“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21
Lord, we confess our own misguided priorities. We are lost without you. Please help us to treasure what you treasure, to love what you love. Amen.
Some prayers and prayer requests from Mia:
“I continue to be inspired by what God showed me in spite of all the trials we have to go through. In the same time, we look at what happened in the world and we see Japan many other places and we realize again that the world has to come back to God, as the only hope for the future. Let’s pray and work together and look forward, to build bridges between people from different parts of the world, as all need God .
As we are waiting to again celebrate Easter, let’s take inside of our hearts and souls Jesus’ death and resurrection and continue to march with Him in the world. Together with Him we are strong!
Romania is passing through very difficult times, like all the world. What’s worst is that many people lost their hopes: the suicide rate it’s incredibly high, more people are depressed, many are sick with diseases resulting from poverty, malnutrition, a lack of medicine being available, proper food and hygiene products scarce.
For us it became more difficult to keep going with our mission as the dollar continues to be devalued in time when the prices are continually going up. There are days when we don’t know how to manage the situation other than to pray and look forward. In spite of everything, we are optimistic and this is encouraging other people to know and understand “our key “. We witness in this way what we know the best: ‘all things are possible with God!’ ”
Please, pray for:
We thank you for making a way for us in these difficult times. Your help, support, prayers, encouragements mean so much to us. Blessings and much love to all of you.
(Mia)
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.
Psalm 118:9
Living and all-powerful God, as the nations face war and disaster, we ask for your protection and provision. Make us into people who trust you above all other leaders and who desire your kingdom first.
Petre (Peter) about 10 years ago
Petre (Peter) now, on his way to study cooking in Germany
Mia sends along this update:
Peter is in Germany and he sends you all his love. He works hard to find new things for his work, cooking.
The kids are great. They study hard, work hard. Some of the kids have coldness, but it’s normal for this period of time. Mario went to the hospital again, but right now he’s out of danger, praise the Lord!
The new building it’s finished outside and mostly inside. The owner ordered also bunk-beds for 32 children, wardrobe for all the kids. We’ll have to purches many items basic necessary for the new place. God is so, so good! He’s unlimited!
We should also pray for Mia’s health. She is in physical therapy for her spine and is seeking out some medical opinions on how to proceed.
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When girls live life out on the street, what risks do they face?
Along with well known threats like drugs and alcohol, crime, physical abuse and health problems, girls out on the street are at high risk of being trafficked.
Human trafficking generally occurs when someone – usually a female or a child or both – is forced into the sex trade by a person able to manipulate them through physical force or some other means of coercion. It happens all over the world, even in American cities. In Romania, generational poverty, high crime rates and government corruption mean even less protection for vulnerable girls than in many other countries.
The New York Times recently published a profile about one woman’s work to help human trafficking victims in Romania. Her organization offers a safe place for these young girls to recover.
After reading the girls’ stories, a question comes to mind: What is the solution to this crime’s high demand? How can we keep it from happening in the first place?
At Mia’s Children, we believe that stopping the demand for human trafficking in Romania has to begin with change from the inside out.
Criminals can always find their way around laws, and desperation from poverty makes them more willing to do terrible things for cash. What Romania needs is a heart change that helps traffickers and victims alike recognize their need for God. He is the only one who can defeat evil, who can break generational sin and save victims of oppression.
Mia’s Children works with boys and young men to help them know early on that they are loved, forgiven, and special in God’s sight. Thanks to Costel’s hard work in training up young men, we now have older leaders who can give the younger boys a Biblical understanding of right and wrong and teach them how to respect their elders and peers.
This task can be very difficult – boys sometimes arrive at our door having been trained to behave violently, especially against women – but we have found that a little love goes a long way. And in the end we get to see Romanians who could have fallen into very dangerous lifestyles become Romanians who serve God and honor women.
Enough men like that, and we could see human trafficking end in Romania for good.