We have lived in Romania for 16 years now. We have 6 kids. The top photo of our family is the day we met the twins, just before their 4th birthday. We were granted custody of them on their 5th birthday.
Spence was cracking me up in this video. :-D Sounded like the kids weren't really sure what it means to have parents, but it's great that they will have the opportunity to find out what it is like!
My name is Kim Harvey and I cared for the twins from May 2005 to August 2005. I'm sure you will read my letter in their volunteer book at Casa Alba and see the pictures I took of them in their life book.
Thank you so much for loving them. Thank you so much for being obedient to what God has called you to as parents and missionaries.
I have gotten a lot of updates on them over the last 3 years and recieved pictures but I haven't gotten to see video of Gina walking or heard video or Gheorghe talking. I had them when they were 13 months old. I love them so much and I am just in tears reading your blog and watching your videos and praising God for Him providing a loving family for them, who believe in Him, and speak Romanian and English! :)
My husband has been urging me to continue praying for them over the past few years and giving them wholly to the Lord and coming to terms that they are His children and HE has a plan for them. I am so praising GOd for He is faithful and He answers prayer! yay!
I would like to share a little story that I blogged about in 2007, almost two years after coming back from Romania.
February 8, 2007 "when I fell in love with Gheorghe, I remember the exact moment. It was the kind of relationship I wish I had the talent to write an inspiring and profound book about or something... and believe me, I wish I could.
I was just getting into the swing of things at the orphanage. I remember still being uneasy around the twins and alex. It takes time to feel out their personalities and meet their individual needs. The twins had just turned 1 in April 2005 so Gheorghe had been walking a month or two and Ghina was still trying to get her sea legs going. They were all so sweet.
I remember one day the flu hit Gheorghe like a wave. You could see his little face turn red with warmth. Instead of running around the playroom and getting into trouble, he would just roll around like a rollie pollie on the mats and fling his body into my lap to be held. This caught me off guard because the kids were acting careful around me because they were still testing the waters with me.
He just wanted to be loved and held. That hit me so hard. Remember being little and just wanting your mommy there to comfort you when you are sick? Bring you fruit juice and snacks in bed? He didn't have that. He just sat there, fell over, and sucked his thumb. I remember sitting there thinking, this is just not right. Who wouldn't want to take care of this precious life. I did. I wanted to be there. And that's when I knew. I love this child with only a love God could have given me. Everything about our friendship after that was about complete patience God gave me for his tantrums, crying, and spilling his food at meal time. But I loved our time together, every minute of it.
I still do... I think about what my life would be like if I hadn't met Tim. Would I have gone back to Romania? Would I have tried and parented them myself? Then I think about the state of Tim and my relationship, and how we (both tim and i invididually) collectively aren't ready for kids. I see all these moms around at church and I'm not ready to be that. So I know where God has me. He has me here and that is His plan. What makes me think that I could have been a parent over there by myself if I couldn't even be a parent over here with Tim, now even 2 years later.
Perhaps it is the sense of urgency I have for those kids to be taken care of and have parents who love them and are an earthly example of God's relationship to us. They don't have it. And that drives me crazy. When will it stop? Will I ever have closure?
I just don't think so... .... praying for them."
I thought you would enjoy. These kids have such a history and I hope that others who have cared for them their first four years of life can get in contact with you and share about their childhood.
My friend Melissa in Alaska cared for them as infants. Hopefully she can get in contact with you as well. I know she has a heart for them and has been praying for years.
I have a few great pictures that I haven't sent over. I can email them to you if you like.
I am praying for this transition for your family and that God will work in those two beautiful childrens hearts. :)
Wow! How exciting! We can't wait to see the twins. We are praying for you. Our God is able to turn the heart of the King and is able to make paperwork flow through the Romanian government quickly - nothing short of a miracle. Love ya, Grandma Howie
Kim thank you so much!!! How do I get in touch with you? Yes please email me...jmhowerton@tcmissions.org I want to know all about their babyhood and feel I missed out but know as you that God is in control and we wouldn't have been ready for them an earlier then now either. God has a plan for everyone of the kids at casa alba even though we don't understand the reason that they don't have earthly parents they each have a Heavenly Father who loves them more than any earthly parent ever could!!
4 comments:
Spence was cracking me up in this video. :-D Sounded like the kids weren't really sure what it means to have parents, but it's great that they will have the opportunity to find out what it is like!
Hi there-
My name is Kim Harvey and I cared for the twins from May 2005 to August 2005. I'm sure you will read my letter in their volunteer book at Casa Alba and see the pictures I took of them in their life book.
Thank you so much for loving them. Thank you so much for being obedient to what God has called you to as parents and missionaries.
I have gotten a lot of updates on them over the last 3 years and recieved pictures but I haven't gotten to see video of Gina walking or heard video or Gheorghe talking. I had them when they were 13 months old. I love them so much and I am just in tears reading your blog and watching your videos and praising God for Him providing a loving family for them, who believe in Him, and speak Romanian and English! :)
My husband has been urging me to continue praying for them over the past few years and giving them wholly to the Lord and coming to terms that they are His children and HE has a plan for them. I am so praising GOd for He is faithful and He answers prayer! yay!
I would like to share a little story that I blogged about in 2007, almost two years after coming back from Romania.
February 8, 2007 "when I fell in love with Gheorghe, I remember the exact moment. It was the kind of relationship I wish I had the talent to write an inspiring and profound book about or something... and believe me, I wish I could.
I was just getting into the swing of things at the orphanage. I remember still being uneasy around the twins and alex. It takes time to feel out their personalities and meet their individual needs. The twins had just turned 1 in April 2005 so Gheorghe had been walking a month or two and Ghina was still trying to get her sea legs going. They were all so sweet.
I remember one day the flu hit Gheorghe like a wave. You could see his little face turn red with warmth. Instead of running around the playroom and getting into trouble, he would just roll around like a rollie pollie on the mats and fling his body into my lap to be held. This caught me off guard because the kids were acting careful around me because they were still testing the waters with me.
He just wanted to be loved and held. That hit me so hard. Remember being little and just wanting your mommy there to comfort you when you are sick? Bring you fruit juice and snacks in bed? He didn't have that. He just sat there, fell over, and sucked his thumb. I remember sitting there thinking, this is just not right. Who wouldn't want to take care of this precious life. I did. I wanted to be there. And that's when I knew. I love this child with only a love God could have given me. Everything about our friendship after that was about complete patience God gave me for his tantrums, crying, and spilling his food at meal time. But I loved our time together, every minute of it.
I still do... I think about what my life would be like if I hadn't met Tim. Would I have gone back to Romania? Would I have tried and parented them myself? Then I think about the state of Tim and my relationship, and how we (both tim and i invididually) collectively aren't ready for kids. I see all these moms around at church and I'm not ready to be that. So I know where God has me. He has me here and that is His plan. What makes me think that I could have been a parent over there by myself if I couldn't even be a parent over here with Tim, now even 2 years later.
Perhaps it is the sense of urgency I have for those kids to be taken care of and have parents who love them and are an earthly example of God's relationship to us. They don't have it. And that drives me crazy. When will it stop? Will I ever have closure?
I just don't think so... .... praying for them."
I thought you would enjoy. These kids have such a history and I hope that others who have cared for them their first four years of life can get in contact with you and share about their childhood.
My friend Melissa in Alaska cared for them as infants. Hopefully she can get in contact with you as well. I know she has a heart for them and has been praying for years.
I have a few great pictures that I haven't sent over. I can email them to you if you like.
I am praying for this transition for your family and that God will work in those two beautiful childrens hearts. :)
Wow! How exciting! We can't wait to see the twins. We are praying for you. Our God is able to turn the heart of the King and is able to make paperwork flow through the Romanian government quickly - nothing short of a miracle. Love ya, Grandma Howie
Kim thank you so much!!! How do I get in touch with you? Yes please email me...jmhowerton@tcmissions.org I want to know all about their babyhood and feel I missed out but know as you that God is in control and we wouldn't have been ready for them an earlier then now either. God has a plan for everyone of the kids at casa alba even though we don't understand the reason that they don't have earthly parents they each have a Heavenly Father who loves them more than any earthly parent ever could!!
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