THANK YOU!!!

I just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone who has been keeping Leah and I in your prayers during our time in Moldova! Your support means so much to me and I couldn't have done it without you! As you supported me, you were supporting these girls and children in Moldova!

Thank you for reading my blog! I hope you have enjoyed it! I love you all!

until my next adventure....GOD BLESS!!!!!!

We're Home!

So we left at 5am from Chisinau, had a 6 hour layover in Frankfurt, Germany. Had an hour and a half to get through customs and recheck our luggage in DC, but ran out of time so we missed our flight. Booked a flight to Charlotte then HSV instead of straight to HSV. Ran to the gate just in time, but they gave us the wrong tickets so we had to miss that flight, came back to the customer service, they sent us to the international customer service, who finally got us the right tickets to make it back to the last flight to Charlotte. Getting to the gate, the attendant knew our names by then, he said since we switched airlines we had to go to baggage claim then come back through security where we got patted down yet again, ran back to the gate just as everyone had just boarded, but our friend promised he would not leave without us, lol! Then getting into Charlotte we had 3o min till the last flight to hsv, barely made that and finally made it home at 11pm! We were supposed to be there bout 6 hours earlier, oh well. Our luggage of coarse did not come in until Friday, lol. Anyway lets just say we were more than ready for bed when we got home!!!

Our last few days

Photobucket Album

Our last day in Moldova :(

May 15th Wednesday

We missed the bus the night before so we went to Stella's House and finished some visa's so the girls can come to the States this summer!

Left early Wednesday morning from Stella's House to catch a bus back to our apt, where we packed and cleaned. We met up with Nina and took her to get her nails done as a goodbye present. Anitol took us back to our apartment to pick up our luggage and say our goodbye's to Sara and Shauna.

Came back to the house where we hung out with the girls. We did our last Bible study with them. Tying into the Bible study I did on Love, I spoke about how we must love others with the same love as God loves us, and love others as we love ourselves. If we don't love ourselves we can't really love others! I spoke about how God made them exactly how He wanted them to be, from looks, to giftings and talents, to callings. All of them are different, all of them are made perfect in His image, etc. Then spoke about the different talents God's given to them is for a reason, they are their weapons from God. They must use them and sharpen them instead of letting them sit on the shelf. When the battle comes they will have the victory because God lives inside of them! Then spoke about how they are not a burden or a mistake, and showed them where it says in the bible that before they were born God knew the plans of their life. And from there told them not to worry about their future and where they will end up, God has already proven Himself faithful in their lives and will continue to. Only He knows the full picture and it's up to us to trust Him and let Him lead us.

Leah then had a game she did with the girls. We tapped pieces of paper to their backs with the names of all the girls, they had to ask the other girls different questions about the person who's name was on their back and when they guessed right we had them write down three things they liked about that girl and give it to them.

After the game Leah and I passed out the little boxes we had been painting the past week. Each one was unique, just like the girls, with different sparkely designs and colors, etc. Inside was a note of love and encouragement to them as well as a "diamond". I told the girls we put the diamond in their boxes as a symbol of how precious and valuable they are! Just like a diamond with different cuts and facets, each one of them reflects a different part of God and told them how radiant they are!!!! Dymy and Costanza had drawn me pictures while I was there so I drew some for them as well along with some encouraging words and gave it to them that night.

We had a delicious dinner, and hung out with the girls until it was time to leave. Our flight was at 5:00am the next morning so we had to leave the house at 3:30am. We stayed up all night, a few of the girls staying up with us. Some went to bed and set their alarms for 3 to say goodbye and Costanza came to the airport with us! and all of these girls had school in the morning! It was so hard to say goodbye, we were definately fighting back tears! I'm so attached to these amazing young ladies! But I am excited cause it won't be long till I see them this summer! yay!!!!!!

May 11th-13th

May 11th, Sunday

We went to church for the last time! The message was so good! Leah and I kept giving eachother looks. Everything he was speaking on was like a combination of all the Bible studies we've done while here! It was such confirmation from God that we have been teaching on the right subjects. God is so amazing!!!



After church we walked to McDonald's and it started raining! We ate outside and tried to avoid getting wet! It was so much fun though!

After lunch we went to watch the Moldovan Aerobics Competetion, Natalie was a judge for it and had helped train her school's team. There were a bunch of little kids doing their team routines, so adorable!


That night the girls were busy doing homework, they went back to school Monday after their three day weekend. Most of the girls have about 2 weeks left of school and are busy with exams. I helped Natalie with her English homework: grammar exercises, a short story and writing two essays. I gave her some tips on essay writting which she said helped her out alot when she had an exam on Monday where she had to write another english essay.

Leah's World...so Leah and I have been sleeping in one of the girl's rooms in bunks. Me in the bottom bunk and Leah in the top bunk. That morning when she was getting out of bed, she shifted the bed somehow and the wood slabs supporting her mattress slid out of place and it came down on me with her clinging to the side railing, lol! Omg it was so funny! Nothing broken(not like the sink incedent, lol) and we easily put it back together, haha!


May 12th, Monday

Leah and I had quite an adventure that morning going to the art market. It was so much fun though! I could poke around there all day long! We finished buying all our souvaniers to take home with us.

Went to the orphanage in Straseni, where there are 400 kids. That is the place where about a year ago Phillip Cameron Ministries were able to put all new windows on the many buildings there! I've seen video on this so it was great being able to see it in person.

We went with Natalie, Dasha, and Nadea(all from that orphanage) and Irena came with us as our translator, she is very good! The girls showed us their old rooms, classrooms, met some of their old teachers, etc. The 3 girls met with all the older girls, 9th graders, and talked about Stella's House, how great it is and about how important it is to figure out what profession you want to do and make good grades to get into college.

We all went outside where Leah and I broke out the beads and friendship bracelets, etc. It went form a few girls to a ton of girls and boys all crowded around us making necklaces and bracelets, so much fun!!!!

They cranked up the music outside so Leah, Irena, my new friend Veronica and I started doing the electric slide. All the kids gathered around and we taught a few of them. Some of the older boys were being goofy and knew a few english words so were trying to flirt and impress us, lol. I then played in a big circle of volleyball with the older kids, it was good to play again. Then played duck duck goose and down by the bay with some of the younger ones before we had to leave.

We only had a few hours to be there but in that small amount of time I fell in love with those kids. I wished we could have had more opportunities to go there, but I will be back! So that was a really fun day!!! Unfortunately Leah's camera died while there so we only have a few pictures. My camera broke a few weeks ago, ugh. oh well! So on our drive back Anitol dropped us off at the apartment, made dinner, played some nerts with sara and shauna, painted some more(Leah and I are doing something special for the girls Wednesday night before we leave) and went to bed, yay!

May 13th, Tuesday

Today Leah and I slept in a bit exchanged some money and came to the house. The water heater at the apt went out last night and although it's pretty warm outside, our apt is very cold. Which I like, but not good for an ice cold shower. So I now know what it's like to boil water and take a "shower" that way, lol.

Tonight all of the girls are finally back from their vacations and the weekend so we're taking them to McDonald's yet again, they really love it though, and bowling. Last time we went bowling it was only a few of the girls.

Anyhoo hope all is well in the states! Leah and I head home the 15th, early Thursday morning here and will be arriving in the states Thursday bout 5:30pm. I really don't want to leave Moldova yet, but at the same time I'm excited to get back home to masters and then graduation, wow! That's so wierd to say! But the girls will be in Al this summer so I will definately see them and I know Leah and I WILL be coming back!!!! I'll write more later

Cupcuii Orphanage- last visit

Photobucket Album

May 9th-10th

May 9th

We went to the Cupcuii orphanage for the last time. :*( It was a blast though! We were there for 6 hours but the time really flew by! We didn't get to go as much as we anticipated so we crammed all of our crafts into one day.

First we started with a big game of Duck Duck Goose! After the game we got all of the coloring books and stickers out and colored for almost an hour! It was so fun watching them compare stickers and colors! My favorite one there, Sasha, was looking through one book and showing off his english skills as he pointed and said what things were, he was pretty good! The first time we came I helped him with his english as well, but for the most part, the kids didn't speak or understand english.

After coloring we moved to the balloon animals!!!! Leah taught me, I think the balloons were the biggest hit of the day; a teacher there even asked for a sword! One little girl, Silvia, collected dogs and swords in every color. After a while they all caught on and began taking the pump and making their own dogs and swords! Lets just say we went with close to 500 balloons and left with maybe 50! lol

Face painting was interesting; not quite what we anticipated! All the boys wanted mustaches, gotees, side-burns, and glasses! We had so many little suave boys in the room. The girls loved the ladybugs and polka-dot hearts! It wasn't long before they started showing-up with their own brushes to paint their own faces!

The beads and bracelets were also a big hit. They probably could have made beaded crosses all day long! They were all teaching eachother their little tricks and designs; checking each other's work! I made a few cross necklaces to give away to my special girls, and a couple of hemp bracelets for my little boyfriends, Sasha and Vadeem ;)

Leaving that day was so hard! Yes, I definately will come back but knowing I'll never see some of those kids again broke my heart! I had to hold back tears! I would take all of those kids home with me if I could! We then took a bus back home, had dinner, then a bible study.

We had a time of worship, Leah and I shared some verses on worship, presenting yourself as a living sacrifice, expressing your worship, to praise God when things are going great and when they aren't, etc. We then went back into worship, encouraging the girls to simply sit and praise God for what He's done in their lives. God's presence was there, it was amazing! And the girls absolutley loved it!!! :)We then watched a movie and hit the hay, lol.

The past few days of doing bible studies and drama practices have been amazing. The girls can't wait for the next Bible study! They have learned all of our worship songs and love singing along with them! Their hunger is so evident! I can't believe we leave the 15th! This month has gone by so fast! I really wish I could stay here longer! I've grown so attached to these precious beautiful amazing young women and I wish they could all come home with me! I can't wait till they are here for the summer though, I'm definately gonna be making a point to see my sweeties!

May 10th

Caught up on some sleep, and have been hanging out with the girls, we're bout to have lunch. We're staying at the house again all weekend while Anitol and Nina are in Cupcuii with Nina's Father, who has not been doing so well. Keep him in your prayers! I love you all and hope you are doing amazing in the states! Please leave comments or emails, I want to know how you're doing!