Dear Family and Friends,
I waited to write this email today hoping that I would have some exciting news to share with you about the trip that we took today to look at land for a possible camp ministry for emotionally disturbed children. I had no clue that I would have such a story to tell.
Jeff, myself, the pastor from the church we attend here, a member of the church, and a native of the area about 50 kilometers from here left Oradea this morning at about 8:30 a.m. We were to go see land and let Jeff make an assessment of what was for sale. The road up to the mountain was mere mush and about half way up, we had to get out of the car and start walking. After we had ventured approximately 2 kilometers, we heard thunder over head. Jeff and I informed the others that we needed to leave in time to be back in Oradea at 12:00 for another appointment to look at land. The conditions of the road , the foot bridges, and the trail were treacherous. There were three walking bridges that consisted of four to six cross-ties with no type of railing. We began to head back towards the car and it started to rain. As we were crossing the second walking bridge, the pastor and I were walking side by side with me slightly in front on the inner cross-tie of four. As I spoke to him, I lost my footing and slipped with my elbow and right hip hitting the cross-tie and throwing me over the side. I desperately tried to cling to the outer cross-tie but it was too slick. Jeff and the others looked on as I plummeted 10 feet, head first and backwards, into the river below. When I emerged from the water, Jeff was springing forward to jump in after me but I yelled at him to stay put. I told him that I was okay and that I could walk to the bank by myself. The look of fear on his face was simply awful. When I reached the bank, Jeff pulled me up and he and others immediately began taking off their clothes to give to me. I was able to put on warm upper body clothing but had to remain in my soaked jean and boots for the 2 kilometer walk back to the car. I looked back at the spot before we continued our hike back and was stunned to see the number of rocks that surrounded where I fell. The river (I would call it a large creek) was extremely shallow in every place except the spot where I fell in which was about 3 feet deep…enough to break my fall. The only real injuries I sustained were a sore neck and back and a fingernail separated from the skin as a result of trying to grab the outside cross-tie as I fell. Jeff and I know that the hand of God was certainly on me as I fell. Jeff can’t even talk about it without wincing and feeling ill.
I have been praising God since the accident. To be spared from such a potentially tragic situation has humbled me and given me a deeper appreciation of how precious life is and how quickly it can end. It has also made me understand that each of us need to live each day as if it were our last. How different we would act if we thought we may die each day!! Small worries would not matter so much and the material things that we deem as important would most surely become trivial. Life is but a gift of time….we can chose to use the gift fruitfully or squander it. Praise God for revealing this to me in such a real way.
The projects here continue to progress. The Tonia project has been a tremendous success this week. Crizantina, the little burned girl, will be getting her passport and visa soon. It has taken MUCH work to complete the paperwork necessary for this process. And, I can tell you with certainty, that God has led onward where my skills and abilities end. On Monday, her father will travel to sign for her passport. God willing, we will have it in two weeks. This means there is a very real possibility that my best friend, Wendy, who is visiting form the US this Wednesday, may be able to take her back to the US on the 27th. I have no clue how we will pay to transport her to the US but God does. Please, please, pray for this. This would be such a miracle!! It is practically unheard of to get this kind of process completed within such a small amount of time but then again, I serve the God that does the “unheard” every day!!
The “Abandoned Caring for the Abandoned” project continues to flourish. I have also hired another older orphan, Nadia, to go into the hospital to teach Crizantina to write letters and numbers (she has had no previous education.) This is going incredibly well and I praise God that this older orphan is determined to teach her. She works with Crizantina two hours and then she works on another floor with abandoned babies for four more hours.
Because of some money donated by team members from WMHK radio in Columbia, SC, I will be hiring a third older orphan to work with more abandoned babies. She will begin working tomorrow with six infants. I praise God that He continues to provide funds. However, beginning in December, I will have to increase the salaries of the girls from $40 to $75 because the project with Fundatia Poarta Bucuriei is ending for them (this project provides their housing and money for food.) They will need to make enough money to keep their apartment and pay for living expenses. Although $75 is not a great deal of money, it will be considerably more than they would earn in a factory. I know that God will provide for this project…I just continue to give the needs to Him.
I have another need that I would like to communicate. Jeff and I must raise support for $1000 in airfare to continue our ministry here. If travel to and from the US originates in Europe, it is less than half the cost of travel that originates from the US (about $450 from Europe vs. $1000 for my last ticket.) That means that we have to “eat” the cost of the return travel back to the US this time and begin as “local” Europe travelers. This will enable us to save thousands of dollars during the next few years. However, we must buy the tickets before the 31st of this month. If any of you are able to assist us with this expense, please send a check to my church at the following: (in the memo field of the check, write Romania Missions-Michelle Kelly)
Attn: Jennie Surratt
Seacoast Christian Community
750 Long Point Rd.
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
If you are not able to assist financially, I ask that you please pray that God provide for us if this is His will for us.
On a personal note, life sure is blissful!! Many of you know that Jeff proposed to me two weeks ago. I have accepted his proposal but in respect to the leadership of my church, (they ask that you date a year before making a decision to marry and we have dated five months) we will wait until we return in December and talk to my pastor before making definite plans. We will begin pre-marital counseling here with our American pastor and his wife. We are incredibly excited about working together in ministry as a couple. Jeff’s heart for children and others continues to bless me. He is an amazing man with so many astounding talents. His presence here has blessed me and strengthened my commitment to Christ….and I smile soooo much more!!!
I have more to write but I have already made this quite a lengthy email so I will stop here. Thank you to those of you that continue to correspond with me about what is going on with you…it means more than you can imagine!!
May God bless each of you as you continue to seek His will.
Basking in the Son,
Michelle
Posted on October 10th, 1998 by Michelle
Filed under: Michelle's Journal