"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward." - Colossians 3:23-24

Our long awaited summer ministry update is now here! This summer was truly a magical and meaningful time for everyone involved. In June, Cat and I were able to meet several times with the kids from the Roșiori orphanages. We played some "getting to know you" and rapport building games with them in anticipation of our upcoming summer camps. Our intern/nanny, Cassie, also arrived and she jumped right in helping us get ready for summer ministry.

Clockwise from top left: A successful meeting with the Roșiori kids; Oly and Nicoleta; playing the guessing game "Headbands"; setting up "Getting to Know You Jenga"; hanging out in the Dunari apartment; Maria, Nicoleta, and Oly playing together.

Cassie and Oly making decorations for summer camp.

July was full to the brim with summer camps. Our theme of being a light in dark places was not only timely but also uniquely conveyed through the use of several Biblical characters, some of whom the kids had never heard of before! The stories we used allowed for a deep exploration of the gospel message, while still being relatable and meaningful to the kids. Our camps ran for three weeks and we were able to serve eight different populations of young people: two state run orphanages, two special needs orphanages, two private orphanages, several Ukrainian refugee families, and a gypsy community. Two teams from America participated in serving alongside us and provided an additional layer of support and involvement, resulting in an enriching and memorable experience for everyone. Our hope is that we brought a sense of hope, belonging, and faith to each of the children who passed through our doors.

Clockwise from top left: Snack time; singing praise songs; making crafts; getting ready for games; more praise and worship; hanging out and building friendships

Clockwise from top left: Nicu and one of the boys from the special needs orphanage in Roșiori; game time at one of the gypsy communities; getting ready for the zip line; crafts in the gypsy community; crafts with the boys special needs orphanage; large group worship

We had such an amazing summer that several team members are already talking about coming back next year! If you share a passion for reaching the underserved and marginalized children of Romania please reach out to us or visit www.h2hint.org/trips/. Not only do we have information for summer ministry 2024 available but there is also information on other teams that come throughout the year. Whether you have a heart for teaching, counseling, music, sports, arts, or simply sharing love, your unique skills and compassion are welcome here!

What's Coming Up

Here are some of our upcoming events for the fall:

• Starting group therapy sessions and life skill classes in the Roșiori orphanages
• Starting character development classes in the special needs orphanages
• Outreach in the Bucharest orphanages
• Starting the transition program

How You Can Support Us

We always appreciate your support through prayer. Here are our current praises and prayer requests:

• Huge praises for the success of summer ministry! So many great connections were made and many relationships were strengthened.
• We are thankful that we were able to get a new water pump after our old one stopped working in the middle of summer camps. We're also thankful that Nicu was able to get it installed and working in just a few short hours.
• Pray for our fall ministry schedule and that we will continue to have good relationships with the directors at the schools and orphanages where we work.
• Pray for the kids who will be in the transition program this year. Please pray for us as we begin the process of selecting kids and moving them into our home.
• Pray for Cassie as she gets her 5 year visa and for me as I begin the process of getting my permanent residency visa. Rumor is that it takes several months just to get an appointment at the visa office. If there are errors in our paperwork it will only draw out the process. Pray for God's favor in this situation!
• Pray for Nicu and I as we continue to look into buying a house here in Romania. Pray that doors would open for us to find the perfect place for us to expand and grow our ministry.

If you would like to partner with us financially please visit our donations page. All donations made through Walking With Orphans go directly to our ministry.

We invite you to check out our Facebook group to receive updates on our work in Romania and how God is using us. You can also follow us on our new Instagram page: Familia Perghel in Romania.