Amy's Trip to Romania

Hello to all of you out there in bloggerland. This is Amy, Luke's sister. I am going to tell you all about my trip. So I'll start at the beginning.

We left on Monday. First we flew to Amsterdam (it was a nine hour flight). We got there safe but we had a three hour delay for our plane to Romania because there was ice on the wings and then something was broken. So we finally took off and got to Romania a couple hours later. We landed in the middle of a snow storm. We got our luggage and went to the bus. Then we had a four hour bus ride to the place we were staying. I don't really remember much of the bus ride cause I was tired and I slept the most of the ride. Oh by the way we found out the next morning that the bus ride normally only takes about twenty minutes. The reason it took so long was cause there was a snow storm and it was rush hour. So finally we got there and went to bed.

The next day Wednesday (we lost a day in travel) was a day of rest. We got to go shopping. We also passed out the flyers for the woman's conference we were doing. We had alot of fun. The next three days were the days of the conference. The conference went so good. God touched so many woman's lives.

On Friday the second day of the conference we had several workshops one of the ladies on our team (her name was Emily) came to me and asked me if I wanted to watch a couple of kids during the last two workshops. She told me that they spoke english really well and that their names were David and Eyeshadow (Yes I was thinking the same thing you probably are "What a weird name"). So I said yes and I watched David, Eyeshadow and three other kid for a couple hours. Megan (a girl that came with her mom RoiLynn on the team, they go to my church) and I had a ton of fun. But Eyeshadow would just not listen to us. I tried to say his name different ways but no matter how I said it he would not listen. Well we finished up that day and we were back in our room and Megan and I were talking and looking at pictures on my camera. We found a picture of David and Eyeshadow and showed it to RoiLynn (Megans Mom) and she said oh David and Alex are so cute and I asked her who Alex was and she said that he was David's little brother. I hit my head on the wall a couple times and then I told her the whole story about calling him Eyeshadow and she just laughed. We later found out that when David was telling Emily their names he said, "My name is David and this is 'My Shadow'." but David has an accent and she heard him wrong. It was so fun to get to work with the kids. I also got to work with them during some of the conference. All of them are soooooooo cute. I just love them.

On Saturday we finished the conference. It was sad that it was over but it was a good ending.

On Sunday we split up and went to four churches. I went to The Mustard Seed Church. It was the church that I went to last time I was in Romania. It was so cool to see how the church had grown. All of us on the team shared a short word and then we had communion. They use real wine (not grape juice) in their communion. I don't like wine but I drank it and everything was all good. I loved the church service. After Church we went to the pastor's house for dinner. It was so humbling. The pastor and his family (ten people in all) live in a small apartment. We had a delicious meal. The Romanian food is soooooooo wonderful! After dinner we had an opportunity to go to a orphanage and so we went there for about fifteen minutes and I took about eighty pictures (they love to have their pictures taken). It was so heart breaking to see all of those kids just starving for love. It just deepened my desire to work with the orphans there.

Monday we left Romania and came home. It was such a wonderful trip. God blessed me so much. I can't wait to go back some day.Well I think I have rambled on long enough. I hope all of you are doing good. God bless all of you and Thank you sooooooo much for your prayers. At the end of my post are some pictures.

Love in Christ,

Amy Searles

Here are David and Alex (Eyeshadow). Yes they are the little guys from my story.

This is a picture of me and a few girls.

Here are some of the Orphans. Aren't they so cute?

Luke Celebrated his 3rd Birthday

Luke celebrated his 3rd birthday on Friday, we had a birthday party which he seemed to enjoy. It's so hard to believe that he is a 3 year old the years have gone by so fast. He is doing so well lately, it's hard to believe how good his numbers are at night I have to check them a few times just to be sure I'm seeing them right. His oxygen numbers have been 98, 99 and even 100% and his heart rate has been so low that we've had to lower his numbers, which is a very good thing. He seems to be doing better with his food lately, since we changed his diet a bit. He is also making some new noises every once in awhile and his eyes are getting better all the time. That said he is still in desperate need of a miracle for his legs and the complete restoration of his brain, I know this goes without saying, but I'm not giving up on his full recovery and I know many of you are sticking with us in your prayers until we see that come to pass.

Amy got home from Romania on Monday and I thought she was going to blog some pictures, so that is part of the reason why I haven't written in a while. I'm going to make her sit down and show some pictures and have her tell you a bit about her wonderful trip to Bucharest. I will also put some pictures from Luke's Birthday on the blog soon.

Gordy has been coughing a lot lately and he finally decided to go into the Dr on Friday. After taking x-rays, it looks like he has a bit of Pneumonia, he has actually been feeling worse since going and sleep at nights has been near to impossible. It goes without saying that he needs some prayer. I also took Amy in to the Dr on Thursday night she had been complaining about her ears hurting for awhile now and has also had a lot of headaches and sinus pressure. She found out that she has a sinus infection and since going on her antibiotic she is beginning to feel better. I've also have had some health issues going on this week, so needless to say it was already an emotional week with Luke's Birthday then having these health issues on top of them really made it a hard week for me. I'm just praying that next week will be better!

I know that I've asked for prayer for some desperate people lately and some of you may of noticed the new links on the side of Luke's blog, so that now you can keep up to date on Candace and Brett Jr. I had asked for prayer for my friend Barb's brother Steve who had a car accident, he did sustain some brain injuries, a broken leg and badly injured eye. He is doing a bit better and he really is a miracle as he should of been much worse off then he was and the fact that he did not have any injuries to his organs is considered a miracle.

Daniel's boss Greg headed to Africa to pick up his 3 children that he is adopting, please be praying for his safety as he traveling in Liberia, which is not the safest country to travel in these days. Needless to say since Daniel has two weeks off he is going to be replacing our floor in our laundry/downstairs bathroom, which is in desperate need. So this week should be interesting without a washer and dryer and I'm sure it will be a big mess, I'm just praying for the grace to make it through the upheaval. Well I know this is enough news for now. May God richly bless you today!

Love in Christ,
Luke's Mommy Sue

Why do I wait so long to ask for your prayers?

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers, they are working. Why do I wait so long to post and ask you all to pray, when I know the power you all have in your prayers?? Luke is doing so much better he is sounding better, breathing better, has not thrown up today, seems more alert and is on his second day of no extra oxygen at night. PRAISE GOD!

I also want to thank you for praying for Amy, I can not even begin to tell you the peace I've had since saying good-bye to her at the airport. I know without a shadow of doubt she is exactly where she needs to be right now. It is so wonderful to have the peace of God at times like this.

I know that I've said this many times in the past, but without a huge miracle of God today was our wonderful nurse, Mary's last day. Our insurance company has decided that we no longer need a nurse because Luke doesn't have to be suctioned very often anymore. We are really going to miss her as she did take some of the burden off my shoulders as she helped with Luke's massaging, feedings and just watching him while I was able to get some other things accomplished. We are praying that God will direct our path in whether we should try to hire someone to help out a couple of days a week, we would appreciate it if you would be praying that God will show us exactly what to do in this matter.

Once again I am requesting prayer for little Brett Jr., his parents are going to court today to deal with the Dr.'s at the Hospital wanting them to take Brett Jr. out of the Hospital. They are saying that he is hopelessly brain dead, I remember being told this about Luke and look at what God has done. Just be praying that the parents, Brett and Yvonne will have the favor of God upon them. To read more about this you can go to his site http://web.mac.com/brettjr/iWeb/Pray%20for%20Brett%20Jr/Welcome.html. Also little Candace Joy is having her 14th major surgery today in the past month, as the Dr.'s are trying to get rid of all the infection in her body, to read more her site is http://www.candacejoy.org/. I could go on and on with more prayer requests as it seems that so there is so much need right now, but I will only share one more, my very close friend Barb Jacobs, brother Steve was in a major car accident yesterday afternoon, he needs a lot of prayer they are still not sure if he has any brain damage, he also has a broken leg and will need major surgery on his eye to repair the damage around it.

My scripture for the day is Isaiah 64:4 No ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. I feel once again God is telling me "Sue just be patient and don't give up, wait for me, I have not forgotten you, I am not a God that lies. I have told you I am healing Luke and I am." I really needed this encouragement from the Lord as I mentioned in my last post I have become weary in waiting, but I feel better today and more refreshed and I know it is because you are all helping me by carrying this burden with me. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!!

Love in Christ,
Luke's Mommy Sue