The Blessing of a Birthday Girl

Today, I am reminded of the goodness of God and how He unites strangers as friends for our good and His glory.

An autumn chill was in the air on that mid November Sunday morning as I prepared to address the congregation of a church in a nearby community. With my notes clutched tightly in my grasp I made my way to the front of the church. Looking out into congregation I recognized many familiar faces as those who had played significant roles in my life as a child. Now, years later to the astonishment of many, I was standing before them passionately sharing my heart and my experiences with the forgotten Children of Romania.

One story after another I shared the accounts of children who have been left alone in hospitals and children’s homes; little ones, who though they are an oceans length away, hold my heart in their fragile hands.

As I concluded my remarks and the service was brought to a close many people gathered around to share their thoughts with me. As the crowd thinned, I noticed a woman standing off to the side. Her smile was radiant and I could tell that she wanted to share something important with me. With a very warm and energetic greeting she approached me. Asking if I had some time to talk she invited me to sit down. Pulling a small photo album from her purse she began to tell me how my testimony had touched her. Humbled by her kind words, I listened intently as she shared the story of how she and her husband had been called by God to step out in faith on the journey of adoption.

Opening the photo album she introduced me to their precious little girl. A tiny child from South Korea who like me, had been born with Spastic Cerebral Palsy. Our conversation lasted several minutes as I shared more of my personal story with her and answered some of her questions. Amazed and overjoyed at how God had brought us together we exchanged contact information and she promised to keep me updated on their adoption.

Over the next several months we exchanged many emails and I joined them in prayer for their daughter. Finally, in August of 2005 they traveled to bring their precious Ellie home. Today, Ellie is celebrating her ninth birthday. She is truly a light and a blessing to all those who know her. I am so thankful for the gift of her life and the opportunity that I have been given to be a part of it.

Happy Birthday Precious girl, I Love you!

It's a Gotcha Day in Romania!

My heart is full of joy and praise at the goodness of God and the miracle of adoption. Today in Romania, after a very long 2 ½ year journey, the Howerton’s largely welcomed George ‘Joey’ Joseph and Gina Grace into their family forever! Never again will these children know the pain of abandonment. Never again will they yearn for love!

Praise God that He is a father to the fatherless… He sets the lonely in families! (Psalm 68:5-6)

As I rejoice with the Howerton’s on this historic day in their family’s history, I also give thanks that God has extended the free gift of adoption to all who will receive it in faith- believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Galatians 4:4-5

What comfort and peace are found in knowing that once we accept His gift we will never be separated from Him! He will never turn His back on us, or look the other way. His love will remain steadfast no matter how far we may stray. There will never be a place that you and I can go where He is not already there. Never will the burdens of our lives become too heavy for Him to bear. His guiding hand will lead us safely along life’s path right to the door of eternity- where we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!

There are no orphans of God!

 

There are millions more children waiting for love, and there are many families who have opened their hearts to adoption. Many are waiting on the Lord to provide the resources necessary to bring their children home. You and I have an opportunity to come alongside these children and families with our prayers and financial support. If you would like to have a hand in redeeming two more children, and ushering them into the arms of love forever click here to chip in.

Amazed by His Grace,

Melissa

PS. Here is video of the very happy Howerton children during the "Joey and Gina Party"

 If you would like, you can read the details of their exciting day here. ( This will give you a very good picture of what life is like  in Romania.)

Baron, Joyce, and Children, I am so happy for you! My thoughts and prayers are with you often. I am praying that we will meet again on your side of the ocean. God Bless You!

Faithful Servants



Myself with the Howerton's

In 2001 Baron and Joyce Howerton picked up their family and left the comfort and familiarity of life in American to embrace God’s call on their lives to step into the fields, white with harvest in Romania. For the past 9 years this family has been faithfully following the Lord’s lead as they have planted a church, reached out to the community, meeting the needs of the less fortunate, and most recently have begun pouring themselves in the lives of children who have been left abandoned in a government institution.

Two years ago they heard God’s call on their lives to adopt, and they opened their hearts and their home to a set of Romanian twins. Today, though their adoption is not yet final, the twins are thriving as they are developing greater academic skills, and are learning what it means to truly be welcomed into a family and unconditionally loved- not only by their parents and siblings, but by God who created them, knows them by name, has a place for them at His family table, and a plan for their lives.

From the moment I met this family last November, when I had the privilege of bringing them Christmas gifts and well loved treats from the states, they inspired me with their dedication to ministry. All six of their children warmed my heart. It is truly a privilege to know them, and to come along side them in prayer and any encouragement that I can offer.

I would love to be on the next flight to Romania, and I am fervently praying for another open door and opportunity for ministry, but until the Lord provides one I will be faithful in the sincere and joyful act of prayer.

Will you please join me in praying for the Howerton’s at they continue to pour themselves out and share the truth, hope, and joy of the gospel with the hurting, lost and seeking souls of Lugoj, Romania. Please pray for their family, their church and all those whom they serve. Please also for the finalization of the twins’ adoption. Their final court date is November 16, 2010. To God be the Glory!

To learn more about the Howerton’s and their ministry visit  http://www.howertonsinromania.blogspot.com/

Here are the twins and their younger brother singing “The Crayon Box Song”

I hope this warms your heart today as it did mine. Enjoy!

"The Crayon Box Song"


When I was just a little child



No higher than your knee,


My mother bought a box of crayons,


Just for me.


I picked them up and I opened them up


And I looked way down inside,


And the colors there reminded me


Of Jesus when He died.


O… Red is the color of the blood that He shed,


Brown is for the crown of thorns they laid upon His head.


Blue is for royalty! In Heaven He does dwell;


And yellow is for the Christian who's afraid to tell.


I colored and I colored


'Til the crayons were all gone,


And though I am much older now,


The mem'ry lingers on.


And when I see a little child


With crayon box in hand,


I tell them what they mean to me


And hope they'll understand.



O… Red is the color of the blood that He shed,


Brown is for the crown of thorns they laid upon His head.


Blue is for royalty! In Heaven He does dwell;


And yellow is for the Christian who's afraid to tell.



Afraid to tell of a Savior


Who died on Calvary,


He died for lowly sinners


Just like you and me;


And someday soon He's coming back


To be our King,


And the colors of the crayon box


We will sing!



O… Red is the color of the blood that He shed,


Brown is for the crown of thorns they laid upon His head.


Blue is for royalty! In Heaven He does dwell;


And yellow is for the Christian who's afraid to tell.


So, don't you be a Christian, who's afraid to tell!




"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

Calling All Creative Christians!

The New Year is upon us and it has me pondering ways that God might have me working alongside Him this year. One possibility that has been brought to my attention is that of leading a week of summer camp for village youth in Romania. The logistics of this possibility are extensive. As “camp director” I would need to come up with captivating, fun, Christ centered activates that will enrich the relationship that these youth have with their Lord, point unbelieving students to Him, and make this a summer to remember for everyone involved.

To that end I am asking for your creative camp ideas. If you were camp director what would you plan to do? What group games would you play? What biblical theme would you choose? What bible stories? What activates would you implement to drive your points home?

Camp is 5 days so I am thinking of a VBS type layout. These children are between the ages of 7 and 15. I would need to keep them active for approximately 13 hours a day. The only materials I would be able to use are those things that are brought over in suitcases. Lord willing, I will have a small team of people to help in making camp a reality.

Any ideas that you have are appreciated! Websites with ideas are fantastic. Being that this would be done in Romania, I cannot use prepackaged curriculum. As you brainstorm with me please keep in mind the language barrier. Thank you for your creative kingdom building ideas! Feel free to share this information and gather ideas from the creative Christians in your life. All ideas will be read through and considered.

Does puting together a church camp in Romania sound like something you or someone you know would be interested in taking a hands on part in? A team, of no more than 7 people, is needed to turn this dream into a reality. If you are interested please leave a comment contact me through my profile.

If you would, please be in prayer for me as I seek the Lord’s direction for my life and ministry in this New Year. Thank you!

Craciun Fericit! ( Merry Christmas)

No, I have not lost my mind, nor I am not trying to rush time. But, I must confess, I am thinking about Christmas. It’s not that I miss the familiar colors, the festive decorations, or even the mouthwatering taste of traditional Holiday treats.

I am thinking about Christmas from the vantage point of thousands of abandoned Romanian children. These children look forward to Christmas Eve as the one night a year that they can be normal children, without fear of being hurt by their pears, cursed at, mocked, and chased by adults, and police officers. For one night these children join with nearly all the children from their small villages, and shivering, yet beaming with excitement, they trod through the frozen streets, from one apartment to another, lifting their young voices in festive carols for nuts, and other hunger quenching Christmas goodies.

For many typical Romania children Christmas Eve marks the beginning of their Christmas celebration. Like most children they crawl into bed with excitement and wonder anticipating the first glimpse of dawn, and the opportunity to discover what sort of goodies Father Christmas has left in their newly shined shoes that were so delicately places by the door the night before.

For the orphan however, the clock striking midnight on Christmas Eave gives a harsh reminder of reality. Slowly these children make their way back to their government run apartment complexes; many have nothing more then the fond memories of this dreamlike night to keep them warm. With sadness they too leave their tattered shoes by the door; with hopes that by some miracle, Father Christmas will have remembered them too.

Due the generosity of many Americans, and the corporate efforts of various relief organizations, such as Samaritans purse and Heart to Heart International Ministries, many of these children wake up on Christmas morning with not only gifts awaiting them, but with a “home cooked” meal in the afternoon, a time of paying organized game with their friends, and they go to bed at night having heard the Gospel story, and having been assured that though their earthy parents may not be actively engaged in their lives in their lives there are people who care about them. And most importantly they have a Heavenly father who will never abandon them.

In order for these children to have the joy of experiencing all that I mentioned above I need to be thinking about this now. The gifts that these children receive are hand picked, donated, shipped and then had delivered to the children. In order to assure that the children will receive gifts this holiday season all donations need to be received in the Heart to Heart office by September5, 2008. This is why I am thinking about Christmas.

To learn more about the 2008 Romania Christmas Project click here.

Because He Loves Them,

Awesome God

It’s another music Monday. Since I am still trying to master the art of worshiping the Lord through Romanian worship songs, (American songs translated into Romanian) I thought I would share another one of my favorites with you.

When referring to his landmark song Awesome God, Rich Mullins once said, ”I think that everyone will be surprised 20 years from now that that song will have fallen out of use.” I don’t know about you, but I am not the least bit surprised that this song continues to ring out from within our church walls, and from within our hearts. It has become a worldwide favorite


In fact, I must admit, I enjoy this song so much more when it is sung in other languages then I do in English. Being in the midst of believers in another country hearing them lift their voices to our Lord puts our awesome God in a whole new light, It is an amazing perspective to behold- one that I am honored to have the opportunity to be a part of.


Here are some Romanian children singing of our DUMNEZEU ESTE MINUNAT (Awesome God) with contagious enthusiasm!

A Romanian worship Song

I know I promised a post to follow up to the post that I did for the 40 Day fast. It is coming, I assure you. But, right now I am up to my ears in Romanian trying to learn a handful of worship songs to share with the Women to whom I will be ministering.

I have been dealing with a spinal headache off and on for the last few days, so I am rather exhausted. Therefore, in a effort to spare all of you from my grievous typing mistakes, I will put off writing a lengthy post until I feel a little better. Until then, I will leave you with the worship song Here I am to worship sung in Romanian.

For more Music Monday posts tune your ear to the secret life of Kat.


Blessings,

Dumnezeu la valaori ( How great is our God)

I have said it before, but I firmly believe that music is universal language. It can cross cultures, and break barriers faster then anything I know. There are few things more rich then being submersed in a different culture, and having the opportunity to join with national believers in songs of praise and worship to our loving, omniscient God. What a foretaste of heaven!

Here is "How Great is Our God" in Romanian (Dumnezeu la valaori)



For more Muic Mnday please visit the http://www.thesecretlifeofkat.com/

Thank You

Seven weeks premature, 3 pounds 15 oz, at 5:51 Am, on Sunday, July 15,1984, I drew my first breath. Two minutes later my twin sister joined me, and together we began our journey through life.

The road was rocky at the start. It was unclear if, or how long we would live. We were life-flighted (first her then me) from one hospital to another. Upon our arrival we spent the next month in the NICU. That was the beginning of what has been, and continues to be, the adventure of my lifetime.



In the last twenty- four years there have been many mountaintop experiences, and days spent in the valleys. But, by the grace of God, I have traveled quite a distance in this world, and have accomplished more then anyone ( myself included) ever thought possible.



Behind every accomplishment to which I can sign my name, there is a faithful, ever-present God, and an innumerable number of people who have inverted countless hours of time, energy, experience, prayer, and an unfathomable amount faith in me. Though, I struggle at times to give thanks for every situation. I am abundantly thankful for each and every individual who has made a contribution to my life.



Your dedication to my well-being, and your willingness to believe in me, with all of my crazy, larger then life, dreams is what has made these last twenty-four years so rich. All of you, in one way or another, have played a significant role in shaping who I am. So, today as I reflect on the past, and look forward to the future I want to thank each of you for the contributions that you have made to the ongoing story of my life. Thank You!



This picture represents one of the crazy, larger then life, dreams that I have had. A dream, that by the grace of God, and though the kindness, and help of so many, has become reality- not once, but twice, and counting. : )



In Other news, I received word this morning that my application for Romania has been approved. I can now officially start the fundraising process.

Set the World On Fire

As I prepare for another trip to Romania I find myself excited at the opportunity and the possibilities at hand. Still, in all the business, and excitement I have many apprehensions. Yet, I am confident that God has all things in His hands. I desire nothing more then to be used by him to bring hope to those he loves, and too "set the world on fire". This is one of my most favorite songs. ( For right now anyway.)
(Be sure to pause the music player before playing the video.)



There will be more Romania details coming soon. Stay tuned. Thanks you for your prayers.

For more "Then Sings my Soul Saturday" posts please visit http://www.signsmiraclesandwonders.blogspot.com/

For more music Monday visit The Secret Life of Kat.

God story

There are days when one can do nothing more then sit back and marvel at how God orchestrates life and the paths that cross. I can’t tell you how many times God has brought the right person into my life at just the right time. He has sent someone to pick me up when I fall, someone to encourage me when I am discouraged, and someone to offer me assurance when I am anything but sure of myself. God’s timing is always perfect. He is never too late, and not a moment too early. Here is just one example.

Exhausted and teary-eyed I sat in the Munich airport patiently waiting to board the fight that would carry me back to comforts of extravagant American life. While I was anticipating being reunited with my family I was anything but comfortable. My thoughts were miles form Munich back in a hospital nestled between the communist era concrete block buildings that stretched throughout the bustling city Bucharest.

A hospital that had become home to more then a dozen abandoned infants and toddlers. My heart ached to be back there, to spend just one more moment with them. I knew that it would not be long before an ocean divided us.

That reality, coupled with the fact I had to depart ways with my teammates, and make the eight-hour journey home alone, was enough to cause my eyes to flood with tears. I had cried during nearly the entire flight from Bucharest to Germany, and I knew there was no way I could cry for another eight hours straight.

God, I prayed silently, you have to do something. I am exhausted and there is no way I can keep crying like this. No sooner had I closed my prayer, and looked up, then a perfect stranger came over to me and asked, “Did you make it out of Romania okay? “ Sheepishly, I shook my head yes, and asked how she knew I was there. I saw you in the airport, she replied. Are you flying alone? she asked; obviously noticing my apprehension. Again I shook my head.

She then proceeded to assure me that the flight would go smoothly, and would be back home in just a few hours. Somehow her words brought peace to my heart. In that moment I knew that God was watching over me, and that he would take care of His little children nestled in the well worn cribs of that bleak Romanian hospital that now seemed so far from me.

Eight long hours, and a few tears later, I made my way down the vast corridors of O’Hare airport to be reunited with my family. To my amazement that very same lady approached me and said, with a smile, “ See you made it. Everything is fine.”

God is good all the time!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

Ordinary person extraordinary God

Excited yet apprehensive a young college freshman emailed me. She is about to embark on the journey of a lifetime as she spends her summer pouring into the lives of emotionally, physically, and spiritually malnourished children-.children that have experienced little outside the four walls of the Romanian government placement center that they call home.

Eagerly she quarries me of my experience. Wanting as much detailed information as I can offer her. While her questions were not new to me I was taken aback by the fact that yet another perfect stranger, was seeking out my advice and experience before departing on a cross-cultural journey.

As I carefully read her message, and considering my response my cinematic memory carried me back in time to those novel like events that led up to, and now encompass my “Romania experience”. With every picture that flashes before my minds eye there is a story to be told, and crystal clear evidence of the grace, loving kindness, and provision of God.

What an honor it is to be chosen and loved by almighty God. What a privilege to be broken, yet used as a tool in God’s hands for a purpose that will echo throughout all eternity.

What we see as misfortune God sees as a miracle. What we view as unlikely God views as an opportunity to glorify himself, and too bring more of His kingdom to this earth. What a gracious, mighty God we serve. I am indeed an ordinary person with limitations with an extraordinary God who has none. To God be the glory.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within usto him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen Ephesians 3:20

In what surprising ways has God used you as the tool in his hands to bring His kingdom to this earth?

We Pray for Children

I first saw this framed, and sitting on a small corner bookshelf in a Romanian apartment. The setting added depth to these words. May we Pray for the children of the world.



We pray for children
who put chocolate fingers everywhere,
who like to be tickled,
who stomp in puddles and ruin their pants,
who sneak popsicles before supper,
who erase holes in math workbooks,
who can never find their shoes.


And we pray for those who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,
who can't bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers,
who never "counted potatoes,"
who were born in places where we wouldn't be caught dead,
who never go to the circus,
who live in a X-rated world.

We pray for childrenwho bring us sticky kisses and handfuls of dandelions,
who "sleep with the dog" and "bury goldfish,"
who "hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money,"
who cover themselves with Band-aids and sing, off-key,
who squeeze toothpaste all over the sink.

And we pray for those who never get dessert,
who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,
who can't find any bread to steal,
who don't have any room to clean up,
whose pictures aren't on anybody's dresser,
whose monsters are real.

We pray for childrenwho spend all their allowance before Tuesday,
who throw tantrums in grocery store and pick at their food,
who like ghost stories,
who shove dirty clothes under the bed,
who get visits from the tooth fairy,
who don't like to be kissed in front of the car pool,
who squirm in church or temple and scream in the phone,
whose tears we sometimes laugh at,
and whose smiles can make us cry.

And we pray for childrenwhose nightmares come in the daytime,
who will never hear anything,
who have never seen a dentist,
who aren't spoiled by anybody,
who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,
who live and move and have no being.

We pray for children
who want to be carried and for those you must,
for those we never give up on and for those who don't get a second chance,
for those we smother...
and for those who will grab the hand of anybody
kind enough to offer it.

From A Prayer for Children by Ina Hughs, 1995, by Ina Hughs.