February 11, 2008

Dear Friends,

Packing, moving, unpacking, repacking, moving again and unpacking one last time in my new apartment here in Tulcea. Peeling garlic. Making cheese pies. Eating lots of mamaliga with branza si smantana (corn mush with cheese and fresh cream). Walking, walking, walking. Shopping in open air markets. Waiting hours in the hospital to talk to an oncologist about a 15-year-old girl with ovarian cancer. Waiting for her first three rounds of chemotherapy, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Explaining to her what is going to happen, including she will lose her hair. Buying her a wig after shaving her head. Seeing her smile at last with her pretty new hair. Enjoying seeing children, children, children, and more children. Praying with our Bible study group. Attending small group meetings and birthday parties and outings with the children.

These were some of the things that have occupied my time for the first few weeks back in Romania. I am tired, but glad to be working again with the children. The staff here in NOROC has worked tirelessly. Where do we get all the energy? One-hundred percent comes from the Holy Spirit.

For all of you who donated watches last year for Christmas, I can attest they were a huge hit! The first thing many of the children have said to me was, “Did you see my watch?” They are so proud of them! Thanks to all the young adults and adults of NOROC who set all those hundreds of digital watches to the correct time and date—a huge job.

I returned to Romania with suitcases full of all sorts of fun things­—cars, stickers, deodorants, photo albums, glasses cases, etc. For the monthly birthday parties this month we had little favors for all the kids and presents for those who had their birthdays. We have lots of balloons and new sports equipment for little boys jewelry for the girls.

We have enough stickers to use as teaching rewards for a long time!

I am going to start teaching English classes to the older children and youth. They have been begging for this for a long time.

The best news of all is that we have a hired a psychologist to help us start our counseling center. She comes highly recommended by many people, and when I met her I instantly liked her grasp of what it will take to work with these children. She has over 11 years of experience and is now a school psychologist.

All the time I was in the United States, I felt how much we are really a team, one team under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Thank you all for your contributions, prayers, support, and gifts that a difference in the lives of these little ones.

Grace in the name of Jesus Christ,

Mary Ferris

The 2008Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 163