Romania Prayer Letter - 10.23.2007

"The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands."
- Psalm 138:8

Hello everyone!

Well I apologize I am a little past my normal date of writing you all. I had to wait until today to go to my final orthopedic doctor appointment to find out about my knee and back. Basically the doctor said that there is degeneration in my lower spine and that there isn’t really anything to do about it right now, other than to work on strengthening my core muscles. As for my knee, he believes that it is inflamed due to the injury in May and the fact that I am on my feet all day at work. So I am signed up for a couple more weeks of physical therapy before I leave to learn the exercises that I need to keep doing before I leave and while I am in Romania.

And now on to the good exciting news. Because I do not need surgery I will be leaving for Romania in 21 days!!!! I am so happy that this time is finally coming near. It has been a very difficult and yet good month for me, this past month. I have made some dear new friends and some old friends have come back into my life who have been such a blessing and given me such support and encouragement through this time.

I give my official notice at work tomorrow, which means I only have 10 days left to work! Crazy! I am going to miss everyone at my job. It has been wonderful working with all the women and moms at Casa Teresa. I know I will keep in touch with many of them.

As for Romania news, I met with Nann from ROCK Ministries a couple of weeks ago. She gave me an update on some of the children from the hospital. One of the girls, Aristrita who is in desperate need of surgery has been given approval from the Romania Government to come to America for about 9 months to have the surgeries she needs. Praise the Lord! This will make such a difference in her life. Dragos, the little partially blind boy who quickly became my favorite on my last trip has been transferred out of the hospital to a hospital closer to his family. This is very sad for me on a selfish level and it is sad because he was responding very well to the physical therapy he was receiving when he was in the hospital in Bucharest. Please keep him in your prayers.

Please also keep me in your prayers. I will be working out to stay healthy but would love it if the Lord would just totally heal me! I know He is able to do this, but if not, pray that I will not be hindered by the pain I experience in my knee and back. These next 3 weeks will go by quickly; I would love to see so many of you before I leave. I will do my best! Please also, if you can, respond with a mailing address, as I may want to send out written notes when I am gone in case it takes a while to get set up with internet.

Lots of love and blessings
Rachel