Almost reality

A few weeks ago on a Saturday morning, I received a phone call from a lady who had worked the night shift at Moldova's Christian radio station. I have never met her, but somehow she knew that we were in the process of a Home for Women who had been trafficked and during her shift a woman had called, who had escaped in Odessa, Ukraine and had no place to go. Could we help her?

I talked to Tanya, one of the women who will work in the Home, and she went to work on finding her a place to stay until the Home is open. We placed her temporarily in a rehab center which we work with closely.

Right now we are waiting for the cabinets to be put in the house and the furnishings to arrive by container from the states. They should be here within a few weeks. We are so close.

This has been the biggest step of faith Andy and I have ever taken in life and in ministry. Some would say the biggest step was moving with 3 daughters to Moldova, but really that was just obedience and we love it here. It is not hard. But building this home daily is a challenge to our faith.

We have seen God move again and again to give us the funds we need to continue the work on the home. The work has never had to stop. Building costs in Moldova have sky-rocketed this past year and thus the costs of putting this home up far exceeded what we'd planned. But again and again God has moved on people & churches to give, to work, to help. God has done marvelous things.

And now we are so close and knowing that we are still short of the costs to totally finish. We need to pay for lights and curtain rods, rugs and railings, a garage door, stove and oven and kitchen sink.

So today I'm asking you to please pray and believe with us for these funds to complete and finish the home. The burden is great and yet, we see God move time and again.

Pray for the operational funds to continue to come in. It is a fearful thing that people will say, "well, the home is up" and then there are no funds to run it. But we are believing God for this too.

Pray for partnerships with those that will make this self-sustaining. We met with a Western man who does business in Moldova and wants to talk with us about starting a project in the home that is more than just small crafts, but something to actually fund the home's expenses.

Pray for the staff that has come together to make this ministry a reality--for Tanya, Rodica, Oxana, Maria, Natasha and Xena. Some of these will be paid staff and some will be volunteers, but they all have a heart to see the women healed.

Pray for the women who will come into the Home. That God would help and heal them and they would find freedom and new life in Christ.

Thanks for your prayers today.