August was a very full month.  Besides loving and enjoying, singing and praying over our precious orphans, there were other things going on.

The Tompi’s, Robert and Alina and I traveled to his mother and sister’s village in Bahnea to minister once again.  Sixty-five, or so very dirty, but oh so precious little Gypsy children showed up for a Bible story, and left with a ‘sweet’, a toy or trinket and the assurance of how to spend eternity with our Jesus.  Also, nineteen dresses made by my friend (and now her friends) were handed out to little girls who were instantly transformed into princesses!  Also LFA left enough toys for each child to, once again, receive a toy for Christmas.  Throughout the year, we ship well over a thousand pounds of clothes and supplies to this village.

My beautiful Ioana married her Prince Charming, Radu in a civil wedding ceremony.  In spite of torrential rains, it was a beautiful, celebratory day – and the best way to spend my birthday, ever!  Their sacred/church ceremony will be the 11^th of this month.

It is with great sadness, as always, that I have to leave ‘the other land I love’ the 21^st of this month.  But in the meantime, I will love, love and love some more being with our babies and kids.  It is a joy and a privilege to be chosen by the Lord to minister to ‘the least of the least’ – these precious ones in the most deplorable State-run orphanages.  In August, we got to take 9 of our kids from Barza Mica to the Centre (downtown Olde Brasov).  After playing at a park, we ate at KFC, fed the pigeons by the fountain on the piata, walked and walked all around the Centre, and had an ice cream on the street before returning to the orphanage.  Also, on another day, we took 11 kids from Barza to the zoo and afterwards to McDonald’s.  They got to spend five hours on the ‘outside’!   What a fun day that was!

The search is on for the many needs for Barza Mica before I have to leave RO.  Last week I found suitable towels – one for each orphan.  I am beyond grateful (!) to all you folks back in the States for your generous giving to help provide the many, many needs I’m confronted with here at both orphanages.  Because of your generosity, I will be able to get them all pajamas, each one a bathrobe, and also, help with the needs of the physical orphanage that are required to be accomplished by November per the government’s edict (once again)!   Also, LFA has just paid for all their veggies to last all Fall and into the Spring.

We will also be able to help with getting our new church (Canaan) for the Gypsies in Halchiu up and running before the winter.  We have been given money to help with that.  Just pray that God keeps the workers safe and healthy and that no more time lapses because of illness and injuries.  At times, people have to stand outside the church (the bar we rent) in order to attend service.  Please pray that this church building can be finished soon.

Radu and I have been so blessed afternoons in visiting folks on the street in the Centre and sharing Christ with them.  Radu spent a half hour with on man who had so many questions but couldn’t accept that ‘salvation’ could be so simple.  We left some material with him, and hopefully will see him on the street again.  Some really precious ladies have been very responsive, too.

This ‘update’ is written from a very grateful heart to you for ‘considering the helpless’!   (Psalm 41.1a)   THANK you!