It’s been difficult to sing as my hearing is getting worse every day. I’ve been thinking about what I will do if I am able to attend university next year but cannot sing. I feel like I would die if I can’t sing because I always believed God gave me this gift to use for Him and also to earn a living. I pray for sponsors, for healing, and to be able to sing on the stages of Vienna, London, and Paris, and show the world that it doesn’t matter if you come from a children’s home, or you don’t have a family, you can still become something in life. It doesn’t matter what you have or don’t have, what matters is that you work hard.

I also celebrated my 20th birthday this month.

Ready or not, the changing of the seasons brings it’s own specific tasks; whether it’s spring cleaning, summer garage sales, raking the autumn leaves, or shoveling the winter walk each morning.

Fall was always my favorite time of year in Romania, because it brought an opportunity to do something that, for me, was exclusively Romanian—bringing in a harvest.  We picked apples, cherries, peaches and plums. Then, after a lot of prep work, we enjoyed the smell of sweet jam cooking on the stovetop. (Sorry, no pies.)  We shelled walnuts until our fingers were bright purple. (A word of caution to American visitors: change a single consonant in the Romanian word for “nuts” and you’ve got the word “boogers” –and you don’t want to tell people you’ve been picking those!) Eggplants and peppers were cooked by the basketful and canned for the winter. Cucumbers and cabbage were placed in huge barrels with a recipe of spices that would turn them into pickles. And, as Thanksgiving is to the turkey in America, so fall is to the pig in Romania… I’ll say no more. (Don’t name the pig, he’s not a pet.)

Ana’s House, known for their entrepreneurial spirit, has a motto: if you want something, you have to work for it.  Their garden project this year brought in an incredible harvest and even a little extra pocket money. A larger crop meant weekend trips to the “piat(s)a” (market) to sell the extra produce. The financial net wasn’t much, but the experience was priceless.  A local Italian restaurant, Gio, bought fresh vegetables from Radu weekly, so he is especially skilled in growing Italian favorites such as zucchini, parsley, lettuce, and five different types of tomatoes!

The annual exposition for local non-profit organizations gave the kids another opportunity to earn some cash.  Fundatia Caminul Sperantei set up their booth and sold their handmade greeting cards and gift boxes, while Teo provided her exceptional talent for face painting to those who stopped by to make a purchase.

If that’s not impressive enough, the kids pooled their money together and sent a financial gift off to Kenya to bless children affected by HIV at the Rescue Center in Nairobi, where Roni went as a mission team member earlier this year.  Their generosity never ceases to amaze me. The fact that they never forget how far the Lord has brought them, and their eagerness to turn around and give back to others, is a testimony to the kindness of their hearts and the gentleness of their spirits.

They are growing up fast and it’s exciting to watch how God is molding their hearts and minds.  It feels as though our steps have been small, and still are, but we’ve covered a long distance.  Just months prior to what would have been the 10 year anniversary of the House of Hope, we closed its doors. Tears well up just thinking about the reality. I remember sitting at my desk at work and getting an email with the news that bags were packed and “parents” had arrived to pick up their new charges.

The transition to foster care has been challenging to each one of us in different ways. As our foster parents and children adjust to their new families, we see more and more pockets of sunshine; like Marian learning to read and Ionuti taking guitar lessons. Our little girls Alex and Cristina have a new dad who grew up in an orphanage himself, and knows the road they’ve traveled. The Lord continues to provide in ways we couldn’t have invented ourselves.

I often have to remind myself that every new beginning brings it’s own challenges.  I remember 10 years ago when we opened the House of Hope with four toddlers, direct from the orphanage, who had no idea how to eat with utensils. (They did know how to hit, scream, rock, and jump off furniture!) Fast-forward three years later as those toddlers entered first grade. We discovered new ways that institutionalization affects children, and were told by too many teachers, “They can’t learn.”

As we settled in for the long haul, each passing day brought new growth. As personalities bloomed we watched each child learn, change, and improve.  Before long they were independent, unique and yes, even smart –brilliant, actually. (Teodora took first place in a national Scripture memorization contest last year. It turns out they can learn.) And the ultimate bright spot:  they have all asked Jesus into their hearts, and many of them have made public proclamations of their faith through baptism.

A French journalist once wrote, “In the depths of winter I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”  The same is true for our children. This summer they planted a garden. This fall they harvested it’s crops and gave from their hearts to those who had less than they.  We welcome the changing seasons.