I was already at my desk early in the morning. I prayed Lord, what do you have prepared for me today.  I just know it is something special and something important.  I finally had the inspiration I needed to do some wriiting. It was easy to write and I was glad I had no plans or guests for the day. All was on schedule and suddenly their was a knock on the door.  A co worker answered the door. Sister, sorry but for this activity you came the wrong day. We don't have any activities today. If you would like to come  in anyway and have a cup of tea. Please come in.   Now my co worker was too busy and asked me to talk with this little lady. I made her a cup of tea and gave her some breakfast. She told me that she was a widow and lived alone.  After breakfast we shared and she told me she had just turned 83 but she lived alone. She didn't say much so I thought I should share with her.

I forgot about my project and all the writing I needed to do. I brought out some old song books and started to play on my accordion.  She couldn't read the words because she didn't have her reading glasses. I decided to just start playing the old songs.  She started singing along. I noticed she enjoyed singing.  She told me again, you know I'm a widow and I am all alone.  We kept singing and I noticed some tears in gram ma's eyes.  Those old songs of faith really meant something to her.  Pretty soon there came another knock on the door.  Two more ladies came. They had a hard life and were often beaten by the husband and father. Now it was almost lunch time. So I added two more tea cups to the table and we all four had lunch. They all enjoyed the meal so much.  It was just a simple meal but I guess the fellowship made all the difference.  After our tea I got the accordion again and we sang some more songs. They all seemed to enjoy it.  Then I decided to have a Bible Study and shared some encouraging words and said a prayer.  It seemed so quick but already almost 5 hours had passed.  The little ladies looked at their watch and said, oh no, almost five hours have passed.  I said, no problem I've enjoyed my time with you and you need to come back again and we can sing some more.  The three ladies left. They had a full tummy and hearts of joy. They had almost 5 hours where they were not alone, not beaten, not depressed but fed, loved and welcomed back for more. 

Thank you Lord for interupting my day.  Thank you Lord for the old songs of faith that touch and uplift the lonely and weary ones.  Thank you Lord for the spiritual deposit I have in my life that I can give to others to lift them up and bring them joy.  Thanks for interupting my Day Lord.    Now I really have inspiration to write.  

Already we have been out in the villages sharing the good news with lots of Kids.  They are so happy to see our vans coming down the road. They know that someone cares about them.  That someone will be there for them and maybe they will get a gift, a sandwitch but they know they will hear about Jesus so there is joy in their hearts. Some of the children even bring their brothers and sisters for prayer. This spring we are going to be reaching out to 10 new villages. We are excited. We will see lives changed this month.

In March and April we got to help serveral needy families. God opened doors for the team to go to the parks, a hospital, to some village churches and to some Bucharest churches.

We are so grateful for our partners and friends.

Our Mihaela, who grew up here at Casa Shalom just got baptized at a locul Baptist church on Sunday May 23rd. She has been living with us for 13 years.

Mihaela with Pastor Peter 

This month we opened our house up for 58 village children to have a fun week at Casa Shalom. They had wonderful food, lots of fun, sang songs, had a Bible Study and met a lot of new friends. We had handcrafts for the girls to make their own neckalace and bracelets which they really enjoyed.

 Most of the children came from villages where they had no inside plumbing at home so they really enjoyed getting a shower.  Each child had their own bed which was real unusual for them. Most of them slept four or five in a bed at home. We were so glad that we could bring these kids to Casa Shalom. 

 Casa Shalom is helping 250 children so that they can stay at home and not be left to grow up in some orphanage. Through our experiences of having a children's home we realize that it's much better when children can stay in their own family with their birth mother. Casa Shalom is helping to make that possible for 50 families.

It was the first time these children ever got a Christmas gift and hardly knew how to react. They were kind of in a daze that we would give them something. We thank our friends at Blythswood Care in Scotland for the Christmas shoeboxes for the kids.

The Irish bring mobil homes for girls

A group of 25 men and women from northern and southern Ireland spent one week setting up the mobil homes they sent to Romania.

The homes are for ten girls from a girls home in Bolintin. Many of these girls were kicked out of the state orphanages but found refuge at an American run home rum by Ron and Sue Bates. The Bates have passed away but the work continues and we are grateful for the foundations helping the Bolintin girls and also all the effort that was put into turning these metal containers into a real home for ten of the girls. 

God Bless our Irish friends and all those helping children with physical and mental handicaps. 

Becky 

Our Van breaks down again

Once again we had van problems.  We have had this van for almost 9 yrs. It's now 12 yrs. old and giving us so.... many problems.  Right now it is still sitting in Germany. Thank God it's now fixed, but for how long.....? I don't know. 

I have to go to pick it up and hope to get it back to Bucharest without any more incidents.

So pray for us on Nov. 2nd when we drive it back to Bucharest. It was a gift from a wonderful family and we just want to keep it running as long as possible.

Becky

These children get to visit the Bucharest Zoo.

Becky and her team bring 30 village children and some of their mothers to a short Summer Camp at Casa Shalom. The camp is free for the children and sponsored by friends in the U.S. and Germany.

Many of the children got their first shower with hot water. Others got to sleep in a real bed with clean sheets for the first time.  Some got their first ride on a bike or roller skates.

They all enjoyed the healthy food, fresh vegetables and ice cream. The camp ended with a visit to the zoo, a boat ride and a short visit to an amusement park.

The most beautiful thing is they loved singing all the new songs about Jesus and his love for them. Most of the children wanted to have the Lord Jesus in their life and all of them want to come back to Casa Shalom next summer for another Summer Camp. This time they want to stay longer.

Casa Shalom wants to buy some Christmas gifts for these poor children and make a Christmas food box for each family. We are looking for some friends that would like to help or sponsor this project.  Christmas will be here soon.   For more information contact Becky at casashalom@gmail.com

Thank you, we never have a boring moment here at Casa Shalom.