Dear Friends,
I wanted to give you an update of our last few weeks and ask for your prayers for us for this summer.
We have seen a lot of comings and goings this month. Last year some friends of ours, Eric and Betty, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. As a gift they received a trip to Romania to visit the works with street children that they have supported over the last 15 years. It was a gift for us to have them with us and for the children to meet them.
We also had Josh and Robin Fowler with our community for a two week internship. Robin was on a Servant Team in 2004; both are interested in long term involvement with Word Made Flesh. It was great having them, and we pray that they will be back to stay. Katy Daniels, who was on a Servant Team in 2000, visited us from Scotland. She is now a medical doctor and we are trying to corrupt her into returning as well.
In May the Klepacs returned with their new son, Abram. Pray for them as they adjust to family life in Casa Lazar. A few weeks ago, Nelu, Olivia and Evi returned to the States after serving more than 9 months with us. They are expecting a new son and brother, Samuel, to arrive soon. They also will be making the decision about returning to serve with us or not. Please pray that they would have the Lord's mind for this decision.
On the 19th of May we received Marius into Casa Lazar. He has been at the Community Center for the past four years. During this time his mother died and recently his father also died. Marius is an 18 year old, in school, and settling into the boys' home. Please pray for him as he accommodates that he would feel at home and part of the family.
Over the past weeks we have received a number of new volunteers. Most of them are not yet Christians but all are very helpful and already very involved. We held a training weekend for them and are hopeful for a great summer with them.
Next week Fani and Magda will be going to Bosnia to work with teenagers. Pray for them as they minister cross-culturally that they would be a blessing to those they serve among. As they leave we will be receiving a work team from England who will help renovate our attic space so that we have a larger computer room and more space for the younger children.
A few weeks ago, one of our seven year old boys watched his parents make their wedding vows. At the beginning of the school year, Robert's parents didn't live together but with some counseling and encouragement from both Robert and Lenutsa, they decided to commit to one another. We thank God for this and pray that they will become a family that walks with God and is a light in this area of the city.
As I write, the children are finishing up the school year. That means we are moving into summer mode. Because the school work is so taxing and time consuming, we have little energy and time for other activities. This summer we want to focus on discipleship: helping the children to grow in worship, teaching them to think about the world they live in, and enabling them to be active in it. Please pray that the children would have deeper revelation of who God is and of how to walk with Him in their daily lives.
In a few weeks we will go to camp with the children followed by a week with their parents. Please pray for this time away that God would speak clearly and powerfully to their parents. Also pray that families would be transformed and that worshiping communities would spring up in their homes.
This is the first summer that we will not do camp with the older boys living on the streets. Although we will not leave the city, we will have a few days where the boys sleep at the Valley House and in which we have more intense activities for them. Please pray that God would break their addictions, tear them off the streets and heal their wounds. Pray that they would decide to return to their homes or to move into Casa Lazar.
Lenutsa is finishing up her third year towards her psychology degree. One more to go! I am finishing up the preparatory work for starting a masters program through London School of Theology. Pray that we would have time to learn in the midst of all that is going on.
For the past few months we have been praying about establishing a job creation project. In July we hope to find and purchase property in order to develop this project. We have in mind the older children that are finishing up school and the parents of the families. Please pray that God would go before us and lead us into this new development.
Thank you for praying with us, for supporting us, and for looking for the kingdom of God among the poor.
With gratitude,
David and Lenutsa
P.S. If you are interested in past prayer letters or devotionals, you can read or listen to them online at:
http://www.wordmadeflesh.com/support/pray-prayerletters.php?staff=19 and http://www.wordmadeflesh.com/learn/sermons.html