“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love” (John 15:9).
Dear Friends and Family,
We are back from a wonderful week of camp in the mountains where we were able to take almost all of the kids who come to our Day Center. We had perfect weather all week, allowing us to play lots of outdoor games, hike to a waterfall, ride horses, jump on a trampoline and huddle around a campfire on the last night of the week. For several of the kids, it was their first time at camp, so it was a joy to see the wonder in their eyes as our bus slowly rose out of the industrial smog of Galati into the clean air and picturesque mountains of central Romania. The theme of our week was the life of Moses, so we talked about everything from the ten plagues to the ten commandments to the fullness of life into which God is calling us in the promised land. We were all reminded that God is the God who hears the cry of the oppressed, who liberates, who provides and who ultimately delivers people into life at its best.
I want to thank you all for taking the time to read these prayer letters, for caring enough to pray and for choosing to partner through your generous financial gifts. We are seeing children experience new levels of wholeness and healing in their lives as they enter more and more into the life of our community in Galati. Thank you for making it possible for me to be here. Today (September 14) I had the joy of taking two of the children that have been in my educational group for the last six months to their first day of second grade. It was both exciting and overwhelming for me to be there as I watched these two meet their new teacher and walk into their new classroom. They have an extraordinarily challenging year ahead of them, both at school and at home, as do many of our kids, but we continue to choose to be people of hope in the midst of daunting circumstances.
As we transition into this new school year, I am entering into a period in which more and more of my time and energy is being devoted to Moldova. I will be in Moldova for the next week in order to meet with a lawyer about getting Word Made Flesh officially registered, to visit several other organizations that work with vulnerable children and to speak in two churches this coming Sunday (September 20). Many things are starting to come together as we continue to pray and plan for our move to Moldova in January. When I stop and realize that we only have four months left, I am overwhelmed by the incredible speed with which time has gone by, but also full of joy as I anticipate what lies ahead.
I would like to formally introduce our team that will be serving in Moldova. First, Adriana Ciobanu currently lives in Chisinau, the Moldovan capital city, with her husband and son, who is in second grade. She was my Romanian language teacher while I lived there in 2006 and 2007 and is currently a 9th grade Romanian teacher at a school in Chisinau that is connected with the Bethany Center, a family-style orphanage for children who have been abandoned. This is where we served during our trip to Moldova last spring and is a community with whom we hope to keep in close contact. Adriana says, “My passion for the most marginalized and vulnerable of the poor grew gradually along with the degradation of living conditions in villages that I was discovering each year [while working for the Peace Corps] and along with my realization of my need for the living and real God who filled my entire being with the fullness of His Holy Spirit.”
Next, Iosif Chiriac has been a friend of Word Made Flesh Romania for a long time. He is from Galati and has spent time in the past serving as a volunteer. Most recently, he has been serving as a full-time intern as he prays about his calling to come with us to Moldova. Iosif says, “My desire is to dedicate my life and spiritual gifts…to serve people in Moldova who are suffering and in need.”
Magda Clopoţel has been on staff with Word Made Flesh Romania for five years serving as an educator at the Valley House. She grew up in Galati and has always had a passion to work with children in need. She says, “During a visit to Moldova, I was able to see the need for workers there so clearly that I decided to go as well. God has confirmed to me that it is good that I go, assuring me that He will be with me.”
Rachel Simons hails from the Boston area and has been serving with WMF in Romania for seven years. She is currently on sabbatical and will move with us to Moldova in January. About a recent visit to Moldova, she says, “I was broken by the suffering and injustice I encountered in many people’s lives in Moldova, especially in the lives of the children…. I am willing to let myself be led by God in my calling to love Him among the poor in Moldova.”
Finally, the newest member of our team is Annie Keith. Annie, who is from Iowa, was part of a servant team during the spring of 2009 in Galati during which she participated in a two-week service trip to Moldova. She then interviewed and was accepted as WMF staff this month and will be moving to Moldova with us in January. Annie says that she is excited to serve Jesus in Moldova, to be present among the poor and to be open to all there is to learn.
Please keep this new team of people in your prayers this month, asking that we would abide deeply in the love of God during this time. Thank you.
Grace and peace,
John Koon
PRAYER REQUESTS
1) As we draw closer and closer to our move to Moldova, it is becoming easier to lose track of the vision to which God has called us as we drown in logistical details that need to be taken care of. Pray that we would not forget the beauty of God’s desire to redeem the whole world and that we would remain deeply in His love.
2) Pray for the kids at the Day Center as we get used to their new schedules and as they accommodate to their new classes, etc. Ask God to be merciful to them.
3) Pray for Josh and Robin Fowler, WMF Romania staff who just had their first baby, Lukas, last month in the US! They will be returning to Romania next month and are in need of a place to stay that is close to the Day Center and that has suitable conditions for an infant.
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