[ Return to Previous Page ]

September 2007

Dear Friends and Family,

It is so wonderful to once again sit behind this desk and share with you the greatness of our God! In my last newsletter, I mentioned the "Family Center" that the Lord has placed upon Andrei's and my heart for some time now. I shared with you this verse: "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." Proverbs 16:3,9. These verses have become a dear promise to my heart.

"Commit your work to the Lord," For the past four years God has been glorified through small children clubs, street witnessing, orphanage visiting, family programs and team outreaches. These years have been a time of learning, serving, and being blessed yet also a time of testing and trials. Prayer has always been the force that has brought us through times of discouragement and financial hardships. Our God is a living and loving God! By committing this work to him every day, we rest in His strength and see miracles. During these last two years Andrei and I have committed to prayer our desire to start a "Family Center" (Orphanage) for children from the ages of 2 and up. Our vision is to create a center that provides a safe and godly environment for the abandoned children of Romania. We want to offer these children a stable, family focused, godly environment that encourages them to complete school and serve their Lord.

"The heart of a man plans his way," During our last stay in Romania, Andrei searched the local newspapers and realtors to find land or a building to "see" if this center would be a possibility. All of our steps came back quite disappointing. Either the land was too big, too small, the house was too far away, or too hard to drive to in the winter...we knew that if we were to start a center it ideally needed to be in town and close to schools and a food source. Recently the town of Petrosani has been slowly eaten up by foreign business men. It is impossible to find any affordable business space or a decent house big enough to house children.

"...but the Lord establishes his steps." About a week before our flight to America we received information about a Christian family who was "selling their house in town." Andrei knew this family for years and went to talk to the husband. When Andrei asked him about the house the man stated, "We are not selling our house, where did you hear that from?" Andrei backed off, but shared with him our vision and the calling God has given us.

About two days later the man called us stating that their family business was being bought and they needed to sell their house. Shocked, Andrei and I went over to the house to see if it would work for our purposes. The house is located exactly in the middle of town with paved roads to and from the location. We pull our car up in front of this beautiful 4,500 sq. ft. home that was built for the purpose of a Family Center years before yet had never been opened. Already in love with the house, I got out of the car and snapped my first of many photos. After an amazing tour of the house the family shared with us that they only would sell this house to us because of the vision Andrei shared with them a few days earlier. WOW!

But then talk about the price tag of the home came up. A little over $500,000 dollars! Ouch! Andrei and I both knew that we had not even started to raise money for this new step in our ministry. And then came the other bomb, "And we need to have the money around October." As crazy as it sounds, Andrei and I both said "ok." Yep, simple as that..."ok, let see what the Lord does." And we left it at that. We got into our car and I just starred at Andrei with my mouth wide open. In my mind I was thinking "a half a million dollars! What are we thinking!?" And then Andrei spits out, "I am so excited to see what God is going to do!" COMPLETELY convicted I agreed and we began preparing to fly to the States with this great and the seemingly impossible task in front of us.

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." Arriving in America was, as always, so bitter-sweet. Home with family and friends, yet away from the ministry to which our hearts are attached. We slowly began sharing with a few people what we felt God was calling us to...everyone would smile the whole time we shared about the Family Center, that is...until we mentioned the price tag that came along with it. God was so faithful even then when we felt discouraged. There were times I would freak out as days were flying by and not a dollar had been raised, Andrei and I were not even able to get a financial proposal out to anyone. Yet God was continuously showing me that we needed to commit it to Him, and HE would establish our plans. I say to you, that it was the most "peaceful anxiety" I have ever been through! Ha ha.

Then came the day when we needed to let the owners of the house know "yes" or "no." Talk about walking by faith! Again I was freaking out and Andrei came up to me with this big smile and said, "I am so excited to see what God is going to do!" SHOOT! Again, totally convicted, I agreed and we prayed. That night we met with some friends of ours and they told us that the house was going to be covered by anonymous donors. What?!? Wait! We have not even asked anyone for a donation yet! May God be glorified! Amen! Please join us in praising our King, for He is Worthy of all praise!

God's loving encouragement through "peaceful anxiety." While we were praying and committing our plans to God, He used another missionary's testimony to calm my heart and give me strength to trust my Lord. Her name is Amy Carmichael; she was a missionary in India to the abused and forgotten Temple children. These quotes come from her diaries about God's provision in her ministry. Enjoy!

"God lays the beams of His chambers upon the immaterial. So exactly must you. You look, but you see nothing material, nothing solid, on which to lay the beams of this that you have been commanded to build. But ‘To the Immaterial One [your Commander] even that which is fluid is solid,' just as that which is dense to us is transparent to Him. The eternal Doer of the Impossible is the God with whom you have to do; and soon you will know and be able to tell others that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof."

"It is a solemn thing to step out of the boat of assured provision on to the water where nothing at all is sure (except that one will drown), unless the soul knows that the Lord Jesus Christ has said, Come. No ordinary feeling of desire is enough. ‘God help me, for I cannot do otherwise'—it must be that. Then, though all hell rise against you, you can go on."

There is nothing "uncertain" in trusting the Lord. He knows when a few dollars will be enough and when hundreds are needed. Thank you for your prayers and support! God bless you all! We will keep you updated on the progress of the Family Center.

Love, Kelle and Andrei Andries (Baby still to come...)

Prayer Requests:

  • Safe delivery of our baby at Saddleback Hospital (Whenever she decides to come!)
  • God's continued guidance for the future Family Center of Petrosani.
  • The funds for the house are still not in concrete, pray for God's hand to be upon the wonderful donors during this time of preparation for money transfers
  • Prayer for the family who are selling us this wonderful house. That possible delay with money transfers will not hinder their plans in any way. That the selling of the house and their moving would be a smooth process.
  • God to be glorified amongst the people of Petrosani through Sufficient Bread Ministry.
  • Prayer for the future children of the Family Center. Safety, salvation, protection from the evils of this world, it is never too early to pray for these nameless children's hearts.
  • Andrei's continued INS saga