When God leads

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I have mentioned before that my heart for abandoned children in Eastern Europe began when I went on a trip to Romania 11 years ago.   Here are the details of how God ordained that trip...stay with me here this is a relevant post I assure you!

At 18 I was attending a local college on a 4 year full ride scholarship and like many other 18 year olds, I wasn't at all sure what I really wanted to major in.   One of the requirements of my scholarship was that I earn a certain number of community service hours, which I chose to earn volunteering at the crisis pregnancy center.  I volunteered one day per week and chose to major in Accounting while I worked part time at Gymboree.  I spent what little money I earned on clothes for my nephew and niece and the rest on gas, car insurance, and books. (Oh the life of a college student, eh?) One Friday afternoon in January I learned from the director of the Pregnancy Center that she and a small group of women were going on a mission trip to Romania.  "Oh, that's so great! I've always had a heart for Romania and would love to go one day."   They were going to be volunteering at a hospital in Bucharest caring for the abandoned children.  Bathing, feeding, rocking, and mostly being the hands and feet of Jesus to these children who otherwise would never be held or looked at or removed from their cribs.  Along with the news of this trip was an opportunity for one more person to go, but they had to let the leader know by Monday if they were going to go the 15 of  March.

I had not wanted to do something so much in my entire life until that point.  I prayed and felt strongly that this was what God was calling me to, but I had maybe $200.00 and I needed more than a thousand by the following week for the first commitment payment.

"Oh Lord!  How is this possible?"

With God all things ARE possible and somehow I had the $ for that payment when it was due, but not the money for the rest of the trip.  I moved forward though, confident that when the money was needed it would be there and truly by God alone it was.  I don't really know where it all came from.  A hundred dollars here and twenty dollars there, but some how God provided everything and then some.  I had a tub full of donations for the hospital and money leftover when March 15th came around.

That trip was absolutely amazing.  I had been to Mexico on a mission trip, but nothing could have prepared me for the trip God was sending me on.  The first day at the hospital opened my eyes and heart to children and a love for them that I didn't know was possible.  I returned to the US and quit my job at Gymboree (mostly because I became a horrible sales person, always thinking about how much the children in Romania needed simple things like food and warmth and fresh air) and I got a job at a pediatrician's office.

So for 11 years now I have been asking God what He had me doing in Romania all those years ago and what I was supposed to be doing long term for the orphan ministry. (and begging my husband monthly to move to Romania - where adoptions are not legal)   About 3 years ago we moved to North Dakota and I joined a community Bible study where I grew in the Lord and gleaned so much wisdom from the beautiful women who met there.   One morning a lady from the study spoke about the trip she was taking to Central America to minister and how excited she was about it.  I told some of the women how my heart was so drawn to orphan ministry in Eastern Europe and I cried telling them that I didn't understand why God had given me such a great burden for these children, when there was nothing I could do! I was heart broken and confused....but, one of these women told me that it was very possible that God still had a reason for that burden and that I might see doors open down the road.

2 years later I stumbled upon a child's file (Lance) and God began opening that door.  We WERE called to orphan ministry in Eastern Europe by adopting ONE little boy who had been orphaned at birth. Fast forward another few months and the door opened a little wider when we realized that God also was calling us to another little boy (Elliott AKA Drake on Reece's Rainbow).  As of June 8th I returned after meeting those precious little boys of MINE for the first time.  I am absolutely in love with them and I ache to have them HOME with their Daddy and Mama forever.

I asked at Lance's orphanage if it would be possible for a ministry team to come volunteer some time and the director said it might at some point be a possibility. I came home thinking that this was a step in the right direction and once the boys were home I would start pursuing that possibility.  HAHAHA God has other plans - remember this is NOT Melissa's time frame.  A few days after I got home I learned that many of the staff in the orphanages in Eastern Europe take August and part of September off for vacation.   This means that the children are not taken outside, or downstairs, or even down the hall for one of the only months during the year that the weather would permit it.  So I asked the director of Elliott's orphanage the same question: "Would it be possible to send a mission team to help in the orphanage during the holiday time to love on  and care for the children?"  I went to bed after sending the e-mail thinking I would hear back in a week and probably the answer would be something along the lines of "Some time that MAY be possible." Instead...I got an e-mail in the morning saying "The director agrees...please send the number of ladies that will be traveling, the dates, and the program."  SWING WIDE THOSE DOORS!!!!!!!!

(Some of the country my little boys are living in) 

God has a calling and a purpose for His people!  He is using that seed planted in Romania to grow into an amazing opportunity to show love to other children in Eastern  Europe, who otherwise may never know love. 

(Some pictures of MY Lance)

FRIENDS, READERS, PASSERSBY!!!! Please pray for this ministry as it begins, pray for the directors' hearts of this country to continue to open and trust this ministry,  pray for women who are willing and able to step out of their comfort zones and in faith to reach out to these children, pray for God to provide the funds for those who He has called to this ministry.

(My Elliott)

FINALLY, as I write there are still a few spots open for this year's trip.  If you are interested in going, please e-mail me at:  schmitty377@aol.com

Romania day 2 part 2 - Lievu

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The last week has been really full for me.  We went to Denver over the weekend to do some of our required parent training classes for our adoption.  It was terrific to walk into the building of our Home Study Agency and see how well established they are and see the walls lined in every room with families who have successfully brought their children home.

I was also very blessed with the opportunity to visit a beautiful little girl who is currently in the Children's Hospital  who was just brought home from Lance's country!  I visited with an amazing woman (nogreaterjoymom.com) and an equally amazing dad (http://www.nogreaterjoydad.com)  I want to take some time later to post about those visits.

Ok, so on to my journal!  Here is my disclaimer:  this is a difficult post for me to write because of the little one that is introduced here.  My current thoughts and memories are added in black.


JOURNAL ENTRY DAY 2 in Romania (PART 2)


March 18th, 2002

There's a little boy in the "Big Room"  named Lievu who is only a few months old but they said he has CP and has a really hard time breathing.  I think the only reason he doesn't cry is because it hurts him too much.  He is the most beautiful little boy!  I wanted to hold him all day - actually, I confess that I can't wait to see him tomorrow.  His eyes follow my face and he has the prettiest long, curly black eyelashes.  (OH how writing this floods my heart and soul with the remembrance of those little eyes) His poor little chest rattles and I can hear him wheezing even after he's asleep.  (There was no true rest for this little one - awake or asleep) 

I'll have to keep him in prayers each day.  I wish I could take the pain which is so obvious in his beautiful little face.

I hate that "old school" camera that took awful pictures and my inability to upload them properly to my computer - I apologize.  

Oh my heart - I truly cannot express the love I was given for this boy.

There is so much to do here , not enough arms to do it.  I guess I'll have more to say tomorrow, but I don't want to keep the girls up ....I did want to write how thankful I am for all that God has done.  He is truly humbling me.  I don't know why He chose to let me come or even more so why He chose not to give me a life of suffering on filthy streets with an empty stomach.  He's blessed and protected me so much that my mind cannot even begin to comprehend some of the sorrow that happens everyday all over the world.

Just as I had sat down this evening to write my dad I hear a couple of "POP"s and being so used to living in my little, yellow "dollhouse" I brushed it off as "most certainly being fireworks" until Amber acknowledged it as being a bad sound.  I suddenly woke up to the reality of this city and the sounds that  I so easily dismissed two seconds ago were actually the firing shots of a gun.  What happened I will never know, but my eyes and ears were opened to yet another somebody's reality.

Oh friends,  these things are real!  The suffering in these countries IS REAL! Some days I wonder why I am so filled with this burden for these children...and as I read back through my journal and look at the (granted pitiful attempt at picture taking) photos and I am FLOODED with memories - many which are just too much to try to express in a blog post.  I remember holding and touching these very real children, I remember leaving them and not being able to go back and save them....I am filled with regret for not doing more for them, for not holding and rocking Lievu more.  For not begging to just sleep at the hospital so I could get the most out of my time there.  I have so many regrets and I know that a time will come when God will ask me what I have done for the "least of these" and I will have to answer to that.  I am able to bring Lance home this time!  I am able to make a difference in this special boy - who in many ways reminds me so much of Lievu.  I pray that I can make a difference to more, but for today I continue to move toward bringing Lance home so that I can show him love and care daily (and nightly!)  Please pray for OUR journey and remember those children in Romania who have not been allowed to be adopted internationally for too many years. 

Romania Journal Day 2 - part 1

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I'm going to post my journal page from day 2 in Romania, but first I want to remind you that while some of these children's files are returned that does not mean we should forget about them or move on.  They need us  SHOUTING for them now more than ever.  Chad's file has been listed on Reece's Rainbow two times now and while his family hasn't found him "yet" we have to keep looking! Please help Chad's family find out how special he is by sharing about him.

Ok.... Now for Day 2.  Please bare with me while I get through these, many of these are emotional for me to relive as I grieve for the changes that haven't taken place and wonder where the lives that impacted me so deeply are today.

Here we are counting our literally "millions" of lei.

JOURNAL ENTRY DAY 2 in Romania (PART 1)


March 18th, 2002

This morning we got up and took showers (I'll just say that by the time I got out my blood was frozen) and then headed out towards the hospital.  We only have to walk a few steps before we reach the metro.  I've been praying for strength because I can barely look at these people without crying.  As we got to the first stop after we got on the metro a boy who looked about 12 with sandy blonde hair and those classic Romanian chocolate eyes climbed on, bare chested with his arms crossed to keep himself warm.  He didn't say anything or even look at us, he just sat down, started rocking himself and hummed a song.  I've always heard about street kids and poverty but, to see this little boy - completely helpless without God - is heartbreaking.   Terre gave him a snack and he looked around at each of us and then came and stood before each of us.  None of us gave him anything because Terre said that if we gave him money he would either give it to his guardian or buy something to sniff.  It doesn't change the fact that he was starving and cold, or that he lives a life where begging is truly his only method or choice for life.


 So we headed to the hospital and pretty much just pushed up our sleeves and started giving baths.  I think because the ministry workers had the weekend off no-body wiped noses because they all had crusty faces.  One baby, who I'll say is one of the cutest I've ever seen, took me a couple of minutes in the bathtub just to get his little face cleaned off. His name is Robert and he has this soft, curly brown hair and dark curly eyelashes.  He was sort of hiding in the corner and his crib is almost forgotten behind a few others, but all you have to do is look at him or touch his hand and he'll smile.  All you have to do with any of these babies is touch them or hold them and they'll be totally content.

 Here is Robert - the photos just do not do him justice!  Hard to imagine that now that little boy is 11 years old and likely living on the street or in the sewer.

I mostly worked between the "Big Room" and another just down the hall. The other room had about 6 babies under 6 months old, but most of them were asleep most of the time.  I told Elizabeth that I wonder if they only sleep so much because there's nothing else for them to do. We put down a carpet and toys so they could at least see without bars and chains blockading their view.  It is so nice to be able to just hold them and play with them.  They only eat 3 times a day and not at all during the night so when food comes around (which we determined is really pureed chicken and pork) they really guzzle it down....


OK, I'm gonna end there for today, because I want to do the next section justice...