Celebrating Beauty

     We recently celebrated one of the girls birthday's at the home.  Sometimes when I am at the home, I just sit back and stand in awe of what God has done in their lives.  This was one of those times.  On birthdays, we usually have a lot of food, we sing a birthday song in Romanian, and then we usually sing Happy Birthday in English.  One of my favorite times is when we put the girl in a kitchen chair and lift her a number of times.  They usually end up screaming or taken over by laughter; I love it.  For this particular girls, birthdays bring up a lot of sadness from the past.  Earlier in the week she was really nervous about being celebrated.   When her day came though, she let  us celebrate her and what God has done in her life.
     She came to our home fearing for her life.  In the beginning, she would not talk very much, and she was terrified of going outside.  Today she is full of joy!!!  She often greets us at the door ready for a hug and an opportunity to feed us.  On the way to the home Wednesday, we saw her outside.  She was going to get some bread for her party.  She is no longer afraid to go outside.  She is no longer afraid to show her feelings.  God is moving in her life and I am so moved.  She is perhaps one of the most courages people I have ever met.

Joel 2:25,26

So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, 

      The crawling locust, 

      The consuming locust, 

      And the chewing locust.

      My great army which I sent among you. 

        You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, 

      And praise the name of the LORD your God, 

      Who has dealt wondrously with you; 

      And My people shall never be put to shame.