Saturday, September 16, 2017

Planning, Planning, Planning

Now that fall is right around the corner (hopefully...it's been very hot here in Romania) it's time to start getting ready for our school year programming. The kids started back to school this Monday, the 11th, and we've had a chance to start talking to the teachers and caregivers about our plans.

I will be conducting large group Character Classes at both Voluntari and Periș. In the spring we focused on building emotional intelligence and learning to identify emotions. This fall we will be learning about how to communicate our emotions effectively and how to cope with strong emotions.
Making some handouts for Character Class. I'll give these out to kids who I notice appropriately handling their emotions throughout the week.
One of the things I look forward to most about school year programs is meeting one on one for counseling sessions with kids. This is where we look at issues they are facing and try to process them and develop healthy ways of dealing with the myriad of situations they face. I'll be working with kids who struggle with depression, anxiety, ADHD, adjustment disorder, and host of other issues this fall. I love working with the kids and developing the one on one relationship as well as seeing them grow and learn.
I think I'm going to need a bigger binder for all my resources!
This fall Heather and I will be starting some new Bible classes at the orphanages. We are introducing a Junior Youth Group at both Periș and Voluntari as we have many pre-teens who are entering into an impressionable stage in their lives. We are hoping to provide them with a Biblical knowledge base that will lead them as they enter their teen years.

We are also starting a Bible Class with the youngest kids at Periș. After summer camps this year we felt a strong leading to continue building on what these little ones had begun to learn. Since this was the first year at our summer camps for over half of our littlest kiddos it was also the first time that some of them had been exposed to God's Word in a meaningful way.

Finally, we are hoping to begin a Sunday morning program with the kids at Periș. We would have a time of singing and prayer and also a time of review of the things they had learned in Bible Class and Youth Group during the week.
Sami and I from earlier in the summer. I'm praying that he will get involved in some of the activities we are starting in the fall.
As I worked through all the ministry plans that I have in mind for the fall I realized that my work here in Romania is only just beginning. I have been encouraged by the growth that I have seen over my first two years here but I am praying to continue it well on into the future. This depends, of course, on a number of factors including continued financial support. I have been abundantly blessed these past two years with amazing supporters and I pray that my support team will stay strong and continue to grow. In addition, I must say that without the prayers of many people around the world I would not have the strength to keep going. The words of encouragement that I receive are what keeps me positive when times are tough. I love serving with Heart to Heart and I love working with our kids. If you would like to join me on this grand adventure, whether through prayer, giving, or even serving on a short term trip, please check out h2hint.org for more information or send me a message here or on Facebook.

Continue to keep Heather, myself, our kids, and our other staff members in your prayers as we enter into this next season of serving!

Monday, September 4, 2017

Summer Catch Up

I know that I am woefully behind on updating the blog. I will try to be better about staying on top of things in the future but, in the meantime, check out the link below to view my summer newsletter to read all about our summer camps.

http://conta.cc/2vEsJ6p