Today.
Today we began our morning with a time of worship, Scripture reading, and a half-hour of solitude in which we reflected on the past year of 2006 and the many ways God answered our prayers. He is faithful. (http://www.wordmadeflesh.com/countries/prayer_requests.php?country=Romania)
Today I learned that both Alina (18) and Daniela (15) have chicken pox (it's been going around) and will stay at home for a week. I'll miss their presence at the Center. I went to visit Alina after lunch and she looked miserable — polka-dot face and complaining of a sore throat. The visit was short because my presence in her home is always a source of curiosity. I found myself listening to her raving grandmother go on and on about the woes of life while various other relatives came in to stare at us… then I made a quick escape.
Today we visited Bogdan at the hospital again. He had an IV dripping into his arm from the window by his bed where it was precariously strung up. My heart broke as we sat with him for a quarter of an hour. I held his hand as we chatted and noticed the smile that seems to never leave his face. When Katie took her turn to sit by him and chat, Fani bent over and quietly informed me that the doctors are not very hopeful for his recovery from paralysis in his legs. This is devastating news. At twenty-eight, Bogdan is already confined to a wheelchair and shakes like and elderly man when he lifts a glass of water to his mouth. More than fifteen years of addiction to inhaling toxins from shoe glue has destroyed his nervous system, reducing him to dependence on others for every basic task.
Today none of the boys came with us to play Frisbee and share a snack. V. was high and looked dirtier than usual. S. was so high that she was hallucinating. M. was no different and C. was drunk as always. N. was around too, but not in any mood to hang out with us. After leaving them we stumbled across C. who was sitting in the middle of the sidewalk with a brightly colored rug draped over his shoulders. He was crying and completely delirious. Tears and snot ran down into his dirtied sweatshirt. When I took his hand and encouraged him to get out of the middle of the sidewalk, he simply lay down on his back and remained limp on the spot. A well-dressed and well-meaning young woman stopped to observe and informed me that he was one of those “drug-heads” and there was nothing we could do for him except take him to a psych hospital. We left him there on the sidewalk because we couldn't very well reason with him in his drugged state.
Today Paul called me on the phone in the evening, explaining that M. had showed up at the drop-in center and forgotten the address of the man who recently took him in. M. got on the phone and explained that on his way back from school he had an epileptic seizure, and now can't remember the man's address. I made a phone call and gave M. the address. I'm thankful for this man's willingness to take in a former street boy, but concerned that M.'s multi-layered issues will overwhelm his new foster family in the first week.
Today was a long day. But there is peace in my heart, for I know that Christ is very close to the broken-hearted, and I am certain that He carries each of these precious ones in His arms. Today I remember the cross and the resurrection, and believe Him for miracles in our midst as we pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Peace and grace to each one,
Rachel
PS Check out our new web page for WMF Romania! www.wmfromania.com
rachel.simons@wordmadeflesh.com
OP 6 CP 256
Galati, 800.760
Romania