Grace House Girls Selected!!

I am very excited to announce that 9 girls will be moving in this summer to the grace house within the next couple of weeks! The girls have a wide range of needs from being an orphan, being in extreme poverty, being physcially disabled, to have parents who are mentally ill. We chose girls who we saw great potential in, are hard working, and are excited to continue their education. I am so looking forward to getting to know each girl individually this summer. They all have different stories, and personalities, and I have the honor to be with them for 2+ months.

We have already began preparing for the girls to move in. The national director of the grace house and I went shopping for different items for the house. I feel like we have a lot to do in order to be ready for them to move in.

I have also been continuing to teach at BOL, which has been a lot of fun, but tiring. I had no idea how tiring it could be to teach for 7 hours! I am giving teachers a lot of credit!

Please pray for:
Safety for the RHCC team when the fly in on Saturday
The dynamics of the girls in the house
For the girls to accept Natalia, even though she is physically deformed. To read a story about her follow this link: http://www.reflector.com/news/locals-help-burn-victim-595842.html
For the girls to get into the different schools that they want, and will be best for them
For the two girls we are waiting on to hear from if they want to come to the grace house or not.
For Tanya at BOL to have more confidence in learning new things, and to not give up so quickly when she doesn't get something right away.

Another day of English Lessons, and More Interviews for Monday

Yesterday I spent three hours at BOL with the women who live at the rehab center. I met with one at a time for an hour, and we did a 1/2 an hour or English and a 1/2 an hour of Computer skills. I had a great time with these women! They are all very sweet, and enthusiastic to learn. God gave me a lot more patience than I ever knew I had. I had to go really slow through every part of the lesson, and had to repeat things many, many times. It was crazy to me, that a couple of these girls did not even know “Hello.” Two of girls had never used a computer before! I don’t even think they knew how to turn it on. I had to teach them how to use a mouse, how to click, how to shut down, how to start, etc. I also used a typing game online to teach them how to type. They really struggled with keeping their fingers in the right places, but eventually got it. It was a bit of a reality check for me. These women have been in sex slavery for who knows how long, and have not had any of the opportunities to learn like I have. It makes me really thankful for what I have, and gives me even more passion to help women in this situation. I learned how to use a computer when I was a little kid, and this is their opportunity to learn now! It is so essential for them to learn how to use a computer for them to be successful in our society. I am so honored that I get to teach them. I am excited to get to know these women, and to learn about their stories. They probably have endured more than I could ever imagine, and I’m so thankful that they have the chance to have a new life.

Three girls from the South of Moldova were supposed to interview today, but now they are coming on Monday. The past two weeks have been a major test of patience. I am ready to choose the girls who will be in the house, and start on everything we have been planning for them. In addition to the three girls, Natalia will be coming for a second interview. We are also hoping that the other girls from Falesti will come on Monday. We want to make a decision on Tuesday, so they can move in ASAP. Another girl will come stay on Saturday night that my host family knows, and we will interview her as well.

Please pray for me to have patience until they get here!

First English Lesson, Interviews, and Pad Thai!

Today was my first English lesson! I went to BOL and taught my lesson to the staff. I was really nervous, because I had never taught English before, but it went really well! We started by just going through the English alphabet and the sounds that each letter makes. We also went over vowels, greetings, numbers, and times of day. I found this really goofy English video called "Hello English!" It was actually filmed in Romania by some guys from the Peace Corps, and it is pretty much perfect for beginners in English. I am going to include it in my lessons from time to time. I was supposed to start teaching computer and English to the rehab girls too, but I needed to come back to the grace house for interviews.

Three girls came from an orphanage to interview today, and I it was nice to see some of the girls I have led Bible studies with. The one girl, Elaina who I was really hoping to see wasn't able to make it. The girls said she was taken in by a family, but then the director said she was at a summer camp, and would come at another time... I hope she get's to come here! I am so glad to start this process, and anxious for us to decide who will be here.

On Saturday, some Americans brought another girl to interview for a spot at the grace house. Her name is Natalia, and she is 18 years old. She was severely burned by a fire when was an infant and was left deformed. Her hands were sealed shut like flesh covered mittens, and her face was also deformed. She was able to go to the US to have surgery on her hands, and she is able to write, knit, sew, etc. Please pray that Natalia will be placed in the best place for her, and that she will be able to catch up in her education. She was sent to an orphanage for disabled children, and her education was very neglected. We will decide on who is going to be in the grace house until after all the girls are interviewed, and we need God's wisdom in that process.

Saturday night I went to Mall-dova with my friend Kate and her boyfriend. Yes, it is really called Mall-dova, and it is a mall! We went to the food court, and I got Pad Thai!!!!! It was soooo good, probably because I haven't had Chinese food in a while! We played air hockey, and looked at store around the mall. It was a lot of fun!

Tonight I went to church with my roommate, Marianna. One of her friends was sweet enough to translate the whole service to me!

Please pray for:
Wisdom in deciding who will be in the grace house, and that the right girls will be selected.
That God uses me well in teaching English and computer at BOL.
For Victor and Valentina(the people rent out the grace house,) they got in a car accident, and need funding to fix it.

Beginning of Life, Wallpaper, Paris, and Falesti Girls

Today I met with the founder of an organization in Moldova called Beginning of Life ( BOL), and we talked about my involvement this summer. BOL is a nonprofit that started 9 years ago, and began by working with pregnant women who were victims of abuse and often human trafficking. They specialized in prevention of human trafficking, and working with mothers who are aids victims, and have recently ventured into rehabilitation of women who are victims of trafficking in Moldova. Currently there are 4 girls who are in their program; one has been there for 2 months, the other just a few days.

I will be interning with BOL two days a week and my activities will include teaching English to the girls and staff, computer skills, and life skills. I will also help out with their newsletter, camp for mothers and children in August, and a trafficking prevention magazine that will be marketed to young women similar to a fashion magazine.

This Friday, BOL will host an appreciation dinner for the principles of the public schools in the area. These principles allow BOL to do workshops in their schools. The theme of the dinner is Paris! They will have their staff dress up like waiters; have ballet dancers, and an opera singer! They will also have a cake that is shaped like a frog! :) It should be an interesting night, and I am going to help them "design the room."

I will be busy this summer for sure!

Currently I live with another girl, Marianna who is my age and graduated from the orphanage years ago. She is working at the grace house like a R.A, and is heading up renovations of the rooms. Today we worked on getting the wall paper off the walls, and it was a challenge. We have to finish at least 2 rooms before the girls move in a few weeks.

This Thursday several girls from the Falesti camp are supposed to visit the grace house and we will do some interviews. I am very excited to see the girls that I know from Falesti!

Prayer Requests:
That I am prepared to lead an English and Computer Lesson for the girls in the rehab center, and the staff by Tuesday June 16.
That I get better from the cold that I have.
That I make time to learn Romanian; so many people speak English here!
That God will prepare my heart for the women at the rehab center and the grace house.

I made it to Moldova!

Last night I finally arrived to Moldova, and I could not been any more excited to be here! The past two weeks I had the opportunity to travel around Europe on my way here. I went to Paris, London, and Dublin, and had so many amazing experiences. Thanks to the economy, and the opportunity to make the trip over to Moldova I was able to travel to Europe at a very low cost.

I was scheduled to arrive on June 5th, but was surprised to find out that my flight was canceled! I was stranded in London by myself, but God really provided for me by having a hotel and food covered by the airline. I flew the next day from London to Romania, and almost missed my flight to Moldova, because it was late. I ran to my gate and I made it!

I am living in the Grace House which is extremely close to another house owned Victor and Valentina, who are landlords of the Grace House. I am also living with another girl who is going to help keep an eye on the girls this summer. Her name is Mariana, and she is around my age, but doesn't know English!

Currently there are not any girls in the Grace house, but we are starting to prepare for the new girls tomorrow! We are going to do some renovations to the rooms, prepare lesson plans, and interview girls. I will be diving into Romanian, and helping Valentina and Mariana with English.

I am also going to start volunteering at a safe house for women who have been through human trafficking, it is called Beginning of Life and I start on Tuesday!

Please pray for wisdom in deciding which girls would be best for the grace house, a smooth transition for me and the girls when they arrive in a few weeks, and that I can prepare for them the best way that I can!

Thanks for reading :)