This month we really have become acquainted with Zalau and the office here. We find it amazing to see the change in the children in the foundation. Just a few short months ago they were little snuggly babies, and now they are demanding little toddlers. We have come to Zalau to take care of Alexandra and Sarah while Barbara returned to the States for a couple of weeks to tend to critical business there. However, after a week here full-time we have come to see the reasoning behind God’s leading us to open another office in Zalau. For just in our building, we have found the twenty families here to be in dire need. Many of them have been left embittered by the years under communism. They are suspicious of anything or anyone that may be a change in their lives. The older people sit with their faces fixed, starring out at the street, daring to talk to only old familiar faces. It is a dry and thirsty land and an open field for ministry, so why wouldn’t God put an office here. Over the weekend I have been impressed to greet each family in our building with a friendship basket to follow up on the tracts that were placed in the mailboxes last month. In the past I have seen tremendous inroads of God’s Spirit into the homes when I have been impressed to take baskets like these. Much prayer goes before and during the stuffing of these baskets. We know that most of the people who will receive these baskets are not starving physically and the food itself will only serve as a blessing rather than critically needed food. However, we are praying that as each basket is delivered that the love of God will go forth and begin to break down the walls of prejudice, suspicion, and loneliness and despair.

Office/Home Giving:

Just an update on the girls who have been in our transitioning program for sometime now. Monica who was the first to come into the program has reached the goal we all have been waiting for. She is now able to support herself financially. She has accomplished a great deal while in the program but more so she has grown to be a mighty lady of God. Her witnessing skills overwhelm team members when they see Monica’s bold way of presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ. We at Calea are very proud of Monica and her desire to allow God to use her anyway He so desires. This year her desire is to return to school; however, it will cost her around $250.00 a year. Her heart was so set on gaining a higher education so we ask that you pray for Monica in regard to this desire.

Ana, another one of our girls who is the mother of Manny one of our babies in the “Center for Chosen Children”, has not reached the goal of total independence yet. She only makes 1,400.000 lei a month (which is around$ 43.00) and rent here is $70.00 to $80.00 a month. The foundation covers all living costs above their salaries. Ana has had to transition from living on the streets to being a working mother with a small baby. For 1½ year she has been in many training sessions with us and many times we thought it would be in vain. But God has shown us that He can take those whom many find to be impossible and He can transform them into a wonderful piece of art. She has a long way to go but don’t we all!

Vali has just this year in July left our center to go on to higher area in her life. She is now in training with the “Youth with a Mission” program. We are very proud to say that Vali has gone from a very nervous and fearful young girl to a very confident young lady. Now when she desires to go into new areas of life she doesn’t just cry and say she can’t do it. She goes forth trying to find out how she can make it come about for her. What a success story just seeing these girls’ accomplishments this year!

Copiii Regeliu has completed a successful summer program in Ferma Larga. We knew that God had a divine appointment for us and for the families in Ferma Larga, but with the situation with my health, we weren’t sure if that appointment was for this summer. Then a local pastor let us borrow his van for the summer which meant that once we finally got the van registered (and I do mean “finally”) that we would have transportation for the team. Praise the Lord, we have completed 10 weeks of children’s programs and I have to tell you that each week my health became stronger and stronger. During the last four programs we had local teen-agers help with the program. What a tremendous blessing! We feel God is definitely not finished with Ferma Larga, but rather opening new doors to ministry

in this village. I thank God for the awesome opportunity to set my feet back on children’s program ground, to see the children’s faces each week and to talk with them about Jesus, the Great Shepherd, right in the middle of a flock of sheep while the local shepherd listened to the stories. I remember that shortly after I came to Romania that one day while Rita and I were praying I saw as we prayed green luxurious fields with sheep grazing all around. Suddenly the sheep headed up the hill and into an enclosure while off to the side stood a young shepherd smiling. We at Calea are so thankful for the opportunity of seeing the reality of this vision. As we tend the Lord’s flocks, He stands beside approvingly. We thank you, God, for letting us tend your sheep.

Besides ministry outreaches we have been in major construction this year. A new roof was put on the house. In less than 2 weeks everything was completed thanks to Mr. Cyril Englert from Indiana who worked with a Romanian team of men and taught them the fast American way of doing things. After the roof project David and Diane Smoot led a team of plumbers that installed 2 bathrooms and remodeled 2 rooms for our nursery area. I had envisioned all this construction being done when I purchased the house last year but never in my mind thought it would be so beautiful. These teams who gave of their time and money not only had a hand in ministering to us here at Calea but also have been the workers that brought forth a vision shown by God. Besides all the daily routine business of missions’ office, we spend a lot of time gathering clothes for families and villages, and also preparing for the weekly children’s programs in Ferma Larga. Then too there is all the paper-work for the 2 children that one of our volunteer staff, Barbara Caver, wants to adopt. While all the business marches on, we are still under construction trying to finish as much as we can before the winter sets in.

Despite all that the enemy has tried to stop us from doing this year it has been an extraordinary year of ministry outreaches. We have seen the Lord’s work in all that has been accomplished this year, whether it has been construction or literally ministering the gospel from door to door. The accomplishments this year have been witnessed not only by us but also by our co-laborers for the work of our Lord.

Thank you all for your prayers and support for the work and ministry in Romania. We ask you to keep the office in Zalau in your prayers. There is tremendous resistance to the Gospel here. Mockery and persecution is a daily matter to be contended with.

Yours in Christ,

Freddy and Rita McClure

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