

For you to rejoice that starting with the beggining of summer ,when Estera teached 2 weeks at a Bible Institute for Children’s workers, throught the whole summer God has blessed us with many miracles , some helpers, lives changed, stronger teens in their walk with the Lord, “ our” two kids with many improvements and we all know this is in part because He is good ,but the other part because you care ,you pray and you give.

Now you worked hard for the summer to go smooth here on our end , therefore you deserve a break. As for us ,not yet, since there is a workers retreat ahead, kindergarten and weekly bible studies to start or reopen in some villages.

Still resting with you in His promises

Vio,Estera,Andrei and Dany

Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old.
Lamentations 5:21

Crisis and restoration sounds to be linked...after crisis restoration needs to take place ..and since spiritual crisis ,financial crisis and all kind of crisis take place around us we are looking for restoration ,but only the one coming from above..

One of the crisis in our lives as a family started as soon as we got the two little kids and we did not even know the size and the impact of it The kids are doing wonderful from all points of view ,God even provided a bunk bed for them and they are happy and we are trilled to see little more space in that room. However Andrew is a real challenge to us in so many spiritual ways ,not just by keeping us busy but the things that get into his mind and lips ,the things he learns from his dad when they meet the evil plans he makes even though he is not even 7 took us by surprise and gets most of our spiritual power. Because his father still has his rights ,Andrew loves his dad and his dad loves him and because the deal was to keep him just for a while ,(with us having no right to discipline Andrew in any way)we pray this “deal time “ to come to an end .His dad hates Dani from the bottom of his heart and he wants us to keep Dani for good or to adopt him.

Please pray for restoration in Andrew’s heart ,in our walk with the Lord and our time with Him.


God is giving us strength however and helps us to go on ,by encouraging others to take the Good News to other kids .In April we had the chance to be in Targu Mures and do a training week there .The students were mainly from an organization there reaching kids from troubled homes and areas .We were very encouraged by their efforts ..and our prayer is that the Lord will restore in every possible way Dacian and help him go on with the great work he does in that area and may all students be restored in their walk with the Lord (many of them will do something for the Lord if they get paid and this takes away the chance from many kids to hear the Good News and benefit from different services given by this organization).



By blessing others we get blessed –we experienced that in the last years of ministry .God blesses people with jobs and they bless us with their donations, God gives people awareness of prayer’s power and we get blessed by seeing the result of their prayers .Recently we have been blessed because a wonderful ministry has been blessed with shoes , lots of shoes and out of nowhere we got a phone call to go and pick up shoes for our area .Another man from the church has been blessed with a van and he allowed Vio to use it and bring the shoes..so the story goes on..others were blessed-they blessed us .We have been blessed and blessed others ..

There are so many touching stories about this distribution of shoes that you won’t believe .In one family(Vlasceanu family from Pauleasca) there were 8 kids ,all of them had their shoes out of use and the older ones asked their dad for shoes…the answer they kept getting was “ have no way of giving you any” .Their parents were crying and praying for days in row and one Saturday Vio gets in the village and gives to each child from this family a pair of shoes ..the exact size .It takes a little bit of heaven on earth to comprehend the meaning of those tears ..kids were crying out of happiness ,parents were weeping out of thankfulness ….

There is still restoration to take place and many new things to happen. Therefore we need your prayers for:

• Andrew and the issue regarding his situation ..whatever God has in His plans for his dad so he can take Andrew back( because his dad not having him brings lots tension and suspicion from his side) .

• From 29th june to 11th of july there will be multiple activities going one, including Estera teaching in the Insitute ,Vio running a camp, plus we need to see what to do with the kids in the meanwhile. Before that lots of materials need to be prepared.

• We need prayers to experience God’s faithfulness regarding finances for the ministry and personal expenses-since we are in debt .

• In 4 villages the kids from weekly bible clubs have different ages and Vio needs to separate them in kids and teens ,but workers are needed for this.

May we all be restored and return to Him for forgiveness, strength, provision and hope

Viorel &Estera Dani & Andrew

Hope

Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this.
Jeremiah 14:22b

In time of crisis ,hope is what people are looking for .In time of crisis Hope is what we have left ,therefore we try to share our hope with others and help others to share their Hope as well .The hope that in Romania the new generation will know God and trust HIM gives us strength to do what we do…


Just two weeks ago we had a training week in Constanta-it is the place in Romania with majority muslim population .We had hopes in the past and for the future and other Christians in the area asked our help to train them reach out the kids …
So here we went for few days to spend a wonderful time with young people in the area and He has done great things there for us …
Using the car so much ,the car became a little danger for Satan, and our oil tank broke because of the bumping roads …it was another challenge due to the need of the car in the work and also due to the funds needed to fix it .Praise God He has been faithful as always .

Valea Bădenilor it is a village we talked about a lot ,but never before we have seen so much power from above …It is a gypsies village and many people working among gypsies loose hope after a while-they change so fast ,have so many hide reasons in searching God ,so fearless and so on..well, all of these theories failed when God started to work in their lives .We were meeting in a house of theirs ,so small ,could not have lots of kids attending, plus some of the adults started to show desire to know God ..without asking or expecting any help from any source or resource ,some of the adults said “ we need to have a little bigger place where kids could meet ,and we could meet too. One man gave part of his yard to build a small house that will become a little church .Within 3 weeks the little building was ready, built by them ,they came up with the wood ,arms ,food whatever it took to build this .From our experience looks to be the very first gypsies church built in Romania by gypsies alone without any help coming from outside .This was just to be the beginning; beside our meeting with kids (now we have about 70 kids attending bible classes) ,but adults meet EVERY EVENING to study the bible .The Lord “is the one who does all this “indeed.


Andrew and Dany are doing just great ,so many improvements in all aspects ,thought to be honest Andrew represents one of the biggest challenges in our lives :they both pray and love bible lessons. Please pray we will have wisdom and patience to raise them up for Kingdom and help them find The Way to Heaven.


Looking ahead there are some activities we need prayer for ,so we need to ask help for one more time .

• In April 6th to 11th this year we will have a training week in Targu Mures .We are glad we can help in this area ,but our prayer is that the ones attending the course will grasp the vision of God for children in their area.
  
• Cotesti-for a while there has been some work in this village ,some years ago but then there was no place to meet with the kids. Now, Toader Family opened up their home for children ,so a weekly bible study will be every week in this village.Also they asked Vio to help them start a youth Bible study for teens in the village ,so we ask for wisdom in how to divide the time and passion for lost teens
  
• Berindesti –is a village that benefit from shoe boxes .Petrica Nitu helped Vio find this village ,now he wants a weekly bible study there and Vio accepted the challenge.
  To be able to continue the work we need you to pray for God’s provision regarding funds .We have seen His faithfulness and we pray circumstances will not take away our eyes from HIM .
  
  
  Thank you for praying for us ,helping us and encouraging us ..it is wonderful to know that we are not in crisis of friends and prayer partners .God bless you with HOPE

Viorel,Estera,Dany and Andrew

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

Developing a heart for devotion

Tools in our work –as in any other are so important. Recently some devotional books could be bought and Vio used them to teach kids in how to have a devotional time . Kids responded very well and it is touching and encouraging when they bring the books and respond to different questions .After studying the daily little lessons , their prayer life really changed .Jonathan is one of the boys that took this challenge very serious .Vio called one night after 10:30 to talk to some one in that family but Johnatan answered the phone .He was up that later doing his daily devotional and working in some lessons from the devotional book

Let’s pray together that this generation of kids will really learn and love spending quality and quantity time with the Lord.

Since summer is so short and kids we work with are so many ,we had to develop beside the summer camps ,the week-end camps as well.

Last week-end about 33 campers were at the camp in Badeni for the whole week-end .Wonderful weather and blessed time there .After this time A difference was noticed in some of their lives .4 of the kids attending that week-end started to pray ,after only a short time of attending bible classes .

As far as the training we asked prayers for –it is OVER .There were children’s workers from differences counties of Romania ,all eager in learning how to train others to reach preschoolers .

Our hope and prayer is that all teaching and tips given will be useful for all of them and many preschoolers in Romania will trust the Lord .

Since in Romania there are so many opportunities to work with this age groups and still no curriculum , any help from you will be used and appreciated .

Other than that, we try to raise the little ones Dany and Andrew and to be honest we need help in many aspects .They both have issues due to traumas they have been in and need lots of time and visits to doctors , plus treatment .

Of course we could not do any of this if there was no grace from the Lord and a wonderful team behind .Thank you for all your support either in prayer or financial..things happen thanks to your love and faithfulness .

Getting busier and busier

Estera & Vio + Dany & Andrew

Hot but getting ready for winter

Hot but getting ready for winter.

” But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.” Psalm 13:5

Thought the weather is pretty nice we are getting ready for Christmas here ..how???

Since we coordinate Samaritan's Purse project in our area ,we had to start meetings in order to promote the project and Christmas distribution in the area.

We had a wonderful meeting and were so encouraged to see how people react ..there were about 38 people all together and we all had such a blessed time ..many new ,just heard about the project and want to help in some areas..

Vio had some wonderful seminars about why distributing , how and the follow up .Our prayer is that this year will be the most special Christmas for the kids in our area .

Among the new participants there was a young lady called Cristina .All participants had the freedom to come up with tips ,ideas and a word of encouragement toward others .Cristina said
" Some years ago I received a shoe box .It changed my life ,but then I moved to Spain and couple weeks ago I moved back to Romania .I want to be part of this program ,because I had a benefit from it and now I want to be on the other side of the project ,just to see the joy of others receiving!
Due to number of Christians in the area and the lack of communication among them ,just to see 38 people from all denomination ,smiling and praising the Lord it made us think "at least for this "

Kids in the villages rejoice seeing us ,especially Vio.2 boys from Bughea de Jos (Florin and Mihai-poor and hard working kids)got our attention in a special way .They know we have little Daniel and his brother with us and they want to do something special for them .So every Friday when Vio goes in this village they want to give something for the boys , most of times they bring milk since the kids need milk and we can not afford to buy it .They look after their cow and work hard .Once in a while they will bring a jar of home made jam. What a joy ..not so much of receiving-thought we are so thankful for all things we get from the two boys-especially now when the family is bigger , but just the idea of seeing these poor boys responding to other people's need.

This week we will continue to go to villages-especially Vio and I will continue to prepare for teaching at the preschool course that will take place next week in Sibiu ,where most of CEF workers from Romania will attend ,so all experts….

Crazy times are ahead us from many point of view but our prayer and hope is to trust in His goodness and that will make our hearts full of joy.

Rejoicing in His Mercy

Estera & Vio& Daniel and Andrew