WHAT ARE ELLI & JAMES UP TO ???

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

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

Long Stairs, leading up to entrance
and guard tower

inner courtyard

arial of courtyard

reverse view of courtyard

sitting room

Choose your weapon !

My Romanian Americans/
American Romanians

lots of "tiny" secret passages

Service quarters at base of hill -
at main entrance gate to castle

Sighisoara - rich in history!



The streets of Old Sighisoara

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.