Our Family

Nine days ago Jason's wife and daughter returned to North Carolina after spending five months in Romania with her family. No one in her family except her mother and her sister, Ani, had ever met baby Isabel, so it was fitting that as Daniela return to her homeland and let her family get to know this precious child. Daniela's father ,Nicu, and her youngest sister,Ella, accompanied her back..they will be here for a few more days. It has been both a privelege and a rare opportunity to spend many hours talking with Nicu and learning about this man whose entire life has been lived in a world very different from our own. As we ask him endless questions about his life, it has become very clear that most of his answers are defined by one thing,.."the revolution". Before the revolution, Romania was under communist rule. In the years when Jerry and I were freely roaming all over the United States and Canada, Nicu and his family were not allowed to leave Romania. They were told how how much bread and milk and sugar and gasoline they could consume. They had to be very careful when the spoke, for saying the wrong thing to the wrong person had severe consequences. Since the revolution, they have been free to travel and build businesses and known the kind of freedom that we have always taken for granted.It has been wonderful to hear his stories...but that is not why he came here...he came here to share our sorrow, our pain, our grief. He came to see Jerry and the rest of Jason's family. I have seen the sorrow in his eyes as the tears well up at the mention of Jason's name. I have seen the burden he carries for Jerry ...his kindness has touched my heart. I marvel, that my handsome son Jason, somehow found Nicu's beautiful daughter, Daniela half way across the world....that Jesus brought two families from two very different lands and somehow has made us one family. I hurt for Daniela's mom and her sisters, for I know how much they miss Daniela and Isabel, even as we did while she was in Romania. Love and loss...joy and sorrow...these are not just words to us any more....we live them, on two sides of the ocean, we live them everyday. Our earthly connection is Jason, Daniela and Isabel...but the stronger connection between these two families is Jesus. And He is our promise, our joy, our peace our comfort...we are so blessed to know Him, to serve Him, to know that we will all one day be together...no ocean between us, in the presence of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords....We are blessed, in spite of the sorrow and loss, we are blessed...for God is Good, All the time...and I am so thankful that Jesus led Jason and Daniela to each other, and that from that love,precious Isabel came to be....for in them I sense Jason and it brings comfort to this grieving mothers heart.