Dear Family and Friends,
I cannot believe the words that I am about to write to you. To make the simple statement that what has happened this morning is a miracle does not seem to adequately articulate the magnitude of the work that God has done here. Many of you know the story of the little burned girl, Crizentina. This morning, her parents signed the legal permission for us to take her to the United States for medical care. As I write this, mixed tears run down my face. I feel indescribable joy as I experience first hand how much God loves His children. As I mentioned, Crizantina’s family are “gypsies” and in this country, they are considered low class in many respects. There was some speculation that they would ask for money when they found out someone was interested in helping Crizentina. They did ask to go with her but when it was explained there was no money for this, they agreed that this was best for her. When they were leaving the office, they asked for the equivalent of $2.50 for bus fare so they could return home to their seven other children. I had not uttered a word in anything other than Romanian because I did not want them to suspect me as being the person responsible for getting Crizentina to the US. As we were leaving them, the father thanked us. I looked over towards the mother that was holding an infant in her arms, she was crying and wiping her tears with her head scarf. My heart broke and without saying a word, I walked to her and hugged her. This is not a family that wants to make money off anyone. This is a family that loves their children. Most gypsies are accused of being dirty, dishonest and not caring for their children. Both the parents and their small child were clean and kind and the mother was very tender with the infant. I am committed to doing more for them to support their seven other children and I will pray about how God would have me handle this.
Now, I must depend on God to open the doors to help me get the passport and visa. I am told that this will be very difficult but I do not believe in putting limits on God. When His timing is right, it will happen. Of this, I am certain. Everyone here told me that it would be very difficult to get the parents permission. One day after the child protection social workers made the visit, the parents were at the office to sign permission for Crizentina to go….this is a MIRACLE and I give all the glory to God.
I have named the project for Crizentina the “Tonia Project” in memory of Tonia Anderson. Tonia was murdered by her boyfriend in June. I worked with her mother, Julia, and she told me many times how much Tonia loved children. So, as you continue to pray for Crizentina, I ask that you please remember Julia and her family as they mourn the loss of Tonia.
Another item of praise is the “Abandoned Caring for the Abandoned” project. Maria, the older orphan hired to care for eight children in the hospital, is daily astonishing us with her ability to care for children. Yesterday, she proudly told us that she had taught a toddler to walk. My heart soared when I heard those words. I told Maria that we would be paying her on Friday. She asked me, “For what?” Bless her heart, she likes her job so much that she did not understand why we would pay her for doing it! Don’t of all you wish that you felt that way about your job!!!!
Even though many wonderful events have occurred, there have been many more added to the list here that are in dire need of prayer. One is a mother of a toddler who is pregnant and being severely abused in her home by her husband. He is an alcoholic and he does not want the baby so he hits her in the stomach. (Yes, my first inclination was to go to the house and beat him to a bleeding mass but God found a way to prevent this…I thank Him for being in control when I am not.) This is not an unfamiliar scene in the states but it is considered a secondary problem here…the reason that she came to our ministry is that she needed food. My heart was broken by her plight…it took five days for me to find out that she was being abused. She was raised in an orphanage and she desperately wants to keep her children out of an orphanage. I admire her courage and we are doing everything that we can to support her including trying to find a family to take her and the children in. I ask that you join me in prayer for this sweet, young woman.
In less than 48 hours, (but who is counting - big smile!) I will pick Jeff up from the airport in Budapest. I am praying that there will be no difficulties with his travel to Europe given the heightened security here and back in the US. I ask you to join me in this prayer. Jeff will have very little time for recovering from jet lag since he must present the wilderness instructions for camping the day after his arrival.
We leave next Monday for two weeks with the children from the orphanages. I have written a mini-play that is to be performed at the camp. It sends a powerful message about why God would allow bad things to happen to them in orphanages. It is intended to alleviate any guilt they may have about being in orphanages and to share the love of Jesus with them. I ask that you join me in praying that God’s will be accomplished through this play and our witness of love to the children.
After the camp, Jeff and I will be traveling across Romania for ten days to visit and work with many different ministries. We will also spend some time sightseeing in the mountains with two Christian missionary families from the south. So, until the end of September, I will be offline and in the mountains of Romania.
I thank so many of you for your letters of encouragement and your prayers. I know that I am feeling so blessed right now because of all the prayers that are being sent up for me. It is often hard to imagine that so many of you are praying. Someone recently emailed me and told me their guess was that hundreds…maybe even thousands of people were praying specifically for me. I feel honored and strengthened knowing that may be true. And, I am sure that your prayers are the reason that I am seeing miracles here.
I want to send a special thank you to my mother, my step-father, and the women of her church that donated tons of camp supplies (and to Jeff for agreeing to bring them all over!) Mama has been the queen of organizing all of this and I think we have enough activity supplies to have a new activity every hour!! Also, I want to thank my daddy for getting a much needed part for the van that was donated to our ministry. Both of my parents have been an inspiration to me. They have supported me and written me email faithfully. It is my prayer that I can be the same type of supportive parent to my children that they have been to me while I have been here
May God continue to bless each of you beyond what you can imagine or dream.
Basking in the Son,
Michelle
Posted on August 26th, 1998 by Michelle
Filed under: Michelle's Journal