Reflecting

The word that keeps coming back to my mind as I reflect is that of encouragement. In the past 12 months there has been so much progress - God is truly working his wonders. We arrived to Chisinau, Moldova on Sunday. Our New Hope Moldava Team were so welcoming to us. We went to visit the city center and meet many of the children living in the transition homes. There were familiar faces not only to me, but there were those who remembered that I had visited last year. How could a child remember a face and specific details of our encounter? Wow! Both of our lives were touched by one another - in a way that only God could orchestrate. We visited a new transition home currently under constructed for girls in Chisinau. God thru Pastor Oleg and his team are restoring 2 buildings. These structures now hold the Eklasia Church, and will have both a transition home for girls (roof raising for third floor bedrooms), social apartments (the bridge between the home and living independently), as well as some career traiming space. The church is not only restoring children but also restoring the city back to health. After dinner we took the long, bumpy ride to Balti but were blessed with wonderful accommodations at the Mission House (named the Mission Mansion by our 2013 rev22two team. Our Monday our  team began working with the Team from the Northern Moldova. The Campus for the Balti Oxygen team moved it's operations to a newly purchased property for a boys Transition home. This building is again a restoration (roof raising for  third floor bedrooms). The concept of buying something old and making it new, reflects how Christ makes us new. We were able to assist with cleaning and construction of this home. This day we also worked with our partners on an after school children's camp. Today some 25 children came to participate in a time of fun, games, worship, a life application lesson in time as well as a scripture teaching around creation, of God working to make all good things, including people, who are predacious to him.
God is working to restore lives here, even before a building is finished. The boys and the house family are living in this partially finished building, but one that is becoming better and more functional each day. There are girls living in the social apartmentss. And both buildings have ministries working on ministry in the community as well as ministering That's how God works with us, he takes us, broken as we are, accepting us where we are and begins the work of restoration. He makes all things new! And he does it through the pastors, New Hope Moldovan staff such as Alex, Valisi, and Andrew, house parents,  Moldovan's who love God, and a missionaries from Michigan who while not worthy but are obedient and ready to be God's  hands and feet. I am so thankful  God called me to be part of this team.
Today as my prayer partner shared, I hope to take every chance to let my life and actions be a walking sermon knowing that change can begin with me. Pray for our  team as we continue to laugh, cry and learn together.