“My God will meet all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.” – Phil. 4:19
Dear friends,
It's hard to believe how fast the autumn has come and is quickly turning into winter. It has been a cold October here in Galati and I have come to appreciate shelter and warm clothes more than ever.
Activities continue as usual at the drop-in center: daily meals, homework tutoring, bathing facilities, games, art, songs and Bible lessons. Recently, I wrote several short updates on a few of our kids to send to some of our sponsors in England. I'd like to share a couple with you here, to give an idea of what some of our relationships look like.
Tall and gaunt with a missing front tooth, Ionutz has acquired the nickname “Monster.” His ragged appearance and jagged smile might even be considered scary. But this monster has proven to be anything but what his nickname suggests. One evening as I was walking home, I ran into Ionutz in the commercial center of town where the street boys hang out. When Ionutz saw me, he came over and began asking, “What are you doing out this late? Where do you live? You can't walk home alone, I'll walk with you. No wait, a taxi would be better.” He then took my hand and pulled me across the street to hail a taxi and send me safely home. In that evening, I saw that inside of the one they call Monster is a loving heart, concerned for the well-being of others even when his own circumstances could hardly be worse.
Ionutz, now 18-years-old, continues to suffer the harsh reality of life on the streets. Senseless violence, hunger, cold, drugs and loneliness are his companions. Last week when we arrived to begin our soccer game with the boys, Ionutz was curled up on the ground, his face bloodied with fresh bruises. Having just received a beating from some angry teens who chose him as their easy target, he was still in shock and tears were running down his face.
So I ask myself again, when will Ionutz be freed from this ugly cycle of violence and suffering that comes with life on the streets? When will the boy who they call Monster be able to trade his nickname for a new one?
When we first began to know Emi a few years ago, he was living on the streets after having run away from home. He had cut off contact with his family, explaining that he didn't get along with his step-father. After meeting his family, we decided that the condition for Emi to continue in our program was that he had to move back home. He eventually agreed and since then he has been consistent in his relationship with us. When I told Emi I wanted to write about him, he asked if he could write his own story.
In his own words, he writes, “Hello. I am Emi. I will turn sixteen on November 17th this year. I go to the Word Made Flesh Foundation where I learn to do schoolwork and art, and where we sing, pray and play soccer together. I am not from a very rich family. I like soccer very much and hope to play on an organized team someday. I have a family with two brothers and two sisters. Our father died in 1996 but our mom takes care of us and we take care of her.”
Emi is one who I have seen change drastically since I first met him in 2000. This boy who once spit on me out of anger during a soccer game, now walks me home after soccer and jokingly calls me “mi amor”, which is Spanish for “my love”.
I'm told that when he first came to our Community Center, Florin was a disaster. He spit and whined and refused to do anything that was asked of him. Without a mother in his family to teach him some manners, Florin was becoming an unruly and undisciplined six-year old. But somehow in the last four months, Florin's resistance to authority has melted into an acceptance of our love for him.
Florin lives with his father, one younger brother and an older sister. He and his sister participate in our program because their father is unable to adequately provide for their material and educational needs. In September, Florin began attending kindergarten and has already impressed his teacher with his clever mind. Florin loves to be held and can often be heard calling one of our staff, “Mommy.”
I hope these brief snapshots help to give a picture of some of the relationships we have with the kids. It has been a great privilege for me to get to know them better.
When you receive this letter, I'll be traveling with Lenuta Dodu, visiting the WMF ministry among street children in Lima, Peru (Nov. 1-15). Please pray for this trip to be all that God wants it to be. It's hard to leave the kids in Galati, even just for two weeks, since consistency means a lot to them. But I know that this trip will open our eyes to see God working among children all around the world.
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.
With love,
Rachel
O.P. 6 C.P. 256
Galati, 6200
ROMANIA
rachel.simons@wordmadeflesh.com
PH# 00-40-236-494-938