October 15, 2007 

Howdy!  I know this update is long over due.  Please forgive me.  All of you that know me, know that email has never been my thing especially when there is limited electricity.   We have gotten the fall off with a bang.  I am working with the Roma (they do not like to be called Gypsy) children four days a week.  We have rented a small storefront in Prizren (a city that is about 45 minutes from Gjakova) and we meet with some children two days a week.  There are 25 children directly involved.  We have two sessions a day; one for older children (school age) and one for preschoolers.   Some of the older children go to school, but I work with a group that do not even know their alphabet.  The preschoolers are working on their colors and learning the names of objects (trees, house, etc.)  We have also had to show the children how to use a toilet.  None of the preschoolers had ever even seen a toilet!  Ye t they are so much fun to be with.  They all coming running to me and just want a hug and kiss.  While working with the older children, we decided to have small devotions so we can focus on their education.  During the first class, the children were so upset that there was no Bible story that we had to start having Bible stories during our classes.  We have added more time because the children are begging to hear about Jesus! 
 
While working with the children in Prizren, I have encountered children who are suffering from malnutrition.  I have never seen this before.  I had taken a girl to the hospital to be tested for TB and when all her test results came back the doctor told me there was no TB, but that she was starving to death!  My heart broke.  I took her back home and talked to the family.  The other children needed to be tested for TB so we were going to take them the following week.  It was a Friday so nothing else could be done.  On Saturday as I was eating my lunch, I suddenly felt sick to my stomach.  There was no way I could wait several days to bring food to the family where the children were starving.  After church on Sunday I went back to Prizren to take the family some food.  The parents were so grateful.  Please pray for this family.  Two of the children are infected with TB and three are malnourished. 
 
We are continuing our work at the Roma Colony here in Gjakova.  We now go two days a week and we work with 75-100 children both days.  Children are crying to come into the sessions that we do!  At the request of the Muslim leaders, we are focusing on health with the children.  It is hard to teach them to eat healthy when they have no food.  Or teach them to wash their hands when they have no running water.  Yet God is good and we are working on it.  One of our lessons will be how to blow your nose and we are going to give every child a box of tissue!  Most of the volunteers do not want to be there on that day!
 
One of the boys in the Gjakova is learning to write his name.  I have mentioned him before, Ernest.  At least that is what we used to call him.  I talked to his mother and I learned his name was Ornst.  We have finally taught him what his name looks like and he can write it if you write it first!  Ornst is twelve years old!  
 
You might be wondering when we evangelize and tell about Jesus in all of this.  We can't mention His name at the Gjakova Colony, but we do show who He is.  While the Muslim sessions and another group often have to beg and threaten children to come to their sessions, we have to turn children away.  I think Jesus is smiling when He sees Ornst writing his name for the first time or a child's nose being cleaned so he can breath or children receiving love no matter what condition they are in!  When do we evangelize?  All the time!  We are showing the children who Christ is.  Praise God for the wonderful and unique opportunity to show Jesus to the children.
 
Please pray for:
Children who are so sick
Children in the classes we are teaching
Donika and Feuda, the ladies that work with me and the children
Me as I continue to train leaders to work with the children 
Me for guidance for my next step
 
Thank you for your support.  Please continue to pray for me and all the ministries here in Kosova.  Thanks to everyone who continues to email me even when I do not respond.  I love reading those emails, so keep it up!  I am a little depressed since the NY Yankees did not make it through the playoffs.  I think they just needed me there to cheer them on.   I am attaching pictures through power point.  I hope you enjoy them.
 
In His Service,  MARY