A moving, flying visit, but as always important and filled with emotions.
We arrive Saturday 19 and return Tuesday 21 May. It’s just me (Luca) and Max this time. The schedule of tasks isn’t intense, so we’re hoping to be able to spend a bit more time with the kids at the farm.
As soon as we arrive, the kids run to meet us and in a moment God reminds us of why it’s worthwhile to serve in this way. God is good! Seeing them smile and finally living their childhood after what they went through fills us with joy. Sunday goes quickly: after worship with the church of Negrești and at Pădureni, where Max and I have the privilege of sharing and preaching the word of God, we meet the children of the village and their mothers. There’s no sign of the dads. At this time of year, the days are lovely and the farm is wonderful, ideal for spending the afternoon playing with Luiza, Lorena, Ionela, Denis and Luigi. Even Patricia, who’s the youngest, wants to join in with everything! 😀 The same evening, we decide to take them to a pizzeria to eat some pizza, but they have to go to bed on time because the next day it’s school again. Unfortunately, the terrible things experienced by these children are not yet fully resolved and in the evening, once the kids have been put to bed, we talk a bit with Mihaela and Nicu about how to deal with the problems, and the consequences that the events of the kids’ recent past have had on them. May God help us, because we don’t have all the answers. They’re young and shower you with affection, but the truth is that certain ghosts of the past are still there. On Monday evening, we celebrate Luiza’s 11th birthday; a cake, a game and tears from her, because it’s the first time that someone has remembered and celebrated her birthday. It’s a special feeling for us too, and will be a particular reason to remember this trip. We can only thank God for this ministry! God, you are a wonderful God, great and powerful; help us to share our faith with these little ones, please save them! Luca
- Luca con tutti i fratellini / Luca with all of the siblings
