For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ephesians 6:12-17

Today my heart aches for those who don't have anyone to love them.

What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
Matthew18:12-14

He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.
Deuteronomy 10:18

Have I not wept for those in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor?
Job 30:25

He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
Proverbs 14:31

[dreamer]

"You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come. For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity. The nations will fear the name of the Lord, all the kinds of the earth will revere your glory. For the Lord will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory."
Psalm 102: 13-16

Recently the Lord has laid a dream on my heart. It has been something that I have thought about often and questioned if and when it would happen.
He's given my a picture of me being in a home filled with children and teenagers. There is laughter and joy and the feeling of a family. The kids are of all different ages but they had/have one common purpose for being there: they found hope and love in this home. They are there because there is so much love, kindness, patience and hope for them. This home and these thoughts create an excitement and joy inside my heart. Over the past year the Lord has taught, shown and given me an understanding of what His love is; in a more deep way than I could have asked for.

So what to do with this new found love then to give it back to those who need it most?

"From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus."

Galatians 6:17

The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. His lightening lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim the his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory.

Psalm 97:1-6

SO proud of my little sister, Anika. She's growing up into a beautiful, wonderful woman of God.

"...and you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings."

Isaiah 58:12b

"...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called mighty oaks..."

Isaiah 61:3

His love is deep, his love is wide and it covers us all.

"Evil can be undone, but it cannot 'develop' into good. Times does not heal it. The spell must be unwound, bit by bit."
C.S. Lewis

Taking part in ending the sexual abuse and exploitation against human beings around the world is taking out the powers of evil, bit by bit.

facts:

-250,00 to 500,000 children live as prostitutes in Brazil.
-3,500 children are trapped in brothels and clubs for commerical sex exploitation on the borders between Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.
-40,000 annual births in Thailand go unregistered. Without a birth certificate, these children are denied health care and education, and are more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
-50% of human trafficking victims are minors.
-30% of sex workers in India are children.
-80% of human trafficking victims are women and children.

...2 children are sold into the human sex trade every minute.

Isaiah 58

v.1: Shout it loud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet..
v7: Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--when you see the naked, to clothe them, and turn away from your own flesh and blood?
v8: Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart [guard]. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day.

Psalm 91:4-5

God is so good. There is no sweeter name or safer refuge.

Ask me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will break them with a rod of iron, you will dash them to pieces like pottery.

Psalm 2:8-9

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Isaiah 43:2

Life really has a way of coming around and giving you a swift kick in the rear. This morning at church, life gave me just that.
I went in this early this morning (I cant emphasize on how early it really was) and helped with the parking team for my church. I am one of those crazy people wearing a bright orange vest holding two flags that I move crazily in the air; just to make sure that people know where they are going and where they are headed...hopefully in the right direction. Yep totally out of my comfort zone, but nonetheless the time of my life. So, I was only able to sneak in for the last 30 minutes of church but it was the exact time and place that I needed to be in. I swept into the back seat thinking this would be just another Sunday service, maybe feeling blessed as I left the parking lot. I was wrong. Which is becoming more common as I get older. Church has become the place where I get blessed the most. Paster Peter is in the third part of his series called I QUIT! and it's all about the things in life that can easily take us out; No Sweat, Critiquing, and this week was Complaining. Every week I've felt that Paster Peter was talking straight to me and I was the only one in the auditorium who felt guilty and who wanted to run out because they were sweating too much and people were probably starting to notice the large sweat beads running down my forehead (I'm sure many of you can't relate....). Let me give you a little history to how my last 48 hours have been. I was reminded, again, that the Lord is my sole provider and always will be. Why do I relentlessly forget who my God really is? And every time He proves faithful I feel embarassed but at the same time so humble because my God never forgets me or complains about me. This morning I complained about a circumstance with people in my life to my sister, she listened. But then as I was finishing my story, my sister has a story that she told me about, something else to complain about. It didn't seem like a problem this morning but Paster Peter proved that to be pretty, preposterous-ly wrong. As I sat in the back row of the auditorium, I felt out of place as Pastor Peter started to talk about complaining and how that can be so wrong in our lives. Of course I knew that, it just didn't seem like it was a problem in my life. I was not able to take notes but there is one thing that he said that has stuck with me "We need to get over the things we can't change and change what we can be". The situation that I was dealing with this morning I can't change but I can change my attitude towards it. It truly takes a willing heart and mind to be a Christ-filled person in this life. Also, he said that "The people that we hang around and share life with, are who we become". So, Annie-Laurie, don't hang out with the people that are consistently going to be complaing about life and things that they can't change. I needed to be that for my sister this morning; I will be better...for her and for my friends around me.
From feeling so jaded from the church and what it did to my family; I still learn so much from it.

Blessings to all of you who have overcome obstacles in your life, stopped the complaining and who have chosen to share life with people who care.

dream team.

Today i was encouraged by my friend Elsa.
I love sharing life with people that are all passionate about going and doing great things. I love being surrounded by people who will give it all to honor and serve our King. What a wonderful community I have around me.
I cant wait to have our dream team Elsa; full of the people we love and support who want to make a difference in this world.

if we're this excited. God is going to make it happen.

Faith.

Who I am to say my God doesn't provide?

It says provide 53 times in the Bible in over fifty verses.

My God is a provider.

Then this city will being me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it. Jeremiah 33:9

mid-week thoughts.

I'm sitting here procrastinating. I do it often and usually I learn my lesson but still, isn't it just super fun trying to scramble and do everything you need to get done in a short amount of time? Stress free huh? Hahaha far,far from it.
I have my thank you letters to all of the great supporters who helped send me to Moldova. I have to reciept all of the money I used for the 2 months in Moldova. I need to send a package to the girls at the Freedom Home. And I'm trying to get my mind to wrap around the fact that in a year from now, I'll be a college graduate who has the whole world at her fingerprints. I have no idea my options. I do know that I think about the girls at the Home often. You know when you have been a part of someones life for a period of time and then you leave, then you aren't sure if you'll ever see them again? I feel that way. I loved being with those girls. They blessed my life, changed my perspective, and in a way, changed my heart. India changed my life. Moldova changed my heart. Only God has the greatest plan for my life, my own human desires are nothing compared to what He has in store.
Think about what you want or have planned for your life and then think how much more God has in store for you. It's indescribable.

Home and Dissecting.

I made it home safely. Lord willing, in one piece. The plane rides were smooth and nothing really exciting to report except that I swear I saw cousin It, the guy next to me on the Munich flight must have been Tom Hanks long lost brother, Bono was at the Chisinau airport, and Iron Man was on my flight to Munich. All in all I thought I as on the movie Adjustment Bureau because it was the first movie I watched on my second flight then fell asleep. It was like the twilight zone. I barely made it to my Kansas City flight...after booking it through the airport running past 29 gates. Lets just say I slept like a baby once we arrived home. Praise the Lord I am home, but still waiting for my luggage to arrive from Newark.
You know when you come home from some amazing experience and you sit there for hours dissecting the things that you've learned? Ya, I'm still doing that. On to Day 2. I think about the girls and the kids often. I wonder how they are doing, what breakthroughs they are having, how the kids are, what the atmosphere in the home is like. And it comes to a point where you have to let God be in control. You have to come to realize that He is right there alongside them, loving them and supporting them through everything that they are feeling and thinking. They are world-changers in that home. All of them have the potential to grow in the Lord, smile with joy understanding that they are some of the worlds greatest heroes, and become amazing women of God that Moldova won't even know what happened to it. I may never see these women again but in heaven, when I do see them, I can't wait to dance before the Lord with them. Laugh and smile with them because we are all pain-free. I can't wait to see millions of men, women and children who were rescued from human trafficking up there in heaven. I'm so excited for that eternity. Tears roll down my face because that will be a forever time where they are safe, loved, protected, pain and disease free and with the body of Christ.

The past few days have been so relaxing at home. No pictures to prove it yet but just picture a worn-out college student who has her hair on top of her head and wears her favorite cut-off sweat pants all day long. Life's good.

Beginning to an End.

The time here in Moldova is coming to a sweet, satisfying end. The girls at the home have blessed my life in ways that they will never know. Their beautiful souls and heroic lives will forever be etched on my soul.

This small country that is a speck on the map has molded my heart and worldview to love more. It has taught me that trafficking is not just an issue that has become a fad with my generation but a pandemic that is escalating out of control. It has showed me that so many people talk the talk about abolishing trafficking around the world but so little is being done. It's great that there is so much awareness, and that is the first step, but where is the fruit? Many organizations, like Project Rescue, are in the small percent that is giving women and girls their freedom. This little country has taught me that a solid identity in a person is essential for developing hope and trust. It has taught me that these people had more to teach me than I realized. In return I am not sure if I made a difference or taught anyone anything. It's alright. God moves.

The children at the home have stolen my heart. I love them so much. Little Elena, Alexandra, Nastea, and Veronica are little faces that brightened my mornings. Their laughs and their way of making me smile made me feel so great. Little Elena loved to bark like the Freedom Homes dog, Jack. She would yell, "Mama!" (The word she would say to anyone to do something for her) and walk towards the couch. We would get up on the couch and look out the window and we would both make barking noises and chant Jacks name. I'm sure the poor dog didn't hear us or he was ignoring our annoying calls. Or when Veronica would quietly creep towards me with small steps and whisper to me to be quiet. She would giggle and say "Shh, shh!" then laugh histerically because it was the funniest thing in the world. Little Alexandra loved to run. Her little feet would barely touch the ground but her joyful laugh would fill the home. Nastea was a 5-year old. Haha, she would love to do puzzles with you and she LOVED to do your hair. She was a mamas girl and it showed. Who wouldn't love someone who loved you back? All of these sweet memories are wonderful. I only wish that I could videotape or take pictures of every second of every day, there are too many things to remember. I will miss the women at the home. I will miss *Tina running to me when I walked through the door and telling me she was happy to see me and that she missed me. I'm going to miss *Samantha telling me over and over again that a trolley bus would be faster than a plane when I travel back to America. She was a little stinker. Love her. I will miss *Vanessa telling me that she loved me over and over again. I will miss the time that I found out she disliked fish soup and offered her some, she thought it was the funniest thing in the world. I will miss communicating with the women with my broken Romanian and hand gestures. Such sweet moments. I will miss being surrounded by amazing, heroic women. All the more reason to act on ending modern-day slavery. I'm going to miss the laughter and the praises that filled the home. I will miss the chaos that comes with a home full of women. Life is not perfect so don't think that because so many of my memories may bring a smile to your face or a tear to your eye that every single day was perfect. There were times where I just wanted to leave. There was too much to handle or the kids were so not cooperative. There were times when I just wanted to bawl because the moods of the women could change so easily because of their broken spirits and mentality by the people who broke them. It broke my heart. But those are times that we don't need to dwell on, there are all the beautiful times that were found amidst the desperation. Those are the times I will remember. Those are the times that I am praying all the women and girls who are held captive in trafficking will feel and find.

The fresh fruit and vegetables here are incomparable to any other place I have been to. When was the last time you could go to the outdoor market and buy raspberries, peaches, strawberries, cherries, carrots, potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and beans for a small price? It was wonderful! I will miss that. Wouldn't you?

I may or may not miss the rides on the rutieras and trolley buses. The 101 rutiera was always packed and just recently I was butt to butt with some lady I didn't even know! Plus I was like the hunchback of notre dame in the front windshield. Praise the Lord we never got an any accidents in the rutieras. I will miss the drivers though. They cracked me up when it came to rolling up their windows because the current can make you "sick". And when they would roll up their shirts and tuck it in under their chests. It made me laugh when they laughed at my Romanian. It made me angry when they would yell at someone. I won't miss that no one smiled on the rutieras or trolley buses. I have concluded that it is because of the culture; hopelessness and loss of identity have a great effect on the outer-image. I will miss being able to communicate with a group of people because I chose to learn their language.

Going overseas is more than just a ticket to experience another culture. It can be a heart changing experience that makes or breaks your life. The Lord will shape you from the people that you meet, the things that you see and what you allow Him to do in your life.

Moldova you have been wonderful and I am sad to say good-bye but my beautiful family awaits me and I am so stinkin' excited to see them at the airport tomorrow night!

Love you little girlies. So much.

What a Glorious Day.

This week has been wonderful so far. It is my last full week here in Chisinau. Bittersweet.

Caroline left for the States on Tuesday. What a wonderful friendship I was blessed with for the past few months. It was sad to see her go, though she is getting married in September. You go girl, so this won't be the last time I'll see her.

So for my last week at the Freedom Home I have already done so much! On Monday I was taught by Angela, the cook, on how to make compot. It is a delicious fruit drink made up of sugar, a fruit and water. SO good. The fruit that seems to be the most preferred are raspberries and cherries. The girls at the home mixed both of them together, talk about tasty! Though the ingredients are simple, the outcome is wonderful. We made over 30 jars of compot. It was a lot of hard work (and being told over and over again to do something right :)) but there were so many laughs and smiles throughout the process.

The girls and kids at the home are doing well. I am loving the last few times when I get to sit down on the couches with them and talk about how they are doing. I am savoring the last cups of tea and coffee in the morning over a bowl of oatmeal with them. I'm getting ready to always remember the contagious laughs and giggles. I will miss the language barrier, because actions speak louder than words. I am soaking in the last days outside with the children on the playground. I'm not ready to go but there is a time for everything in our lives. Just another lesson I am learning in my life. I'm off, soon, to spend my last Wednesday night with these wonderful, sweet people in my life.


[These little ones have my heart! Love their little souls so much. They will all grow up to be amazing, women of God.]

[They will be world changers.]

This is Olga, my wonderful Romanian teacher. She has taught me so much and after 19 lessons of 1.5 hours of language, I want to continue my learning in the States. She told me today that when I come back to Moldova, her apartment will be open to me and whoever I come with. They will, hopefully, be all moved into the home they are building and the apartment will be open for rent. So future husband, we have a home in Moldova. We just have to get there ;D

A word from the Lord I read today:

Psalm 52:8-9

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever. For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for you name is good.

Baptisms, food, traveling, sunburns..

I can't believe it is already July. This summer has already flown by so quickly. Moldova has been great and I've tried to listen, understand and dissect every minute in this beautiful country. This past week we had a few days without electricity, met new friends from YWAM, said some good-byes, ate delicious food, drank coffee, watched movies, and enjoyed the beautiful landscape surrounding us. We spent the night at the FH on Wednesday night and they made an amazing Tajikistan-style rice dinner. It was so good! The girls, Caroline and I were watching the news after the kids had gone to bed and the news was talking about this court case. The girls had turned up the volume and were sitting very closely to the television, soaking up every word. I asked *Sophia if she could translate and tell us what they were talking about and her eyes lite up. She said that the 16 men that were in the courtroom were former traffickers and they were all being sentenced! What a glorious day and moment! The girls were clapping and smiling.
Now if you were to take a step back and look at this situation and even try to glimpse inside the minds of these girls, what would you see or feel?: Joy, sorrow, happiness, would you hear them remembering things from their past? Would you imagine them seeing their trafficker put behind bars? What a wonderful, redemptive day that will be. I was so happy that the girls saw that there is hope. That there are those people who are being put behind bars for the evil actions that they have done. I have become closer to *Sophia over the past couple of days. She helps me with my Romanian and bears with me when I don't understand something. Her smile and joy for life is beautiful. It's hard to believe that a wonderful human-being like *Sophia was torn apart, from the inside out. She struggles with sleeping at night due to nightmares. Be praying for her because just this morning she told me she didn't ge to sleep until 4:00a.m. again. Bless her heart.
Gosh, that reminds me that the goodbyes that will happen in a week are going to be so hard.

Today three girls from the Freedom Home were baptized! What a wonderful step into an even deeper relationship with Christ. It was a huge step for the girls and the love of God was written all over their faces. As the girls were talking up to the platform I thought, "Where were they a year ago? Did they even fathom that their lives could be different? That Gods love has restored hope into their lives? It brought tears to my eyes. It was a privilege to be apart of a wonderful day. We took so many pictures of the girls and their kids and everyone that works at the Home but I can't post them. Just know that their smiles are vibrant, their spirits are soaring and God is working in their lives. This picture below is where they sat when we prayed for them before we all headed outside (in the rain I might add) for them to be baptized.
I think it's neat photo. That's neat.

Caroline and I were able to travel to Odessa, Ukraine with our friend Anna. It was a blessing to have her along because she spoke Russian and Romanian. We traveled by bus at night (going through 2 passport checkpoints at 2 and 2:30a.m. in the morning) and arrived in Odessa at 5a.m. Of course nothing seemed to be open so we were able to see the city before most people were actually up. The city was so quiet... and I was desperately ready for a coffee :) The only place that was open for that kind of need was McDonalds but a cappuccino from anywhere is great at 5a.m.! The sun seemed to be at a perfect place in the sky so early in the morning and my pictures turned out much better than I thought they would. I was quite pleased. The city and Black Sea were beautiful. If you ever get to this side of the world, I recommend going to Odessa or anywhere near the Black Sea. The beaches are so cool because not only is it white sand that covers the beach but seashells that have been broken down into really small pieces. It was so cool! There were things that you would expect to see while in a Eastern European country, things you would find somewhat normal; coffee shops, old historic buildings, unique apartment buildings, the aroma of the Black Sea, tourist-y things to go to, really busy people walking really fast by you because you are walking too slow, dogs everywhere, and really fast cars that shouldn't be driving as fast as they are. Then there are the things that just aren't as normal; gypsy beggars, dead animals, brothels, men in tight speedos and old ladies with really thin bikinis. Even in all the laughter about the awkward men and women at the beach I was still reminded that Odessa is a port city. A city where trafficking is a huge problem. It had me thinking that even as I sit on the comfortable, beautiful beach there could be and were girls that were being kidnapped, drugged and/or sold to some pimp at that very moment. It killed me that I couldn't do anything about it. But you have to be careful. When you are passionate about something you cannot beat yourself up about not being able to do something at every waking moment, it's humanly impossible. Fully rely on God, be faithful in Him and know He has all things in His hands. This is what I have to remind myself after I read an article about girls who have vanished from their village or after reading a novel that was based on a true story and facts about trafficking. The statistics and stories are real but God is bigger.

As this weekend wraps up, I pray you are having a great time with your family and friends. Enjoy those moments, they only come around once!

Blessings!

Buna Ziua! [Good Day!]

There was a beautiful sunset the other night and we all just had to get pictures of it.

We didn't have electricity for a few days and on top of that it rained enormous amonts of water. I didn't think it would bother me that much until I had finished a whole book then realized I didn't have much communication with the rest of the world. Stinkin' facebook, e-mails and blogging...you got me hooked! But it was a much needed quiet time. There was solitude and simplicity in the whole household. It was as if this was a much needed time of rest and refreshment. I know the Missionaries I am with deserve as much resting time as they want.

We had bread and cheese during the evening hours. There were flashlights and candles in areas that we needed them and everyone was playing games or reading their books. The Raatz girls have re-kindled my passion for reading once again. Thank you girls!

The girls at the home have been doing great. The precious hours that we get to spend there are becoming more and more valuable to my heart. Today I had to say good-bye to *Ali. She will be going home for two weeks and I won't be here for another two weeks. I go home in 12 days. As she told me to write her letters in English and Romanian and as we kissed each others cheek good-bye, I realized that the 11 other good-byes are going to be that much harder.

Good-byes can only sustain for as long as the heart can hold to being gone.

And one of the girls at the home got ahold of my camera this afternoon. The following pictures are what she took and they are absolutely wonderful and so precious. She wanted to take a picture of everything and everyone she saw. She was so excited to see something stay so still and stay there. What a beautiful smile she had as she snapped each picture.

And know that the photographer is being redeemed, loved and cared for by our Maker.

Enjoy.

God is an amazing God. Didn't think I could be more madly in love! I'm captivated by His beautiful creation all over the world.

And I just finished Three Cups of Tea [recommended to me by my wonderful friend Ninive]. I didn't think I'd ever say this but I'd like to be in the Middle East someday. Lord willing.

Blessings to you and the rest of your week!

[and I am so very frustrated by the way the pictures taken by the girl turned out on the post. They are not supposed to be spaced out that much or that sporatic. So sorry. enjoy though!]

A rainy Saturday morning.

Psalm 40:1-3
"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him."

Yesterday when I was at my language lessons my teacher, Olga, said something that was saddening. She asked me (in Romanian) how I thought the people in Moldova felt. I said they were happy. Before I could finish the rest of my sentence her face became sad and she said, "No, no they aren't." I stopped abruptly and just looked at her. My thoughts and emotions were a bit caught off guard. I have heard from other Moldovans that they don't like where they live and they don't have patriotism at.all. Olga continued to tell me that the people in Moldova don't know how to have hope. The people are constantly jealous and envious of those around them.
It made my heart heavy. This woman that I have grown close to in a friendship, who loves her country and wants to best for it, knows that her people are unhappy. That looks so different to us Westerners who think that if you are unhappy, change something about your life so that you are. Why not change if it benefits you? Olga asked me. We came up with that some people are used to a generational cycle of poverty, apathy, poor education (if any), and lack of knowledge about the environment around them.
Be praying with us for the people in Moldova to find joy and happiness and faith and trust in Christ.

Oh beautiful Friday!

This week has been wonderful; full of laughs, smiles, questions, answers, frustration, tears, and love. Life in Moldova has proven to be an assortment of so many emotions.
Each Wednesday night, Caroline and I stay the night at the Freedom Home. This past Wednesday we arrived at the home and the girls were in the kitchen making dinner. They had smiles on their faces and welcomed us saying Buna Ziua Ana, Buna Zia Caroline. We played with the children, outside and inside. Their joy for life that night was contagious. As we all sat down for dinner, it felt like this was a family. The Freedom Home is family for these girls. It probably brings a sense of security and love in their lives. If it hasn't yet, it will. Pray with me right now that if there are girls at the home who don't feel loved or taken care of, that they will today. God is so good and pray is so powerful.
The Freedom Home has a ping-pong table. I'm asked every Wednesday (since it has been set up) to play with one of the girls. Lets just say the first time I played, she felt very bad for me and we quite early. This Wednesday night was not going to be that night. We played and played. We laughed...and at one point so hard you couldn't hear out laughs anymore. We were pretending that we were ping-pong champions and the crowds were cheering out name. It was glorious. Then...then I slammed into the wall. I was the closest to the wall and I was so concentrated on the ball coming across the table that I forgot to slow down as I was stepping backwards. BAM! Full force into the wall. I've never seen her laugh so hard at me. She was on the ground and reenacted the scene quite a few times for the rest of the night. These were precious moments that I have loved so much this week!
There are so many stories that involve the Freedom Home this week, some highlights:
In the mornings they have devotions and it is a beautiful thing to see the girls hungry for the Word of God and willing to ask alot of questions.
They have ALOT of cherries at the home during this time of year. Yesterday I was eating one and one of the girls came up to me and said, carne? I started to laugh so hard! It is a joke that the worms inside some of the cherries are great protein, so hence, they call them carne. meat.
And also yesterday morning I felt like there was a bug on my neck but I was around the kids and I didn't want to scream so I tried to compose myself. The bug wouldn't leave my neck! So I quickly turned around in my chair and who was standing there, the girl who said carne earlier in the morning!! We laughed so hard and she was making fun of me in Romanian. Love it!

well I have a yummy breakfast awaiting me. I pray you are all having a great day! Thank you so much for your prayers and support.

It's Moldova.

Today was a valiant day for one of the girls at the home. She faced her trafficker today in court. We are all so proud of her courage and strength. We aren't sure how the court hearing will go but we are praying for her favor and not the scumbags. If had been in that court room, Lord only knows what I would've done to that horrible man who thought it was a great idea to hurt and abuse women and girls. I'm sure if I ever am in that situation God will deal with my feelings directly.
I'm so happy for her though. God is doing a great thing in her life andbe praying for the other girls who have not yet testified against their trafficker. God is a God of justice and those men who hurt them can be caught! And God will give these girls courage and strength. The Freedom Home has an amazing staff of women who are ready to stand right alongside these girls. So blessed to be apart of what God is doing.
It was a good day at the home. The girls make beautiful art pieces for the local Salvation Army so they were busy with those projects today. One of the girls has been at hair school for the past few days. She comes back with a smile on her face everytime :) The 4 kids at the home are doing great. They have become more familiar with Carolin and I over the past few weeks and it is always so wonderful when they come running to you when you arrive at the home. Their laughs are contagious. Their smiles are contragious. Theire simple love for life is contagious. Little kids are the organic root to the simplicity and happiness of life.
The girls and staff are still in their English lessons and they are blossoming. I love being in the room and seeing them learn. It makes them so happy when they figure out what a word means or how to pronounce a word correctly.
Prayer requests for the home:
-Still be praying for a Director for the home. Transition can be hard for the girls and staff so be praying for peace and security in each one of their lives. (the former director left for personal reasons and the home (and Raatz') are praying and seeking the Lord for a new one)
-Pray for the girls as they (one by one) are testifying against their traffickers. They are heroes and worthy of so much. Though, these hearings can be difficult to go to because they have to see their former trafficker face to face. And sometimes the girls (not the ones at FH) are bribed to not show up to court. It is a horrible cycle and too many pimps are getting off free from the pain and despair they have caused to so many women and children.
-Praying for finances for the home
-Pray for more homes to open up throughout Moldova. (if you read enough books about sex trafficking you may notice that many Eastern European girls are trafficked to Russia, Asia and Western Europe. They are trafficked for many reasons (lied to by others, given fake jobs, poverty, kidnapped..the list can go on) and many go back to the same situations. These homes are a safe haven and a family community for these women and girls.
Thank you for coming alongside all of us in Moldova and praying for these girls!
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There have been some really funny things that have happened in the past week and I just have to share them with you!:
Recently Caroline and I have seen too many big bellies! The men love to cool off their bellies from the summer heat by lifting up their shirts and tucking it in to the top of their belly. These picturesque beauts can be seen on most rutieras that transport us all around Chisinau. Gets me everytime.
Another thing is the hair here. The women have Dolly Parton hair and Im afraid that something..or someone lives inside of it.
Hahahahaha also it's always interesting to muscle your way out of the 101 rutiera at 10pm on any given night. It's usually full of sweaty, smelly, TALL people who pack into the car like a herd of elephants! It's hilarious! There are countless times where when I step out of the rutiera it feels like I go from a heater to a ice-box in less than 1 second.

It has been a wonderful day in Moldova. Finished the day with curry chicken, rice, peas, italian salad, carrots and water made by the infamous Nancy Raatz.

and...

right at this moment: nancy, caroline and I are laughing histerically to just about everything we hear and see while sitting in the living room. you'd have to see it to believe it but you'd be laughing right along with us. It's been a good day. God is so good.

comfy clothes on a Sunday.

Oh Sundays, how I love that you make me want to wear cut-off sweats and a t-shirt right after church. Your slow-moving time with your care-free thoughts has caused me to do exactly that.
I have been in my comfy clothes since I arrived home from church. I am proud of my choice.
And as I sit here, with a cup of coffee at just an arms length away, my mind goes back to the experiences and stories of today.
There was something that I was told on my way to church today that just made my skin ripple. It is a horrible story about a young girl who is a beggar that is frequently seen at this particular intersection in the city. Today we saw her at that intersection on our way to church. She seemed so distraught but was always smiling. I kind of wish I had taken a picture of her. Nancy then told us that she was an orphan at a certain orphanage in Chisinau and she was at this place in the city most all of the time. She said she heard from a friend of hers that this young girl was taken advantage of by thirty men one night. thirty men. I was disgusted at the male race. I was angry at the demand for young girls to suffice the needs of man. When it crosses your mind, be praying for this girl and all girls alike in the world who are coerced to do things they don't want.
That is really the only story that stood out in my mind.

The rest of the day has been spent going to the market and purchasing fresh vegetables. An absolute favorite of mine.
In the past week I finished a book. I recommend reading it if you have the time:
"Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery by Siddhartha Kara".
I sit here thinking, When will we see the beauty amidst the desperation from the millions who have no voice?

a morning not planned correctly.

Psalm 25:12-13- Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose. They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land.

This morning did not start off as planned. I decided that working out first would be the best idea...hahahha not. Totally wrong idea Annie-Laurie. The T.V. didn't work so no Jillian Michaels and I quickly resorted to frustration at myself and the T.V. Stupid I know, but we all have those mornings. Little did I realize (or want to realize) was that if I had taken a step back, prayed, taken a deep breath, the idea of using my laptop would have been my first reaction. But no, my flesh was the first to respond. The laptop ended up working but after the workout, I practically ran to the Word. I am reading in Psalms and this is what I stumbled upon. He will instruct them in the ways they should choose. To enjoy my day, to enjoy my life I need to be saturated and choose to live with the God-desires of my heart, not the flesh-desires of my heart.

this.week.has.gone.by.too.fast...again.

It really seems that time flies while doing things that you love. I find that concept so alive and true when at the end of the day you plop down on the couch and let out a deep breath and think "Today was a good day. It wasnt perfect, but it was a good." As of right now, my hands still smell like baby. My hair has been in a side braid for more than a month. I need a shower and clean clothes. The dress I am wearing has become my closest companian with the summer heat. My love for cherries is slowly dwindling (as I have too many every time we pick them..). Apples are still my favorite fruit. Hillsong fills my hears and mind with the wonderful praises about my King. I'd say that this sums up the end of my day, everyday.
My heart for the girls at FH just swells up with care and love with each day that I spend with them. I get to see how they interact with each other (and with not knowing Romainan very well yet or Russian at all, I can see that actions definitely speak louder than words :)). Last night we went to the store with a few of the girls from FH to get some late-night snacks (girls are the same all over the world!). I saw that one of the girls was getting some meat from the deli and I was thinking "what is she going to do with all that meat?". As we arrived home (with 10 mins until curfew, whew!), she put her daughter to bed, went straight to the kitchen, counted every one in the kitchen, pulled out the cut bread and then cut up the meat. It was a beautiful thing to see. As she was passing out the food to everyone I leaned over to Caroline and said something like, "Caroline, her gift is to give and make sure everyone is comfortable. I would want to hurt whoever thought it was o.k. to hurt her." Everytime I spend more and more time with the girls and their children, I find myself sometimes thinking that if I ever came in contact with the people who hurt them, I might hurt them! I am so thankful that they are at the Freedom Home. They can find freedom and hope. God is so good and He is revealing His love and safety to each girl, day by day.

Today we picked cherries. There were so many!

The girls at the home are going to make jam, soooo good!

I hope that you are having a great week. Thank you for your continued support and prayers!

Prayer Requests:

-Permanent/regular counselor at the Home

-Continued restoration for the girls

-Steady and secure staff for the Home

good evening!

[two things] first: some men in moldova don't shave their armpits. today a man at the mall was stretching his arms, he had a tank on and there was no hair. I repeat no hair in the pits. Definitely caught me off guard.
second: please try to say "fish mcwrap" 10xs fast.

hahahahaha.

This weekend was nice and relaxing. We found a Moldovan garage sale on Saturday and I fell in love with all of the knick-knacks they had. I definitely plan on going back to that glorious find. We went to the market and got some fresh veggies and fruit. We made a fantastic Italian Pasta for dinner on Saturday and we are still snacking on it. Sunday was a great day at church and it was wonderful to see the girls from the Freedom Home being welcomed so warmly by this small church. There really is freedom rolling through their veins from this church, God is so moving in their lives. Little Elena was a hoot during the whole service :)

And it rained like no other last night. There were instant floods in many of the streets in our neighborhood and man was it loud.

Today as I was walking to the Freedom Home from my language lessons I just had to take some pictures of the cool things I see everyday.

I love the beauty in Moldova. It's so creative, rustic, and simple.

There was a heaviness on the Home today. The women were sensitive and there just seemed to be a heightened level of emotions circulating through the Home. Always be praying for these women and all the women who are victims of slavery around the world. They each go through so much and have to deal with more than we can imagine after. Pray for a house counselor for the home; someone who can regularly come to the home and counsel the women.

And tonight Caroline and I (along with some new YWAM friends) ventured to Malldova and went bowling! It was a blast!

La Revedere!

[Oh! And we were caught in a very closed-quartered rutiera from the Mall tonight. After slithering through the rough crowd, I thought "I think may now know what my child will go through when birthing..." A thought that quickly fleeted from my mind. No worries.]

Friday, friday, friday, fryday, frieday, friday.

At 6am this morning, I was woken up by a loud noise of the rain hitting the tin roof located right underneath our window. Not that those italicized words mean anything other than the tin roof was conveniently built right below all the apartment windows ;) But it reminded me of the times when my family and I lived in Oregon. We would camp by the coast multiple times in the summer. And every morning there was always a morning rain shower, dad was already up making coffee for him and mom, and usually there were hot cocoa packets in the igloo bins for Audrey and I. I remember having to grab a swooshy-raincoat from my suitcase, slip on my flip-flops, pull back the hair, zip up my sleeping bag, then enjoy a yummy camp-style breakfast on the damp, wooden benches with the Pacific coast breeze gently making its way through the campsites. Those times are precious to me and I was so happy that this morning reminded me of those sweet times.

We had a mentoring time with Andy and Nancy this morning, it is a great time and I am learning so much about leadership. We are going through the book, The Making of a Leader. Inside of this I am figuring out that I am in the Inner-Life Growth stage, full of tests; obedience, integrity, and Word tests along with analyzing past experiences and seeing what we have learned. This internship has come at such a great time in my life.

After our time at the Raatz', I quickly gathered all of my belongings and headed to the main road to catch a rudiera to Olga's house for Romanian lessons. I really enjoy my times with Olga. She is such a sweet woman to talk to, she loves talking about "her" Moldova. I have not only learned language but also so much about this culture and who the people are. Over fruit tea, coffee, and little biscuits, we talked about Transnistria. A portion of land that divides Moldova and Ukraine on the east side. It was so interesting to hear what she had to say about the country, such a mysterious place to me. I encourage you to research about this piece of land, it is super interesting.

I was able to spend a few hours at the Home today. The women seemed a bit on edge, but then again it had been raining off and on all morning and being coop-ed up inside a big house all morning is SO not fun. They were out on that swing-set before I could say the rain had let up ;) These girls are becoming more and more dear to my heart. It is going to be so hard to leave. No, I won't think about it.

They had English lessons today. It was exciting to see the girls wanting to learn and catching on to different words and sounds. I think that they help each other too much during the lecture portion but hey, who cares right? Slowly but surely each little one woke up from their naps. Elena was the last to wake up and her momma was out at the store so I had the honors of feeding her noodles. It was a joy to see her act out "cooling-down" the noodles and then pretending to eat them. Her beautiful smile and mischevious laugh brought joy to my heart.

As the sun has completely disappeared on the horizon, Im left with remembering the Lords faithfulness. Not quite so sure why it is on my mind but nevertheless this isn't a bad note to end a day on. God is good, all the time. He is there at the Freedom Home protecting those girls and their children. He is in Missouri protecting my family from whatever may come their way and He is right here beside me as my eyes are becoming drowsy and with my mind thinking, "7am comes too quickly.."