one week and one day until departure

Emily and I leave for Romania next Thursday evening. I am so excited -- I cannot wait! I wish it were tomorrow! I cannot begin to explain how different life is in Romania. There is a calming in my soul when I am there. I feel closer to God each day. Here I allow myself to get bog down in the world and become part *of* the world (“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15))... There I know almost no one, have no one who knows me, and I am allowed to be myself in ways that never happens here at home. Here I am judged daily by people around me... there if I am judged it is unspoken. There is a pettiness to life in America that I just don't see in Romania. We have so much in America -- even our poor are rich when compared to other nations! Maybe Romanians are too focused on living life to worry about what other people are doing.

It is a fabulous feeling to know in your heart that you are doing the work of the Father as you sit and hold babies, giving them the love they should be getting at home. There is a peacefulness that comes over your life. Thank you once again everyone who has made a donation to our trip. Please continue to pray for us!