Dear friends,
Our hands, feet and hearts have been busy preparing for the start of the school year. We’ve seen God open doors for us at the state boarding school just down the street. Even though the process to shut down these “orphanages” has begun in Moldova there are still thousands of children who have yet to be placed in a family or with a relative.
In October we plan to help renovate a classroom at this boarding school to use at our discretion. This room will give us the freedom to organize activities without infringing on another teacher’s space. While the weather is still warm we will continue to organize games and activities outdoors each day. But as winter approaches we will need to head indoors.
Please pray with us that we will find favor with the teachers and children as we spend time each day on “their turf”. If you’d like to help us renovate this classroom check out “donate” in the left of this screen and designate a gift to “Moldova Ministry: Classroom”, Send me an email too so I can keep you personally updated on our progress.
In September we were reunited with the fourth graders that we got to know last spring. We sat on the floor in the common room of the dorms and played with an erector set. One boy caught my eye as he kept glancing up at me from his work with the metals rods and screws. Each time I smiled at him and held his eyes in mine in an effort to say, “I missed you. It’s so good to see you again.”
As the hour went on, I noticed this boy continued to lift his eyes to meet mine every few minutes, searching for some comfort, some sign of recognition. I returned his gaze with a warm smile and watched his face soften each time. An abundance of love and affection passed between us though we exchanged few words.
Many children who suffer from Reactive Attachment Disorder have difficulty making eye contact with adults. In the process of healing, eye contact is a crucial element in communicating and establishing love and respect with a child. I was delighted to see that not only was this boy willing to look me in the eye, but he continually sought my gaze and allowed me to love him through my affirming countenance. This month I learned that a loving gaze can sometimes say more than words.
The photos above were taken by Johnny, another 4th grade boy, of his own eyes. Can you guess what he might be communicating through these pictures?
With love,
Rahela