Here is a picture of our team.  In this team we had five members who could translate for us.  From the left the team members are Sarah (full time H2H staff), Janna (short term member), Sorin (college student from Christian University in Bucharest), Mariana (full time H2H staff), Kim (short term member), Mark (full time H2H staff), Sam (short term member), Kariss (short term member) and Inot (college student from Christian University in Bucharest).  Not pictured but also served with us, was Inot sister Petruta, Anna and Austin.  Together we were able to serve in two orphanages and share God’s love with the kids through a VBS program.  It was great getting to know and work with each of our teammates.   

Much of Romanian transportation is similar to the U.S.  They have cars (mainly Dacia’s, a Romanian made car), trains, subways, taxi’s and planes but one method of transportation not seen in the U.S. at least in our area is Caruta (wagons).  Here is a picture of how some Romanians families (who don’t live in Bucharest) get around.  While in Rosorii we saw these Caruta (wagons) everywhere.  Some where pulled with horses and others like the one above, donkeys.  I know many of you are going to rush out a purchase one of these for yourselves.  Doesn’t it look like a comfortable and cool way to travel.   

The other church we attended was a Baptist church in Rosorii.  This church is very different than the one in Bucharest.  It was a very traditional Romanian Baptist Church.  When attending the church, girls must wear a skirt or dress and if you are married a head scarf while the men a dress shirt and dress pants.  When we first walked in you realize that men sit on one side and women on the other.   We, the Americans were given the seats up front.  As a visiting team, the church expected us to sing and to give a word at each service we attended.  Every service our team would prepare three songs to sing in front of the congregation.    It was great worshipping with this body of believers.  It was encouraging to see their love for Christ through their worship.

In Romania the Orthodox Christianity is probably the leading religion.  Everywhere you go you can find an Orthodox Church.  In our small city of Rosorii there were three Orthodox Churches and one Baptist Church to our knowledge.  The Orthodox Church is very different.  At one point in our trip while we were shopping we walked by an Orthodox Church and curiousity over took, so we went inside.  Inside of this place were a ton of shrines like the one above and people were lined up to pay their respect and cross themselves at these shrines.  It was so sad to see how these people can serve this shrine and believe they have to work in order to gain eternity rather than the true Savior. 

One of the ministries Heart 2 Heart International has is the Baby Hospital.  For the past nine years H2H has had the opportunity of serving the babies and staff in this hospital.  The baby hospital is a location that parents can drop off their kids if they are sick, if they can’t afford to take care of them or if they just don’t want them for whatever reason.  H2H serves in two parts of the hospital.  One part is where sick babies or abandoned babies are and the other is the ICU unit.  On this particular day there were five babies in each of these sections of the hospital.  I guess this is a huge improvement from a few years ago.  Kim had the privelege of going down to the ICU room where there where kids who had cerebral palsey.  I was in the other section.  Of the five kids that were in my particular section, two were completely abandoned by their parents, two come and go as their parents choose and the one in the picture above lost her mother during child birth.  H2H is able to go into the hospital about 6 afternoons a week and play, hold, feed, bathe, and change the diapers and clothes of the babies.  Many of these babies will continue their life in a regular orphanage as they get older.   Praise God for the number of children decreasing in the baby hospital.  Continue to pray for these babies as they continue to grow up. 

The city that Kim and I stayed in is called Rosorii de Vede.  One way the people of this town does their shopping is by going to the Piata.  Below is a picture of the Piata in Rosorii de Vede. 

At the boys school we have switched from doing a large group story to two smaller group stories.  We have had a hard time getting the attention of boys.  The switch has been great.  The kids are more attentive and really seem to be more in control in the smaller groups. 
With the afternoon kids we have gone with the program as normal.  Some of the kids are so cute.  They get so excited.  It is fun to watch them learn the verse and do the crafts.  The Bible study with these kids is going pretty well too.  The kids are learning a new verse everyday as well as being asked to recite old verses.  They are being more involved with the discussion questions.  It is great to see God work.  In fact on Wednesday we even had one of the kids bring their own Bible to follow along. 

This weekend is our weekend away.  They brought us all back to Bucharest for a weekend of swimming and shopping.  Tomorrow we are headed to the mountains for the day. 

We have one week left of ministry.  We will be back on July 30th.  Thanks for all of your prayers!  We look forward to sharing with you when we return. 

This week we were able to start a Bible Study with the older boys in the morning and the older kids in the afternoon.  In the Bible Study we are going through the life of David and looking at a Psalm David wrote during that particular time in his life.  We have kids ages from 13 through their 20′s.  The kids in the afternoon seem attentive but the boys in the morning don’t seem so interested in it.