Moldova, Monday, August 3, 2009

A beautiful morning became a very hot afternoon and that was endured while enjoying sunshine all around us and in us.

Our day started well with our opening time in the Gazebo for singing and other sharing related to our theme for the day of "Friendships". I have been leading those times after our Moldovan translators lead the singing. It definitely is taking me out of my comfort zone but we're managing to have some variety - skits, stories and some kid sharing of memory verses etc. I had hoped to use a digital projector with some Power Point stories with pictures which I created but we weren't able to use that machine all day. It is being borrowed from a local pastor and his son was able to come to the Team House this evening and get it working for us. If we can hang a sheet or finagle a system for a "screen", we'll be able to use it tomorrow. For today I managed to "story tell" and paint the pictures with words. The kids seemed to engage quite well. I am using the Adam Raccoon stories and after looking everywhere in Kerrville for a Raccoon puppet or stuffed animal, I had found one at a Thrift store for $.50 the day before we left. It has helped immensely as a visual with the words.

Small groups went well for the team with the children and I had a good hour with the adult teachers. They are very friendly and appreciative - not too talkative but good listeners.

Our activity periods stretched our patience but the kids participated quite well and were enthusiastic. Time was cut a little short in our 3rd and final rotation because the pool times got started. The kids were thrilled to jump into the water on this hot day.

During our lunch time back at the Team House, we learned that the Baltic Air flight came in on time from Riga but did not have our boxes! They had again been bumped due to high volume of luggage by the passenger load. We are disappointed for certain but are discovering that God is at work in and through us even without what we thought we "needed" - technology and supplies! We are now experiencing His provision and hopefully learning His patience.

As I rise to share during our Gazebo times, I breathe a prayer that God's ideas, thoughts and words will come from my mouth. I usually like to have my thoughts on paper - completely composed in advance. Well, that luxury is not part of most of this week but I'm experiencing the deep joy of finding myself able to flow with what comes to my mind. I am deeply grateful. It's definitely the Lord calling to mind and memory what's there from past engagement with His word and ways.

As I write this, I have found I Peter 1: 6b-7
... you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These
have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even
though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory
and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

So despite our disappointment that things aren't going as smoothly as we would like, we are blessed by the responses of those we're spending our time with both at the camp and as a team. We're working well as a team and have terrific CERI support staff and translators working with us here.

My day is ending with a heart full of deep gratitude - for all prayers, for God's provision of all we need and for the opportunity to share truth and love with delightful Moldovans and to have that love returned many fold.

Continue to pray for the boxes. Allison remains in contact with Procargo in Houston from which we're receiving apology. An attempt will be made tomorrow to see if we can redeem the partial shipment that is here. There is very little if any personal items in the boxes so if they arrive after our departure, that will be OK though we will regret leaving all the work to the CERI staff here for disseminating the items. God is in control. I will choose to trust Him.