May has been a really busy and challenging month!  On the second day of the month, I got word via Corina (my translator, and overseer of the ministry while I’m out of the country) that there was another situation at Barza Mica that the director said ‘only Dawn could solve’.  And, I knew that ‘only God could solve it for me’.  If we didn’t get some steel transported to a place in Brasov where we could receive money for it, once again the government threatened us with closing the orphanage and taking the director’s license to operate from her.  With God’s help – and with Ovi’s help to do the transporting, we were once again safe – and still had a place for our ‘kids’.

Thank you for praying concerning my trip from Romania back to the States.  In my section of the plane which would ordinarily seat 90 people, there were only 12 of us.  Not feeling very well from the flu, that was great – because not only I but the others, too, grabbed pillows and stretched out in all three seats, or as many as we wanted to!

It seems as though I was just asking for prayer for my trip from Michigan to Romania – and now here I am asking for prayer from Romania back to MA.  I am in no way mentally or emotionally prepared to leave this ‘other land that I love’ on April 6.  Please pray, not only for a safe trip back to the States, but that the Lord will guard my heart . . .

In my last ‘Update’, I asked for prayer concerning my trip to Romania on February 9, arriving in Brasov February 10.  I think we all should have been praying ‘harder’.   :))  The trip was a ‘bear’.  From taking off an hour late in a blizzard in Grand Rapids, MI with the runway having to be constantly plowed and sanded/salted, and the plane de-iced – to a four-hour layover in Newark (with a late departure) – to absolutely no sleep on the eight-hour flight to Munich – to another four-hour layover in Munich (with a late departure to Bucharest) – to Ovi’s being 40 minutes late to pick me up due to traffic – to the three-hour trek up to Brasov, — by the time I reached my flat, my brain was mush and I felt like a truck had run over my body.  All in EST, I went from 5:30a, Friday morning to 12:45p on Saturday – nearly 30 hours with no sleep.  The trip took its toll.  We’ll just have to pray more intensely over my next trip – and even more for that wisdom I’m always asking for.  No more flights with two lay-overs!  :)

Love From Above has moved into the 21^st century – we are now on Facebook!  Check out https://www.facebook.com/lovefromaboveministries/  for brief, but more frequent updates on the ministry.  I am excited!  Thanks to my beautiful daughter-in-‘love’, Michele, for making it all happen!

Talked with Alina Tompi a few days ago – and although she is still very weak after her stem cell implant, I could tell by her voice that she was stronger.  She had been out for a short walk that day and was completely exhausted, but she was able to do it!  Praise God!!

November was a busy and full month!  So much praise to begin with –

My beautiful Ioana passed her exam for her medical degree!!  Praise God!!!  She was tested over everything she had learned in her six years of medical school.  She is now D-na Doctor Arbanas (Pirvu) Ioana.  I am so proud of her.  It has been a joy to watch her on this journey – to watch her depend on the Lord – and to give Him the glory and honor for every step.

This following is an update from October –

Praising God that I made it safely from Brasov to Norton on my flight home October 4!  It was a little rough over the Atlantic, but otherwise without incident.

Update from the month of September –

3000 kg. of potatoes were delivered to Barza Mica, along with 700 kg of carrots and 700 kg of onions.

Nineteen boxes of beautiful clothing arrived from some precious ladies at First Romanian Baptist Church of Atlanta – and were warmly received at Albina and Barza Mica Orphanages

It has been a wonderful – fruitful – fruitless, at times – joyful – heart-breaking – interesting past month in my beloved Romania.