Saturday Service and Sites...

Warm welcome at a shelter about an hour out of Chisinau...

Woke to another beautiful day here and headed to a children's shelter in a nearby village.  CERI had located a very welcome and meaningful service project for our team today.  

The children were introduced to us and gave big smiles...

Polite and respectful...

 

Took our puppets and they readily kept time to music being played and sung by our translators...  Fun, Fun, Fun...

New outdoor slippers for each of them.  Some of the children were away attending a camp for several more days.

A gift bag for each - bananas, an orange, a toothbrush, stickers, candy and socks plus hair doodads for the girls.

Gary led a group song or two while children snacked.  Great choir...

Listening and eating....

Joyful girl who loved to clap for the music...

Outside games,...

Lots of action in small but adequate area...

Small boy became very attached to Lena.  By our time to leave, he was calling her Mama...  So proud of Lena for sharing so much love and attention with a little fellow who has experienced UNTHINKABLE abuse and tragedy...

Coloring pages of Joseph in his colorful coat...

This sweet face was so bright and cheerful...

More attention from Lena...

Pizza place for lunch.  2 Sponsored girls and 3 Wordens... 

Coming through the woods to the active Monastery...

Traveling incognito...

Only way to be admitted to the sanctuary...

Scene from Narnia...

Buildings restored...

Some of the flowers that were everywhere...

Dahlia garden...

Lovely landscape...

Frisbee got caught high in a tree...

Great to have this son on our trip...

Still smiling at the end of the day and week...  Grateful that God allows us to do this together...

We really enjoyed this meaningful and somewhat relaxing day.  The Moldova countryside is green and growing with lots of crops.  Great day as we hung out with the special people we've come to know and love here.  We are grateful for the privilege.

Tomorrow will include Jesus Savior Baptist Church, lunch, a bit of shopping and our final packing.  

Great week; great team; great memories; great God.