Dear friend,
Today I said goodbye to Ruth and Katie as they have completed their four months of service with us. They were a great Servant Team and I was blessed and inspired by their friendship and enthusiasm.
My contract with Word Made Flesh will be renewed for three years on July 3, 2006 and I will become “Field Staff” from now on. One of my former team members and her husband are in the process of raising support and taking steps to return as the next Servant Team Coordinators. I'm thrilled and blessed by God's provision!
Now I'm looking at life beyond leading Servant Teams so keep me in prayer as I seek to discern God's leading. I have already taken steps to be more committed to the street boys, but I need clarity in knowing how to best organize my time between activities with children at the Drop-In Center and time on the streets.
Thanks for fasting and praying with us during the past weeks for the street boys. God is planting seeds in their hearts, and even though painfully slow, we can see the seeds beginning to grow and take root. Their battle with addictions is very real, and coming clean usually involves several false starts. Continue to pray that they will persevere in faith.
We hosted a special meal for them in my apartment this month at which six boys attended and were treated like princes for three hours. Early in July we plan to host another event for them, a sort of three-day camp at the Center here in Galati. Keep this in prayer.
All of the school children will be going to the mountains for a week of camp on July 18 – 25, but I won't be going this year because…On July 18, I'll be coming to the States for six weeks. Here's a rough sketch of my itinerary:
July 19: Celebrate my Mom's birthday with her!
July 20-26: Wolfeboro, NH, Simons family reunion.
July 27-Aug 1: Time in Lancaster County, PA, with family and college friends.
Aug 2 – 6: North Shore, MA, visiting family and church friends
Aug 7 – 28: Wolfeboro, NH
Aug 6, 13, 20 Byfield Parish and Hope Community Church in MA.
Aug 27: First Congregational Church of Ossipee (FCCO)
Aug 29: back to Galati, Romania.
I'm not sure which Sundays I'll be at which church, but I'll let you know for sure in next month's letter.
Peace,
Rachel