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|  Yesterday marks exactly one month since I arrived in the States. I praise God for this time with my family. It's wonderful to be together again after my one-year mission in Romania.
Being a missionary has its challenges; such as having two "homes." When I'm in Romania, I feel like I'm at home because I'm with the people whom God has called me to serve. And when I come back to my own family in America, I feel at "home" because I'm with my family. This may sound confusing or strange, but actually is very simple. "Home" is wherever God wants me to be! So that's why I can feel at "home" both on the mission field and in the country of my birth. 
Me. Photo taken by Hans Williams, 2007
Here's an old photo of me with Mom, Dad, and my two big bros: Benaiah and Russell. I believe that I would have been about 5 year's old here.  It is encouraging to look back and see how God has led me in the past. May He continue to lead me in my future. Who knows what's next! One thing is for sure - one day I will go to my real home - Heaven! And I'll feel more at "home" than ever... because Jesus is there.  Photo: Williams Family with I was about 5 years old Photo (left): Me... at 7 years-old  "But thanks be to God,
which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be ye stedfast, unmoveable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."(I Corinthians 15: 57-58)
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"Domnul este Păzitorul tău, Domnul este umbra ta pe mîna ta cea dreaptă. De aceea nu te va bate soarele ziua, nici luna noaptea. Domnul te va păzi de orice rău, îţi va păzi sufletul. Domnul te va păzi la plecare şi la venire, de acum şi pînă în veac." Psalmul 121: 5-8 "The Lord is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy Going out and thy Coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore." ~ Psalm 121: 5-8 ~ Photo: My view of Romania on July 9th.
The above verses of Scripture (Ps. 121: 5-8) are very special verses to me because they were given to me both at the beginning and the end of this one-year missions trip. The day before I left Romania, a precious elderly lady at church quoted those verses to me. Then later that same night, my friend Doina quoted the very same verses to me. The Lord spoke the same Word twice. "That means He really means it!" as Cici always says. I have safely arrived back in Indianapolis with my family. We've spent many happy hours talking and laughing together. Happily, some things don't change, even after a year. Alyse and Tamarah are so much taller than when I left! But we still laugh about the same jokes.   
Photos: Dad and Mom
Photo: Tamarah, Alyse, and their friend Abby  I have a new sister-in-law! Russell and Brit had their wedding in Mexico on June 1st!
Congratulations to the newlyweds! Their slideshow is at: www.elizabethmedina.com/russell_brit1
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I have safely arrived back in Indianapolis with my family. But before I left Romania, the Bible Study and prayer group from Cici's church gave Daniela Istratie and me a birthday party!  Here are a few photos from that special day.  
Photo: Madalena and Daniela Istratie
Photo: Anca Istrate and me
Then a day early, on July first, the Trusca family surprised me  with a special birthday cake and flowers! It was so special to spend my last few days in Romania with them. They are like my second family. Photos: Cutting the cake from the Truscas. / Mr. And Mrs. Trusca and me / Daniela Trusca and me. 
Then on July 8th, the day before left Romania,
I visited Doina and her father, who is suffering with cancer. Here is a photo of Doina and her daughter Andrea. It was such a blessed time of fellowship and prayer. Photo: Doina and her daughter, Andrea 
I'm very grateful to the Copu family for allowing me to stay with their family for the past few months. Praise the Lord! Here's a picture that I took of the youngest three of their family a few weeks ago. Photo: Carmen, Joy, and William Copu at Tineretului park Then on Monday afternoon, July 9th, Mr. Trusca, his son Marius, and my friend Roxana took me to the airport to leave Romania. After my one-year stay in Bucharest, it was a difficult good-bye; a bitter-sweet feeling. Part of being a missionary means having two homes on this earth. I have many sweet memories of God's blessings in Romania: perfectly timed miracles of provision, times of both victories and hardships, pains and pleasures, joys and sorrows. It was a full year indeed! I praise God for all that He did in me, and for the times of working together with Cici and other Romanian Believers for the sake of the Gospel. Somehow I have a distinct sense that this is not the end, but by God's grace, a new beginning!   Photo: At the airport with Roxana and Cici's father, Mr. Trusca
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Photo: Lucia, Marius, and Cristi loved learning the Bible verses! Here are some photos of the Bible club that we had here in my neighborhood. These precious Gypsy kids are all brothers and sisters. Mikky, Smaranda, and I came to their house every day for five days. Each day we had a Bible lesson, songs, games, and a snack.  
Photo: Smaranda teaches the youngest ones to read the Bible verse. 
Photo: Gabi listens as Mikky teaches the Bible lesson about Jesus.  Photo: Mikky and Arnah with Mihaela, Lucia, Cristi, Marius, and Gabi
Photo: Sammy Serban and Cristi Sammy was a big help to us on the last day of the club. I'm glad he came to help us teach! 
Photo: Me, Lucia, Mikky, Cristi, Sammy, and Roxana
Everyone loved snack time! 
Thank you all for praying for us this week as we taught the Bible club. I could see that God was with us, and that His Word was affecting the children. I think they have a clearer understanding of who Jesus is, and what He did for them. I want to say a big Thank You to Daniela and Lidia Istratie, who encouraged me, and blessed me with the use of their teaching materials. I praise the Lord for them! Even though the club has ended, the work continues. They want us to come back. So we praise God for the open door that He has given us. Please ask the Lord to give us wisdom. Grateful for your prayers,
Arnah | | |
|  Thank you all very much for your prayers for Cici! She now has her visa for India! She received the it yesterday, June 7th. And today, I understand that she was finalizing her ticket arraignments for the flight to India. This is a BIG answer to prayer. I want to pass on Cici's thanks to all of you for your faithfulness in prayer. It's such an encouragement to her to have such awesome friends! God bless all of you!
Photo: Map of India Cici was in Malaysia at the same time as a Children's Institute team (a Christian group of young people who teach a special children's program with IBLP's Basic Seminar). So God blessed her with some housing assistance through that CI team! This is also a big answer to prayer!  Please continue praying for Cici as she enters India, and for me too, as I continue serving the Lord here in Romania. This week I've been very busy with a Children's 5 Day Bible Club with a Gypsy family in my neighborhood.
I was blessed with the fellowship and help of Mikky, Smaranda, and Sammy Serban. I will try to put up some photos of the club soon. The kids are precious, and it was wonderful to see them start to understand was sin is, and who Jesus is, and what He did for them. Photo: Map of Romania In the Service of the King,
Arnah | | |
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