I am finally writing an entry for October and the month is over! The weeks are flashing by before my eyes! The weather has been beautiful and we are enjoying our school schedule of 4 weeks on and 1 week off. Our week off this time took us on a one day trip to Bear Cave. It was a beautiful drive and a nice chilly day. If you want to see pictures I posted them on Facebook.
The two oldest boys are studying the eastern hemisphere this year and we have signed up for this short program called my passport to India. Our oldest desires to be a missionary there someday. Each week we watch two short videos about what life is like in India. If you are ever tempted to complain you really should find information about life in a third world country. It will stop you in your tracks and make you sing a song of praise to God for all the wonderful blessings you have! Take for example the bathroom situation. Just today as one child was taking forever using the bathroom and another was waiting in line to use it, I was tempted to complain...I actually said, "brother, we really need to get that other bathroom fixed, this is ridiculous." Almost immediately the Lord brought to my mind something I just learned, that in Mumbai, India there are 17 toilets for every 1 million people. I quickly realized my mistake and thanked God for the working bathroom we have for the kids. Most of the things I complain about are so trivial. People all over the world live in such filth and poverty. Even a lot of people that I know here in Romania use an outhouse, don't have indoor plumbing, have only cold water, etc.
The next time you are tempted to complain about one of life's little inconveniences, do a search about India or some other poor country and you will quickly be reminded of how rich even the poorest Americans are in comparison to the rest of the world!
About Me
- Joyce Howerton
- 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.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
BIG, WONDERFUL, EXCITING, MIRACULOUS NEWS
If you can't tell by the title of this blog entry...I'm a little excited! Why you ask....let me share it with you...WE RECEIVED OUR FINAL ADOPTION COURT DATE! Our experience with the court system in Oradea was s...l...o...w... so I assumed it would be the same here in Timis county. Baron finally received our adoption file completed just a little under two weeks ago. We hoped to hear something within 30 days but it took about 4 or 5 months to get a court date in Oradea. I expected when we did get our court date it wouldn't be until sometime early next year. When we received our custody court date in October of 2008, it wasn't until Jan, 2009. But, in less then two weeks after putting our file in at the court house we received a court date for NOVEMBER 16...2010!!!! Yes, that is just under two months away! We are excited. The twins don't understand the bigness of it because they feel they are already part of our family. Joey asked..."do I get my blue passport now?"
We called our social worker to give her the news and asked if we could bring all the kids to the courthouse...no just Baron and I should come. The judge will ask us a few questions and hopefully that will be that. They will be official Howertons!
What a wonderful Thanksgiving we will have celebrating the newest additions to the Howerton family! God is good.
We called our social worker to give her the news and asked if we could bring all the kids to the courthouse...no just Baron and I should come. The judge will ask us a few questions and hopefully that will be that. They will be official Howertons!
What a wonderful Thanksgiving we will have celebrating the newest additions to the Howerton family! God is good.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Kids Club
This is Ana, Andrea, Adina, and Claudia.
This is Alin. I believe he is 12 years old.
Gabi is to the far left. He is 11. Sebi is 14. He told Baron that he accepted Christ and that he wants to be a preacher!
Nicu is in the blue sweat suit. He is 10 and has had a rough life. He is a very needy boy. Alin is on the otherside of Zach. He is Zach's buddy, they went to camp together. He told Baron after camp that he received Christ in his heart. Costica is the other boy in the picture. He also told Baron that he received Christ. Please pray that these 3 boys will continue to come to kids club and grow in their relationship with Christ.
This is Alin. I believe he is 12 years old.
Gabi is to the far left. He is 11. Sebi is 14. He told Baron that he accepted Christ and that he wants to be a preacher!
Nicu is in the blue sweat suit. He is 10 and has had a rough life. He is a very needy boy. Alin is on the otherside of Zach. He is Zach's buddy, they went to camp together. He told Baron after camp that he received Christ in his heart. Costica is the other boy in the picture. He also told Baron that he received Christ. Please pray that these 3 boys will continue to come to kids club and grow in their relationship with Christ.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Religious Freedom in Romania
What does religious freedom mean to you? To me it means being able to choose your religion and go to church where you want and get batpized where you want. In Romania, if a child is in the system the law states that they can not choose to "change their religion" until they are 16. That means any orphan or abandoned child, or child that has been abused and removed from their home cannot choose to be baptized at any church because they were baptized as babies in the Orthodox Church. Now, as babies did they have a choice, no, they were forced to become an Orthodox. It doesn't matter that most people who claim to be Orthodox don't go to church. The Orthodox church is not going into to try to minister to these kids but they do not have the freedom to choose a different religion until they are 16.
Baron went to talk to the director at the state run home today about a club for the kids who went to camp this summer and he got a lecture from the director. The director pointed out the law and said these kids came back from camp wanting to "change their religion" and be baptized. He told Baron, that he was breaking the law if he let these kids come to a place where they were pushed into "changing their religion". Baron at that point thought our ministry to these kids was over but praise God that wasn't the end. It is exciting to know that these kids came back from camp excited about what they learned and sharing that they had made decisions to follow Christ.
We are happy that we will be allowed to pick up these 13 kids ages 10-14 and have a club with them each Saturday. We will teach them English, do a Bible study, feed them, and play games with them. We will stress to them that they need to learn how to follow God from the Bible but not go back to the orphanage saying they wanted to get baptized or they will not be allowed to come anymore. We will tell them that we can teach them about God's way and baptism and they can make the choice of baptism when they are 16. We will let them know that no one can stop them from making a decisison to follow Christ and live for Him.
We praise God that these young people will know that true freedom comes in Christ. Please pray that they will understand what it truly means to repend and turn from a life of sin to Christ. Please pray that the Bible/English Club will train these children to follow after Christ no matter what obstacles lie in their way.
Baron went to talk to the director at the state run home today about a club for the kids who went to camp this summer and he got a lecture from the director. The director pointed out the law and said these kids came back from camp wanting to "change their religion" and be baptized. He told Baron, that he was breaking the law if he let these kids come to a place where they were pushed into "changing their religion". Baron at that point thought our ministry to these kids was over but praise God that wasn't the end. It is exciting to know that these kids came back from camp excited about what they learned and sharing that they had made decisions to follow Christ.
We are happy that we will be allowed to pick up these 13 kids ages 10-14 and have a club with them each Saturday. We will teach them English, do a Bible study, feed them, and play games with them. We will stress to them that they need to learn how to follow God from the Bible but not go back to the orphanage saying they wanted to get baptized or they will not be allowed to come anymore. We will tell them that we can teach them about God's way and baptism and they can make the choice of baptism when they are 16. We will let them know that no one can stop them from making a decisison to follow Christ and live for Him.
We praise God that these young people will know that true freedom comes in Christ. Please pray that they will understand what it truly means to repend and turn from a life of sin to Christ. Please pray that the Bible/English Club will train these children to follow after Christ no matter what obstacles lie in their way.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Encouraging Words
I have had the little devotional book Streams in the Desert for quite a few years now and it continues to encourage me. Yesterday's reading was just what I needed.
From the beginning of the summer I have been restless. Four years is a long time without a furlough and knowing we have to wait another year for a furlough was really pulling me down. I was thinking that I didn't know how I would make it another year without a break and really discouraged and having a pity party. Then through the Lord's Word I started to realize that I was living in defeat and started claiming His promises that are mine, I CAN do all things through Christ, His grace IS sufficient for me, those who wait on the Lord SHALL renew their strength. Little by little I came out of the pity party and yesterday's reading just reminded me its not about where I am but it's about the proper perspective. The verse was Job 28:14, "It is not in me."
I reworded the first part of the reading to fit my situtation:
I think if I could just get away, take a vacation, have a break, go to America, everything would be better. It would calm my restless heart. But no matter where I would go, be it the Smokey Mountains of N.C. or the beautiful beaches of S.C., the sea and the mountain would say, "It is not in me!"
"What I really need is the deep ocean of God's love and the high mountains of His truth within me. His wisdom has depths and heights that neither the ocean nor the mountains could contain and that couldnot be compared with jewels, gold, or precious stones. Christ is wisdom and He is our deepest need. Our inner restlesness can only be pacified by the revelation of His eternal friendship and love for us.
...my Home is God, and sheltered there, God meets the trials of my earthly life, God compasses me round from storm and strife, God takes the burden of my daily care. O Wondrous Place. O Home divinely fair!"
So, as you can see, it is not a break or vacation that I need. It's not even American soil or a rest. What I need is to realize that everything I need is in Christ. He is my hope, my strength, my joy, my all and I need nothing else! If you are restless or homesick today look to God, he is your home!
From the beginning of the summer I have been restless. Four years is a long time without a furlough and knowing we have to wait another year for a furlough was really pulling me down. I was thinking that I didn't know how I would make it another year without a break and really discouraged and having a pity party. Then through the Lord's Word I started to realize that I was living in defeat and started claiming His promises that are mine, I CAN do all things through Christ, His grace IS sufficient for me, those who wait on the Lord SHALL renew their strength. Little by little I came out of the pity party and yesterday's reading just reminded me its not about where I am but it's about the proper perspective. The verse was Job 28:14, "It is not in me."
I reworded the first part of the reading to fit my situtation:
I think if I could just get away, take a vacation, have a break, go to America, everything would be better. It would calm my restless heart. But no matter where I would go, be it the Smokey Mountains of N.C. or the beautiful beaches of S.C., the sea and the mountain would say, "It is not in me!"
"What I really need is the deep ocean of God's love and the high mountains of His truth within me. His wisdom has depths and heights that neither the ocean nor the mountains could contain and that couldnot be compared with jewels, gold, or precious stones. Christ is wisdom and He is our deepest need. Our inner restlesness can only be pacified by the revelation of His eternal friendship and love for us.
...my Home is God, and sheltered there, God meets the trials of my earthly life, God compasses me round from storm and strife, God takes the burden of my daily care. O Wondrous Place. O Home divinely fair!"
So, as you can see, it is not a break or vacation that I need. It's not even American soil or a rest. What I need is to realize that everything I need is in Christ. He is my hope, my strength, my joy, my all and I need nothing else! If you are restless or homesick today look to God, he is your home!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Camp Update
Baron just brought the last group of campers back home today! There were two teen boys from a private orphanage and six from a state run facility. He also brought back our new school teacher, Sarah Trahan. She will be teaching the three youngest this year.
Several of the kids made decisions at camp this past week. We took a total of 18 kids from the state run facility to camp this summer. Our prayer now is to be able to bring some of them to church. We can't bring them all, our vehicle only holds 10. It's hardnot being able to have to pick and choose which kids you minister to because you don't have enough help, enough space, or enough transportation. Our biggest prayer request is that the director will allow them to come to church. If this is not a possibility we will consider doing a Bible club for these kids on Saturday but we would love to get them in church. Pray that god would give us wisdom and that He would send more laboreres into the harvest field of Lugoj, Romania!
Several of the kids made decisions at camp this past week. We took a total of 18 kids from the state run facility to camp this summer. Our prayer now is to be able to bring some of them to church. We can't bring them all, our vehicle only holds 10. It's hardnot being able to have to pick and choose which kids you minister to because you don't have enough help, enough space, or enough transportation. Our biggest prayer request is that the director will allow them to come to church. If this is not a possibility we will consider doing a Bible club for these kids on Saturday but we would love to get them in church. Pray that god would give us wisdom and that He would send more laboreres into the harvest field of Lugoj, Romania!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Reasons to Praise God.
1. The first and most obvious reason...His free gift of salvation He provided through His son Jesus for me.
2. My husband.
3. My sweet children, all so different.
4. My family (parents, in laws, siblings, this also includes dearest Rebekah)
5. His Word, it gives truth, encouragement, guidance, light, strength, courage etc.
6. He left the Comforter to convict us, to encourage us, to walk along with us in this life and guide us.
7. Prayer, I have the most precious gift of being able to call upon the God who created the universe at any time and He is available to me!
8. My house. God provided this gift for a measly $28,000 and it is paid for and worth much more just 9 years later! It is a true blessing (I could go on and on about this one but I won't)
9. Prayer time with a handful of sweet and faithful Christians every Wednesday.
10. Our family has been to visit us many times, even my grandma has been twice. She got her passport for the first time at the ripe young age of 84.
11. The changing of seasons. I enjoy the new life of spring, the fun of summer, the beauty and coolness of fall, the holiday season that comes with winter.
12. The internet :-), it is a blessing keeping in touch with family and friends who are so far away!
13. People who pray and give so that we can be here.
14. Tabara Bucuria...Camp Joy
15. How God provided a new van for us.
16. How He provided the money for my plane ticket in February to be with my mom during her open heart surgery.
17. I praise God because His grace IS sufficient for me.
18. I praise Him because I CAN do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me...even when those things seem impossible!
19. He provided a teacher for the twins this year.
20. The two newest additions to our family...Lord willing will be official Howertons by the end of this year!
2. My husband.
3. My sweet children, all so different.
4. My family (parents, in laws, siblings, this also includes dearest Rebekah)
5. His Word, it gives truth, encouragement, guidance, light, strength, courage etc.
6. He left the Comforter to convict us, to encourage us, to walk along with us in this life and guide us.
7. Prayer, I have the most precious gift of being able to call upon the God who created the universe at any time and He is available to me!
8. My house. God provided this gift for a measly $28,000 and it is paid for and worth much more just 9 years later! It is a true blessing (I could go on and on about this one but I won't)
9. Prayer time with a handful of sweet and faithful Christians every Wednesday.
10. Our family has been to visit us many times, even my grandma has been twice. She got her passport for the first time at the ripe young age of 84.
11. The changing of seasons. I enjoy the new life of spring, the fun of summer, the beauty and coolness of fall, the holiday season that comes with winter.
12. The internet :-), it is a blessing keeping in touch with family and friends who are so far away!
13. People who pray and give so that we can be here.
14. Tabara Bucuria...Camp Joy
15. How God provided a new van for us.
16. How He provided the money for my plane ticket in February to be with my mom during her open heart surgery.
17. I praise God because His grace IS sufficient for me.
18. I praise Him because I CAN do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me...even when those things seem impossible!
19. He provided a teacher for the twins this year.
20. The two newest additions to our family...Lord willing will be official Howertons by the end of this year!
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