How we got started...

This year has been filled with so many exciting blessings! We are constantly feeling God’s goodness throughout our lives. He is faithful in every endeavor, and we have seen it!

Great news: Most importantly, we are so excited to share with each of you that we will be returning to Romania this summer! As a couple we will be spending all of July in Targu Mures, Romania as well as leading a team from our church that will join us the last week of July. This trip has been much anticipated and we cannot wait to be back! While we are there we will be doing all kinds of new things. Livada, the organization we are traveling through, is a social-care organization that helps orphan children find their place in this world through a blend of humanitarian aid, social work, and ministry. The best part about this organization is that we will get to spend time with kids we’ve built relationships with in the past and continue to support. It is so amazing to see how they grow and develop into incredible young men and women who love the Lord, despite their circumstances.

Our time: Our first week there we will be spending time in the Babies’ home, helping with the preschool program at Ludus orphanage, and traveling to see some of “our kids” in the remote villages. Our second week we will be going to camp with the Casa Rebecca group home. This group home is one of three fully supported homes by Livada. We spent quite a bit of time with these kiddos last trip and are thrilled to get to be with them at camp this summer. The third week of camp Jeff and I will be creating, leading and facilitating a sports camp for all three group homes, Casa Rebecca, Casa Ana and Casa Nadia. We are excited about this opportunity to organize a week of pure fun and friendly competition. However, I am thankful Jeff can throw and hit a ball and knows how to play all kinds of sports…I am not as talented in this area! I prayed to be stretched this summer and I certainly am going to be!! Please pray there are no bones broken.

Our Team: The last week we are there our team from Dallas will be arriving and going us for a week at camp, Camp Vetca, with children from one of the Mures County orphanages. For many this is one week of the year that they leave the dark and often frightening world inside the walls of the orphanage or uneventful world of the group home. For most this is the only time they feel truly safe, loved and free to just be kids! Camp is the only place Livada is completely free to share the gospel and the love of Christ openly with many children in state care. Camp is also a whole lot of fun…with crafts, outdoor recreation, American & European teams loving on them, tree climbs, a zip line, story time, Bible memory verses, team competitions, and fun times with staff that invest in them throughout the year. It is filled with unforgettable memories!! Our theme this summer is Mission: Possible. We will be spending part of our week in town and two of the days will be spent camping in the mountains, yes, camping! This will be an all new experience for most of these kids. We will be staying in tents, with M.A.S.H. style bunks, and have our functions in a Big-Top tent. They are going to love this! Our last day we will end with an Outdoor adventure day which will fit along well with our theme, Mission: Possible. Jeff and I will be arriving in Romania the first of July and returning the end of July. We pray that God’s grace will fill these children’s hearts with love, comfort, and peace.

Prayer: In preparation for this trip the most important step is to build a team of friends and family who will pray for God’s blessings to flow over this journey. We are writing to you to ask you to be a part of our prayer support team. Your prayers will indefinitely bless the children and mission this summer at camp. We have included a prayer request list in our letter with specific needs of our ministry as we get ready to embark on this adventure.