Words are inadequate for this entry

Hello friends,

I have been thinking of what to say on this post since the day I posted the last post~2 weeks-ish.

We took my third trip to Romania (Scott's 17th doing dental work!! Hannah's 3rd, Justin's 2nd) for 2 weeks, accompanying a group of 10 from Oaks Christian High School. 

We went through Heart of Hope Ministries Intl. where we have been involved for about 16 years. Dr. Scott (my husband) is on the Board! The book Hannah and I wrote, Inspired Design, gives all the proceeds to HOH Ministries. $15,000 total so far. Debbie Marshall, president of HOH said last summer the camp would have been 3 weeks shorter without those funds. "Summer Camp" is where the orphaned children go for one week of "peace" and "good food" as the kids described it to us, on our orphanage visits below.

I am going to use a different format, to describe my thoughts because I haven't entirely finished processing the experience yet. So phrases are more appropriate as I really wanted to get this entry out, while timely.

 I would like all who have bought books to know how many lives have been changed from your donations. As well as enjoying the book (hopefully) you almost put one child through a week of summer camp (book is $40, camp for one is $50) and hearing about the only REAL HOPE they will ever hear about, perhaps in their whole lifetime.

So, here goes.

Heartwarming that we took this trip, no.

Heart breaking...looking into the eyes of precious children who have NO parents. Sweet, loving, beautiful children whose young lives are destined to be lived in an orphanage. No worldy hope.

Heart-breaking

Heart-wrenching

Heart-molding...how could we not?

 Our teens in Home of Hope (Residence that HOH owns and runs for girls after orphanage while in University or learning trade) putting together Easter bags for the orphanages, see in pictures below. Girls at Home of Hope are amazing examples of Triumph over circumstances, hard work and what food, shelter and the love of the house parents, Debbie and HOH supports do to show Christ's love pouring out on these girls. I loved their spirits and their tender hearts. I hope to do a blog entry of their fortitude. We had 3 university graduates last year. It was a proud moment for Debbie and Heart of Hope.

 Sweet teen listening to instruction...
Especially touched by the orphans, as she has 2 adopted brothers

 Optomotrist who fits hundreds of orphans with glasses, so they can see
My optometrist! All with donations from our community
Astounding how many villages and orphanages have children with these glasses, as we went around
perhaps never to see another optometrist in their childhood

 My 15 year old son playing with a boy who came up to the van and needed meaningful touch
starved for attention
for love
for a simple smile
tender, sweet, young,
no parents

Sweet Madeline, with another sweet child
in need of touch
smile
warm hug
just someone

 My precious daughter with 2 sweet girls
running up to the van
in need of touch
simple touch

 Just a hand to hold
feel
love

 The crafts we brought into the orphanage for an hour
an hour
only an hour

 More crafts
talking, more talking
in a language we don't understand
but they smile and 
talk 
and talk
we smile

 Precious compassion from Hannah
whose heart gets it
she can do this
just smile and touch
and love
for an hour
an hour
only an hour

 Sweet Galina, who at age 10 was adopted from Russia
this trip astounding
and profound
seeing what her life could have looked like
she who lived on the streets of Russia for 3 years
adopted by a lovely couple here
had tremendous insight
grateful heart
sad heart
doing crafts
showing love
for an hour

 Our cute teens painting the cabins for camp
The orphaned children described camp for us as "A place of peace"
so they cleaned, painted, and put beds together
I sewed new curtains

 In an older girls home, for orphans

 Standing in the background
me
hard to absorb
process
an hour here, an hour there
sweet, precious, tender hearts
in need of love, touch
and a simple smile

 In a pilot program, where instead of to an orphanage
kids in poverty come after school for the day
very encouraging
caring teachers
who give loving touch
hopeful
loving
encouraging
things in this program are looking up
from 18 years ago on my first trip here

 Sweet Maddie
loving on the little ones
touch
smile
for an hour

 My hero: My hubbie! Doing his 17th (ish) year of dentistry on the orphans for the entire week. These children might never see a dentist if it wasn't for Heart of Hope, or perhaps another organization. Perhaps not. 
Hope: a lovely girl from Home of Hope is studying dentistry and now volunteers. A hopeful sign. She is a ray of Hope. 

I had to leave some details out because these sweet children and young adults are real
details are their life story
making a difference?
little at a time
consistancy
18 years of service
helping?
what choice do we have?
it is why funds from Inspired Design go here, how could it not?
our gifts from God
meant to aid others
how could we not?
time
hug
human touch 
smile
love
what is love, if not in action
love is not a feeling or a belief
love is a verb not a noun

I John 3:15 

Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.