On January 26^th Monika arrived in America all smiles and excited that she was seeing the country that she has heard for so long was the land of the free.  Before Monika’s departure from Romania I thought I had everything in order with her flight schedule. I had requested that she be tagged for assistance because I knew she would be scared not having done this before. Everything on the reservation looked as if it was all set and the request for assistance was plainly marked on her reservation.  Taking no chances foundation staff instructed her on meeting her flights and asking questions when she needed help. However, nothing happened like it had been planned. No assistance was given her anywhere!  After she cleared immigration we saw her coming up the escalator without an attendant.  And once all the hugs were over and we had collected her luggage, we learned that she had no assistance on any of her flights. She had literally come clear across half the world completely all on her own. WOW! She made me very proud.  Monika is living proof that the time and teaching of the transition program has been a success with her.  When she first came to the transition program in Cluj she was a shy, young girl that would never hold her head up when you spoke to her.  She never demonstrated in her actions that she had any kind of self-esteem and her spirit had been damaged after being turned out of the orphanage at 18 years of age with no one to help her and with no training given her at the orphanage to prepare her for life on her own.  She went from a life with no hope to God placing her into our care in January 1999.   God orders our steps in life and it is clearly evident that that is exactly what He did in Monika’s life.  For such a time as this God created Monika. God cares for orphans, widows, and those who have no hope. I thank God that HE trusted us with Monika’s care and training.  She has blossomed into a beautiful, young independent lady and can clearly take care of herself even to leaving her native Romania and coming alone to America to embrace the new life that awaits her here. What am I feeling? How proud am I of her? There is this feeling within me that we moms get when we see our little girls which we loved and cared for all those years suddenly fly out of the nest into this big world all on their own. I certainly remember this feeling the day I left my own daughter alone in a big college in Mobile, Alabama and then again when I had to leave both Krys and Andrew when Freddy and I left for Romania. Seeing where God has taken Monika and remembering back the struggles teaching her simple things day in and day out and now watching her take on enormous responsibilities is somewhat overwhelming to me.  I know how hard we tried to teach the girls independence and now right before my eyes I am seeing the proof that the program was successful and that the girls that did not complete the program could have achieved so much more if they had applied themselves and been diligent.  Meanwhile, Monika plugged away day after day in the program and climbed mountains that would not have been available to her seven years ago. She has been faithful to put God first in her life and He has given her the desires of her heart.  Those desires were to marry a good Christian man that would love her for who she is and attend what she calls a “free church” so that she can worship God with all her heart. I am proud of her Christian commitment to seek God for the mate HE had chosen for her. However, none of us ever imagined that God would bring her mate from America and even more that He would bring him from our own home church.  Secondly, Monika desired to worship God freely with joy and thanksgiving.  Many times Monika said to me, “Rita, I would love to go to a church like yours.  The way you talk about your church, that’s the kind of church I want to attend.” Never say that God won’t take your desires and make them HIS desires. Monika’s life is living proof that He delights in giving us our heart’s desires.

Engagement:

Monika and Mark became engaged in Romania last July before he left to return to the States.  And we are looking at their wedding taking place sometime in April. The final date has not been set yet but the two of them are praying and seeking God for the right date. They both wanted a little time to date and reconnect because they had not seen each other since Mark left Romania in July. Our blessings to you both.  Mark and Monika, we love you.

 Update on Alex and Sarah:

I have a victory to report and a setback to relate to you all. The parents of Alex and Sarah have verbally renounced their request to Children’s Protection in Zalau to have the girls returned to their care.  The victory is that the girls have not been placed back into their family’s care but still are in the foundation’s care. We praise God for continuing to protect and provide for Alex and Sarah. It would have been traumatic for the 2 girls to be placed with a family they have only casually known and into an environment that could prove to be life threatening to them. We thank God for this victory!

 Even though the girls’ biological parents have called Children’s Protection and withdrawn their request verbally, they have not yet signed the paper requesting that the girls remain in the care of the foundation, nor have they signed the agreement allowing Mrs. Barbara Caver to adopt the two girls. They told “CP” that they would not sign anything until they talked to me.  We are sure this is only an attempt to prolong the process more and more because they want something in return for the adoption. They intend to press me to put lights and running water in the house they live in. The foundation has told them over and over that we do not have that kind of funding. In fact, I checked into it because of the other children that still remain with the parents and found that it would cost me $2,550.00 just for lights to be hooked up to the house. Personally, if I did have that type money and it would definitely mean that Barbara could finalize the adoption I would do it. However, it is the principle behind it all. The simple fact is that this family is using these children to manipulate the foundation for their own personal gain. It has been a long and difficult road caring for these girls but I am determined to persevere to the end. We will press through to see justice won for Alex and Sarah. We have come too far to quit now. I need wisdom and I need you all to pray. We need to resolve this issue as soon as possible and so we need you all praying that God will move. Only HE can resolve this matter. Only HE can bring down the mountains of greed and jealousy that have taken hold of these parents. ONLY HE can bring JUSTICE and reveal TRUTH. Thank you for your time and your prayers regarding this matter.

 Speaking Engagements:

· On Jan 8^th we spoke at Agape Tabernacle.  Please receive our thanks for the special love offering and your warm welcome.

· On Feb. 19^th we will be in Talking Rock, Georgia with Pastor David and Connie Herring. Thank you for your invitation to come and share about our work in Romania.

· On Feb. 26^th we will be speaking in the morning service at Fountain of Life Church of God in Calera, Alabama. Thank you, Pastor John and Pat Jacks for your invitation to once again come and share about the work in Romania.

· Our thanks to Wings of Faith for your generous donation of our first $5,000.00 toward the reconstruction of the church building in Ferma Larga. Please pray that others will come forward and help in renovating the building for God’s Kingdom this year.  

We Appreciate You!

Our thanks to you all for your faithfulness to continue to lift up our ministry each month in your prayers and for your continued monthly support. We have been seeking God each day to provide for the large increase in the cost of living in Romania and in the increased costs of running the foundation. We all know that only God can bring the increase that we need to continue the work HE has placed in our hands. The costs of paying staff, providing for volunteers and the children, and the costs of running the foundation is overwhelming and it increases month after month. When we are here in the States itinerating, we still have financial responsibilities to those who keep the foundation running. We are in need of greater financial support.  So please pray with us that God will continue to raise up more faithful supporters like you so that we can continue to carry the Gospel of Jesus across Romania. This year will be even more costly to the ministry for planting the church in Ferma Larga. This can only be done if we all join together to work to win the lost for Jesus Christ.

Thank you all!

 Yours in Christ,

Freddy and Rita

If you would like to schedule us to share about the mission work in Romania please call (205) 755-4000 or email

ritamc98@bellsouth.net.