Thursday, December 25, 2008

Christmas Focus

It's Christmas. I leave for Ohio in three days and then Springfield. Finally, in early January I will leave for language school in Costa Rica. It seems like I just arrived in California. The time flew by filled with travel, running errands, getting strep throat, visiting Sacramento and other various Christmas events. These next few days hold no promise of slowing down. I am currently looking at my list of ten things to do before I leave. I have crossed off the first thing and am working on number five and ten. I love being able to take that pen or pencil and cross off that thing to do. It gives me such a sense of accomplishment.

In the midst of all these things to do it is important to stop and remember the reason we are exchanging presents and setting up trees. Last night I was frustrated about some issues with my lap top and the company who created the computer. I was pretty worked up about it and not in the mood for Christmas. My dad reminded me that my computer was not a life and death matter and one way or another my computer issues will work out. My parents also encouraged me to go to the candle light Christmas eve series. After the service I was no longer worked up about my computer. In life it is important when we get tired and when we get frustrated to refocus ourselves. Hit our reset button, so to speak. The focus reminds us what is important and what we believe. God is faithful and loves us. He sent his son for us to live and then to die for us. This is the focus of our faith. This is the focus for Christmas time. This is the focus of our lives.

"The word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish.

John pointed him out and called, 'This is the One! The One I told you was coming after me but in fact was ahead of me. He has always been ahead of me, has always had the first word.'

We all live off his generous bounty
gift after gift after gift.
We got the basics from Moses,
and then this exuberant giving and receiving,
This endless knowing and understanding -
all this came through Jesus, the Messiah.
No one has ever seen God,
not so much as a glimpse.
This one-of-a-kind God-expression,
who exist at the very heart of the Father,
has made him plain as day.

John 1: 14-17 (the message version)

Here are some pictures from the Balch Christmas...


Sarah's fiance Josh and Luke pose with the book Luke got Josh

Lolo with her new jacket

Kathryn with her new jacket

Derek and I in the snow after a quick visit with my grandparents

Sunday, December 7, 2008

The Arrival...

The team arrived safely back into Springfield on December 5th at 10:00pm. Now we are experiencing the joy of a thing called jet lag - symptons include waking up at odd hours of the morning, not being able to fall asleep at normal times and heavyness of eyelids. We attended Republic Assembly this morning and were able to share a couple stories and photos about our trip. Thus the debriefing process begins. =) The term will end on the 11th.


I will be flying home for Christmas on the 13th and will be able to spend the holidays with my family. I am excited for this time at home. Over the New Years I will be in Cincinnatti, Ohio for the World Missions Summit help work the Convoy of Hope booth and break out session. Then on January 7th I will fly to Costa Rica to begin three months of language school. For a while now I have wanted the opportunity to study Spanish and finally now is the time. Convoy of Hope has a large focus on Latin America, so they they want their Missionary Associates to be able to have a base to draw from to prepare them for the work ahead. Needless to say this will be a time of learning and growing as I work on my Spanish linguistic skills.

I will leave you with this...


"Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good - crucified. Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original"


Galatians 5: 22-25


Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Just an Update

We are waiting for the "Go" call from the Salvation Army and the missionaries here in Georgia. When we get the call half of us will go to the Salvation Army warehouse and the other half of us will go distribute food to the displaced people from the war. The Salvation Army is receiving a new container and have only a twenty-four hour period to unload it, so we will help provide some manpower. The distribution group will go to one place with thirteen families and distribute goods such as blankets, pots, plates and so forth. Then they will go to another building with 160 people. We went there yesterday, so today we will distribute the rest of the food, play with the children and have a mini program with the youth and adults.

Until then we are talking, catching up on emails and Facebook, eating food and resting up for the day. Thanksgiving is on Thursdsay and we will spend it with the international church here in Georgia. It will be my first Thanksgiving away from home and my first Thanksgiving abroad. It will be interesting to see how this Thanksgiving works out. The interns are bringing mashed potatoes and drinks. I can't wait to peel all those potatoes - in Strasini I got kicked out the kitchen for peeling potatoes to slow - I don't think that will happen Thursday morning =). I have to go. Have a good Thanksgiving. Live in Christ Love!

I attached some more pictures below...


Gabby working on removing old chipped paint from the basement


Me at the old Monastery - this gives you a good view of the whole river


Their is an old folk tale that says if you take a piece of cloth and tye it on a tree in a holy spot and make wish it will come true



This is Nate climbing a Persimmon tree during our lunch break

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Reports from Georgia...

I am in Tbilisi, Georgia right now. The team arrived on Monday. Georgia reminds me of a mix between Moldova and Armenia. Georgia like Armenia has its own language. It is a flowy script – very artistic. The produce here is good. The missionary home here has its own grape, pomegranate and persimmon trees. It is fun to pick the fruit and eat it straight from the tree. I never had tasted a persimmon before this trip. They are very good. I love the new taste, experience and culture.

The team has been working with the Salvation Army. We split into two teams. Half of the team is sorting and organizing in the Salvation Army warehouse, so that the donations can be distributed to the internally displaced people from the crisis with Russia. The other half of the team is working in a Salvation Army office cleaning up the basement and an upper room preparing it for painting. I have been working with the basement crew. I have spent the last few days scraping paint and cleaning off wallpaper. The basement will be used for children’s Sunday school. It is a pretty big project. It is nice to know that we have helped them get a little farther on renovating their building.

I have put some pictures below of both Armenia and Georgia. Enjoy =). Thank you for all your prayer and financial support. Be Blessed! =)










This is an old cathedral in Georgia - the Salvation Army took us here on Saturday - they took us sight seeing and bought us a Georgian lunch. I love Georgian food.

The view from another old monastery on top of a mountain.



Me (just in case you forgot what I look like =) ) at the old Monastery with the scarf I bought in Vandazour.


A Persimmon

Me - working at removing wall paper off the ceiling


Noah, Zach and Nate taking a break from work


Candy from the Armenian market

We butchered a lamb and then cooked it - It an adventure in lamb barbecue- These are the vegetables we cooked over the fire. It was fun - we ate all the parts of the lamb =)

Friday, November 14, 2008

I am in an Armenian Internet Cafe. I am alive. The teams heads to Georgia on the 17th - please pray for us and the work we will do in the country. We worked on water filters and a program called Community Health Evangelism this week. It has been cold here. I just wanted to check in and say hello. Live in Christ Love!

Claire Balch

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Just a Few Pictures

I have a few moments to touch base. I have not had any internet access in the last week. I posted two blogs below that I wrote in the last week or so to give you an idea of what the team has been doing in Armenia. Internet access isn't consistent, so I am alive, just not able to communicate with the world =). I uploaded some pictures, so you can see a little bit of Armenia. I hope all is well. Live in Christ Love.

Claire Balch


Some Armenian Sheep

These are some of the homes - they are mid construction




This is at the church built on the spot where the first monk to bring Christianty to Armenia was thrown into a dungeon


This is a picture of the church with Mount Arat in the background - we could see the Turkish-Armenian border from the other side of the church

House Building

November 2, 2008

* Internet is not as accessible here, so I am posting these as soon as I can, the post date and the written date may not line up =)

The last few days we have began working on the homes for the Armenians who lost their homes in an earthquake many years ago. They have been living in FEMA style trailers since that point in time. The homes we are helping build are funded mainly by the Armenian Relief and Development Agency (ARDA) with the help of a few other agencies. The homes are built from a technology out of Arizona using Styrofoam blocks, cement, and rebar. The technology has been tested to work.

We have been painting and mudding sheetrock the last few days, while we are waiting for the blocks to arrive. The blocks arrived late Friday night, so the Armenian workers set up the first layer of blocks on Saturday, while we painted and mudded. Monday we will begin to help set up the structure. This will be an interesting task. It will be cool to see the house take shape and to know that a family in need will be able to live there.

Today we went to an Armenian Church service. Culturally it is very different than Moldova. It was much more similar to what we are used to in America. We were allowed to worship more freely, wear jeans and I was allowed to introduce the team to the church. It felt a little more comfortable. We sang some songs in English, Glori Ann gave her testimony, Karen read a Psalm and Zach preached. Afterwards the pastor and his family had us over for lunch. The food was very good and we had a lot of it. The team really loves the flatbread here in Armenia. Another favorite food are grape or cabbage leaves stuffed with meat or rice. We had them in Moldova also, but the name is different in Armenia. I believe they are called dolmas. It is always nice to have food that you enjoy in a different country. The lunch was very good and the pastor and his family were very kind. Afterwards we went on a ski lift in the area that overlooks part of Armenia. It was beautiful.

I want to leave you with a verse from 1 John 4:
“God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free from worry on Judgment day – our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love, banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life – fear of death, fear of judgment – is one not yet fully formed in love.
We, though, are going to love – love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.

If anyone boast ‘I love God,’ and goes right on hating his brother and sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.”

We are now in Armenia...

Hello My Dear Friends and Supporters –
I wanted to let you know that I am now in Armenia. It was a long day of traveling from Chisinau, Moldova to Odessa, Ukraine. We left on the bus at 7:00 in the morning and arrived around 3:00 in the afternoon. Our flight did not leave until 8:45 in the evening, so we set up shop in the airport. We sat around listening to music and reading our books. Around 6:00 in the evening we attempted to go through customs only to find our flight had been delayed. At 8:30 in the evening we finally started the journey through customs again. We finally boarded our flight around 11:30 at night and we arrived in Armenia around 4:00 in the morning on October twenty-sixth. It was quite the day. =)
We are now in Armenia. We are resting from our journey and our learning about a community development plan called Community Health Evangelism. This program looks at health from physical, emotional and spiritual aspects. Members of the community are trained on the program, create a committee and then train others in their community. The idea behind the program is to get people in villages to think about solutions to the issues they face. These issues may be lack of fuel, lack of clean water, bad backs or toothaches. It encourages them to look for the cause of the problem and then come up with solutions using local resources. The trained members are also to visit homes in their community to discuss problems and solutions. At the root of everything is the love Christ has for us and to share this love by meeting people’s needs. Our role is to inform, train and help share the vision of this program to the Armenian Kurds.
After our training days and rest we will begin to help build houses for Armenians who lost their home twenty or so years ago in an earthquake. They have been living in FEMA style trailers since they lost their home. Then we will use our Community Health Evangelism training to train the Ysidi Kurds. Lastly we will help build winter kits for those who lack enough food for the winter. For the last part of our trip we will head to Georgia and work with the people displaced from the war.
Please continue your prayers as the team and myself begin this last part of our journey.
“The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you”. 2 Corinthians 13:14

Friday, October 24, 2008

The Promised Pictures

Here are a few pictures more pictures of the last week or so...

These are some Moldovans doing some sort of agriculture work - I always thought they were working with corn stock, but I am not 100% sure that is what they are doing.

This is one of the rooms at the orphanage we were working with. Missions without Borders came in and built these rooms. This is an example of what missions can do - I explain this a little more in my last blog posting.

This is a child at the orphanage

This is Alex. He is the youngest son of the family we stayed with. He could play the flute with his nose - who would of known? We had fun at there house.

This is plachenta. I spelled it the way it is pronounced not the Romanian way. It is a pastry like crust stuffed with whatever you want. It is usually cheese, potatoes or apples. It is very good.

The last couple of days we have worked in Orhie at a church mudding and taping walls. This is a picture of what will one day be a sanctuary.
This is me - proof that I am working =). I am sanding down the mud on the wall.
This is Mikellah and I

Thursday, October 23, 2008

A Wrap up of the Week in Straseni

It is not quite the tomorrow that I promised the updated blog, but it is fairly close to tomorrow. After all tomorrow is just a day away. I suppose with this schedule I keep that I should not promise to have blogs posted on certain days. On the other hand it is good to have goals and plans as long as their is room to change when necessary... It is often necessary because you never know when life is going to throw you a curve ball. All I can say is hang on to God, pack your bags and be ready. =).

As you may have picked up on each day has been very full. I have a few moments now to fill everyone in on the ministry and adventure of Moldova. The last village we were in was called Straseni. We stayed in the homes of the local church members. Glori Ann, Karen and I stayed in the same home. This home was such a blessing and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Angela and Brother Oligert (this is most likely not the way you spell his name =) ). Angela kept us well fed. Every night and morning we broke out the Romanian/English dictionary to help us communicate. The last night we were there they asked us to pray with them as a family before we went to bed. This was just a special time because they asked us what they could pray for and we asked them what we could pray for and prayed to the same God in different languages. It also solidified the time we had spent together. It was good.

The ministry we did in Straseni had many different faces. There was construction on a wall, home visits, cutting wood, helping in the kitchen, working at an orphanage, a service to the blind, a youth service and a couple services at the church. God works in so many different ways and all these different types of ministry reflect this part of him. I went on two home visits. One was a visit to the apartment of a woman named Mary. She lived alone. Her husband had passed away. Mary told us a little about her life. She grew up in the Ukraine, her father died when she was young, so her mother raised her and her siblings. She moved to Moldova later in life. I enjoyed talking to her and hearing her life story. We prayed for her before we left.

The other home visit I went to was to a family whose oldest child has cerebral palesy. The mother was telling us how hard it was sometimes. She spent all her time taking care of her child. It sounded like that at times it was a lonely and frustrating task. She was lucky enough to have a special chair for him, but the chair is getting to be too small. The child was four years old and they received the chair when he was two. She also had a younger child. In Moldova they do not have all the resources and support groups that they have in the states. We just took the time to give attention to the two children and talk to the mother. We also prayed for that family before we left.

The orphanage is the ministry that we did every afternoon. This was so much fun. Glori Ann focused on a different theme every day. The themes were love, joy strength, and faith. The rest of us helped support her by hanging out with children in the crowd, being interactive with the message and assisting in games and demonstrations. This orphanage was different in that it was for children with functional mental disabilities. It was also different in that only two of the children were actually orphans. The rest of the parents either did not want to or could not take care of their child. The director told us that many of the children did not want to go home on weekends, but would prefer to stay there - so that tells us a little about the home situations.

I have attached* a few of the pictures of the dormitory because it shows what giving to missions can do. These dorms were built by Missions without Borders. The money given to help improve these dorms has made life better for these children whose families can not or will not take care of them. I just want to encourage those of you that support missions that the money you give does make a big difference.

The time at the orphanage was awesome. It was fun to love on the children, play games with them and see them interact with the theme for the day. There is so much more I can add about the teams time in Straseni, but then I would be writing for a little longer yet. We are back in the main city now and will travel to Armenia on Saturday. We have had three accidents in our time in Moldova. We will be driving to Odessa to fly to Armenia. Pray for traveling mercies for the team. Pray that God will continue to cultivate the seeds planted in Moldova and that he will be the local church here. Pray for the upcoming time in Armenia.

* The pictures are not uploading - I will upload the pictures in the next few days, so you can view the promised pictures =).

Thank you for your prayers. May God be with You! Peace!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Cancelled Flights and Checking In

Hello My Friends and Supporters! I hope all is well with you. Our flight to Armenia was cancelled, so the team will be in Moldova a little longer than expected. An extended Moldovan adventure, so to speak. We spent the last week in a village called Straseni. It was a good time, a good village, and a good church. I am pretty tired right now and should of been in bed a hour ago. I am going to post some pictures and then tomorrow when I am a little more refreshed write up about the teams time in Straseni. Today we spent some time at an old monastery. I will put some of those pictures on the blog as well.

"Do you see what this means - all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running - and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed - that exhilarating finish in and with God - he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls." Hebrews 12



Two girls from the Orphange

Blowing Bubbles - This was an activity at the orphange. Glori Ann is in charge of all our children activities and she does a great job!

This is another pictures of a girl from the orphange


This is the team at the Monastery - I wasn't sure if I had posted a team pictures yet. Pray for us!


This is me looking over a valley in Moldova
Here I am again - This cross overlooks a valley - thought this picture was kind of fun =)

Sunday, October 12, 2008

A Whirl Wind Week and Day of Rest

* This is a long one - there was alot of information and happenings in the last week - even I was posting this I could think of so much more to say - for those of you short of time and attention there are pictures at the bottom. =)

Life here in Moldova has been full. We spent about five days in a village called Sarata Galbena. The girls stayed in the house of a Moldovan couple and the guys stayed at the church. We had no internet access for those days we spent in Sarata Galbena, which is the main reason it has been awhile since my last post. In Sarata Galbena our main ministry was helping out with a Convoy of Hope Moldovan style outreach and connecting with the youth at the local church. The first day there we bagged groceries. Then the second day was the outreach. The church had a program prepared and then afterwards there was food to eat, balloons, an oral hygiene area, a physician was present, face paint and groceries as they left. In the following days we were there we had a couple church services, home visits and a children’s program.

My favorite part of Sarata Galbena was working with the youth. On Saturday night we joined them in their youth service. We worshipped and fellowshipped together despite the fact we are from two different cultures and languages. The following two nights Sunday and Monday night we ate, fellowshipped, and worshipped together. It really was just a special time. We played Moldovan games and played music to connect instead of talking. It is amazing how Christ can work through the language differences and how he blessed us with the ability to connect.

After leaving Sarata we were able to have a half a day rest in Chisanou. The next day we headed up north to help flood victims. Moldova has some of its worst flooding this last summer season. We drove about four to five hours up to north to one of the villages affected by the flooding. Along the way we got into an accident. No one was hurt and our van was fine. The car that hit us from behind however was totaled. Despite all that we did finally make it up north. We bagged groceries until ten or so that night. Everybody broke up into groups of two or three and we spent the night at people’s homes in the village. So everyone in the group the next morning had a story to share of a Moldovan feast at eleven o’clock at night and a Moldovan breakfast the next morning. It is very important to Moldovans that their guest are well fed and do not go away saying they are hungry. In honor of the family we were staying with the Zama (soup) and bread was very good and breakfast was even better. I definitely did not go away hungry. =). The next day we distributed the groceries we had bagged the night before to 250 families or so that were in the most need. The names were given to the local pastor we were working with by the government. Before the groceries were distributed a Moldovan evangelist spoke to the crowd and one of the interns Chris explained Convoy of Hope, introduced the team and shared a little about why were there in Moldova. The pastor after the event was over told the team that other teams had come with more money and supplies, but that our team brought something special/different with us that was great blessing.

Today was a day of rest for our team. I did nothing much, but still feel pretty tired. It is about that three week mark where culture shock, homesickness and tiredness begins to sneak up on us. Pray for the team that we will endeavor through it well and will remember that we are here to honor Christ by serving his people. Pray for protection, safe travels and strength.

May God’s Love and Blessing Be With You!


This was one of the nights we hung out with the youth - they made us sausage and hot dogs.

This is Glori Ann - she is in charge of our Children Ministry - this is a village we did some home visits in and a short children's program

This lady told me I was like a daughter to her because I reminded her of her daughter - needless to say I think she was pretty cool - she took us to the homes in the villages. As a side note there are many elderly people who live alone with no source of income because there children have left Moldova or have moved to the city for work. This is creating a need for elderly care in the villages.

This is one home that was destroyed in the flooding.

This is Karen helping organize groceries for distribution

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

A day in Chisinau and a Story from Mihailenii

* I added some of the intern team members blogs links to this site - they're on the right side of the screen if you're interested in reading them.

10/01/2008

We left Belts yesterday. It took a while to actually leave the city. The van refused to start and the battery refused to charge. So we went to eat lunch, while the van went to the car shop. And then when we sat outside the church and read, slept and played guitars. Finally around five o’clock we left Belts.

Our last day in Mihailenii (we were spending the night in Belts and days in Mihailenii) I sanded in the morning and visited a house in the village in the afternoon. Some of the other members of the intern team and of the church had visited this home earlier in the week and that day. The father of the household had left a long time ago and the mother had left this summer to find work in another country. She left 5,000 lei (their currency - which is about 500 dollars). The money is now all gone. She left six children. The oldest three are seldom at the home. That leaves a thirteen year old, eight year old and a three year old at the home for the majority of the day. The neighbor keeps an eye on them. We brought them a ball, socks, toy cars and food from the church. We cleaned up the youngest two children, cleaned some of their dishes and shook off their blankets. The thirteen year old was sullen, but the three year old and eight year old had such joy. Apparently earlier in the morning the kids were not so smiley and giggly. The church told us that they we would continue to visit these children. They were unaware that this type of poverty existed in their village. The church is a good church, so I know they will follow through on their word. I am glad that their eyes are now a little more open to their community. As a challenge to all of us we should look around our communities and see and take action about the need in our own backyards. There is a video of this house visit at the following link: http://www.mattwilkie.com/2008/09/more-from-dani-and-lenas.html

This morning we had pancakes for breakfast. They were good. We got a tour of Chisinau. The team visited the Artesian Market, had quiche at a café, and visited the Orthodox Church. I have always loved the artwork of both the Catholic and the Orthodox Church. I enjoyed walking around the church and looking at the paintings and architecture. However the power and control of the Orthodox Church is not always as beautiful. The missionaries we are working with told us today that their housekeeper’s brother in-law, who is a pastor in another village, received a knock on his door yesterday. The man at the door told the pastor that the Orthodox Priest had sent him there to kill him. He proceeded to beat the pastor. The pastor was able to run down the stairs to a neighbor who protected him. The threat of the Orthodox Church to other church denominations is still present in Moldova. Please remember to pray for the Protestant and Pentecostal churches in Moldova. Please pray for this pastor and his family.

Tomorrow we leave for the next village and unless there is a surprise there will be no internet access. I will post my next blog when we get back into Chisinau. Please continue to pray for me and the team. Pray for freedom from persecution. Pray for health. Pray for protection. Pray for the people in the next village we are going visiting. Finally, pray for the Convoy of Hope outreach we will be doing in this upcoming week in Moldova.

“May Jesus himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech.”
2 Thessalonians 2:16


The bell tower in front of the Orthodox Church


A cool fence in Moldova

I was pretty much covered in dust from sanding

A building in Moldova - I think it is a church

Monday, September 29, 2008

This one is kind of long, but there are Pictures at the end =)

Written September 28, 2008

It has been a few days since my last post. I am not sure when I will actually be able to post this blog. The internet isn’t working in the building. As Americans we are very dependent on the internet. It is amazing what a bummer it is to see that Internet signal yet for one reason or another it is not connecting. A few years ago on a trip like this we would be lucky to talk to home once a week at an internet café or hotel phone. Then it would cost us an arm and a leg. Today it is completely different. I think it is nice to be able to post a blog, send an email, and make a call. The difference is when the attachment from home keeps you from bonding with the group and the people of country you are in. The internet like all things in life needs balance and self control. That goes for whether you are traveling abroad or living in your home in the United States or wherever else your home may be.

It is somewhat of a time warp here in Moldova. The combination of longs days and jet lag make it hard to remember which day is which. Today is Sunday and yesterday was Saturday, which means my last update was Friday. Friday seems so long ago from today. Saturday was the Thanksgiving for Moldova. It is a day of thanking God for the harvest. They have a program at the church which involved about ten other churches from other villages. The program involved singing, preaching and testimonies. They had this beautiful setup at the front of the church, which included the biggest cabbage I have ever seen, apples, sunflowers, pumpkin, grapes and other produce from their harvest. The difference between their Thanksgiving and ours is that they actually grow and harvest the food that they eat. In most homes in America we go to the store and buy the food we eat for Thanksgiving. In two places that are very different in many ways we can both be thankful for what the Lord has given us.

Today was Sunday. We went to church in another village and then later today went to Mihailenii for lunch, home visits and fellowshipping with Moldovans. The group I was with went and visited with a woman with crippled legs and chronic pain. She told us that she prayed to die. She asked for medicine for the pain. We told her that we didn’t have any medicine, but we do have God and the power of prayer. She told us she wanted to give us money for prayer and the visit, but we told we where there for free. That it was gift. We prayed for her and talked for a little bit. The Moldovan girls sang her a couple of songs. Then we left because she was tired. I could hear her crying as we left. I asked and they told me that the youth from the church would follow up and continue to visit her. I hope that they do because that is what will make this first visit effective.

After the home visit I talked with a Moldovan girl who lived in Sacramento for two years. We talked a long time about Moldova, school and life. She taught me some Romanian and Russian words and we ate walnuts from the tree. It was good. Then we joined some other girls in the eating area and we just hung out for a while. They sang songs and then made me sing a solo. Unfortunately I can’t sing and then I couldn’t remember any songs, but I think they got a kick out of my embarrassment. It was just a good time of bonding with the church over here. When Alexandria left she left because she had to bring the cows in – I thought that was an interesting cultural difference.

Remember to keep me in your prayers. Pray for the youth and the church of Mihailenii. Pray for the healing and salvation of Mila, the crippled lady, from today’s house visit. Pray for Moldova.

The Amazing Grace of Jesus Christ be with You!

Here are some pictures from Moldova...


This is one of the water wells across the street from the church. The Orthodox church built that building behind it with the purpose to make it a store to distract from the church we are working with. The building is currently empty.

Our van sort of broke one night in the middle of Mihailenii. It was an adventure and nothing too serious.

This is the church we went to on Sunday

I think these cars are so cool! I want one =)

This is me at the outside market on Friday. I am going to spell it wrong, but the call it a Pizzaza or something like that =).

This is a picture of the church that we are working with in Mihailenii.