Hristos a înviat! Adevărat a înviat!
Христос воскрес! Воистину воскрес!
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
Here in Moldova we are reminded of this earth shattering news each day as we greet each other with these powerful words all the way from Easter to the celebration of Ascension Sunday. Truly, this is good news. I’m glad to hear these words of hope and victory as a reminder each day.
After four weeks of spending each afternoon at an orphanage, playing, singing and completing homework with a class of fourth graders, I’m not sure I can find the right words in the English language to describe the way these children’s suffering has broken my heart. Inima franta is the word I’m looking for…which basically means a broken or exhausted heart. I think you get the point. It’s really painful to see so much brokenness. Yet I am left asking myself how these hurting children can offer so much love to me, a foreigner.
Before Easter vacation, as we were saying goodbye, one of the boys called out, “I wish you a happy Easter, with many, many, many friends around your table!”
Please join me in praying for these fourth graders by name: Ion, Augustin, Victoria, Valentina, Mihai, Irina, Ruslan, Andrei, Iulia, Jaclin, Petru, Mihaela, Gheorghe, Iurie, Tatiana, and Vlad.
In addition to this group of fourth graders, I spend time each week at a home for seven high school girls. Some have graduated from the orphanage and others come from vulnerable families. We chat and sing and pray together. Annie, Magda and I teach some guitar lessons and help with conversational English. Meeting with these girls is a bright spot in my week as their enthusiasm and energy are contagious(and they always greet us with cookies and tea!). Please pray for Alina, Marina, Jazgul, Olga, Natalya, Doina, and Lenutsa.
Thank you for your continued prayers and generosity!
With love,
Rachel