The past two days, we've spent some time working at a local orphanage. In the evenings, we've been talking a lot about the nature of the orphanage system, and I've learned a lot. The orphanage we've worked at is an orphange for children with special needs. Although this is true, some of the children are not disabled at all. For the ones that are, there aren't really many programs that exist to help them advance in abilities and understanding. As Jenn, who has ministered here for 10 years said, "Special education doesn't exist here."
The kids come from various backgrounds: some have been in the orphanage since infancy, some were abandoned by their families, some ran away. Some are gypsy, others have slavic heritage, a few are actually Romanian. They all have so many needs. They're very unstructured, from what I have seen, manners are something that the teams here really try to teach them. They don't seem to have a very big understanding of right and wrong, what is acceptable and what is not. We spend most of our time just loving them. Playing Uno (which, it turns out is universal), jumping rope, playing a game of soccer, and coloring are among some of our favorite activities. They mostly just want to be loved! Hugs, laps that can be filled with kids, and hands to hold are all ways we show them Jesus' incredible love for them.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Babies!
I'm splitting the ministry that I've been working in so far into three different posts, by the groups of kids involved.
The first day we were here, I went to work at the baby hospital. First of all, the hospital was very different from my concept of a hospital. As we walked up the steps, the building looked dirty...mud everywhere around the entrance, etc. Inside, the first thing you notice is the overwhelming smell of smoke. (Smoking in the hospital is still allowed.) Secondly, the stray dogs that roam all of Bucharest were also present in the building, laying in stairwells and hallways outside of the main patient halls.
We walked upstairs to the infant wing with gifts for the nurses on duty (some of them don't like outsiders coming in to help with the babies, so the gifts are almost like a peace offering/bribe) and as we walked into the infant hallway, the overall datedness of the interior of the hospital was crazy. Think 1950's paint, floor tile, and ceilings. Our group of 5 was split between three rooms with about 6-8 babies in each. They ranged from ages of 1-6 months. Corny, the Romanian we traveled and worked with, told us that the babies become 'very very happy' when they see the Americans coming. You see, the nurses don't really play with the babies, they interact, literally at arms length, to do the basic things like feeding and changing. (They also occasionally come in to 'flip' the babies over from tummy to back...think the robotic motions of a pro-pancake flipper and you'll get the idea of their interactions.)
So, for about 5 hours, we fed, changed, and held these dear little ones. Some had siblings in the cribs next to them; two pairs of twins were in the room I worked in. Most had nametags with their first and last names, some babies had no names at all. To deal with this situation, the nurses use numbers to identify the babies for feedings, etc. My favorite was #9, a baby with no first name but the last name of Florea. He was much smaller than the other babies in the room, and Corny told me that he had had some sort of problem with his legs awhile ago which had required surgery. A little IV end was still in his little hand, covered with a sock so he wouldn't mess with it. One thing we noticed fairly quickly was how these babies craved attention. When we walked in, they were all pretty quiet, but after we had begun to hold them and then set one down to pick up another, the first started to whimper to be held again. Florea basically shook until you picked him up again. It was a long, challenging, but wonderful day. Through it all, God impressed upon me the wonderful love that He has for these little ones that not even the nurses seem to feel for. He has called them each by name, even if they don't have one legally.
The first day we were here, I went to work at the baby hospital. First of all, the hospital was very different from my concept of a hospital. As we walked up the steps, the building looked dirty...mud everywhere around the entrance, etc. Inside, the first thing you notice is the overwhelming smell of smoke. (Smoking in the hospital is still allowed.) Secondly, the stray dogs that roam all of Bucharest were also present in the building, laying in stairwells and hallways outside of the main patient halls.
We walked upstairs to the infant wing with gifts for the nurses on duty (some of them don't like outsiders coming in to help with the babies, so the gifts are almost like a peace offering/bribe) and as we walked into the infant hallway, the overall datedness of the interior of the hospital was crazy. Think 1950's paint, floor tile, and ceilings. Our group of 5 was split between three rooms with about 6-8 babies in each. They ranged from ages of 1-6 months. Corny, the Romanian we traveled and worked with, told us that the babies become 'very very happy' when they see the Americans coming. You see, the nurses don't really play with the babies, they interact, literally at arms length, to do the basic things like feeding and changing. (They also occasionally come in to 'flip' the babies over from tummy to back...think the robotic motions of a pro-pancake flipper and you'll get the idea of their interactions.)
So, for about 5 hours, we fed, changed, and held these dear little ones. Some had siblings in the cribs next to them; two pairs of twins were in the room I worked in. Most had nametags with their first and last names, some babies had no names at all. To deal with this situation, the nurses use numbers to identify the babies for feedings, etc. My favorite was #9, a baby with no first name but the last name of Florea. He was much smaller than the other babies in the room, and Corny told me that he had had some sort of problem with his legs awhile ago which had required surgery. A little IV end was still in his little hand, covered with a sock so he wouldn't mess with it. One thing we noticed fairly quickly was how these babies craved attention. When we walked in, they were all pretty quiet, but after we had begun to hold them and then set one down to pick up another, the first started to whimper to be held again. Florea basically shook until you picked him up again. It was a long, challenging, but wonderful day. Through it all, God impressed upon me the wonderful love that He has for these little ones that not even the nurses seem to feel for. He has called them each by name, even if they don't have one legally.
Here at last & loving it
So much to tell!
My first international travel experience was a crazy one to say the least. I was delayed out of Minneapolis/St. Paul by 4 hours, then ended up missing my connecting flight to Paris because of that delay. So, I was re-routed through London instead, and then flew into Bucharest. I arrived at around midnight in Bucharest (we're 8 hours later here than in the midwest) and found that my luggage did not end up following me as closely as I would have hoped. Luckily, the airlines were able to locate my luggage and send it to the house where I'm staying within a few days.
Through all of those delays and missed flights and lost luggage incidences, God was extremely faithful. He guided me to meet various people in airports along the way: I met several friends in the Minn. airport, including an English teacher from northern MN, a girl from the airforce stationed in San Antonio, and a couple of guys who were on their way to climb to the base camp of Mt. Everest.
On the plane to Chicago, I met a delightful little girl and her mom, and, after we had shared our various travel plans, she said they would be praying for me & the rest of my trip. God is so good. En route to London, I met two guys from Iran and a family from India. The Indian family's little boy was quite excite-able...not necessarily a desirable trait to have when you're on a red-eye transatlantic flight, but he was a cutie anyway.
When I arrived in London, I had several hours to kill, so I explored the airport and did some people watching. As I wandered, I discoverd an what the airport termed a 'multifaith prayer room'. I did some more wandering, and then decided to check it out. It was kind of like an afterthought, compared to the sleek design of the rest of the airport. An older, very small room, with a closet full of religious mats and shawls. I sat and waited and had some time with Jesus. I asked Him what He had for me, and pretty soon, several muslims walked in to pray. As they prayed, I asked God to give me words, and He did. "Who do you worship?" He instructed me to ask. So I did, and we chatted. It was just another excellent example of His goodness.
The team house and team here in Romania is wonderful. It's very homey and comfortable-an excellent place to re-group after a long day of ministry. As I finished my travel, I thought to myself, "God definitely knows what He's up to, even in the middle of flight delays, missed planes, and lost luggage."
My first international travel experience was a crazy one to say the least. I was delayed out of Minneapolis/St. Paul by 4 hours, then ended up missing my connecting flight to Paris because of that delay. So, I was re-routed through London instead, and then flew into Bucharest. I arrived at around midnight in Bucharest (we're 8 hours later here than in the midwest) and found that my luggage did not end up following me as closely as I would have hoped. Luckily, the airlines were able to locate my luggage and send it to the house where I'm staying within a few days.
Through all of those delays and missed flights and lost luggage incidences, God was extremely faithful. He guided me to meet various people in airports along the way: I met several friends in the Minn. airport, including an English teacher from northern MN, a girl from the airforce stationed in San Antonio, and a couple of guys who were on their way to climb to the base camp of Mt. Everest.
On the plane to Chicago, I met a delightful little girl and her mom, and, after we had shared our various travel plans, she said they would be praying for me & the rest of my trip. God is so good. En route to London, I met two guys from Iran and a family from India. The Indian family's little boy was quite excite-able...not necessarily a desirable trait to have when you're on a red-eye transatlantic flight, but he was a cutie anyway.
When I arrived in London, I had several hours to kill, so I explored the airport and did some people watching. As I wandered, I discoverd an what the airport termed a 'multifaith prayer room'. I did some more wandering, and then decided to check it out. It was kind of like an afterthought, compared to the sleek design of the rest of the airport. An older, very small room, with a closet full of religious mats and shawls. I sat and waited and had some time with Jesus. I asked Him what He had for me, and pretty soon, several muslims walked in to pray. As they prayed, I asked God to give me words, and He did. "Who do you worship?" He instructed me to ask. So I did, and we chatted. It was just another excellent example of His goodness.
The team house and team here in Romania is wonderful. It's very homey and comfortable-an excellent place to re-group after a long day of ministry. As I finished my travel, I thought to myself, "God definitely knows what He's up to, even in the middle of flight delays, missed planes, and lost luggage."
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Rejoice in the Lord Always.
Last week as I arrived home for break, I began to feel drawn to several particular verses of scripture. I set out to memorize them, and they have proved so encouraging while I wait on His faithfulness.
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, and the peace of God,which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:4-7
Today these verses have been especially helpful. I learned that I'll be flying to Romania alone (except for Jesus that is). Originally, I was supposed to meet up with various team members in airports along the way, but now I'll be meeting them when we arrive in the airport at Bucharest.
Pray that God would provide direction as I navigate the O'Hare and Paris airports! I'm choosing to view this as an exciting opportunity to live by faith and trust in His provision. Another thing I have been in prayer about is the current snow-storm that's blanketing our area. Pray that God would lift it in time for me to get to the airport on Saturday and for flights to leave on schedule. I have full confidence that He will work all these little circumstances out for the glory of His Name.
Here are a few little 'puppets' that I put together. Some paper bags and construction paper, along with googly eyes and fuzzy pom-poms-all that's needed for a kid-friendly craft! I made up kits of each of these to take along.
I've also been practicing my Romanian. My personal favorite phrase: "Isus te iubeste!" (Jesus loves you!)
I want to thank you all again so much for your prayers and support. It means so much to me that you've been so excited to join me in this work from Him. Praise God for the awesome family He has given us in our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Children from the East
A few weeks ago, I was reading through Isaiah (one of my favorites), and these words from chapter 43 leapt off the page and into my heart. It seemed to be a promise right from His lips, and it made the reality of this mission a bit more concrete.
"Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you up from the west.
I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'
and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth--
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made." (v. 5-9)
God has formed and made each one of these 'Children from the East', and not only that, but He so desires that they know Him, that they know the glory for which they were made. He delights in them, and His heartbeat is that they delight in His love for them through salvation in Jesus Christ.
I love verse 7, "everyone who is called by my name." When I think about names, I think about belonging. My last name, Tokheim, is a mark that I belong to the family of Dan and Cathy Tokheim. I'm theirs, a truth which is shown by the name I bear. Orphans don't have that sense of belonging, that name on which they can base their identity. They are nameless. But praise be to God that He has called them by His Name! He gives them a name that identifies them as belonging to the Name which is above every name. He invites them into His family. What a gift. I can't wait to share it with them.
"Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you up from the west.
I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'
and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth--
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made." (v. 5-9)
God has formed and made each one of these 'Children from the East', and not only that, but He so desires that they know Him, that they know the glory for which they were made. He delights in them, and His heartbeat is that they delight in His love for them through salvation in Jesus Christ.
I love verse 7, "everyone who is called by my name." When I think about names, I think about belonging. My last name, Tokheim, is a mark that I belong to the family of Dan and Cathy Tokheim. I'm theirs, a truth which is shown by the name I bear. Orphans don't have that sense of belonging, that name on which they can base their identity. They are nameless. But praise be to God that He has called them by His Name! He gives them a name that identifies them as belonging to the Name which is above every name. He invites them into His family. What a gift. I can't wait to share it with them.
A Letter of Support
The following is the body of the support letter that I sent out several weeks ago. Thank you all and praise God for the responses I've received! He has richly provided, through so many of you, all the funds necessary for the trip. In Mark 11:22-24, Jesus tells his disciples: "Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." What an awesome example of this truth.
Dear Friends,
I’m writing you with a special call upon my heart. It’s a call that’s been welling up for about a year now, a call that has changed the way I view my life, my God, and my purpose on this earth. Let me share a bit of what’s been stirring in my heart…
I’ve recognized one truth in the last year, and I’ve recognized it with much more force than ever before: I have been incredibly blessed with a family and a community that loves Jesus. I’ve recognized the gift I have been given in having parents, grandparents, and so many other role models who desire to know their God and live a life of worship to Him.
As I’ve recognized the beauty of this truth, I’ve also been awakened to another truth far more distressing-It’s something that I passionately believe is on God the Father’s heart. In our beautiful and comfortable world today, there is a people group in desperate need. They live lives void of hope, some never even knowing the love of another human being, let alone the saving power of Jesus Christ. This people group of literally the ‘least of these’ is the calling on my life. They are the 134 million orphans in the world today. What moves me to act is the knowledge of the blessing I have been given. God has blessed me with parents who love the Lord. I’ve been blessed so I can be a blessing; this is what I’m here for.
This winter, from December 26 to January 6th, I have the privilege of sharing the love of Christ with His little ones. I have been given the gift of loving these children as Christ loves us! God’s called me to Romania, a country with a dark past and so many opportunities for God to heal broken hearts. I’ll be ministering to a generation of children which Romania’s government calls the ‘throw away children.’ It’s hard to believe, but every day, hundreds of Romanian babies and children are abandoned. While I’m in Romania, I’ll be serving with an organization called Heart to Heart International, which runs several baby hospitals, orphanages, and also transition homes for older orphans. I’m really excited to be used for God’s glory in the lives of these precious little ones!
Here’s where I need your help:
Prayer support is a huge need as I prepare to go, and as I am ministering in Romania. I would be blessed if you would lift up both me and my team. Pray that we would be physically and spiritually strong for what will mostly likely be an intense trip of ministry. Pray that hearts would be made ready to receive God’s love as we celebrate Christmas with the orphans of Romania. Also, please lift up the financial support of my trip. The total cost of my trip is $2500.00, which covers all of my travel expenses, housing, meals, ministry materials, and translators. If you feel that God is calling you to support me in this way, please check out the enclosed support slip.
Thank you so much for all of your support, and thank you for joining me in God’s vision for His children! If you have any questions about the trip, its ministries, or anything else, please contact me!
In Christ,
Jenny Tokheim
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Beginnings
I'm a planner. I like getting ready for things, organizing, and charting my course. So, in the spirit of getting set for the next adventure in my life, I decided to start a blog.
I'm going to Romania! That's the big news as of late. I will be ministering to the orphans of Romania from December 26th to January 6th through an organization called Heart to Heart International. Click here to visit their website. I'm really excited to learn more about God's heart for the nations, especially this specific people group made up of these sweet kiddos! As I get ready to go, I'll try to keep you updated on fundrasing, prayer requests, and just some fun facts about the prep work. Hopefully I'll be able to do some posting while I'm in Romania, too!
But, for now, check out these words from Isaiah 62-a little piece of how he loves us.
Isaiah 62:1-5
for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet,
till her righteousness shines out like the dawn,
her salvation like a blazing torch. 2 The nations will see your righteousness,
and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name
that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.
3 You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD's hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 No longer will they call you Deserted,
or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah,
and your land Beulah;
for the LORD will take delight in you,
and your land will be married.
5 As a young man marries a maiden,
so will your sons marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you.
I'm going to Romania! That's the big news as of late. I will be ministering to the orphans of Romania from December 26th to January 6th through an organization called Heart to Heart International. Click here to visit their website. I'm really excited to learn more about God's heart for the nations, especially this specific people group made up of these sweet kiddos! As I get ready to go, I'll try to keep you updated on fundrasing, prayer requests, and just some fun facts about the prep work. Hopefully I'll be able to do some posting while I'm in Romania, too!
But, for now, check out these words from Isaiah 62-a little piece of how he loves us.
Isaiah 62:1-5
Zion's New Name
1 For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet,
till her righteousness shines out like the dawn,
her salvation like a blazing torch. 2 The nations will see your righteousness,
and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name
that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.
3 You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD's hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 No longer will they call you Deserted,
or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah,
and your land Beulah;
for the LORD will take delight in you,
and your land will be married.
5 As a young man marries a maiden,
so will your sons marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you.
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