Every spring break a youth group from Church of the Apostles in Atlanta Georgia sends a team of high school students to work with us. This is an account of one of those students.
This is my first trip to Romania, but I never expected that this week would be as meaningful as it already has been. So much of what we’ve seen has been both emotionally 
and spiritually challenging – in the best way – but I think the most significant was the series of interactions I’ve had with children here. We have visited a few gypsy villages, and each time I’ve been met with a slew of dirty, smiling children. They were all so eager to play and show off butchered English phrases they’d learned. Everyone was especially touched when they yelled “Christians! Christians! America!” We are all really inspired by the new church and the Christian kindergarten being built in one of the villages, Sabolciu. This morning my group visited the government hospital and I spent the entire time on a floor specifically reserved for sick infants with special needs. I petted a toddler with “water in the brain” so severe that he couldn’t leave his crib, and rocked a 
crippled four-year-old that didn’t show any outward signs of recognizing me. I had a feeling that just being there made a difference, however small. Many of them had just been abandoned there by parents that didn’t want to deal with them. The morning was emotionally draining, but I left the hospital praising God and praying for the sweet nurses who stayed with these babies day and night. We only have a few days left here, but I’ve already been so moved and inspired.
Great news from our foster care staff! Back in October I blogged about a prayer request for a pair of semi orphans that were living in the gypsy village of Sabolciu (read about them here). And pretty much everyone who went to the construction site with STS saw them. It was that week that our foster care staff finally worked out to get them in a home. It was very difficult because of different laws and because the mother, who was living in another village, would not let us place the kids. But finally we worked through it and God provided a family that was willing to take both of them in. The pictures here are from before and after they were placed. I have been out to Sabolciu a ton these last couple of months and honestly I think in this picture is the first time I have seen Rodica (the little one) smile. This literally will make all the difference in these kids lives. Now that Alina (the older one) does not have to provide for her little sister they can play and live like kids are supposed to and grow up in a good household with loving parents teaching 
them the word of God. Its not every day you get to see fruit like this in ministry so we are all very excited. Continue to pray for them as they integrate into their new homes.
