Bucharest Romania - First week!

I finally arrived in Bucharest, Romania on April 30! Raegan greeted me at the airport and took me back to the Touched Romania Ministry House where I will be living with her and her roommate Ellena for the next year. Ellena is back in the States but will be joining us in a few weeks hopefully!

Thank you to all of you who have been so incredibly supportive and have been praying for me. In the weeks before I arrived I was feeling nervous for the plane ride. I am a very nervous flier, but thankfully God just gave me an overwhelming peace and I was able to sleep for most of the trip. It literally flew!

The weekend was spent settling in, shopping, and getting my room arranged. Its so strange to think I will be in this house for a year. It still doesn't seem real. My first night I was praying and I said, "Ok God, now that you have me here, what are you going to do with me?" I know beyond a shadow of a doubt it will be more than I anticipated before actually getting here. I already know there will be challenges along the way, but that's because God really took me seriously when I asked him to loosen the grip I had on my life. He's going to break me in such a way that I am completely and totally dependent on him, while molding me into the servant he wants me to be.

Wednesday was my first day at Casa Agar, the maternal center that houses women who may have been at risk to abandon their babies. Casa Agar is not only housing young mother's with new borns now, but also mother's and their children who have fallen victim to domestic abuse. Currently the center houses 4 moms. 2 of which have small babies, and the other 2 have children between the ages of 2-6. It was such an experience beginning to work with and spend time with these moms and their children. They are a handful, but so incredibly sweet! One of the mom's has twin girls that are 2 years old.
 
Emilia and her twin sister are two of the children staying at Casa Agar. She started warming up to me once I let her steal my sunglasses :) Her sister's name is Danica and they have an older brother Collin who is in school most of the day.

I fell absolutely in love with baby Eliza! She is the sweetest baby, and I was watching her most of my time at Casa Agar. The workers there are great women who really love Jesus.


I got to see this first hand on Tuesday before I even started working on Wednesday. Reagan hosted a staff prayer meeting where I met most of the women I will be working with. Thankfully some of them speak English and all of them received me with open arms.



If you could remember to pray for me this week, here a list of things to pray for-

- That I would quickly learn the language. It has truly been the most frustrating thing not being able to communicate with the adults and children that I'm working with. I should be starting lessons in a week or so!

-Safe travels to a missionary retreat for all European A/G missionaries in Spain! At the moment the volcano that has been erupting in Iceland is once again disrupting travel. Pray that we would all be able to get there safely and on time.

- Pray that my time here in Romania would be spent being able to bless Romanians, and that God would keep me effective, no matter what obstacles or challenges I may face.

Thanks to all my friends, family, and supporters for being there for me the few days before I left! It meant the world to me to see the outpouring of love from people I know will be there for me throughout this entire year. Keep in touch! You can e-mail me at Gabrielle.Rizzuto@ma.agmd.org!

Love and blessings,

Gabrielle xoxo

Bethlehem Assembly of God - 12/6/09

Every day God just proves to me how amazing He is, and how clearly it is His will for me to go to Romania. Yesterday, I had the privilege to speak in front of the congregations at my home church - Bethlehem Assembly of God in Valley Stream, NY.

I think they might be the most WONDERFUL church in the world! They love God, and missions, and people, and ME so much, they blessed me beyond words. Not only did they provide a substantial amount financially, some of the words I heard yesterday were words I will remember for the rest of my life. Now my church is large, one of the largest on Long Island, so I definitely do not know everyone there. People were so quick to come up and offer words of encouragement, and love, and assurance, even though they may have never met me before! I so loved that people who told me they couldn't give but came to tell me that they would be praying for me, and following me through this journey. THAT IS FAMILY!

Last night as I was driving I was just praying for every single person who contributed, whether financially or just by offering encouragement. If you're reading this and you were there yesterday, know that I prayed a special blessing on each one of your lives, that God would show you clearly that He is blessing you for the sacrifice that you made, even if it was just taking time to tell me you were praying for me. I really hope to show everyone just what God is doing in Romania because of their support!

I don't have the final numbers yet, but I can say this with confidence - because of the blessings from my church, I will be in Romania by spring 2010, there is no doubt! Thank you Jesus for touching the hearts of your people for missions, and thank you for using me to show Romanians your love!

It's true what He told me - if I give up myself to find Him, I will find myself - and I truly am finding myself through Him!

Blessings to all,

Gabrielle