This is a combined update from both Michelle and Daniel. Michelle’s update is at the top and Daniel’s is at the end.
Dear Family and Friends,
We are so excited to tell you that on December 28th, we took in our first resident at Agape Home!! For confidentiality reasons, we will modify her name and call her “Tina.” She is 21 years old, single, and approximately 12 weeks pregnant now. She has already given birth to a child she abandoned several years ago that has now been adopted. Her story is a heartbreaking one involving growing up as a teenager in a large, state-run orphanage and then turning to prostitution to survive. She was living with the father of the baby but he threw her out when he found out she was pregnant. The house parents at Agape Home, Nicu and Flori, are so thrilled at having the opportunity to minister to her. They do daily devotionals with her and pray with her. Flori is teaching her how to cook but she says it is more difficult than she anticipated because she really has no life skills. Please pray for Tina’s heart to be opened to Jesus as well as Nicu and Flori as they minister to this precious young woman. They are living out John 13:35 “By this all men will now that you are disciples, if you have love for one another.”
I also wanted to share with you a photo Nicu and Flori sent me of Nicolas, the child they are adopting. He has grown SO MUCH in three months! He is an absolute doll! To think he was found in a garbage container with rats gnawing on his limbs is just mind boggling! We praise God for how he has rescued this child and answered our prayers for a Christian family through people we love so very much!
Here is a photo taken two days ago of Alina working with abandoned babies at the Children’s hospital. I believe it is safe to say these are her two favorites but I have known Alina to have many more than two favorites! She and her sister, Mihaela, work very diligently “loving on” these children. Your sponsorship helps them to be the hands and feet of Jesus to abandoned infants in Romania.
Right before Christmas, I received a phone call from Diana, our social worker. She told me about a high school girl who had just given birth to a child. The girl’s mother wanted to keep the baby but because her income is minimum wage, (approximately $90 per month) she said it would be too much of a financial burden. Both mother and daughter were in tears over the decision they were forced to make to abandon the infant. When another ministry told us of the case, I had to make an immediate decision.
I felt that if a family wanted this much to keep a child and only finances prevented it, I would trust in the Lord to provide for them as He has for us almost seven years. For one year, we committed in faith to pay the family $75 monthly sponsorship plus provide the baby formula. If you would like to help by sponsoring this family, please send a check to the address below and on a separate piece of paper write “family reunification” and then let me know so I know when the funds are committed. I will update you personally on this situation with photos and letters.
We thank so many of you for giving so generously and faithfully to our ministry in 2004. We hope and pray 2005 will be blessed as well.
Basking in the Son,
Michelle
Update from Daniel
I wanted to thank you for all your prayers concerning my knee injury that happened in the beginning of August 2004. Since that time, I have gone to a doctor. We decided to give it some rest and time to see how much of it would heal month to month. Over that time I am glad to say that The Lord has used it to heal the knee to a great degree, however, at this time He hasn’t chosen to heal it completely. This doesn’t mean He is any less God. Nor does it mean He doesn’t perform miracles today or care for me. But He has a different purpose that will glorify Him concerning this situation. We are grateful that He “upholds all things by the word of His power.” Hebrews 1:3b. We are securely in the hands of The Almighty God. Now, we are planning for surgery either in NC or in Europe. Thank you, again, for lifting me to our Father.
Love Daniel
Basking in the Son,
Michelle
Posted on January 12th, 2005 by Michelle
Filed under: Michelle's Journal