We are so blessed at the work the Lord is doing in the
heart's of our children (Elli - 12 and James - 10). Serving with us in Romania
has brought many new changes for them; we praise the Lord for His faithfulness
in helping them (and us) to adjust to their lives here in Romania and for
placing in their heart's a desire to serve.
Both Elli and James are getting straight A's in school. They are participating in team sports at the
local children's activity center; Elli is playing volleyball with about 25
girls her age and James is with about 30 boys playing basketball. Both and are
continuing to learn musical instruments.
Elli has been very diligent to practice guitar and has begun
helping out with worship in our church from time to time. Of course, our hearts are really touched at
how she reaches out to the girls at Prison Fellowship, and watching her joy in
serving as a teacher in the small children's ministry that has begun in our
little fellowship; she has become a favorite "playmate" with the
children that come into our home for various fellowships. We can't believe she will be turning 13 years
old next month!
James celebrated his 10th birthday in April (we welcomed him
to the world of "double digits").
He has been very helpful in teaching baseball skills to the other children
who come to the baseball camps. He
continues to amaze everyone with the baseball skills the Lord has blessed him
with - recently "shattering" his 3rd aluminum bat (an Easton Stealth)
(in as many years) when he hit a homerun during last weeks' game. James also
enjoys serving as a helper in the children's ministry and is very helpful at
outreaches - whatever is needed, he has there to "step up".
They are enjoying many new experiences: the
"harvesting" of the animals prior to last winter (at Grandpa's farm),
visiting churches, fortresses, villages and castles; some up to more than a
thousand years old.
We had our Spring Break the last week of April, after
celebrating James' 10th birthday.
We drove through the Carpathian mountains, making a stop in
historical Sighisoara (a city boasting more than 800 years in age), then down
into the south of the country - stopping at the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest to
take care of passport renewals.
Another fun stop was Castle Bran, where the children got to
visit the castle made famous by Bram Stoker (author of Dracula - no, he wasn't
real but based on a Romanian ruler/hero named Vlad Tepes, known for his
"tough measures" in dealing with his enemies). Castle Bran is a neat part of Romanian
history and big tourist attraction; construction first began on it in the late
1300's and it was last occupied by Queen Maria in the 1930's, prior to the take
over of Stalin, after WWI of the Eastern European blocked nations. We are thankful to the Lord for providing
these kinds of cool "life experiences" as part of this journey He has
us on.
Thank you for remembering Elli &
James in your prayers. As their parents, we couldn't be more grateful to you!
ROMANIAN HISTORY 101: PHOTOS OF THE BRAN
CASTLE TRIP - located in the Carpathian Mountains, in Brasov, Romania
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CASTLE BRAN - Construction began
in the late 1300's. Queen Maria was
the last Romanian Monarch to
inhabit it until Stalin took over the
Eastern Block countries in the 1930's
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Long Stairs, leading up to entrance
and guard tower
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| inner courtyard |
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| arial of courtyard |
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| reverse view of courtyard |
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| sitting room |
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| Choose your weapon ! |
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My Romanian Americans/
American Romanians |
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| lots of "tiny" secret passages |
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Service quarters at base of hill -
at main entrance gate to castle |
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| Sighisoara - rich in history! |
The streets of Old Sighisoara
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| Romanian heating system! |
Clock tower was built in 1300's
this city is famous and one of our
favorites. The yellow building is
where Vlad Tepes lived in his
childhood years. Vlad is the Romanian ruler/hero who Bram Stoker based his book Dracula on.
