So thankful to the Lord to have arrived here in Romania July 12.  It was not without some difficulty.  Just a few short hours before leaving my home in Norton, MA, Air France let me know that my flight had been cancelled.  I love flying, but this is one of the reasons I don’t like traveling!  These incidents don’t concern just me, but other people I have to ‘put out’.  The one who takes me to Logan Airport, and the one who picks me up in Bucharest.  Within a couple of hours, I was contacted again to say that I would be flying that evening – at 11:00p on British Airways.  In my scurrying to finish last minute packing, I neglected to include some things in my luggage that I really wanted.  Notice I said ‘wanted’, not ‘needed’.  I have managed fine in my little flat in Brasov . . .

I’d had thoughts cross my mind that the Romanian government might not issue me approval papers again to be in the orphanages in Brasov Judicial.  But to my surprise and delight, I was approved to be here for FIVE years – to 2023!  The most they had ever given me was three years.  I was overjoyed!

I can’t go into detail in anything that appears online, but things are not well at Barza Mica.  I will share that with you in a weekend ‘update’.  We have so enjoyed our kids!  I told them Friday (July 30) over and over how much I loved them – that I never stop thinking of them when I return to the States.  Amalia said, “That’s why I watch the planes (go overhead) hoping that one of them will bring Mama Dawn”.  I just held her and hugged her.   I read – in Romanesc (!!) part of a Bible story to them – and they were amazed.  I asked them if they understood anything I had said.  Their answer was “Ba da!”  (Sure!)  However, I handed the book to Corina and let her finish the story!

It is always difficult when I learn that one of our little ones has passed away at Albina, but this time it was Liviu.  In May this blind, little twenty eight-pound, eight year-old got to open his eyes to see his first sight ever – Jesus!  Can you imagine?  Our new little one – seven month-old Maya is sweet – and a bit demanding.  Because she has Pierre Robin syndrome involving the roof of her mouth not closing, she is on a feeding tube.  I have to wonder; will that be the story of her life?

We have prayed for years (!) to be able to share God’s love more openly and freely with the workers at the orphanages.  So what the Lord put in my mind was amazing.  I have tons of Bibles (they really are just New Testaments, but I will refer to them as Bibles because of their size).  For years I have given a gift to the ladies (and sometimes male workers at Barza).  For the ladies, jewelry that you ladies from America have donated – and coffee or chocolate for either men or women.  This year I have been giving them a Bible.  The response has been anywhere from ‘thank you’ to excitement!  I wrote in the front of each of the Bibles, ‘Cu drag – Mama Dawn’ (with love – ).  And, I highlighted John 3.16 in each of the Bibles.  The Scripture says that His Word will not return void – would you please pray to that end.

Have enjoyed friends – being back to our church, Canaan, in Halchiu – and even all the rain we have had – every day.  Because.  It’s.  Not.  Snow!!  I also received fifteen boxes full of clothing, shoes and supplies that Patti and Rhonda shipped out from MA the first of June – and Ovi received an equal amount, or more.  Thank you – all of you who so generously share the overflow of God’s blessing to you.  And thank all of you who include a donation to help with shipping.  THANK you!!

Please pray for Love From Above – God’s ministry in Romania.  Pray for even more opportunities to share Christ’s love with others.  Please pray, too, that my little car will run okay.  It’s old – and always seems to have one problem or another.  I would ask you, too, to pray over my health.  If you have read this month’s ‘Sharing’, you will know I’m asking not only over my physical health, but also my spiritual and emotional well-being.  And – as always – pray that the Lord will give me wisdom, wisdom, and more wisdom . . .

“Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.”  – Psalm 82.3