ahhh it is getting hard to think about leaving--not as much leaving as saying goodbye to the people we have a close relationship with

Yesterday after the pinochio experience we headed to Santa Maria to hang out with the girls :)

We played cards (we taught them 'go fish' and 'speed' ! ) and sang and danced~ The atmosphere at Santa Maria is very much like a summer camp feeling--all the girls run in and out of the rooms, they share clothes, etc.

Then we got a group of about 6 of the older girls and headed downtown to eat pizza together. Jenn and I made a notebook for each girl. Inside we wrote them a letter and put a printed out a 'Read your Bible in a Year' outline for them to follow. In Constanta's we put a sort of devotional about Beauty and what it means to be beautiful in the Lord's eyes for her to talk to all the girls about.

So after pizza we came back to the orphanage and went to Constanta and Doina's room. It actually ended up just being Jenn, Constanta, Doina, Andrea, and me in the room. I know that God was sovereign over the people who ended up staying for the sort of prayer and bible study time.

We gave them their notebooks, shared scripture together, and shared the gospel story again. At the end we held hands and prayed together. I couldn't stop the tears...I honestly don't know how to explain to you how I am feeling. These girls have changed my life forever--if we didn't come to impact them, they have for sure impacted Jenn and I.

crazy to think that we have only been here a little over a week--it feels like a year ago I left and came. God has done so much spiritually even though naturally speaking we haven't been here long at all.


This morning we went to church with Viorica, Nikki, Doina, Madalina, Ionica, Tony, Jenn, and I. (Jenn's random story that brought her joy: there was a guest speaker who gave the sermon and guess what? Though he spoke RO, he could not give an entire sermon with it - so he gave the sermon in english and there was a translator!!! Em and I were exhausted from only 4 hrs of sleep so listening to a 2 hr service in RO was quite the daunting task. As we both fought to keep our eyes open - i prayed that God would bring some english our way. Then - all of a sudden the man opened his mouth and emily and i bright eyed turned our heads and smiled! God is so good! I was actually able to stay awake then! haha. )

Afterwards we headed to McDonalds again. :)

I held hands with Ionica and Tony on the way to McDonalds--they had many conversations in Romanian with me in the middle not understanding any of it. However, every now and then Tony would look up at me and say, "Big Mac...Fanta...French Fries"--in that standard American voice. Just through those words we communicated! crazy huh--although I did find out that he doesn't like pepsi but he LOVES sprite and fanta! ...maybe my romanian is getting better!

After McDonalds Jenn and I wanted to go to pinocchio and give the two little brothers (we wrote about them yesterday) happy meals! The problem is that we were only with Ionica and Tony--both don't speak english--and we had never been there without Viorica and Nikki. Doina did not want to come with us, in all honesty she was too scared to go. Like I said before this place is an animal house. Regardless, Jenn and I decided to pray and go! I knew that Jesus was protecting us and His angels were around us.

So after riding a few buses we finally arrived at Pinocchio. As we were walking on the street by the entrance a few 10 yr old boys came out of the gate. Jenn was holding Tony's hand and the boys began to kick and punch Tony. Right there before our eyes we saw what happens probably more than once a day to the kids who live there. One of the boys got a pretty good punch in--Tony's face turned bright red and he started crying. It was a very surreal scene--I mean Jenn was holding his hand and this happened. I can't imagine what happens behind closed doors.

Needless to say this did not help calm our nerves...
We entered the orphanage, praying to get passed the guards without talking (since you know, we don't speak RO).
We did--we just walked right in. We ran up the stairs looking for our two friends from the day before. We found them and then led them to their room, trying to not let anyone notice us. We hid the happy meals in our jackets because if the other kids saw them there was a chance that they would either beat up the two brothers or come after Jenn and I.
...I can't really call their room a bedroom... there was a couch that looked as if two giant dogs had torn it apart...there was trash all over the place...the door was broken off of the hidges...

So we pulled out the food and gave it to them! ahh the relief of finally getting it in there hands!
I really wanted to stay and watch them eat it so that I knew that the other kids would not have taken it, but Jenn and I decided to leave as quickly and quietly as possible. I prayed that even if they didn't get to eat the food, that God would simply use the fact that Jenn and I came to give it to them, to hug them, to kiss them--and that through that they might know they are loved and cared for.

So here we are typing on the computer--so don't worry we are alive ;)

Tonight we went to Constanta's church again--it is very encouraging to go into a church and from the first moment feel at home though we were thousands of miles away. The people there loved us incredibly even though some of them didn't know our language. I believe the Lord provided this community of believers as a constant source of the body of Christ during our time here in Romania.

After church it was just Constanta, Doina, Jenn, and I. I was thankful the Lord allowed us to spend this last night in Romania together with the girls who we are the closest to. We went to McDonalds (yes 2 times in one day...). ahhh I am so thankful--the Lord blesses our time together so obviously!

So tomorrow we are packing up--going to buy a few more things for the girls--and tomorrow night we head to Santa Maria to say goodbye.

Please pray for us. Tommorrow is going to be hard. I dont want you to think that we are ready to pack up our bags and move here (although I have had that thought a few times). It is just the Lord has blessed our time with these people so significantly--and we are sad to leave them.

Also pray because Jenn and I are getting sick. symptoms: cough, really sore throat, achy body, achy joints, and really just physically exhausted. We are getting a chance to sleep in tomorrow--Praise the Lord! He knew we needed it! pray that even though we are feeling awful that we are still able to encourage the girls and fully communicate with them the things the Lord has laid on our hearts.

I love you very much--thanks mom and dad for calling me tonight--it was an answered prayer :)

thank you for your prayers!