Moldova Bound in Less than 1 day...

I am nearly packed so will be ready to arrive at church for our ride to the airport by 8AM tomorrow.

The election do-over in Moldova took place yesterday and here is some very exciting news which was sent from a Moldovan friend.

Dear Friends,
Thank you for praying for the parliamentary elections
in Moldova. God heard our prayers and fasting and granted the democratic parties
victory in the elections. Although by a short margin 53 to 48 the communists
were defeated. There are still important steps to be taken in the next weeks to
consolidate this victory. A democratic coalition of the 4 parties who hold the
53 votes needs to be solidified, a new government and a new president have to be
voted. Please, continue to pray for Moldova and the democratic parties.
Thank you again and praise God for this great victory!

Your Moldovan
brother in Christ,

D I

We are grateful for this good news and trust that there will be stability in the country.

My previous blog told of our plan to ship our boxes with supplies ahead of time. Those boxes left Houston last Friday afternoon but have gotten delayed in France for the past few days. It was anticipated that our 31 boxes would arrive in Chisinau, Moldova by this past Tuesday evening. As of this writing, none of the boxes are there yet. Allison has been in contact with the shipper and has earnestly been seeking a solution for the delayed boxes. She has now been assured that all boxes will be in Chisinau by Monday. They are having to be flown a few at a time on Air Baltic. The boxes cannot be released until the whole order has arrived in Moldova. I had urged our team members to take what they would especially need on Monday with them in personal checked bags so that we would be able to function if there was a delay in the arrival of our boxes. Hopefully there will only be minor inconvenience due to the late arrival of the vast majority of our supplies.

This "hitch" is not surprising. The Great Deceiver wishes for us to arrive discouraged and distressed and his attempts to cause that are often thrown across our path. But God wills for us to be overcomers so we will trust Him with this distraction. Pray with us that His work in and through us will be accomplished regardless of the location of 31 boxes.

I'll update as soon as we arrive in Moldova and I am able to get to the computer. Your prayers mean so much to us.

Moldova Bound in 1 short week...

As I begin this post, I am full of joy and gratitude! There had been some moments of stress in the past weeks as I wondered if all the supplies we needed would be provided. But this past week the box for donations at our church seemed to fill and be overflowing as quickly as the contents were moved to our storage area. On Monday, several of us worked for about 6 hours to sort the items and get them out on tables in preparation for packing day on Tuesday. Our local Home Depot supplied us with our first 19 boxes free and we purchased more before the task was completed. As we assessed the donations on Monday, it was determined that all we needed and so much more was there. We will be able to provide clothing, shoes and treats to all the precious orphans we will have the privilege to spend time with in about 10 days. I am so grateful.

Tuesday morning a group of 9 gathered for packing. It was difficult not to feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task but in about 3 hours, everything was in a box!!!
Some of our team members are employed full time so couldn't join the daytime packing but we had a couple of evenings for finalizing the boxes. We securely taped each box and made certain the boxes were sufficiently full. A detailed list of contents had been made by the packers and each box is numbered so we'll be able to retrieve things as they're needed during the week in Moldova. I regret not taking a picture of the finished boxes but it was a beautiful site!

Team member Allison will be making her second trip to Moldova with us. She spent 3 years working for Procargo in Houston and has encouraged us to consider shipping our materials through them ahead of our departure. We decided to try that venture this year. As I write, she is in Houston with our 30 boxes where the next step in this process takes place. I have grown to admire tremendously this young woman's zeal, expertise and love for the Lord and the children in Moldova. She cannot wait to return for another week of playing and praying with orphaned children who will cling, tease and frustrate but who are irresistibly precious. It is beautiful to see a young woman who's personal story has some parallels to the Moldovan orphans become passionate about sharing her life and God's truth with others in a distant land. Allison was adopted at birth. She is the answer to prayers by a childless couple and an example of God's abundant grace.
So there are still some items on my "To Do" list, but with one week before departure, I'm confident God will continue to supply the time and energy for all that's critical to this trip.

My phone just rang. Allison was calling from Houston to report that all went smoothly with the check-in and all boxes will be on their way this afternoon toward Moldova with an anticipated arrival date of Wed. That is perfect!!! And she reported that Procargo was impressed with our packing!!! That credit goes to many but primarily to my husband who worked fastidiously to make sure each box had secure taping including a band of reinforced tape around each box.

Thanks for your prayers and encouragement. Being ready for this trip is not just about packing and shipping supplies but having our hearts right with God.

Isaiah 26:8
Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you;
your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.

Pray that we will truly desire only to strive for the name and renown of the Lord. If that flows from our lives, there will be those who someday will be part of the multitude standing before the Lamb who purchased our redemption with His life.

Revelation 7:9
After this I looked and there before me was a
great multitude that no one could count,
from every nation, tribe, people and language,
standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.

In one week, our travel team will begin the trip to Moldova. But our Moldova team is so many more than those 10 people. It includes all who have provided donations of supplies, technical assistance, money and time plus the many who have been and will continue to be our prayer warriors. May God be honored and glorified through all of us.

Moldova Bound in 2 short weeks...

I awoke very early this morning and wanted to go back to sleep but my mind had work to do so I stayed awake pondering. Today's pondering was somewhat stressful. I seemed to be attempting to go over my "Before We Leave To Do List" and that lengthy item put me on a path toward some doubt. And I've gotten quite capable at creating a rather long list of doubts. In fact I'm quite good at beating myself up with my perceived inadequacies. As in...

1. Have I thought of everything that needs to happen before we leave?
2. Is there time to complete all the tasks that are still waiting?
3. Am I so focused on the "supplies" we need that I'm missing more important preparation?
4. How did I get myself into this leadership position?
5. There are still gaps in the schedule - how will those be filled?
6. Others are so much better at this team leading than I am.
   
7. Didn't I know I should have started earlier to implement the ideas that are now surfacing in my mind?
8. Will I be ready when it's time to leave?

So after a few hours of wakefulness, I got up and headed off for my morning walk. As I stepped out of our home, foliage fragrances flowed into my being with each deep breath, the usual birds were singing, deer were wandering on the road, the sun was edging onto the horizon from hidden depth and the limiting lingo of my night's interrupted sleep began to refocus on something so much more hopeful.

• Matthew 28:16-17 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
  

Jesus' disciples doubted. But who knows what their doubts were. Perhaps they, too, wondered if they were capable of the assignment Jesus had prepared for them. I imagine that they were wondering what Jesus was about to say to them as they came in obedience to the mountain in Galilee where they worshiped and listened even though within some of them were doubts. And without addressing their doubts, He gave them their assignment:

• Matthew 28: 18-20 The Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age."

The human footsteps I follow as the human footsteps I create are limited by frailty and weakness. Jesus knows that. He knew it about his disciples and he knows it about those who've chosen to follow Him in this age. And He continues to commission, empower and lead because it's the way He has chosen to work in this world.

Jesus had told the women at his empty tomb not to be afraid but to go and tell...

How humbling to ponder this truth. I am not to fear but I am to go and make disciples of all nations - that includes Moldova. My commission "to go" has been given to me by one with "all authority". That truth is what overcomes my doubts and provides the confidence needed to continue preparation of all things that fall within the assignment I've been given.

Lord Jesus, please continue to commission some of your servants for ministry in Moldova. Thank you for the privilege to be one of those servants. Equip me with your confidence, your ideas, your wisdom and your strength. I desire to follow your footsteps so that you will receive the honor and glory that is your due. Thank you for being my worthiness.

Your grateful daughter,
Linda

Moldova Bound in 3 short weeks...

Preparation for our mission trip to Moldova is well underway. We will depart on July 31st and return Aug. 10th. Getting equipped to go requires much preparation for all team members. All 10 of us are working to be ready to share our lives with about 100 children and 8 adult teachers on the grounds of a camp outside of the capitol city, Chisinau, where they live during June, July and August.

We are very aware of the need for prayer as we finalize our plans, travel and spend 10 days in country.

Here are some of the things we'd like to have prayer warriors be remembering:
1. Elections to select members of the National Parliament in Moldova on July 29th.
2. Peace and trust that God will provide all that each team member needs to be His ambassador during this trip.
3. Time for needed preparation of materials, lessons and supplies.

Fortunately the source of strength is a mighty God who desires that all people hear His truth. We know He is enabling us as we prepare.

Celebrating the 4th of July!!!

Our liberty was bought with the dedication and determination of godly men and women. I do not take lightly the privilege of being an American where I live in freedom and blessing. With a heart full of gratitude, I remember today the many sacrifices which have kept this country the land sought by many from all nations because of its hope and promise. It is the nation I'm proud to call my motherland.

Enjoy this link to a moving GOD BLESS AMERICA tribute!