Dear Family and Friends,
This week’s update brings me much assurance that God is in control. The events that have unfolded since my last email render me a bit inarticulate. I will try to explain the magnitude of the miracles that have taken place.
First, the mission team from Columbia, SC came last Sunday and left Wednesday at noon. These wonderful people ministered as much to me as they did to the children and others here. Much to my astonishment and God’s glory, they took up a love offering of over $1500 to be used for the “Abandoned Caring for the Abandoned” project that I have written about. This enabled me to hire our first older orphan, Maria, to care for four of the abandoned children in that horrible hospital that I wrote about. Maria is thrilled to be working with these children and this has boosted her self-esteem dramatically.
The conditions of the little ones in the hospital have changed drastically during the past two months because of prayer and weekly visits. However, the team still saw many children that were severely malnourished, neglected, and forgotten. Praise God that He has provided a way to end the suffering of these children!! We will hire another older orphan it two weeks.
The Assistant Director of this hospital has been incredibly supportive. I attribute that to the prayers that I and others have prayed for this project. Not only is the Assistant Director willing to allow Maria, a gypsy, to come into the hospital and work, she wants to ASSIST in the training!!! Talk about God moving!! Whew!! I have never seen a project here begin with no resistance from anyone and that is exactly what has happened here. This whole project has been completely orchestrated by God. I must admit that the trailer load of medical supplies that John Simmons sent to us in Oradea has been a nice bargaining chip and I praise God that He knew this long before I ever thought of it. Thank you John and Margie for your commit to the people and the missionaries of Romania…and for the Ghirardelli chocolate chips - what a birthday present!!!
I have written many times about the severely burned child, Crizentina. As you know, she is now going to get the much needed medical treatment provided that we can get the permission by her parents to send her. Well, as God would have it, we met the doctor on a visit to Crizentina last Friday. In their chart, they had the address of the family. Yesterday, I met with the equivalent of the people from our child protection system. They told me that there is a way to get the permission. They have agreed to go with us this week to meet with the parents and get the permission. The doctor told us that Crizantina’s parents were receiving “welfare” for her disability even though she is not living in the home. That is a big no-no. Therefore, we have a bargaining chip. They sign over the permission for her to leave or we turn them in. I know, I know, it sounds like blackmail….I prefer to call it good social work practice in the name of Jesus 
In the midst of the team’s hectic schedule, I received the news of the death of my friend, Michelle James. The next morning, also via email, I found out that she was six weeks pregnant. I became physically ill when I read those words. I have not been able to walk on my own strength this week…Christ has truly carried me.
On Thursday, I was told by Cornel Bucur, the director of the foundation that I work with, that an American that had lived here is donating an apartment, a working factory, and I van for the use of our foundation. This means that we can begin the other program proposal that I wrote, “Washing-Cleaning-Sitting with Joy.” This program will employ older adolescents in a laundry service, house/business cleaning, and babysitting business. There is quite a demand for all three in Oradea. We praise God for the vision that He has given me and for providing the means to execute His plan to end the suffering of children of all ages.
The implementation of this business will also fund the other programs such as Fostering Joy (Christian Foster Care), Joy Camp (Christian camp for orphans), House of Joy (independent living program for older adolescents), and the Abandoned Caring for the Abandoned (older orphans being employed through the babysitting service in the business.) I will not go into all the details of each program unless you would like to know more. If so, please write and I will send you a copy of the program goal, objective, and activities.
I received an extraordinary compliment from one of the team members, Jimmy Morse, that was here earlier this week. Jimmy and his wife are also missionaries in Romania. He told me that he had never seen God produce such fruit in two months of a ministry as mine had. As I told Jimmy, I believe this is due solely to prayer. I prayed ten months before coming to Romania with many of you. I also know that hundreds, maybe even thousands of people are praying for me all over the world. And, as Jimmy preached about one morning, I never put service to God before worshiping or loving Him. Service is not what ministry is all about. Loving God and obeying Him is. I thank Jimmy and others for reminding me of that fact.
I miss my family and my friends so very much. Michelle’s death has given me a different, more focused perspective of what life is truly about. I thank my Great Counselor for continuing to teach me lessons through times of turmoil and despair. Life is tough…pray hard.
Basking in the Son,
Michelle
Posted on August 8th, 1998 by Michelle
Filed under: Michelle's Journal