February 2012
Dear Friends,
This letter marks the end of era. Ok, that may be a little too dramatic. As some of you know, I have been writing a monthly letter, every single month, since June of 2002. In nearly ten years I’ve never missed a month. Next month, however, you will not receive a letter from me in the mail. Over the past couple years I’ve been getting more and more requests for my letters to be sent through email. I know I could continue to write a monthly letter and just send it electronically to those who wish, but that seems a little redundant to me. Instead, starting this month I’ll be alternating every other month with email and snail mail.
That means you should receive a letter from me in mail the first week (or so) of February, again in April, then in June and so on. I’ll be sending out an email-only letter the first week of March, May, July and so forth. There are several people that have already requested to be on my email list. There are a few others (Hi, Mom!) who I am certain want to be on the list. I don’t even have to ask. For all the rest of you: If you want to be included on my email list you will need to let me know. Just drop me a short note at paul.rase@wordmadeflesh.org and I will be happy to add your name to the list.
This month I especially want to say thank you for all your prayers during Christmas. All the events we had planned went really, really well. Of course, staying at the center on Christmas Night with the children was the highlight. We worshiped together and read the Christmas Story. We played games, did art, and decorated cookies together. We ate sarmale (traditional Romanian food) together until we couldn’t possibly eat any more. We celebrated together as the children opened their gifts, each child receiving one large shoebox-sized present full of toys, clothes and school supplies. And a few of us stayed up all night watching movies together as the lightweights slowly drifted off to sleep one by one.
Thank you so much for your continuing prayers. Thank you for holding the children before our Father in heaven. Please continue to intercede on their behalf. Pray they will be irresistibly drawn to Jesus. Pray that as they truly encounter Him their lives will be changed. Pray they will experience His love and acceptance even through us imperfect workers. Pray that each and every day His name will be glorified in and through all we do.
Love,
Paul and Ana