Dear family & friends,

I want to share parts of the wonderful day we had yesterday. Most of you know that FCE has three transit houses with house parents and six teen orphans. Each year, there are a few spaces as older ones move in to our program called Final Help. This year, we have seven spaces.

All the papers were completed for seven teen orphans to enter the transit houses on Sept 1. The seven teens were so excited to finally be leaving the orphanage at Popesti. The third week of August the director of Popesti told the kids they would be moving into the transit houses Sept 1. All was well and good until one week later, when they told the kids they could not go because of a new rule- only 18 year olds could move into the transit homes. We were stunned, and the kids were devastated. We took the seven kids into our meeting room at Popesti and cried and prayed with them. We did get one girl into Chiribis transit because she is 18 already.

During the intervening time, Florin Costea tried to make appointments (to no avail) with the director of Child Protection. She kept canceling. Each time we went to Popesti, we would tell the kids "Lars and Florin are fighting for you". But, two weeks passed and the kids were giving up hope…resigned to the fact that they could not get out of the orphanage.

 Yesterday, there was an important meeting of the Child Protection Committee, with Florin asked to be the first on the list to speak. The head of CP for the whole Bihor area (like our counties) was there. He agreed the all of teens should be moved, and others agreed, too. Best of all, they could be moved right away!

 Three of the kids had already been sent to a large orphanage in Oradea to begin 9th grade. After the meeting, Florin stopped at the school there and brought two of the kids to Marghita, Matilda and Alex. Emil, the third teen, has to wait until something is worked out with his schooling. He will come in a day or two.

 Five of us went with Lars in the foundations big white van to get the other three from Popesti orphanage. Oh my goodness! Romi, Ella and Florin were so excited.

 They had a few meager belongings and said “good-bye” to the kids left behind. It was a sad time for those kids. Counting Lars, we were nine in the van . The kids shouted “la revedere Popesti” as we pulled away. During the 30 minute drive to Marghita, the kids sang praise songs, thanking God for intervening in their lives.

 When we got to FCE's office in Marghita, shouts of joy could be heard. The house parents were there to hug the kids. We celebrated. When Fred walked in the kids hugged him and you could see the emotional response in his eyes.

 We all went into the conference room and ate bonbons and had orange pop. The kids shared how they had given up hope. Alex shared that when the bus came to pick him up to take him to Oradea he felt like this was the end. But, on the bus, he kept praying to God to give them a miracle.

 Romi was his typical high-spirited self. He sat between Fred and me. I whispered in his ear “you are no longer an orphan.” A few moments later, he began to sob. No more living with fear, like at Popesti. Now, he is part of a family. Lars and Florin gave some words of advice, much of which was in Romanian, and the kids shook their heads in agreement. It was such a joyous and emotional time.

 I suggested we get a large flat rock and put the date of Sept 18, 2006 on it as a memorial to what God did on this day. In the Old Testament, the Jewish folks used a pile of rocks in remembrance of God’s miracles.

 So, that’s the story of one day in our life. A day like this makes our 16 years here worth it. Seems like we plod along facing the discouragement of the Romanian system for children, and then we have an uplifting day like this. We are humbled that God would intervene in the lives of these kids in one little corner of Romania . WOW!!!!

 There are new kids on the block at Poiana farm, the village of Chiribis and the town of Marghita . May the Lord be praised. Blessings, Karleen