Saved by Grace

I AM A CHRISTIAN by Maya Angelou

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "
I'm clean livin."
I'm whispering "
I was lost,"
Now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
and need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain,
I have my share of heartaches
so I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
who received God's good grace, somehow.

Will They Come For Me?

First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.

- Rev. Martin Niemoller, Germany, 1945

Time for the Jews to Leave France, and maybe Europe as well.

Over the last two years, violence against Jews has been rising in Europe. Many have been wondering if it is time for the Jews to migrate from Europe to America or Israel. It may be the early 2000's but it's looking more and more like the early 30's in Europe these days. History has shown that those who bless God's chosen people are blessed and those that curse them are cursed. As Evangelical Christians, we should support our Jewish Brethern and fight anti-Semitism wherever it may be found. Anti-Semitism is another form of rejection of God.

Anti-Semitic violence on rise in France

By Colin Randall in Paris(Filed: 22/03/2005)

The rise in anti-Semitism and vicious racism in France was thrown into shocking relief yesterday by a report showing the number of attacks at its highest level for years.
Eight months after the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, provoked uproar by urging all French Jews to emigrate, France's human rights commission (CNCDH) noted that almost two thirds of last year's incidents were against Jewish targets.
In some of the worst cases a teenager was stabbed outside his school, swastikas were daubed on tombstones and arsonists attacked a railway carriage commemorating French Jews sent to their deaths in Nazi camps.
Islamists and neo-Nazi sympathisers are considered responsible for most of the attacks on Jewish people and property, ranging from the desecration of cemeteries to physical violence.
Muslims are also increasingly the victims of attack and intimidation. The human rights commission report yesterday said attacks on Jews and Muslims doubled between 2003 and 2004.

Everyone has Job Problems

Here is a response from my friend James concerning finding Jobs. Both Jerry and James are highly intelligent, educated, and skilled individuals.

I think the problem now days is that there is so much pressure on companies to remain competitive in the global economy. Our wages have been much higher in the US and now we are seeing a vacuum of sorts regarding wages. Most companies want the top dog but don't what to pay them their worth. Over qualified really means we don't really want to pay you. I just interview for a job on Monday and their stated requirements were college degree and Microsoft/Cisco certifications.
Yet during the interview they say that this job is basically 80% help desk support. So, I'm sure the salary will fall in line with the latter. A guy at our church was a VP at EDS and was let go during the Dick Brown era. This man cannot secure a job. He has had countless interviews all over the country and still no job. I mean to tell you the whole job market is very tough right now. He has depleted all his savings and most of his retirement. There is talk of labor shortages in the US due to baby boomer's retiring. Yet, with pensions being tapped and 401K's tanking, I would be surprised to see any type of shortage.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't feel it's just the military man or woman having problems finding good paying jobs. It affects everyone out in the market place today. Companies are out of touch with the employees just like the government is out of touch with the common man.

Support our Troops

I served with Jerry at the start of his Naval Career and end of mine. He has amazing talents but look how he is treated. I just do not understand this. You would think with his kind of experience, employers would want him. He has a proven track record. Here is what he has submitted to his local paper in Memphis - the Commercial Appeal.

Support Your Troops ?!?

The outward show of support for U.S. Troops forward deployed (i.e. placing stickers on cars, placing candles in windows, hanging yellow ribbons hanging from trees, etc…) is evident in every corner of America. People are concerned for their sons and daughters and don’t want the shame and ridicule veterans experienced during Viet Nam to happen again. What is not so evident is that support when they return. I myself have recently retired from the U.S. Navy after faithfully serving my country for 23 years. I was proud to do it and would join up again in a heartbeat. But recently I have been asking myself if it was indeed worth it. Let me share some of my experiences with you.

After I put the gun down and picked up the pen I have been faced with a sort of discrimination that I don’t think most people realize are out there. The question “What qualifications do you possess that we in the civilian world can use?” came up again and again. True enough, we often performed duties that don’t readily transfer into the everyday life. But, recently a potential employer told me that I had no experience and therefore he couldn’t use me. I told him that I had done things like train new sailors how to do their job, operated numerous computer systems, maintained budgets, and most importantly led people by example. If that isn’t experience then he was right and I’m not qualified to work in that field. But, I challenge any manager to tell me these experiences couldn’t be very useful. I have also heard that I was overqualified (I worked off duty hours on evenings and weekends to complete a Master’s Degree). I really wish someone could explain that to me. I was never “overqualified” when it came time to go into harm’s way. One man even told me that I was the wrong color to get a job in the Memphis area (I am a White Male) and that really made my blood boil. I told him that in the Navy we were and always will be one color – NAVY BLUE !!! I decided if that were the criteria to get a job at his company then I’d rather work elsewhere.

I’m not saying that servicemen and women should get favoritism. What I am saying is that we deserve a chance. If you are a potential employer out there and a veteran comes in (or you see their resume online) don’t just dismiss them out of hand. Chances are they already have the discipline and work ethic that most companies are really looking for. The next time you want to “Support Your Troops” please do something more than putting a sticker on your car.

Jerry Halbrook
U.S. Navy, retired
jdhal09631@yahoo.com

Harming the Kids in Romania

Here is another example of how the children in Romania are being harmed by those that pretend to care. My contact's comments are first and then the story.

This one was a big scandal a few months ago. Ion Tiriac (one of the richest men in Romania, whose son has been on trial for drug issues) and Emma Nicholson stopped two different girls from being adopted be Italian families. They claimed they were one big happy family at the lovely orphanage (owned by Ion Tiriac). The adoptions were both APPROVED, and taken to some European court and the girls were not to leave with their families--it was claimed this was the girls' decisions. A few weeks ago, one of those girls ran away from this lovely center. This is her story below.

Who has the right to confiscate Florentina's happiness?

Claudia PopaIulian Rinder

Wednesday, March 9 2005On Monday, Carlo Pini and Annalisa Bertani have been able to hug Florentina,the little girl they adopted back in 2000, but who is held hostage inRomania due to hidden interests.

To properly honor the moment of meeting her adoptive parents, Florentina haswritten a poem dedicated to her mother. For the first time in her life, the girl knew that her mother was not just a dream and that she would read her mother the love message she had composed.

Words are useless.

The emotion has been overwhelming for all three. "Daddy! Mommy! Finally, you came!" This is all Florentina was able to say when she met the people who she has been hoping, for the last four years, would be her parents. Their teary eyes and the wordless hug told everything about the parents' tender love. During all her childhood, the 14 years old girl never received hugs and affection. The orphanages and placement centers where she has been living until now gave her a lot: good, warm food, clothes, a shelter, proper education. But never a mother's caressing or a father's gentle care. The warmth of a family of her own is precisely the girl's greatest wish. And the dream that marked her childhood. "Nobody never asked me what I wished". After meeting the people who want to be her adoptive parents, Florentina answered questions from the journalists. She said she doesn't want to go back to the "Sun Valley" Placement Center because there she felt more and more lonely and tormented." Nobody never asked me what I wished for. I was not allowed to contact my parents, and I wasn't given their letters. The gifts from them are kept by the center's direction. On several occasions I have been punished and even beaten by the social mother and the guards. I didn't have many friends here, so there is nothing to tie me to this center," said the girl who will turn 14 at the end of this month. "I want to have a family, I want to go home. I want to have a room of my own, with a large bed and a piano. And two parents who would love and protect me", said Florentina. She must learn what a family means Florentina has very carefully cut and kept all the articles referring to her story, which were recently published by the newspapers. "She now feels like a little star, and right now this makes her happy. However, in the days to come she will need to be counselled to understand what has happened to her so far, but also what she may expect in the future. You cannot get used to afamily on your first or second meeting. She must receive training from our social workers and psychologists. Until now she never had a family model. They will teach her what a family means", explained Mariana Tiharau, the County Council general secretary. Most probably, Florentina will not go home in Italy with her parents at this moment. According to the manager of the Brasov General Direction for Social Assistance and Child Protection, it is important that the little girl will continue with her life as normal as possible, will go to school, meet her friends and get ready for the next step in her life: becoming a part of a normal family. Anyway, her future depends on the decision to be taken by the Court for Minors on Friday. Florentina's case had a large echo within the Romanian public. It would be extraordinary if the Court for Minors would allow her to join the family who adopted her. After all, who has the right to confiscate the happiness of a little girl who, after a childhood without the love of parents, finally has a chance?

An absurd decision.

In 2000, Florentina was adopted by an Italian family. However, she was stopped from moving to her adoptive parents by representatives of IonTiriac's foundation (who manage the "Sun Valley" educational center) who have attacked the adoption case in court. The scandal restarted two weeks ago when Florentina ran from the orphanage and asked for help from the Brasov county Direction for Child Protection. She is currently in the care of a maternal assistant.

Holy Land History

Here is an excellent history lesson from my friend Phil. When we were young sailors serving together over 20 years ago, who would have thought we would both be so intellectual.

Each side believes they are just and have a right to claim the Holy Land as their own. Most Christians tend to lean towards Israel which is totally understandable if one goes back to what history tells us regarding this religious conflict which is primarily focused in and around the Holy City of Jerusalem; the occupation goes back to the 4th millennium B.C. with the barbaric pagan Canaanites. In 1000 B.C. The Hebrew King David captured and claimed the city as his own property and his son Solomon built a Temple (966 B.C.) which eventually became the spiritual and political capital of the Hebrews. In 586 B.C. the city fell to the Babylonians, and the Temple was destroyed.
The City was restored to Hebrew rule later in the 6th Century B.C. by "Cyrus the Great" king of Persia. The Temple was rebuilt (515 B.C.; known as the Second Temple). The city remained relatively peaceful for the several hundred years while under Persian control. In 167 B.C. the Greeks attempted to eliminate the Jewish religion and set up a statue of the pagan god Zeus in the temple and sacrificed a pig on the alter thus desecrating the temple along with forbidding the reading of the Torah and the practice of circumcision. In 164 B.C. the Jews led a revolt and succeeded in returning Jerusalem to Israel’s control. The temple was purified and re-dedicated.
Not long after, Roman General Pompey marched on Israel and captured it for his Roman Emperor. Jerusalem remained under Rome almost continuously until the seventh century A.D.
The last great temple was built under the direction of King Herod the Great (37-4 B.C.). Construction and renovation on the temple continued long after Herod’s death, as late as 64 A.D. This construction was going on during the earthly life of Jesus Christ. The crisis created by the hostility between traditional Jews and the believers of the New Covenant led to an invasion by the Romans under the Emperor Titus (67-74 A.D.). The city was ruined and the Temple was destroyed (A.D. 70) in order to punish and discourage the Jews. Judea remained under Roman control for the next 60 years and then the emperor Hadrian (117-168 A.D.) decided to rebuild Jerusalem as a pagan shrine called Aelia Capitolinain in honor of Jupiter. This stirred up another Jewish revolt led by Simon Bar Kochba in 132 AD. After three years of fighting, the Romans crushed the rebellion. They renamed the land Syria Palestine, and expelled all Jews from the city on pain of death.
In 313 AD, Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and made it the official religion of the Empire. This led to many monasteries and holy sites being erected in Jerusalem and throughout the areas where Jesus Christ lived and ministered.
The Muslim religion was founded by Mohammed in 622 AD and it is believed that he visited the Holy City. The armies of Islam captured Jerusalem in 638 making it the chief shrine after Mecca. From 688 to 691 the Dome of the Rock mosque was constructed on the site of the former temple. It is believed that the Prophet Mohammed ascended into Heaven on the spot where the Dome of the Rock was built. The Muslims restricted the Jewish life and forbid the construction and repair of synagogues. They also required Jews to wear a yellow patch on their sleeves. In the 11th century, the Islamic Turks began to persecute the Jews and Christians, and in 1009 the destruction of Christian churches began including the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. The Turks captured Jerusalem in 1071 and closed all Christian sites. The Roman Catholic Pope initiated the Crusades in 1095 to try and wrest the Holy Land back from the Muslims. The Crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099 and massacred all of the Muslim inhabitants. The Kingdom of Jerusalem was established and fortified by the European Christians. They remained until 1291, when the city was recaptured by the Turks.
Thereafter, under Islamic rule, Jerusalem was rebuilt and restored, but by the late 16th Century, it was declining as a commercial and religious center.
Since the expulsion of the Jews by the Roman Emperor Hadrian (A.D. 135): most of the nation of Israel lived in Diaspora (meaning, the dispersion of the Jewish people throughout the world). Only a tiny percentage of the population of Jerusalem was Jewish.
In the early 19th Century, Jerusalem began to revive. The flow of Christian pilgrims increased, and churches, hospices, and other institutions were built. Jewish immigration accelerated.
By 1900, Jews made up the largest community in the city and expanded settlement outside the Old City walls.
In 1948, the country of Israel was established and the Palestinian inhabitants were displaced to make room for the victims of Adolph Hitler. Many Jewish people, refugees and others, returned to Israel and Jerusalem to establish their own country on their historical land base.
The flood of Jewish settlers caused many new tensions between the Israelis and the Palestinians, as well as with Arab neighbors Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and especially Syria. The Jerusalem of modern times is claimed by Israelis and Palestinians as their capital. Jerusalem, the city, is a place of significance for Jews, Christians and Muslims. Today it is divided into quarters: the Jewish Quarter, the Armenian Quarter, The Muslim Quarter, and the Christian Quarter. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is occupied by six denominations: Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Syrian, Coptic and Ethiopian. Suspicion prevents any of the six from having much to do with the others. What we see happening in Jerusalem between Israelis (Jews) and Palestinians (Muslims) has been ongoing for over 1000 years.
Now the fight is in Berkeley, CA? How did these people get here? I don’t know about you, but I’m in favor of border closure until the U.S. has defeated these Terrorist enemies. We are living in a time of War. I’m also in favor of nation-wide sweeps of every illegal immigrant here in this country and deport them back to their home countries until further notice. If someone wants to come and live here and experience the American Dream, then do it by following our laws. Stop sucking the government dry from hard earned tax dollars with special programs & welfare.

-Phil

Miracle At The Bucharest Embassy

This is a miracle from my families adoption experience:

Miracle At The Bucharest Embassy


My wife and I were down to our last two days in Bucharest. All that was left were two appointments at The United States Embassy to have our embassy interview and complete the process for our daughter’s visa. At this time we had been in Romania for nine days and were praying to God that there would be no problems at the embassy. We had heard horror stories about long waits and paperwork problems. We would not stop trusting the Lord now.
On the first day, we needed to turn in our paperwork in the morning. With our Foundation Representative and Adoption Agency Translator/Facilitator, we entered the embassy grounds through a wrought iron side gate that was guarded by Romanian soldiers. The soldiers were dressed in battle fatigues, special service berets, black shiny combat boots, and carried the standard AK-47 assault rifles. We all presented our papers and were passed into the compound. The soldiers were all smiles, which surprised me, and they made a fuss over our new daughter. The soldiers were also so young. Our translator told us that by the berets they were wearing, these soldiers were just out of basic training and actually belonged to the Air Force.
As we walked across the short compound to the building, we could not help but notice how beautiful and full of character the embassy building was. The real treat came inside when we saw the beautiful ornate woodwork that was on every wall, window, and doorpost. By now we had grown accustomed to viewing woodwork of superior quality. There is a solid wood staircase inside that is massive and made from one of dark colored woods. Of course, the floors were covered with the amazing oriental rugs that are also so commonplace but far from ordinary.
Once inside, there was another security check. At the security check, I had to surrender the camcorder I had and my wife had her purse and baby bag checked. To prevent the filming of the embassy interior, only the camera bag had to be left at the security station. From the security station we went up a short flight of stairs to a large waiting room with enclosed windows lining one wall. There are at least six windows with the counters being four feet high from the floor. I looked around the room and it was filled with adoptive families going through the same process. It was hot in the room and children were crying. Our little daughter just sat in her seat and played with a toy we had brought along. The Foundation Rep and I went to one of the windows and handed our paperwork in. The lady behind the glass informed him that a document could not be accepted because it was a copy. Our Foundation Rep was not alarmed. He just smiled and asked if he could mail it. To my great surprise she agreed that it would be acceptable to receive the copy now and have the original come in the mail later. The Rep and I were then directed to another window for the payment of the visa. Once the visa was paid for, we were given a time to come back tomorrow. With that we proceeded back out through the interior security check and outside gate. I asked about the families still waiting inside the embassy and why we had only been in there less than an hour. We were told that our paperwork was in order and fully accepted upon receipt. At that time the advantage of working with an adoption agency and foundation really hit home as it was explained to me that those families were most likely going to spend the whole day in the waiting room of the embassy. We, however, embarked on a wonderful afternoon of sightseeing and shopping in downtown Bucharest. No one expected to have this much time, and the day produced many wonderful memories, which will be greatly cherished.
The second day arrived and we proceeded from the hotel to the embassy. Again, we proceeded through both sets of security and took our places in the chairs of the waiting room. The Foundation Rep went to one of the windows, gave our names, and we waited to be called for our interview. Not more than five minutes went by and we were called.
My wife and I went to the window we were called to. The glass was thick and had a round circle cut in it about four inches from the bottom. I was expecting to be taken to another room but the interview was conducted right at the window. The American Embassy Official started the interview by asking what we had thought of the previous Monday night’s football game. We were unaware of the teams that had played and stated so. He stated that the Minnesota Vikings had played our Dallas Cowboys and really beat them soundly. He was from Minnesota and we were from Dallas. We all had a good laugh. He asked us some questions about our daughter and home in Dallas. Then he congratulated us on our adoption and the interview was over. Not more than ten minutes had passed. We were expecting a lengthy interview and were astounded that it went so fast. We were informed that our daughter’s visa would be ready in the afternoon when the embassy reopened and we would have to wait for it.
With that we exited the embassy and went sightseeing and shopping until the appointed time in the afternoon. About thirty minutes before the embassy was to reopen, we found ourselves back in front of the embassy. At this time our Foundation Rep wanted to enter the embassy and see if the visa was ready. He instructed my wife, daughter, and our Translator to wait outside the embassy while the two of us would go check. We proceeded into the embassy through the two sets of security. In the main waiting room we noticed a large stack of folders sitting on a table. These folders were the completed visas. To the amazement of both of us, our visa was on the very top! The Rep then asked an official who was standing nearby if we could take our visa. The official readily agreed and handed me the visa. Both of us then exited the embassy and surprised the ladies with the visa. Both our Translator and Rep thought that we would spend the afternoon waiting for the visa. We were very delighted that the process went so smoothly. The Rep and I were only in the embassy for ten minutes.
The miracle of our embassy experience is the amazing way God guided the process. As you can see, we did not have to wait for anything and had no problems with our paperwork. I know that this is not the case for many, and may not even be close to the standard embassy experience. God was so good to us while we were in Romania. Words cannot describe the experience fully and the joy that it has brought to us through the adoption of our daughter. We cannot imagine life without her now.


Steve and Michelle adopted Larisa from Piatra Neamt, Romania, in November of 1999. They currently reside in the Dallas Metroplex area.

The Abandonments continue in Romania

This is from the Romanian Newspaper "Romania Libera" from March 2, 2005. As an adoptive parent of a Romanian girl, it really gets me that International Adoption is currently shut down in Romania because of one person in the EU. Romania is trying to get in and corruption is the issue that is impeding entry. But since the international adoptions have been halted, stories like this are becoming more and more frequent. A further thing to note is that the Romanian Government also is preventing parents who cannot feed their children from taking them to the orphanages or other care facilites.


"A Macabre March 1 ('Martisor') at -10 degrees Celsius"
by Catalin Dumitrescu
It was a night with the kind of overwhelming cold that splits rocks. The thermometer at Podul Ros is stuck at -10C (15 degrees Fahrenheit). Just a few more hours to go until the Martisor celebration.
But outside on the cold cement stairs of an apartment building in the Dacia neighborhood in the city of Iasi one hears a weak whimper.
A ten day old baby girl, hunted down by the freezing cold and dressed only in a thin little suit and wrapped in a sheet, is found by an apartment owner who was looking for his cat that had wandered outside in the unrelenting cold.
This merciful man called the ambulance and the life of this little girl, abandoned by a being who probably has the name "mama", was saved. Said policeman Ducu Gavrila who found the child, "I was looking for my tomcat. It was so cold and a vicious wind was blowing. I was afraid that the cold would freeze my cat, even though he has a very thick coat of fur. I don't know who would have the heart to leave this little baby lying on the cement in this kind of weather. That person is a criminal."
The Saint Mary's Children's Hospital in Iasi managed to save the little girl and gave her the most precious Martisor present of all: LIFE. Dr. Tamara Rosu, spokesperson for the Saint Mary's Children's Hospital remarked, "This girl weighed 3 kilograms (about 6 pounds, 10 ounces) and was approximately 10 days old. It is likely that the mother was recently released from the maternity hospital since the umbilical cord wasn't healed yet."
The police, together with personnel from the Child Protection Services have begun an investigation to find the "mother without a soul" who abandoned her little child on the cement which was as cold as ice.