Long time, no see devoted friends and readers!  Brian and I have been in Moldova for over six weeks.  The time has flown by.  Our days and nights are full and so are our hearts.   Once our girls and guys returned from Camp, we hit the ground running preparing for the new school year.  Here is a quick update-  I had the opportunity to take some of our new girls shopping at the piata (which is kind of like a tent shopping center with various wares and goods).  Brian and I had the opportunity to attend a Moldovan wedding.  It was an amazingly beautiful ceremony and the food was spectacular.  The food in Moldova is generally delicious to us.  We celebrated Brian's birthday.  I think it may have been one of his best birthday's yet.  If you follow us on Facebook, you already know his favorite part of his day was spending prayer time with some of the girls and guys.  We stepped outside a busy restaurant in to the cool, dark and busy streets of Chisinau and we held hands and we prayed in two languages.  God was there in the warmth of our hands as we prayed and the cool breeze on our cheeks and the sounds of the city that seemed to lean in towards us and want to know more.  It was a really beautiful experience. 
Two nights ago, we moved in to our new flat.  It has a kitchen and a room that doubles as bedroom and living room and it has its own bathroom.  It is lovely.  It has the best view of all of our ministry houses here.  Like I have said before, God has ordained every single step of us getting here.  Especially this lovely home.  It is an over the garage apartment and there is a lovely garden full of roses and gerbera daisies and honeysuckle.  It is just amazing.  At night, we sleep with the windows open and the breeze (which is now cool) laced with the smell of flowers is blowing in....it settles our minds and our hearts.  God is good all the time and all the time God is good.
Yes, there are trying times and frustrating moments, working with people is never easy because we are all flawed.  But, in the trying times, He whispers to me in the sparkle in the girl's eyes and in the beautiful ringing sound of their laughter and always with the breeze (whether it is laced with flowers or burning trash:) ).  Ha!!


My prayer for Team Jones is that God keeps our eyes open to the opportunities to show His love-whether it be here in Stella's House or out in the country.