"Hopes
For Others" Newsletter
December 14, 2002
Dear Friends,
I want to begin this
letter by thanking all of you for your prayers and support. When
I think of all that
God has done in the ministry in Romania in the past 7 ½ years,
it is truly amazing. However, it is only because your
faithfulness in your prayers and support that so much has been
accomplished and so many have been helped.
We had hoped to be
able to have the first floor of the clinic completed before
winter set in, but it did not happen. The weather deteriorated
earlier than normal so everything is on hold now until spring.
Please pray that God will make it possible to complete the
clinic in the coming year. I know that He is able. We also know
the needs are there.
In October, while in
Romania, I was told of a young boy who was living on the street,
and sleeping in a garbage dumpster one night. He became cold and
started a fire inside the dumpster. Some plastic bottle melted
on his legs and he was taken to the hospital, but was put back
on the street the next day. I was told that had he been in the
States, he would have been placed in a burn ward in a hospital.
However, in Romania, so many are given only minimal, if any,
care. It is our desire that those that are helped in the clinic
will feel the love and concern of Christ.
Another container left here on November 4th.
In this container, besides several tons of food, clothing, and
medical supplies, were 2600+ Christmas boxes for children. This
was only possible because of the loving concern of so many of
you. Thank you so much for making it possible to help so
many children… touching so many lives!
Our
translator, Patricia, wrote the following story and I hope you
will receive a blessing from it.
“Kids at school laugh at them and say they are
different from regular children! There are 8 in the family, 6 of
whom go to school. They live together with their parents and
grandmother in two small rooms. They don’t always have the
nicest or cleanest clothes and the boys are always in need of a
haircut.
As we entered their
home, 8 happy kids gathered around us talking and just being
content with having visitors. The room was tiny, but warm, and
they were all barefoot. They told us about school land about the
carols they learned. When asked if they know the meaning of
Christmas, besides a time to receive gifts, they seem not to
know. We then shared with them the real meaning of Christmas and
told them how Jesus loves them and that they are no different
than children who come from wealthy families. They knew, after
we left, that they are loved and are just as important as anyone
else in the eyes of God.
When we started giving them the Christmas boxes, they
began singing carols for us—normal, nice, happy children
excited over their gifts, asking, with their cute little eyes if
they might open them, we told them yes. They were showing each
other what they had and playing with some of the toys. All we
could hear was “Wow!
Look at this!!
U can have this! I will give this to you, I have two
anyway! I am so happy!!”
As we were about
to leave, I turned around and saw the oldest daughter give some
candy to her granny, telling her that she could have some
because she has plenty. Tears came to my eyes as I saw the young
child taking care of her Grandmother. As every good grandmother,
she said she was not hungry.
There is nothing
in the world that can mean more to me than their big
bed full of kids and 8 Christmas boxes—a bundle of love, sharing,
and the constant thought they are not different. They are just kids
with gifts, precious in the eyes of God.”
Matt. 19:14—But
Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come
unto me: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Gypsy children receiving Christmas boxes!
In His Service,
Johnny, Sissie, Jackie, & Children
