December 2011
Dear Friends,
It’s hard to believe that another year has nearly come and gone. As we look ahead to this coming month I’m sure that, as is always the case, December will fly by. We have a lot of activities planned with the children and their families. This is my major prayer request for the month. Please remember us and the children throughout the month and especially at Christmas. Here’s a quick rundown of the activities we are planning:
In October we started a new community center in a small village just outside of Galati. We hired a new worker (her name is Anca) specifically for this center and she’s been slowly building relationships with a few children from the village, doing homework with them each day and sharing a small meal. On the 15th of December we plan to go out to the village with some of the children from our center here to sing and celebrate.
On the 16th we will go to a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of town to carol and give out gifts. Again the children will be with us. This is the second year for this and it’s great to see the children being able to give to others.
The local Baptist church in Galati has recently planted a new church in the same neighborhood as the center. We have been building relationship with them and looking for ways we can collaborate. On the 19th we will go with the children to this church to sing and celebrate together. A few of the children already attend this church and our hope is that some others might be drawn there as well.
On the 20th of December several of the classes from a local school (which most of our children attend) will come to the center. Our kids will put on small show for them and all the children will receive a small gift. This is a great way for us to continuing building relationships with the school.
Our big Christmas pageant for the parents and families of the children will be the evening of the 21st. This year we’re also inviting children that used to come to the center and, for one reason or another, no longer come. Our hope is that this will be a sweet time of announcing our Savior’s birth.
We will again have two nights of caroling with the children. The first night, December 22nd, we will go around to all the children’s homes and sing of Jesus’ birth. The second night (the 23rd) we will go all over town singing carols for the many local believers that support us in prayer. Both nights are always a special time for us all.
And finally we are planning to again spend Christmas night with the children at the center. We will read the Christmas Story together, pray and worship. We’ll play games, eat a delicious meal together and around midnight all the children will get to open presents. And as in years past, we’ll spend the rest of the night watching movies as the children slowly nod off one by one.
Please remember us this Christmas season. Pray that the message of Jesus’ birth will sink deeply into the heart of each child. Pray that the Gospel will be clearly proclaimed in all the activities we have planned. Pray that God’s love will be proclaimed in words, songs and deeds. Pray that Jesus will be glorified, celebrated and loved.
Love,
Paul and Ana