Newsletter April 2013 Web

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DID YOU KNOW?
 Th  e Black Church has the largest organ in Europe with 4000 tubes (built by Buchholz, Berlin’s famous organ builder, in 1836) as well as the largest bell in Romania, weighing 41,000 lbs (6.3 tons).  Universal literature found valuable sources of inspiration in Romania's castles. The most famous novels written are "The Castle in the Carpathians" by Jules Verne, and "Dracula" by Bram Stoker.  Romania is the only country in Europe where the brown bear still lives in the wilderness.  Timisoara was the first European city to introduce horse-drawn trams, in 1869.  On March 1st Romanians celebrate the beginning of spring in their own, unique way. To show their friendship, respect or admiration, men and boys offer to their (female) family members, friends and colleagues a "Martisor" (small trinket attached to a red/white lace - red for love and white for honesty). The tradition is said to have originated in Roman times.

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April 2013

My Call to Romania (3)
I want to share with you what God is doing in and through Pathway to Joy Ministries (PTJM) in Romania and I want to tell you how God has led me to join their ministry long-term. PTJM has a foster-care ministry. This is one of the most beautiful parts of their ministry because it provides children who have been abandoned by their parents to have their greatest desire - a family. If you were to ask the children what they want more than anything in the entire world, they would not say an iPad or a bike or a car. They would all say a family is what they long for more than anything.

by Josh Page

Through PTJM’s foster care ministry, many children are able to live in a godly home with loving parents who will raise them up to know and love Jesus. I am amazed by this! There was a beautiful little girl named Anca who was in the hospital for the first few years of her life. She was blind and abandoned by her parents. The nurses from PTJM cared for her in the hospital for a long time and shared Jesus with her. A few years ago, she was brought into a godly foster family. Today she is thriving in this family!

I met Anca one night at a Christmas party that we put on for all of the foster children and their families. I was playing guitar in the back of the room and she came over and joined me. Because she cannot see, her other senses are much stronger. Music is very special to her ears. She climbed up on my lap and strummed the guitar with me and began to sing along to a worship song. It was a precious moment. Afterward, she came out to where all of the people were gathered in the main room and began to yell out things in Romanian for everyone to hear. I asked one of our translators what she was saying. He smiled and said, “She’s preaching the Gospel!” For all we know, some of these children that PTJM is ministering the Gospel of Grace to may go on someday to become a mighty man or woman of God used all around the world for His glory. Now I want to take a moment and share with you how God used two beautiful sisters from the Gypsy village to change my life forever . Alexandra and Alina were found in a Gypsy Village a few years ago after their mom abandoned them in a run-down shack in

1415 WILEY STREET, HoLLYWooD FL 33020, (954) 556-6191

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MAIN OFFICE JoY MINISTRIES

PATHWAY To JoY MINISTRIES Str. Stefan cel Mare nr. 88 Oradea, cod 410437, Romania www.pathwaytojoy.org [email protected] [email protected]

RomANIA OFFICE

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Alina and Alexandra when we found them

Alexandra and Alina

Josh with Alina and Alex

the coldest month of the year. They had frost bite on their fingers and toes and had lice imbedded in their scalps. They were so filthy that it took a couple baths to clean them. Karen and Cornel were able to rescue them and bring them into a godly foster family. For the last few years, these two girls have learned to communicate and do simple things like use the bathroom and smile. Most importantly, they have been taught and shown the unfailing love of Christ through the godly family they are living with. One night during a Christmas party for the foster children, I met these two little girls. My eyes filled with tears as I was introduced to them. I realized how beautiful and precious they are to God, I couldn’t comprehend how they could have been treated so badly. Later that evening something happened that I will not forget for the rest of my life - I danced with these two little angels! Those precious moments circling around the room hand-in-hand with Alexandra and Alina will never leave my mind. The next morning, I woke up early and went into the kitchen to read God’s Word. As I sat there and reflected on God’s grace in the lives of Alexandra and Alina’s through this great ministry, I wept. It was in that moment in the kitchen in a puddle of tears that I realized how important Pathway to Joy is and how much I desire to be a part of this ministry long-term. I have known since I was first saved that God has called me to full-time ministry and I’ve earnestly sought Him as to where He wants me to go in the future, but I have not gotten clear direction from Him until I was in Romania. I’ve learned that God desires us to simply be faithful to minister to the people right where we are. In His perfect time, He will direct us further. By His grace, I’ve tried to remain faithful right where I am in St. Petersburg, Florida. It’s been an adventure and a joy sharing the Gospel with people in St. Pete and serving faithfully in my church. While in Romania, God gave me a desire and burden to join this ministry. I finally had clarity, peace and direction from the Lord as to where He was leading me to minister next. Since returning, I have sought the Lord in prayer and have begun to move forward by faith. I have been studying the Romanian language every day and have learned 350 words and memorized 10 verses in Philippians in Romanian. God is giving me grace in working my way through this difficult language. I have met with several pastors and missionaries in my church and have received their blessing to continue moving forward. The Lord is granting me favor in so many areas as I move forward. I am excited to see what God will do. It is a joy to be on mission with God. “I have but one passion: It is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ.” (Count Zinzendorf)

Prayer & Praise
Josh Page from St. Petersburg will join our team in the  Fall this year. Please pray for Josh and others like him to have their hearts stirred up and join the missionary work force across the globe in places no other people would dare to go. Please pray for the children that are part of our Foster  Care ministry and their families. Pray for the children that are sick with flu these days. In some schools 40% of the children are sick and staying home. This week we experienced a major snowstorm and the snow is melting very fast. Pray for protection from floods and landslides. Please pray for the children abandoned at the Oradea  Children’s Hospital. We need these children to be adopted or placed in a specialized care institution. Pray for their medical condition. Please also pray for Maria, Ana, Mia, Adina and Meia our staff serving there.  Please pray for Cornel, Karen and their family as they seek to serve God by serving His people faithfully. e need more people praying for us. If you know some W one interested in praying for us and the work we do in Romania please share with them our P&P. Thank you for making this ministry possible through your prayers and financial support.

Estate Planning and Living Family Memorials

It is our desire with humility and respect to become the living testament for your family and friends in their time of grief, offering some comfort as a life-giving partner in ministry to these once abandoned children we serve. Such a decision should only be made in complete confidence, so we invite you to contact us directly for more information of ways to establish a living family memorial. Please write to [email protected]

Monthly E-mail Updates Available
PTJM is providing a monthly brief update to anyone interested in receiving the latest news and prayer requests. If you would like to add your name to our “E-mail List”, please write to [email protected] Write: “E-mail Update” on the subject space.

Is it your birthday?

Or, will you celebrate another occasion? Instead of receiving gifts or flowers you can change the lives of a child or a family with your gift. This will be your best gift of love! If you need information, please contact us by e-mail: [email protected]

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