Rachel's Romania Update - August 2009

"But I will hope continually,
And will praise You yet more and more."
Psalm 71:14

Hello everyone!

I hope this letter finds you all doing well. The month of August has come and gone.

I had a rough beginning of the month health wise (basically continuing from July). The bronchitis I got in July carried into the first week of August. The doctor I had met with said I had come back too soon after the sinus infection and that is why I got the bronchitis, so she recommended that I take some time off of working directly with the children. Well this worked out perfectly actually, as Cami (the play therapist I work with) was taking a 3 week vacation. So, for part of that time, I was sick in bed with bronchitis and for the rest of that time I was busy and thankfully HEALTHY!

I helped out with a lot of organizing in our donation room at the hospital, and helped put together boxes for families we support. Sometimes the social worker in the hospital, who we work with, will ask to put together boxes of clothes for families who have nothing. So I put together some boxes for them as well this month.

We also met for the first time with our new group of gypsy girls we are going to begin mentoring. They are much younger than the girls from the other group, most of them are only 12 or 13. They were fun! For all of them, it was their first time riding in a car, their first time out of their village and into Brasov City, their first time eating at McDonald’s and their first time having Cotton Candy! We wanted this first meeting with them to just be fun and to let them know what we will be doing, how we will have fun together, and learn more about the Bible and if they need to talk to us they can. After McDonald’s we were going to walk to the Square in the Center and “window shop”. The other girls group LOVES doing this, but they were so sweet, they all wanted to go to the park and play on the swings! We could really see the difference in ages between our teen girls and these girls. It was a lot of fun and a lot of firsts for them! I’m really looking forward to meeting with these girls every month.

One weekend, I was able to go along with my missionary friend Amanda, to help move a dear young lady, Meda to another part of Romania from Brasov. First we drove 4.5 hours up to Bistrita where Amanda was going to be moving, then we drove over 7 hours to Petrosani to move Meda. Then Amanda and I drove back to Brasov another 7+ hours. It was great in Petraosani, meeting people who are special to Meda and spending some time with them before we “saw her off.” Amanda and I stayed the night with another missionary friend and had such a wonderful time of fellowship. It was such a blessing.

On the way home, we stopped in a city called Sibiu for lunch and to walk around. Sibiu was Europe’s Culture City for 2007. It makes you feel like you are in an old part of Germany or something. It is a truly beautiful city. One that I had always wanted to visit, so that was fun! It was also a blessing to spend so much time with my friend Amanda before she moved up to Bistrita. She is a dear friend and it was good to have that time of fellowship and lots of talking together! Sometimes it can be sad being a missionary, when you finally become friends with someone and feel comfortable with them, either they or you move on to a new place. It means you have friends all over the country and the world, but it can be lonely not having them in the same city as you.

A little over a week ago, I had my missionary friend Kelly out from Oradea. It was so much fun having her here with me. Kelly goes home on vacation for the first time in 2 years, in justa few weeks, so this was my last time to see her for 6 months at least! It was great! She helped me with the organizing at the hospital one day, and for 2 days we all went up to a kids camp in the mountains. I had made little gift bags for some of our girls from the mentoring program who were there, so we were able to see them and the girls from HFTN led the group of almost 90 kids in songs! It was so fun to be a part of! I spent a few hours running around playing kick ball and Frisbee with the kids while the HFTN girls practiced their songs for the night. It was really beautiful up there and the kids, all of whom are very poor, were having such a blast, playing and hearing about the Lord.

I returned to my kids in the hospital this past week. I missed them and Cami SO very much! It’s been great being back with them.

Next month promises to be busy and exciting as well, with lots of people coming out to help out at the hospital and to help with the gypsy girls. I am also going to have a meeting with a lady about helping out one afternoon a week with the Hospice program for children that is close to me. We’ll see how the meeting goes, before I commit to anything, but I’m interested in seeing what they do there for the children. Please keep this in prayer for me, for wisdom.

At the end of September my really good friend Susie is flying out from the States to visit me! I am SO excited! It will be wonderful to have a close friend out and a blessing! Susie was actually with me the last time I came to Romania in March 2007, right before I decided to move here. She has been to Brasov before and is looking forward to visiting the hospital and meeting my kids.

At the beginning of October Susie and I will be going to Italy together! I have been trying to save to have spending money as Susie is blessing me for my birthday (and just because she is great) by paying for all of our lodging! We found amazing airplane tickets to Italy from Romania for about $100 round trip (It’s only like a 2.5 hour flight)! Isn’t that great! We are staying in monasteries the whole time, which sounds pretty neat to me. I told Susie I don’t care if I live off of bread and water, I’m just so excited to go and to take lots and lots of pics! I’ve never been before and neither has she so it should be great. Plus, my good missionary friends, Tim and Liz have decided to join us. Mainly for the traveling around part and then we will do our own thing in country. But it will be nice to meet up with them and to travel with them, and we are all staying at the same monasteries too. So it will be such a great time of new experiences, fellowship and rest! If any of you have been to Italy please feel free to give me some tips of things to see!

Well I hope you are all doing great. Please feel free to email me, or facebook me anytime! I love hearing from you all.

Prayer Requests:

1. Please keep my health in your prayers, I would love to be healthy for the rest of the year!

2. Please keep the month of September in your prayers as it proves to be a busy one!

3. For the Lord to continue to provide for all my needs

4. For wisdom in general, and specifically if I should move somewhere less expensive than where I am living now, as well as wisdom regarding volunteering with Hospice.

5. For safety for all those coming out to visit Brasov

6. For the kids at the hospital, the gypsy girls and my dear neighbor!

Grace and Peace,

Rachel

Like-Minded

Sea of White
Originally uploaded by rachel_titiriga

"Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
-Romans 15:5-6

I have this verse posted by my bed. As I glanced at it tonight, I wondered to myself, why it is that this verse is so difficult for us as Christians to live out. Why do we have to have so many things that separate us and cause us to be anything but "like-minded"?

It's true we are each different, the Lord has created us to be individuals, not cookie cutter Christians. He has given us a free will, He has blessed each of us with unique gifts, that together we may make up the Body of Christ. But I would think, that a "body" only has one mind. Why is it, that we run around like individual bodies, with our own agenda. Why can't we do as the verse says and "with ONE mind and ONE mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"

That's my own prayer for me, and for the Christians in Brasov, and in Romania and in the States and in the World. Let us be like-minded, let us Glorify our Father with ONE mind and ONE mouth! What a HUGE impact we would make on this world if we JUST DID THAT.

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AW Tozer Devo

Day 38 - 2 Corinthians 4:6
Originally uploaded by rachel_titiriga

Evangelism: Only the Spirit Can Give Sight

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
--2 Corinthians 4:3-4

The uncomprehending mind is unaffected by truth. The intellect of the hearer may grasp saving knowledge while yet the heart makes no moral response to it. A classic example of this is seen in the story of Benjamin Franklin and George Whitefield. In his autobiography Franklin recounts in some detail how he listened to the mighty preaching of the great evangelist. He even walked around the square where Whitefield stood to learn for himself how far that golden voice carried. Whitefield talked with Franklin personally about his need of Christ and promised to pray for him. Years later Franklin wrote rather sadly that the evangelist's prayers must not have done any good, for he was still unconverted....

The inward operation of the Holy Spirit is necessary to saving faith. The gospel is light but only the Spirit can give sight. When seeking to bring the lost to Christ we must pray continually that they may receive the gift of seeing. And we must pit our prayer against that
dark spirit who blinds the hearts of men. Born After Midnight, pp. 62-63

Be Obedient and Be a Light

#017 - Fire
Originally uploaded by rachel_titiriga

"But I’m Not Qualified

God has the hardest time conscripting men to do His work. When God called Moses at the burning bush, Moses said, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent” (Ex 4:10). When God called Saul, Saul said, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin?” (1 Sam 9:21). When God called Jeremiah, He heard the response, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth” (Jer 1:6). And as God called Gideon, Gideon’s reaction to the call of God was “O my Lord how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (Judges 6:15).

It is interesting that God so often chooses a man who is humble to do His work. And it is probably this very attitude of humility that God is often looking for when seeking a servant to go out and do His work. God’s answer to the lack of qualifications is always the same: “I am with you.”

And that is His answer to us, as we cry out in weakness and inadequacy. And if God is for us, who can be against us?"

Pastor Chuck Smith

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I read this last night and have been thinking about it off and on….it’s so good to know that these men, who we look at as being so “great”, when they were called by God, did not look at themselves as being ‘great’. I often wonder, if I audibly heard the voice of the Lord as these men did, would I really argue with what He said to me? Who knows, or maybe it is because when you are so much in the presence of One who is perfect and whole, it would make you realize how imperfect and incomplete you are. Would I be like Isaiah and say,

“ Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The LORD of hosts.”

I think I would probably be like Isaiah. But also like Isaiah, I would hope that in response to the Lords call, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” I would respond, “Here am I! Send me.”

That verse in Isaiah 6:8, was actually one of the verses the Lord used to confirm my call here to Romania. I had asked the Lord to confirm His will for me through my daily reading….and I thought to myself “there is no way, I’m in the Old Testament, how is the Lord going to confirm His call for me to be a missionary out of Isaiah?” I don’t know what I was thinking, I opened up my Bible to my bookmark, on Isaiah 6, and was amazed as I read the first 8 verses. It is true that I am so unworthy to be used by the Lord, and often times, even now, I find myself going “wow Lord, are You sure You want to work through ME???” But He is so loving, He wants to work in and through each of us. The call is the same, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

So back to the Devo, what made those men, who doubted that the Lord could use them, such great men? They were obedient to the call, and more importantly the Lord was with them. We as Christians have the great commission. It is so important that we are obedient. We are ALL called to preach the gospel. That isn’t something just certain people are called to. The Lord may use us differently to do this, some are pastors, some teachers, some evangelists, and some share the gospel through personal relationships, one on one, in the work place, or with friends.

I have really been feeling such a burden to share the gospel more with people here in Romania. Everyone needs the good news. Sometimes we can get wrapped up in the “doing”, in being “good”. But as I have talked about before, it will make no difference, if we feed the poor, give them clothes, visit them in the hospital, if we do not ever share Jesus with them. If they go to Hell with a full stomach and clothes on their backs, what good is that? Just be open to the Lord’s commission on each of our lives, be obedient, look for opportunities to just talk about the Lord and what He has done in your life with those around you. The greatest sermon is the one you LIVE daily.

Be a light.

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Strange

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Originally uploaded by rachel_titiriga

Well, it seems to be one of those mornings where I am feeling a bit strange. Sometimes this happens . . . the weather is beautiful out, the sun is shining but it's cool out, like fall is around the corner. But I'm feeling a bit anxious, or . . . I don't know . . . like I want to get in my car and just drive for hours and take pictures and listen to worship music really loud with all my windows rolled down. Sometimes, not having a car is such a bummer!

Speaking of which, I realized the other day that my driver's license expired on my birthday! And since I have NEVER had to get a new picture taken, it appears that 14 years with a picture of me frozen at 16 on my drivers license is long enough...I can't renew my license by mail. I have to go into the California DMV and get a new picture (FINALLY) and a thumb print and an eye test. Oh well, I suppose I will be home sometime in the next 6 months and can get it done then! I'll just be bummed to not be able to drive home from the airport like I did last time I was home! :)

Hm . . . I should be cleaning, I should be getting up and moving with my day, but it seems I am at a standstill. Not sure what to do first....

Car horns are beeping like crazy outside, must be a wedding today. That's nice. They all drive through town beeping their horns at the lead car with the bride and groom.

And now I can hear the church bells ringing. Such a beautiful Sunday morning!

I think I will go make a cup of instant coffee and listen to some worship music and a Bible Study from Pastor Skip Heitzig. Maybe after that I will have a little motivation to some stuff around my house.

Hope you all are having a beautiful morning, or lovely evening as the case may be.

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Inspiring

Open Up to the Light
Originally uploaded by rachel_titiriga

"We always know when Jesus is at work because He produces in the commonplace something that is inspiring"
-Oswald Chambers

Evangelism: Saved to Worship

Reaching Up
Originally uploaded by rachel_titiriga

Give to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
--1 Chronicles 16:29

"We are brought to God and to faith and to salvation that we might worship and adore Him. We do not come to God that we might be automatic Christians, cookie-cutter Christians, Christians stamped out with a die.

God has provided His salvation that we might be, individually and personally, vibrant children of God, loving God with all our hearts and worshiping Him in the beauty of holiness."

-AW Tozer

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*Romania Friends*

*Romania Friends*
Originally uploaded by rachel_titiriga

My good missionary friend Kelly returned to Oradea today. We had a great week of hanging out and fellowship. She returns to the states for a 4 month well deserved break in September. I will miss having her around, even though she lives about 8 hours away! It's always nice having good friends in the country with you.
:)

Sanctification

Day 47 - Playing In The Snow
Originally uploaded by rachel_titiriga

"Am I prepared to let God grip me by His power and do a work in me that is worthy of Himself? Sanctification is not my idea of what I want God to do for me; sanctification is God's idea of what He wants to do for me"
- Oswald Chambers

Much Land Yet to be Possessed

Kelly's Tree
Originally uploaded by rachel_titiriga

Old But Not Finished

“Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the LORD said to him: ‘You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed.’”
Joshua 13:1

“Joshua was said by God to be ‘old, advanced in years’, yet there was still ‘very much land yet to be possessed.’ Joshua was getting old. Maybe he had lost part of his teeth and hair and was slowing down quite a bit. But God wasn’t through with him yet. There was still a lot of work to do.

It can be said of ay of us that we still have ‘much land yet to be possessed.’ Non of us has taken all the spiritual territory that has been promised to us. There are still strongholds that the enemy has in our flesh and plans God has for us that we have yet to fulfill. God wants to complete what He has started in us. You are never too old to advance spiritually. It isn’t time to hang it up until the Lord takes you home.

As I grow older and more advanced in years, I still believe that there is ‘much land yet to be possessed,’ both in me and through me. And as long as god gives me breath, I intend to move forward in the Lord. I am looking forward to seeing what God will do in my life, if the Lord tarries. God’s retirement program is in heaven, hot here on earth. Don’t quit because you are older. There is still much land to possess.”

Pastor Chuck Smith

So I read this devotional tonight. And while I in no way think that I am “advanced in years” I did find so much of this still applied to my life. I really do believe that there is still “much land yet to be possessed” in my life, both here in Romania and in general. I know that the Lord has His plans and I so want my heart and mind to be on the same page as His.

There are days when it can be very hard to not get discouraged by life. And the thought of ‘giving up’ the race and “settling” for a more “simple” 9-5 job back in Cali creeps in on those days. I can grow weary of the constant spiritual battles and even the emotional drain of it. The Lord has however, always been faithful to be patient with me, He allows me to have my cries and tears and hurts and frustrations and just waits for me to come to Him for strength.

I needed strength tonight. I spent a large part of the day sort of in a haze, and very emotionally drained. Spent some time crying and just feeling lost. But I know He is here with me. He wants to strengthen me, He has more planned for me. There is “much land yet to be possessed.”

As Pastor Chuck said, “It isn’t time to hang it up until the Lord takes you home.”

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