Thought that would get your attention...

With a completely packed STL vehicle, myself and two Romanian ministry volunteers made our way down south towards the Bulgarian border to a small village of Potelu about 3 hours outside of Bucharest.  I have done many outreaches and knew that the children were anxiously awaiting the return of Upa our gorilla. 

This weekend was packed full of children's and adult's outreaches.  We arrived Friday afternoon with about 2 hours to spare before the start of our children's program.  A group of friends arrive from Timisoara and together we set up and rehearse for the outreach.  Upa the gorilla and Benjamin bear walk through the streets gathering the kids.  The theme is Jesus is alive and I teach about Easter and it's significance.  We have a full body gorilla and bear costume that we use in the program and a clown and puppets. 

Friday evening we set up to prepare for an outdoor evangelistic outreach to adults.  All goes well this first day.  We all settle into our selected homes for the night.  I get to stay at a family's home in the next villlage.  It's the home of the aunt of a friend.  Not being used to farm life the chickens, turkey and rooster all keep me awake.  I thought the rooster was supposed to wake me up in the morning??? Must be on a different time zone than me.

Well saturday morning is a relaxed time of fellowship and meal.  Early afternoon we set up for our second children's outreach.  Getting a little concerned since it's raining an hour before the program and we are outside we do the only thing we can imagine to do and that is to pray!  Wouldn't you know it.... it stops raining just before we begin and starts up again after we finish.  God is so awesome. 

Program goes well and I teach on Jesus' neverending love and forgiveness and our need for His forgiveness.

The evening program for adults is cancelled due to storm but with the few that show up we divide up (girls in one room and guys in another).  We have an impromptu meeting with the women and one of the gals who came with me from Bucharest gives a wonderful talk with the women about breast cancer.  For many it was the first time hearing about this and doing self exams etc.  She also gets into some other discussions for women and overall we have a wonderful time with the women. 

In the middle of the meeting I experience my first Romania earthquake.  Shook us up a little but was very brief. 

Sunday morning brought us to church where we had great worship, some gave testimonies, I was asked to give a word and I did so all in Romanian (I'm sure with many mistakes ) 

After lunch we pack up my little STL truck and head back to Bucharest. 

Please pray for the seeds that are planted and God's continued work in this village of Potelu

There is a very good reason why I haven't been able to update for the past 5 weeks.  Over the past 5 weeks the following has taken place:

1)  My colleage and I hosted 3 different teams (from Evangel University, Tulsa Oklahoma,  and Ireland)

2)  We visited 17 different villages, towns and cities.  Sometimes returning several times for follow up.

3)  We held 10 Evangelistic outreaches for children

4)  We held 6 Public School Assembly Programs focusing on developing good Character

5)  We held 8 Women's Evangelistic outreaches in the form of Ladies Teas

6)  We taught a 3 day seminar at Bible College in Constanta on children's ministry

7)  We held a Chapel service for elementary and 2 chapel services for Secondary students at Missionary School in Bucharest.  Also serving hot lunches for students

8)  Between the 3 teams we led 4 different Sunday Services

9)  The teams did various work projects and construction projects at Kidz Romania Ministry Center.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO CAME AND SERVED!!!!  The teams were amazing and worked hard.  Only God knows the true impact and the many lives which were changed as a result of their labor.  Many seeds were planted so please continue to pray.

As a result of so many outreaches we have received many many more invitations.  Praise God for these open doors.

Tamara Henkes

www.henkes.ministryhome.org

Okay, I don't know what happened or why I just disappeared from facebook but whatever the reason I'm back.  I will spare everyone the details of what I've been doing for the past several months but just trust me when I say I've been busy.

I did have the chance to visit the states and see my family so that has been a highlight.  I do have some pray requests so I'll just get right to business why I'm here today.  We need prayer.  We have a team of University students arriving saturday for a week of ministry and of course we need to be covered in prayer.  I have included a quick agenda so you can be praying for specific days and what we'll be doing.

Thank you so much

Friday 2/27 Arrival of Sarah with Save Europe's Children

Saturday 2/28 Arrival of 10 students from Evangel

Sunday 3/1 church service in Videle where team will give testimonies and music.  After service we have 2 children's outreaches.  One of the outreaches is in a village we've never been to yet.

Monday 3/2 team gets free day for sightseeing and shopping

Tuesday 3/3 Travel to Codla for Public School outreaches

Wednesday 3/4 School outreaches in Bucharest

Thursday 3/5 School outreaches in Bucharest

Friday 3/6 Travel to Vizuresti for a "Ladies Tea" evangelistic outreach and a Children's outreach

Saturday 3/7 team will do projects around the Ministry Center

Sunday 3/8 team leaves

Please pray for the outreaches, especially to the public schools.  Wihle in the public schools, we can't talk about God, but our desire is to teach about developing good moral characters as well as build relationships in these communities for future outreaches.

During times with teams we travel alot, pray for safety as well as good health. 

Thank you

Tamara

www.henkes.ministryhome.org

Although I signed up for facebook back in January that's about all I did for the past 11 months.  I finally sat down yesterday and played around and started searching for friends.  It's amazing!  I reconnected with a friend we haven't talked in about 9 years.  We both were looking for each other and it just so happens she signed up for facebook yesterday.  We got to talk on skype and I was blessed!  Her and her family were instrumental in me coming to the Lord.  I found some high school friends and lots of my PCC friends!!! 

If you are on facebook and I haven't added you as a friend, let me know. 

Tamara Henkes

www.henkes.ministryhome.org

I am praying for a blessed Thanksgiving Holiday for each of you!  Today I get to spend time with about 35 Americans and Canadians here in Bucharest.  I'm preparing mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and apple pie.  This is only my 2nd apple pie I've ever made from scratch so I am praying it turns out very yummy.

What I am thankful for:

1.  God's unconditional love and mercy

2.  Jesus Christ 

3.  My family

4.  My friends

5.  The incredible privilege to serve here in Romania

6.  Coffee

7.  Beautiful Romanian language (although it's driving me crazy to learn, it's still a beautiful language)

8.  Ministry opportunities God opens up work with children and women.

9.  My home

10.  My life

Of course the list could go on and on.....  No matter how down we are, depressed, lonely, frustrated, discouraged etc... there are always things we can be thankful for and if we took the time everyday to list those and thank God for them, then it makes the difficult times more bearable.  Sometimes these things we are most thankful for gets buried in the busyness of life and the trials and tests we face daily.  Rather than allowing those challenging things to be on the frontline of our life, let's put the things we are thankful for to the surface and forefront and our challenges won't be so overwhelming. 

Happy Thanksgiving my friends and may God's bless you and may His face shine upon you!

Tamara Henkes

www.henkes.ministryhome.org

Okay, I know it sounds like I've been having lots of challenging days but then again I guess if one is doing work for the Lord you can expect the enemy to be on overtime.  Today was no exception especially as we are preparing Christmas material for children's workers and tomorrow is a big conference we are leading.

Actually in the end we were able to laugh about it.  Gotta laugh or else it'll all drive you crazy.

Morning started out well.  Went to language class and my teacher blessed me with a nice Birthday gift (yes today is my birthday)  Headed to the office to meet my colleague so we can finish our Christmas bulletin and make final preparations for the conference tomorrow.  Our bulletins are monthly emailings we do to over 400 children's workers throughout the country providing teaching ideals, crafts, games etc.. which we write.

So I arrive and my colleague is frazled.  Her day started out with the alarm at the office going off twice.  A new puppy we just adopted off the street got so scared it ran off and we can't find it and we're searching all over.  The power went off twice.  Anything electrical had problems.  Computers, no internet connection etc.  One thing after another was going wrong.  Oh yea, forgot to mention the virus attack. 

So then Jan and I decide to take a break and get something to eat for my birthday.  I choose Turkish restaurant.  We drive down this street where there are three restaurants.  I'm trying to make a left hand turn on an insanely crazy street.   I'm in the middle of the intersection on the tram tracks and I look in my rear view mirror and there is the tramvai barreling down on me - okay overdramatized but it's parked right on my tail waiting for me to get out of the way.  Finally a kind soul lets me in.  We drive up and down the street trying to find a place to park.  I'm noticing this is a common theme in my posts.... always searching for a place to park!  We decide to just hike it as we park a ways off.  We walk back to the main street and turn right only to have a street dog chase us in the other direction.  We try again and he chases us barking and showing all it's teeth.  A man gets chased and pretty much everyone avoids this area we are not messing with him.  Okay, let's see if we can find a restaurant in the other direction.  We walk and walk and walk and finally make it to another Turkish restaurant and because we're a bit early (although they are open) they have hardly no food.  Very little selection so we choose the lamb.  It was surprisingly good.   However, as we are enjoying this wonderful mean we get a full view of the butchers mutilating the mean in the back.  It was not a lovely sight. 

We then proceed to the grocery store to purchase items we need for the conference tomorrow.  Again, no place to park so we park in the McDonalds parking lot across the street.  Okay, we know technically we shouldn't do this so then we absolutely must go in and buy an ice cream.  So we're wondering if we can claim that as a business expense as a parking fee while purchasing stuff for a work conference?   I have finally made it home, pretty exhausted and know I have a huge day tomorrow and still so much to prepare for.  I pray God helps me with speaking Romanian!!!! 

 Don't feel bad for me,,, I am planning a trip someplace to celebrate my birthday.

Blessings and please pray for tomorrow

Tamara

www.henkes.ministryhome.org

One of the outreaches I did this past summer involved a women's evangelistic outreach in the form of a Ladies Tea.  At this particular outreach I was able to pass out hardback Women's Devotional New Testament Bibles in Romanian Language.  One of the women in this village, who was at this event, happened to be the missionary's wife.  This young Romanian couple and their two children moved to this small village to minister.  It is a very hard and difficult area to minister in and they live off of very little support.  We handed out the Bibles and I was told that she was so overwhelmed because she had been trying so hard to save up to buy one for so long but never had enough and now she has one.  Coming from a culture where so many have multiple Bibles collecting dust on their shelves I am so humbled to hear stories about a young family sacrificing so much for the Lord and yet this woman can't have her own Bible.  At this outreach not only did she receive her own Bible but the children too. 

God brought someone into my path this past month.  I received a phone call from him the other day and he said he had these Women's Bibles available and was offering them to me for 50% off each as well as about 28 free Bibles.  We purchased 578 of them and are excited for future evangelistic outreaches where women throughout Romania who have never had their own Bible or even read God's Word can now receive one.   This was a deal we could not pass up.  They were delivered this morning. Thank you Jesus!!!! 

Just wanted you to know where your missions monies are going to!

Prayer request.  Saturday Jan and I are teaching an all day seminar from 9-3 to children's workers throughout Bucharest.  We're doing it all in Romanian.  Please be in prayer that this seminar will be meaningful and beneficial to these children's workers and God will help me with the language.  I've been working with my language coach in preparing and translating material.  Talk about stretching. 

Blessings

Tamara

www.henkes.ministryhome.org

After driving 24 hours (10 hours there and 14 hours back) and sitting in about 16 hours of meetings, I have returned from Greece!  Sounds exciting eh???  Actually I did have a good time.  Met with about 50 other missionaries from all over Europe to participate in a "Think Tank".  In simple terms we discussed some of the issues Europe is facing and tried to strategize how we as a spirit led missions organization can work together to tackle some of these issues and where God is leading us over the next 3-5 years.  We had some very good discussions. 

I got to meet some fabulous people who are serving all around Europe and was blessed to hang with them this week. 

Okay, I had talked myself into not saying anything about this but I must... besides it makes good blog stories when one can laugh at their own inadequacies. Those who know me, know that I am somewhat directionally challenged.  But I am a somewhat good map reader and I eventually find my way.  Did very well driving to Greece.  Not much problem and all went well at border crossings.  Drove through Bulgaria as well.  However, on the way home was another story.  Managed to make it to Sofia Bulgaria however, it was getting dark and approaching 4 pm.  I knew I needed to make it onto the ring road which goes around the city and to head towards the border town Russe.  Now, so that you know, I have someone with me so I am not alone.   There is construction and traffic and it's dark so seeing any signage is difficult.  We drive and drive and drive.  At this point I'm getting exhausted so I start reading signs to keep my mind occupied and then it hits us both.  I'm reading the exact same signs I read when we originally entered Sofia and got onto the ring road.  We just made a complete circle around the entire city.  an hour and half later we ended up right where we started when we entered the capital city.  If we both didn't have to work Monday and we were not so afraid of the Mafia stealing my car I would have opted to stay at a hotel.  But reality hit me and we can't stay here so we call a friend who lives in this city and he proceeds to tell us that it is true the roads are not well marked at all.  That would have been good information to have in the beginning.  He gives us landmarks and we proceed (Again!).  We find his landmarks, but then he wasn't sure where exactly to turn so we are just praying and then after about 30 minutes we find the first turn.... but as we continue down the road the fog gets so dense I can only see a few feet in front of us.  We are going slow, searching for more signs or landmarks to get us in the right direction.  I see a sign that says Pyce to turn off. Since I am looking for Russe I ignore it and continue.  The road then abruptly ends and forces me to take a sharp turn to the right and I make a 180 degree loop.  Then to my horror I pass by a sign that says to Sofia.  Oh my goodness, I just came from there.   Please get me out of Sofia!!!  I see a cop but then get too scared to get out of my car and ask.  We figure we need to go in the opposite of Sofia so I turn around and go back, again not being able to see anything except what is directly in front of me.  I'm getting a bit freaked out and then see my sign to Russe and can relax.  We enter into another town and the signs to Russe stop but there are the signs again to Pyce.  I don't want Pyce, I want Russe.  I drive around in circles in this town trying to figure out where I go to Russe and then it dawns on me.  Bulgarian language consists of Cyrillic script however with roadsigns they will also include the International phonetic alphabet spelling of the word.  Okay, call me very slow (or after driving all day long, very tired) but it took me a while to realize that Pyce = Russe.  Pyce is the cyrillic spelling of Russe.  Okay now I feel real dumb but once I figured that out I venture on my journey and make it okay.  Arrived in Bucharest around 1:30 AM.  And woke up at 7:30 to my neighbors beginning construction renovation. 

Be blessed my friends and may you never get lost driving in Bulgaria

Tamara

www.henkes.ministryhome.org

Oh the simplest of prayers yet the most powerful.  Coming from the mouth and heart of one exhausted, frustrated and frazeled girl.  If you haven't figured it out yet, I've had a challenging day.  I can't say that any one big thing happened.  It's just a lot of little (and real insignificant) things.  I start out pretty good.  I have a house guest staying with me for the week so we get up and get ready.  I'm doing some office work and getting ready for meetings.  I'm even thinking I can make it on time to my meeting with our organization's accountant.  We meet every Monday.  Oh by the way for those who don't know, I'm also the field treasurer for our missions organization here in Romania.  Get to put my accounting degree to work.  I get in my car and head out.  Now driving in Bucharest is already extremely stressful as it is but I am nearly convinced that about another million new cars have arrived just this weekend and made it on the road in the past few days.  It was crazy.  Where did everyone come from?  I make it to the area where my meeting is as well as my language class and begin to search for a place to park.  Now it is nearly impossible to even begin to describe the parking situation here but it's pretty much a free for all and nothing is sacrad - especially sidewalks.  After driving 20 minutes searching I'm praying for even a sidewalk to drive up on with a free space to park.  Nothing... and one cannot simply go around the block.  there are no clean blocks.  After another 10-15 minutes (I'm now 35 minues late) I find a place to park but it's so far away I call Costel.  It's 1:35 and I have language class at 2:00.  There would be no way to walk to the office, meet him and make my class.  He's very understanding and had lots to do himself so it was fine.  We'll meet next week. 

So I go to language class and every time I'm greeted by the door man.  There are two and they alternate.  I get to practice my language and they love to chat so it works out well. One of them thought I was Italian for a while there, trying to practice his little Italian he knows until I finally asked him if he knew I was not Italian.  He was shocked.  He still likes to practice his few Italian words.  He's fun to chat with.   The other one is fun to talk with on most days but sometimes I'm a little uncomfortable around him.  Today however, he was very drunk.  I normally smell a little but it was very bad today the smell nearly knocked me over.  I chat a little with him and then my day gets even better (hint of sarcasm there).  He tells me I'm not talking very well today.  I laugh as I really wanted to tell him that he's probably not hearing too well today.... but I am a nice girl and keep my mouth shut.  I told him I'm having a stressful day and he says that after my language class today maybe I'll come back to him speaking better.    gee thanks for the encouragement.  My language teacher cheers me up and I leave feeling better.  I don't have time to chat with my friend but then again he's not in much condition to talk either.  very sad, need to pray for him.  Alcoholism is high. 

Packing now for a business trip to Greece.  I know it's rough but actually not going to have much time to play, it'll be all meetings so you can feel sorry for me  

Please pray for safe travel

Tamara

www.henkes.ministryhome.org 

The week after the election is buzzing with lots of discussion here in Romania.  Everywhere I go I am asked about what I think of Obama.  Romanians are very curious and want to discuss this.  They are watching closely not only with the media to see what will take place as we make this crucial transition, but they are watching us.  Those I meet, know I'm an American and they want my opinion.  However, based on what I say, will they also know I am a Christian?  Will I be critical and complain because I didn't get the president I elected?  Will I find every excuse to bash our new president?  The Bible says we are not to do that.  We are to be a light and to shine bright.  We are to pray for our elected officials.  And that is what I tell them.  I may have not voted for him but I will pray for him because he is now my president and that is my responsibility as a Christian.  Instead of getting a heated discussion, I want to give them something to think about and how we can move forward and challenge them to put their hope in Christ and pray for others. 

Just finished a couple of outreaches this weekend.  Saturday our ministry team went to Glina, a small village just outside of Bucharest and we worked with a doctor who works at a health clinic in Bucharest.  He ran a little health clinic at the church to check teeth and other things.  While he did that our team played with the kids outside to keep their attention.  After the clinic we had a small program for the kids to talk about how God created us and we need to take care of our bodies. 

Sunday we returned to do a full program.  Our program went something like this:

Sang a song with kids

puppets

clown skit

Taught them a Bible verse to memorize

puppets

Bible story about Jonah acted out 

taught the message with illusion

prayer

hand out candy and more toothbrushes for those who didn't receive one the day before.  Gotta brush those teeth after eating candy

then handed out balloons

It was a fun weekend but pretty tired though.

Leaving tomorrow morning to drive to Greece.  yea I know rough.  But it is for work and not vacation.  I won't have much, if any, free time to see anything.  I'm taking two days to drive there, and the four days are packed with meetings all day.  Please pray for these meetings.  We are getting together with our Europe leadership and a selected group of missionaries from around Europe to have a 'think tank' and discuss future of Europe missions.  Please pray for God's direction in the conversation and to speak through us His missiona and passion for missions here in Europe. 

Blessings

Tamara Henkes

www.henkes.ministryhome.org