Photo of the Week

I don't usually choose a photo of the week, but this one means a lot to me. (and obviously it isn't for the extreme photogenic-ess-ness that I am displaying). This little girl has been a tough cookie to crack (or is that an egg?) No matter, I think I've finally won her over. :) I printed some of the pictures we took this day and gave them to her today. She asked me why I gave them to her and I said: Because I like you. She giggled.
Don't you just love the way she is laughing at me in this photo? I'm so thankful...

the MAN in my life

It's his birthday...
and I think he's the best thing that ever happened to me.
What a gift.
I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else.
I'm so grateful to him. and to Him.
In January we (i.e. he) went snowboarding. Here are a few of the photos we took.

Spring

It's here...
and I decided to try my hand at growing some herbs on my windowsill...
cilantro and basil. I can't remember which is which, but here are some of the results of my effort as of this morning...start at the bottom to see where they were just 1 week ago!
Also, I planted a few flowers...I love red and yellow flowers together. I think I want a couple more.
They just make me happy.
And the pot with the tiniest plant is just my favorite little guy. Isn't he cute?

Interesting Thoughts...America the Miserable

I thought these were some interesting thoughts...

HERE


and

HERE

Adevarul

On Monday, January 25, 2010, a Galati newpaper, Adevarul, published an article on prostitution in Galati County. Lau Archip translated it for me so that I could post it a few places.

You’ll find that Galati County, then, is the leader in human trafficking (especially prostitution) in Europe. This is an alarming statistic, especially in relation to the children and families we live and serve among. Please pray for them and for us as we strive each day to point them in the direction of the Kingdom.

FYI: Galati is the city we live in, as well as a county here in the eastern Romanian section we live in that is referred to as Moldova (not the country, though!)

Galati, Leader in the exportation of Prostitutes
Statistic: Galati County is first in Romania for trafficking human beings. A girl is sold for between 2500 and 5000 Euro.
In 2009, 780 cases of human trafficking were discovered in Romania, according to the National Agency Against Human Traffic.

For the first time since the 1989 Revolution, Galati is the leading county in the trafficking of human beings, with 60 persons trafficked in last 12 months, 8% of the national total. More than 95% are women who are placed on the prostitution market in the western European countries. We are talking, of course, only about the discovered transactions, which represent a very small part of the mega sex business.

Moldova dominates the prostitution market

Galati is ahead of other counties from Moldova: Iasi, Bacau and Botosani, who led in trafficking cases in previous years. Iasi has 51 cases, Botosani – 48, and Bacau – 39. More than this, Bacau (the leader in 2007) had been overtaken by Maramures, where, in 2009, 43 women were sold into prostitution in the West.

In the counties nearby, the situation is better. In Buzau there were only 3 cases, in Braila – 19, in Focsani – 17. In the counties from Ardeal and Banat the numbers are lower, indicating either that the police are doing well their preventive job, or that the girls are more difficult to be approached.
On the other hand, the police from Galati believe that here they have more cases discovered, showing that they did their job. “We discovered 60 cases, compared with 5-6 in most of the counties, which shows that we did our job well,” declared Cristina Tatulici, spokeswoman of the Galati Police.

Almost as alarming as these statistics, are the tactics used to gain the right to approach girls for trafficking. Gangs, especially the clans Taranii and Lazarii , are fighting with swords in discotheques in villages in Galati, in order to be the first to approach girls under 18 for prostitution abroad. The girls are enticed with two- three hundred Euro, and then sold to traffickers from western Europe for sums between 2500 and 5000 Euro. The average sum is 3000 Euro.

First in Europe for exporting live meat

The prostitutes from Romania prefer to leave for the countries from western Europe, where they earn more, and where they don't have to pay the fines imposed by Romanian law, relates The Times. The publication quotes a study that Romania became the main exporter for prostitution in the EU. So, one in eight foreign prostitutes in Europe come from Romania.

Another funny chocolate saying...

It says:
Remember the feeling of lying down on the fresh, green grass?

These chocolates had a little hazelnut in each one...perhaps this was what evoked the feeling of fresh green grass?



And, in case you're wondering, I do in fact have another chocolate saying for future use!

Things my husband says that make me laugh...

It's been awhile since my last installment of "Things my husband says that make me laugh..." and I think this one was worth the wait:

"There were good things about Ceascescu (former leader of communist Romania. He 'ruled' for almost 30 years I think) like he was against the Russians. But, he did make us learn Russian- probably so we could invade."
(insert here me laughing and picking up my notebook so I could write down his quote).
"Oh no! Don't put it on the blog! Russian/Romanian relations are already tense!"

p.s. I in no way meant to infer that my husband has not made me laugh since my last installment of "Things my husband says that make me laugh..." I have simply failed to stay up dated on all the things Bela says that are funny. In fact, there are so many that it is quite overwhelming and to post them all here would leave no other space or time for writing or posting anything else. And then you, dear reader, would perhaps grow cool to his humor, and to my blog. It's best to savor his humor in small doses and grow a fine appreciation for it. That way, when you see him in person, you'll count his funny-ness all the more precious.