November 2008 Update: FIVE YEARS OF PROJECT LUMINA!

THANK YOU FOR STAYING, PRAYING, AND GIVING! THIS TRIP WAS UNUSUAL AND A TURNING POINT IN MANY WAYS. GOD IS SO GOOD! HE RESPONDS WHEN HIS PEOPLE PRAY! THIS IS GOOD NEWS! Here's prayer requests and answers:

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November 2007 Update:

Thank you for partnering with us in prayer for what God is doing among the Roma in Romania!  Our Novmber 1-17 journey with original prayer requests is below. RESPONSE TO PRAYER IS ADDED IN CAPITAL LETTERS. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR YOUR PRAYER COVERAGE THAT KEPT US SAFE IN THE ARMS OF CHRIST AMIDST PERILOUS TRAVEL AND SPIRITUALLY DARK CONDITIONS. WE MANAGED TO OVERCOME EVERYTHING FROM LOST BAGS TO A TREE BRANCH FALLING ON OUR CAR AFTER A SNOWSTORM!

Lumina continues to serve as an environment to love and serve the Roma ("Gypsies") in Romania. Our desire is to bring light to the darkness to the Romani kids through this fun program that offers the hope of Jesus, along with a Bible study, songs of worship, practical teaching, a nutritious lunch, and good ole fun! The enemy claimed that the project wouldnt last and the kids couldnt change.  Well, it has and they have, thanks to folks like you here who serve by praying and those who serve the children directly in Romania.  We are celebrating our fourth birthday at Lumina!  H-AL-L-E-L-U-J-A-H!

We pray that we can serve others and continue relationship building for the Kingdom of God by:

Serving our Servers - There are about fifteen people who are committed to serving at Lumina.  They are the hands and feet of Jesus at Lumina who: provide leadership, teach Bible lessons, round up the kids in their communities to bring them to Lumina, make and serve sandwiches, and even wipe their noses and tears. We are asking the Lord that we will a blessing to each one of our servers.  Many are suffering from illness, poverty, and other afflictions, but they are amazing in their faithfulness to serve sacrificially. We pray that we are able to serve them sacrificially, and that each one would feel appreciated and honored.  We ask for ability to make time to take time to visit each of our servers at their homes this trip, as this is one of the greatest ways in their culture to show that they matter---a personal visit with love and fellowship.  Please consider taking the time to pray for each one by name:  Beti, Hardi, Elena, Nita, Musever, Niliser, Mariana, Cornel,  Valentina, Nuta, Nita, Dana, Roxana, and Ghuilshen. Also, please pray for Petrica and Norica who periodically give bread to Lumina and Pastor Corneliu who needs wisdom and strength to overcome and obstacle. Also, please pray that our servers would have a supernatural ability to release the myths of leadership that were formulated during Communism, and to adopt a healthy view of leadership.  We are asking that God would develop more Godly leaders. WE WERE BLESSED TO SPEND FOCUSED PERSONAL TIME INDIVIDUALLY WITH ALL BUT ONE OF OUR SERVERS, TO ENCOURAGE THEM AS WELL AS LISTEN TO THEIR TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS. MANY SERVE IN SPITE OF SERIOUS ILLNESSES (AND ILL CHILDREN) AND POVERTY.  TWO WERE GREIVING OVER LOSS OF FAMILY MEMBERS. OUR MINISTRY PARTY FOR THE SERVERS WAS THANKFULLY A FUN AND LIGHT-HEARTED NIGHT AT A RESTAURANT (A RARE OCCASION)!  PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR SERVERS (WHICH NOW INCLUDE GEORGIANA AND MOISE) FOR THEIR ABILITY TO CONTINUE SERVING IF CALLED AND FREEDOM TO MOVE ON WHEN THE LORD ENDS THEIR SEASON AT LUMINA. PRAY THEY WOULD EXPERIENCE REST!

Serving our Children - The children who come to Lumina need your prayers for freedom.  We ask that you pray for breakthroughs in their communities, among their families, and in their hearts. We are asking that each one would know that he or she is known completely and loved unconditionally by our Lord. We are asking that the teenage group will begin to step into The Truth and accept the authority of Christ. We ask that the teenagers will be empowered to take a stand in their homes and communities to represent Christ and influence others. We ask that each of the children experiences the joy of being a child. WE ENJOYED CELEBRATING OUR FOURTH YEAR OF MINISTRY WITH SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR EACH AGE GROUP AT LUMINA.  THE SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF THE CHILDREN WAS AMAZING, AND WE FOUND THAT KIS IN THE YOUNGEST GROUP WERE ABLE TO TEACH THE OLDER GROUP SOME SCRIPTURE!

Serving the Childrens Families - Each trip we aim at building a bridge to Christ through our relationships as we go house to house to love, pray, and spend time with families of the Lumina kids.  We are asking that the chains of poverty and despair be broken and captives be set free. We are asking for an end to violence, abuse, and addictions.  We are asking that children be reconciled to their fathers and fathers to their children. We are asking for abundant provision. And we are asking for open doors as we move house to house and deeper and deeper into communities of darkness. We pray that we can pour out hope and set captives free.   WE SPENT SEVERAL DAYS GOING HOUSE-TO-HOUSE TO LOVE ON, PRAY FOR, AND ENCOURAGE FAMILIES. WE WENT A LITTLE DEEPER THAN PREVIOUS VISITS AND WERE INVITED TO JOIN ONE FAMILY AS THEY GROUND UP THEIR MULE THEY JUST SLAUGHTERED.  WE WERE BLESSED WITH MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRAYER AMONG MUSLIM PEOPLE, AND AT A FEW HOMES WE WERE ABLE TO SPEAK OPENLY ABOUT THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL AND THAT EVEN THOUGH WE TRY, WE CANNOT ACCURATELY REPRESENT THE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND COMPASSION OF CHRIST.

WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO SPEND TIME AT A CO-MINISTRY (VESTE BUNA AT CASA ALBA, REACHING MUSLIMS IN A SLUM HOUSING PROJECT) AND AT PROJECT ROMANIA RESCUE (CHARA CHARA, A GIRLS HOME).

For all of the Roma, we are asking that they begin to see themselves as God sees them. We pray that we may be an instrument of reconciliation among people groups.  KEEP PRAYING! 

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May 18 - June 2, 2007

THANKS FOR STAYING AND PRAYING! YOUR TIME, LOVE, PRAYERS, AND HEARTS IMPACT THE WORLD FOR CHRIST AND WE THANK YOU. BRIEF RESPONSES TO PRAYER REQUESTS ARE BELOW IN CAPITAL LETTERS AFTER THE ORIGINAL REQUEST:

Pray that we honor and encourage those who serve at project Lumina Conditions are not easy in this ministry. Please pray over the names of the following who serve with us, that the Lord would abundantly meet and exceed their emotional, physical, financial, and spiritual needs as their Jehovah Raffi and Jehovah Jireh, providing healing and refreshment may they be remembered in prayer: Beti, Hardi, Loredana, Elena, Cornel, Mariana, Valentina, Mioara, Roxana, Dana, Radu, Ghuilsen, Niliser, and Musever. (Hebrews 6:10)  Pray for unity among our servers (Psalm 133:1). WE ASK FOR CONTINUED PRAYER FOR UNITY IN OUR PROJECT AND FOR GOD TO PROVIDE FOR EACH ONES NEEDS PARTICULARLY EMOTIONALLY, AS MANY SUFFER FROM THE SAME STRONGHOLDS AS THE CHILDREN WHOM THEY SACRIFICALLY SERVE. THANKS TO GODS PLAN AND OUR SERVERS HEARTS, THE CHILDREN ARE GROWING AND MATURING FOR CHRIST, BRINGING LIGHT TO THE DARKNESS!

Pray for effectiveness given our very limited time We ask for discernment to have intentionality in all that we do as representatives of Christ. May we not deviate to the left or the right, walking undistracted only in the will of God with strength and courage. (Joshua 1) (Psalm 43:3)  WE WERE PARTICULARLY MOVED BY THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD ONE OF THE TEENAGERS, SUNITA, TO CHRIST AFTER A TREMENDOUS RELEASE OF THE ENEMYS HOLD ON HER LIFE. WE ASK FOR CONTINUED PRAYERS THAT THE STRONGHOLDS OF POVERTY, REJECTION, AND PROSTITUTION BE BROKEN IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

Pray for the children at Lumina  As we go house-to-house visiting the families of the children who come to Lumina, we seek to go further and deeper into the darkness bringing Love and Light to those without.  We are asking God for favor and protection for our Lumina kids who endure more than we know and more than we can print.  They are growing in their faith and are amazing witnesses of the evidence of salvation: changed lives through a relationship with Christ! (Psalm 9:18 and 10:17).   WE WERE BLESSED TO HAVE TIME HOUSE-TO-HOUSE AND ON THE STREETS LOVING ON THE LUMINA KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES. SLOWLY THE GRIP OF THE ENEMY IS WEAKENED AND GOD IS GAINING GROUND. WE HAVE SEEN MANY KIDS PROGRESS FROM BEING HOSTILE AND COMBATIVE TO BEING LOVING, CARING, AND WELL-BEHAVED. EVEN THE PARENTS ARE AMAZED AND WE KNOW THE CHILDRENS

CHANGED HEARTS FOR CHRIST PRECEEDED THEIR CHANGED BEHAVIOR!

Pray for the fathers of the children We have outreach to the moms, but ask that you pray for Gods opportunities to reach out in love to the Lumina kids fathers, many of whom are lost, angry, hurting fathers who are attempting to heal their loneliness in hatred and alcohol. We sense that the earthly fathers will begin healing when they, being children of God themselves, are reconciled to their Heavenly Father through His love and salvation. (Malachi 4:6) WE WERE BLESSED WITH TIME TO REACH DEEPER AND FURTHER AND SPEND MORE TIME WITH THE UNREACHED MEN.  AFTER INITIAL SKEPTICISM BY UNTRUSTING MEN, ANDY WAS RECEIVED BY MANY WHO ACCEPTED HIS PRAYERS AND OFFER OF FRIENDSHIP.  DOORS ARE OPENING AS THE MEN USED TO FLEE AS WE WENT HOUSE-TO-HOUSE, AND NOW THEY STAY OUT OF CURIOUSITY AND ARE BLESSED.

We also have a very specific unspoken burden. Please pray that we receive wisdom, discernment, and divine timing. (2 John 1:3) THANK YOU AS WE RECEIVED IN THIS AREA AND ASK FOR MORE FROM OUR LORD.

ON THE PHOTOS PAGE, SEE A PHOTO OF BAHARA NARCISA.  ONE DAY I WOULD LOVE TO SHARE MORE ABOUT HER, BUT FOR NOW, I WILL SAY THAT SHE REPRESENTS THE CHILDREN OF MEDGIDIA AND WE CONTINUE TO ASK FOR HER LIFE CONDITIONS TO CHANGE. SEVERAL OF THE SERVERS AT LUMINA RETRIEVED HER FROM THE DARKNESS, CLEANED HER UP,  AND BROUGHT HER TO "GIVE ME AWAY" AT MY WEDDING.  IT WAS SYMBOLIC IN MANY WAYS FOR ME AND I WANT YOU TO SHARE IN HER MOMENTS OF JOY AND TO REMEMBER TO PRAY FOR MANY LIKE HER LIVING IN UNSPEAKABLE CONDITIONS. YET, IN SPITE OF THE OBSTACLES, GOD HAS CHANGED HER HEART AND SHE IS A PRECIOUS LITTLE GIRL WITH A STRONG WILL AND HEART-MELTING SMILE. PLEASE CONTINUE TO KEEP HER AND MANY LIKE HER IN PRAYER.

We can only go because you faithfully send us in love and prayer. We thank you.

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November 3-18, 2006 Back to Romania to celebrate project Luminas 3^rd birthday! - includes prayer requests and answers we recieved, back to back...

Once again, I sincerely thank you for your encouragement and prayer support.   Our prayer needs for Lumina and associated projects God is using to reach the Roma ("Gypsies") in Medgidia, Romania, continue long after my return trips, so please keep us in mind as you pray for missionaries and Gods work in many nations.  You can make a difference, whether you join us in Romania or stay and pray!

Pray for our ministry team based in Romania - Please pray that those who serve at Lumina and other projects we work together with will be encouraged and honored.  Please pray for abundant provision for their needs, both physically and spiritually.  Some live without indoor plumbing and limited heat in the winter.  Most are serving with little encouragement or support.  It is not "popular" to serve in this ministry and our servants do so with much opposition and little gratitude.  We want them to know that they are loved and prayer for.  We would also like to add to our team of local Romanians who are serving, so please pray for God to add to our team of dedicated servants.  I am pleased that we have 15 committed servers in Lumina now and about a dozen others who serve periodically.  Their commitment has enabled us to split the children among age group and focus on their needs more easily.  We had some issues among servers as the enemy tried to divide us, but the Lord ushered in welcomed reconciliation.  Our Lumina party for those who serve was fantastic---all were honored and were fed a hot meal at a nice restaurant---quite an event there.  We were able to give gifts and a financial blessing to each server as well as those workers at the restaurant with whom we are developing a relationship.  Two of the 3 local evangelical pastors came and were able to hear the powerful testimonies of triumphs through trials of serving at Lumina.  We were also able to fund building a chimney so one pastor (who suffers with a back issue and whose wife is enduring a high risk pregnancy) can have heat this winter. 

Pray for "our" children We have seen these children grow spiritually over the past 3 years, and ask prayers for increased faith.  We pray that they will see themselves as the Lord sees them.  Please pray that the children will be spiritually and physically protected from the dangers of their households and communities, and that their faith will influence others. Pray for breakthroughs among the children and their families!  I am thrilled with our kids spiritual growth, thanks to Gods grace and the investment of those who serve them and those who pray for them! The kids faith and changed behavior is making a huge difference among their families.  House-to-house we saw how many of the parents are slowly changing and are very open to our visits and thankful for project Lumina.  We were able to fund upcoming Christmas parties for Casa Alba, a kindergarten, and Lumina.  Please keep our children covered in prayer as they live in difficult circumstances and are exposed to many dangers and violence last week one of our kids was brutally raped by 2 men over a 5-hour period then dumped on her doorstep afterward. Surprisingly, the police got involved and arrested the men, but the damage has been done pray that she receives full healing and restoration in every way. She is only ten, has a sweet disposition, and has a smile that lights up the sky.

Personal prayer request Please pray that I will provide leadership excellence despite my downfalls.  Pray for balance that I will be able to joyfully reach for ministry objectives without compromising opportunities and that I would not focus on tasks but on people instead.  I want to count on the Lord to get done what He chooses and when - not my own agenda but His.  Please pray for safety and protection as well and that my friend joining me would be blessed beyond measure.  Though it was a bit hectic and sometimes frustrating, the Lord was gracious and compassionate, and helped me immensely in this area. We basically made it without incident from start to finish, except for some minor issues: fleas, lice, a cold, electrical/water issues, and getting bumped off of our outbound flight.  We were safe and blessed; I thank you for covering us in prayer.

Please pray for a spirit of joy and celebration among our workers and kids! Weve been growing together for three years! Yeah, God!

Some of our goals: (here are goals that trip along with follow up response to goals)

Project Lumina Celebrating 3 years of what God has done!  A party for the kids! Done! We all had paper crowns to celebrate and the kids shared about what God has done!

Lumina party for the servers Celebrate what God has done at a party for the adults who serve. Fantastic party that honored servers as noted above!

House-to-house visits Visiting and praying house-to-house of Lumina kids, building relationships with parents, providing some minor medical care, and getting to know them more. Done! Most of our time was spent house-to-house building relationships and trust: getting to know the families, praying with the families, administering minor medical care (and getting one family to a doctor), encouraging kids to consider going to school, etc.

Visit 3 Romani ("Gypsy") Schools providing some supplies and encouragement to "ABC" schools that teach the Roma who are otherwise not in school.  Done! We had a little party at each school and spent time praying over those who serve there.

Visit and encourage folks in the local churches less than 1% of people in Medigida know the Lord as Savior and friend. We were able to visit 2 of the 4 local evangelical churches (one pastor covers 2 of the churches).  The word of encouragement God gave us for them was Jeremiah 29:11-14, that the Lords plans of hope and a future for them will be realized as they press into seeking Him through prayer, calling upon Him, and desiring Him with all their hearts.

Assist with other ministries Lumina is just one project that is part of Fundatia Poartii Deschide, a Romanian foundation, so we spent time co-laboring with other projects within this ministry.  This included a visit to Mamut Bei, two visits to Casa Alba, and several visits to a kindergarten project ("Gradinita") and feeding program geared toward getting kids in a position to attend public school.

Misc We visiting the home of a child in a neighboring city who was hit by a car during our last trip and miraculously recovered.   We visited the home of a child who has a brain tumor and just returned home from the hospital.  We also visited the homes of most people who serve at Lumina.

Thank you for praying it opens doors and changes eternity!

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June 2006

Thanks to those who stayed and prayed while others of us went back to Romania in May and June.  Primarily we wanted to extend the love and light of Jesus to those who attend and those who serve at project Lumina. We had many specific answered prayers and here are a few

PRAYER FOR UNITY: Unity among our group and on the local Lumina serving team including reconciliation needed among three servers.  Prayer for unity of evangelical Christians in Medgidia, that we may operate as one family. There are only about 300 believers among 55,000 residents, about half of 1 percent of the population. ANSWER: Prayers of reconciliation were answered and those who were previously at odds spent much time with us in fellowship and house-to-house prayer! Our staff are from five ethnicities and four churches---we were so pleased to see how God is knitting us closer together in every way.

PRAYER FOR LEADERSHIP That we can provide Godly guidance and vision to local leadership. Pray that I would lean on the Lord and not my own strength, so that I won't be distracted or overwhelmed. Pray for favor with those who oppose us. ANSWER: I was admittedly overwhelmed at times, especially driving a huge van (and driving for the first time after 3 years going to Romania), but the Lord proved faithful and gave me a team of encouraging, grace-giving people with the same vision. We endured difficult spiritual opposition, but found favor among man!

PRAYER FOR ENCOURAGEMENT AND JOY - That a spirit of encouragement and joy would fall upon the oppressed, distressed, and weary! Pray that we are able to build up others and enable them to reach their goals. ANSWER:  We were able to encourage many through various outreaches: our ministry party, house-to-house ministry, street and basic medical ministry, and more. We had FUN!

PRAYER FOR EFFICIENCY AND BALANCE That we would be efficient and not frustrated. As a westerner, often my expectations are too high, given the pace at which "third-world/former communist bloc" countries operate. We do have some time crunches, but don't want to value "getting things done" over "stopping for the one". ANSWER: We received much favor in this area, even given major setbacks that included sickness and a car accident. As for stopping for the one, God guided our steps time after time, including an opportunity to pray over and minister to Laorita, a beautiful child who had just been hit by a van and was lying lifeless in the road in the town of Poarta Alba when we arrived. We were led to return two days afterward and to find and minister to the girl's family; the Lord opened the doors to the heart of the child's mother. We wept together and later dried our tears and even shared some laughter and a few fresh strawberries.

PRAY FOR BREAKTHROUGHS - Especially during our house-to-house visits of the families of kids who come to Lumina, pray for miraculous breakthroughs including physical healing for many without health care who suffer from various physical afflictions. Pray for spiritual walls to fall down and God's comfort and love to rush in. ANSWER: We were blessed with the opportunity to love on and pray for many along the way, in the streets, and in remote ghetto housing areas. We ministered to one young woman who survived being electrocuted at the train station the week before. Another community suffered from many afflictions, skin disorders and had an infant with measles. We saw one man we had prayed over and ministered to a year ago whose severely infected leg has since been healed.

GOALS THIS TRIP and how they were accomplished:

Lumina! YES! As usual, Lumina was phenomenal; our initial dream of splitting it into age groups has now been met thanks to those dedicated servers and God's grace! One of the teenage girls, Anamaria, gave her heart to the Lord this trip! We had our games outside afterwards and several onlookers joined in!

Conduct house-to-house visits and prayer for Lumina kids' families As noted above, our house-to-house ministry gave us many opportunities to comfort, pray over, and love on a multitude of families. We also had a sweet time of prayer in a meeting with mothers we invited as we had been house-to-house during the week.

Launch a Lumina "super sports day" evangelistic outreach to all Romani kids. We had our Lumina Super Sports Day on June 1, which is Romania's National Children's Day! About 150 kids came and we had a blast playing games and sports, followed by prayer, singing and a snack.

Have a celebration evening to honor the adults who serve at Lumina. We had a fun celebration and honored both consistent and intermittent servers at Lumina as well as others who support us, such as a local bakery that has donated bread and pastries many times.

Assist other ministries we partner with - We spent two evenings with children from Project Romanian Rescue in Constanta, visited Memut Bei (a Tatar Romani community) for two short visits, and Opens Doors' White House Ministry for one day. We also visited one "ABC" alphabetization school for Romani children we also reach through Lumina, and dropped off supplies for two others.

Transform a bloc apartment into a retreat home for those serving the Roma - Incredible transformation in record time; truly shocking given the pace at which things happen there! We even got a kitchen sink!

Attempt to have running water installed at one of our servers' homes - This goal was not met, as it turned out that it is not truly their home and another alternative may be better.