Dear Family and Friends,
I have arrived to my frigid frontier (Romania) once again. I left at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon well-equipped to endure the weather thanks to Seacoast Christian Community, a sponsor family from Seacoast, and Sierra Trading Post. Seacoast and a sponsor family both donated money for me to buy some new, warm clothes!!! I have purchased every warm sweater that I could find and some fabulous boots. Sierra Trading Post donated a Marmot parka that is wonderfully warm. Thanks to all for allowing God to use you to meet this need!! (And thank you, Mama, for trying to fatten me up with all the chocolate pecan pies…I already miss them and you!)
As many of you know, I returned to the US to help my family deal with my grandfather (who I refer to as Poppy Frank). I contacted a social worker at Duke University after my arrival back to the US. She explained our situation to the Chief of Neurology at Duke who also happens to be Chief of Neurology at Durham Veteran’s Hospital. The doctor agreed to see my grandfather last Tuesday initially as a Veteran’s patient (Poppy Frank is a World War II Prisoner of War). He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and then referred to Duke to be part of a research program they are conducting so they can see him free!!! Can you say Praise the Lord!!!
Last week was an extremely difficult week for my grandma. She was in the room watching along with me as Poppy Frank failed many of the simple memory questions. She is trying to accept the fact that she is loosing her husband of 54 years as he becomes a different person.
Last Thursday, me, my mother, my step-father, and my two uncles took Poppy Frank to his first visit to Duke. As a result of his visit, we had to restrict my grandfather from driving except for the “back roads” and we made him agree to only hunt when others were supervising. He was not thrilled with this decision but he realizes that safety issues need to be addressed. I ask you to please be in prayer for my family. It is so heart-wrenching to be away when my family is facing such life issues.
While in Charleston, my pastors allowed me to make a brief presentation to my church about the upcoming project for housing abandoned babies, New Life House. We requested a variety of baby goods and furniture and the response has been overwhelming!! Praise God, we will be receiving a shipment in Romania in about a month. Thank you to Jay Thomas for getting all the initial information together and to John Stone who is organizing all the Seacoasters that are loading and packing the container. I can’t wait to see New Life House furnished!!!
The house that we are renting needs to have many modifications made in order to comply with local government regulations for housing babies. Esti, my Executive Director, had no clue what to do after she got a report telling her the plethora of changes that needed to be made. When I arrived today, she told me that an architect called her to tell her that he heard about our ministry and that if we needed any help, he was available for hire. She explained what we needed for New Life House and he has told us that we will have all approvals WITHIN 48 HOURS. Esti was dumbfounded. Somebody out there is praying for these babies!!!!
Many of you are new to my email list as a result of this trip to the US. I thank you for your interest in what God is doing in Romania to show the love of Jesus to His children. If you would like to be taken off this mailing list, please write me and let me know.
Thank you so much for all the financial and prayer support. May you be richly blessed!!
Basking in the Son,
Michelle
