Dear Family and Friends,
Many of you have responded with much love and compassion regarding the facility that I wrote about that had abandoned children. I wanted to give an update to everyone so you would know how to pray.
Last week, I went back to that facility with a translator, a camera, and an attitude. My translator, Marius, is a young lad of seventeen years. He said to me as we were entering the facility, “They may not let us in on every floor.” I responded, “Fine, then I will bring an ax and knock it down.” He stopped smiling. “Bu…bu… bu…but, Michelle,” he continued, “I don’t think you would like Romanian jails.” I promptly replied, “Well, Marius, these children are in jails of sorts and I dare say they don’t like them either.” I am not sure how much longer Marius will be my translator!
Because, the workers at the facility knew that we were coming, they “miraculously” found diapers to put on them. Conditions were in much better shape but what they didn’t know is that I snuck onto other floors where they were not expecting me. There, I took pictures and made notes.
I also took some of the older orphans that have “aged out” of orphanages. The sight that befell my eyes melted my heart. The older kids ran to the cribs and untied the children and let them run around. They hugged them and played with them for two hours. We finally got kicked out and we left. Four days later, three more of the older orphans tackled me the in the parking lot of the ministry and bombarded me with “Me go hospital too!!!” They had heard about what the other two and I did and they, too, wanted to become involved. So, now that my suspicion about this is correct, I can pursue funding for a new program which I have named, “The Abandoned Caring for the Abandoned.” I finished writing the proposal today.
I wrote at the end of my last email that I contacted a large Christian foundation with an office here in Romania. We talked at length again, this time to a woman from North Carolina (I had her saying y’all again in about 3 minutes.) She told me that she wanted to meet with me as soon as possible about how we could secure funding. I am flying to Bucaresti this Friday to meet with her. Please, everyone, pray about this meeting. This could mean $25,000 for these little ones in the next few months.
Today, I went to the hospital today with the same attitude, back-up people and a plan. My back-up, volunteers from local high schools and colleges, are also interested in helping with this project. I am making a schedule to ensure that each child gets held, fed, and changed each day. One volunteer will be assigned two children and they will spend two hours everyday with that child.
After my initial visit, I began asking everyone about laws regarding children without a past. The social worker at the hospital told us that she was “powerless” to help because she didn’t have the right degree to defend the children in court. (You need to have the equivalent of a social work license to do this.) Recently, the law has been changed so that if children are classified as “abandoned” by the court, then they have their rights terminated and be legally free for foster homes, orphanages, and adoption. The parent must have abandoned the child for more than six months. Then, a licensed social worker has to make a plea before the court. From what I understand, these degrees are difficult to find in social workers. Guess what Estie, one of the social workers that I am training, did last week? You got. She passed her licensing boards. Coincidence? Please!! God is all over this one.
Tomorrow, we begin a joint venture with the social worker at the hospital. We want to find out the case history on all of the children. Knowing these details will enable us to make decisions about which ones are in the most need. I have contacted friends that have a beautiful Christian orphanage in Beius which is just outside of Oradea. Their ministry is called REMM (Romanian Evangelical Medical Missions.) My friends, Drs. Tom and Rhonda Williams live stateside and have a completely staffed medical facility, orphanage, and social service agency. They told me that they are willing to take 3 or 4 of the children who are in the most critical shape. That is going to be difficult to decide based on what I saw today. Praise God that they are willing to take some of these precious children. May God bless their ministry beyond what they can dream or imagine.
While I am gone, the volunteers and the older orphans will have tests done so that they can be found “fit” for entering the hospital. I will have my tests when I return. I was exposed to both measles and chicken pox today. Please pray about this because my mom tells me that a had a light case of chicken pox as a child and that it is possible to get them again as an adult. Plus, all the other young women were also exposed.
As for my life here that so many of you have inquired about, I will tell you these bits of information. Monday and Tuesday started off by pushing the Dacia (Romanian car) so that it would start. My roommates had never done that before and asked where I learned how. Growing up on a farm pays off sometimes I suppose!
Today, the window fell out of the door so I took the door panel off and put the window back in the track. My roommates asked me where I learned to become a mechanic. Necessity I suppose. I have no clue where l learned to do this…however, I am sure it is done on God’s strength and not my own!! I will keep those interested abreast of my latest mechanical feats!
I feel extremely blessed that God has provided me with so many wonderful amenities here. It seems the more that I give thanks for the blessings that He bestows upon me, the more I seem to be blessed. Being acceptant with joy when I don’t feel the blessings is not always easy but it is always necessary.
I had a serious bout with homesickness this weekend. After making WAY too many phone calls, I felt much better. Praise God for family that supports and encourages me.
Thanks to all of you who write to keep me informed of what is going on back home. I miss talking with many of you but I smile knowing that I am exactly where I should be.
Basking in the Son,
Michelle
Posted on June 1st, 1998 by Michelle
Filed under: Michelle's Journal