Expect the Unexpected!

Hello Dear Friends and Family,
I wanted to give you some highlights of this last month! It is always hard to know where to start, so I will start at the Rehab center (kids who have disabilities) where I spend each morning. I have enjoyed seeing how God has moved in the hearts of the staff at Rehab. For example just the other day I changed a dirty diaper and one of the staff members said, "Thank You Kristina." It wasn't like that when I first came into the rehab center. I had a chance two weekends in a row to take little Georgiana (a girl who is almost three, who was born with a hole in her heart) to Church with me. On the way you Church she took everything in, and at Church she was singing her heart out. We then joined the smaller kids of the Church, which went ok. The first week, she stayed for about 10 min. and then we left and went to the park. She was scared of being outside her comfort zone. The second week she stayed a little bit longer, and it she seemed to take in the actions of all the other children. However, she has a hard time being patient...(don't we all) :) I was blessed to have her join me at Church.
I have another praise...but it is kind of a long story. Here we go! I met a girl on New Years and have kept in touch with her. We went out for coffee four weeks ago and ended up talking about Church. IT was all in Romanian...so there are just some things I can talk about more than others. She told me that most of her roommates were Christians, and so I asked her about her faith. She said she is Orthodox, because it works for her. I told her about the Church that I attend here, and told her if she ever wanted to she could check it out! She agreed to it, and so I waited to see what would happen. Sun. came and she couldn't come, but I try not to get discouraged and hoped for the next week. The next week she ended up coming to Church and she LOVED it. She really enjoyed the worship, and afterwards she said the music was just stuck in her head!! Praise the Lord. Her name is Niko, so please pray for her. She works a night job so sometimes it is hard for her to get up on Sun. mornings.
It is Oana's birthday today, I am going to her apartment to celebrate! Oana started helping out at least two times a week at Rehab in the morning. What a gift Oana has! I am amazed and the way she can just sit down with the kids and love on them. God has given her a gift that is for sure. There are many people who walk into rehab and can't deal with the kids there....but my dear Oana has a gift. There is a little girl Luminita who has grown on Oana, I am blessed to see Oana give back and love on the kids around her.
The kids at the apartment are doing well too. I usually go there on tues and Thurs. after lunch. They are doing well in their English lessons, and when we go out to the park together we usually practice. When we are in the park, I meet all of their friends and then everyone gets to practice a little bit of english! I really enjoy taking them out to the park after they have gone over their romanian or english homework. After we come back from the park, I am able to praise them on what they did well for the day.
Every thursday evening I am still spending time with a group of three girls, this last thurs we went to Mada's house, (one of the CTL Staff members) and we cooked a meal together and then talked about what was going on in their lives and at school. We meet once a week, because they are in a type of counciling session to be encouraged in their personal identies.
The other orphanages I visit after lunch mon, wed. or fri. God has been so good in building relationships at each orphanage, and I so often wish I could be two places at once! There are just so many kids that I want to spend time with, but there is only one of me! :) I thank the Lord for kids with open hearts.
On friday evenings I am part of a Bible Study with some other girls my age. We meet in someone's apartment and right now we are going through the book Captivating. It has been so encouraging to have this group. We are able to talk about our week, how we saw God at work, what we are struggling with and so on. It is wonderful to have friends who can pray for you and lift you up when you need it. I thank the Lord for all of you, thank you for your prayers, they do more than you know!
May the Lord bless you today and show you His heart!
Blessings and Prayers,
Kristina :)