The life of a houseparent is not an easy one. Spare time and quiet are precious commodities. Maintaining patience when constantly picking up discarded articles of clothing and forgotten toys demands the willpower of a tri-athlete. Keeping pace with growing, hungry kids and helping with hours and hours of homework is enough to make even a four-star general drop in exhaustion. Add to that church involvement, relationships with friends, neighbors and family, and even pursuing further education of your own; it's easy to see that the Global Hope house parents are truly gifts from God, angels in disguise. These special people are Romanians and fellow laborers for Christ. They all had children of their own before they were willing to move into one of our three homes and become parents to seven to ten children.

Despite the seemingly endless hours of hard work, frustration, and even tears, this life-calling also brings many blessings. When a child calls you "Mama" or "Tata" for the first time or when they come running to you to show a picture that they drew in school. Or when they simply sit in your lap and hug your neck, you know that you are in God's will, that He loves you, and that He will continue to bless your efforts.

In Steven's House (our newest family home), God's blessings overflow in the form of a little four year-old girl. Hoinal or Hoini is still new to the Global Hope family, only being with us for just over a year. Her connection to the foundation dates back even further to when she was first abandoned at the hospital in Arad. Over the past year, we have watched this little one blossom under the care of house parents, Dorel and Gabi Stanca. She is incredibly smart and talented, starting kindergarten a year early. And while we rejoice in her growth and progress, I have been wonderfully surprised to learn that the greatest impact has been made by Hoini herself.

She makes everyone around her stop, watch and smile. She sings and twirls around, quite independent and quite the show-off when visitors come to her home. She has an endearing tendency to talk to herself and chatter on incessantly about whatever subject enters her mind. Mama Gabi once told me that when Hoini first came to Steven's House, she didn't speak, "but now," she said with a smile, "she talks all of the time." Like I said, she is very smart and likes to repeat what others say. I was surprised to hear her repeat my English perfectly without any pronunciation problems. When she does something wrong and she is corrected, she says in a pathetic, little tone, "Sorry. Sorry, Mama. Sorry."


Hoini of Steven's House

The other day, I sat at the computer with Andrada (Dorel and Gabi's thirteen year-old biological daughter), Cristina (9), Marian (8), and Hoini. We watched a short home video made with a digital camera of Hoini's fourth birthday. As everyone on the screen sang "La Multi Ani", Hoini began jumping up and down and clapping her hands. When the video finished and we moved on to another video, Hoini kept saying quite firmly, "Go back to the little girl. Go back to the little girl!" She's definitely a little ham and her cute little antics keep everyone guessing.

I sat with Andrada on the sofa in the family room. Hoini climbed up onto the end of the sofa that is shaped like an "L". I was sitting in the middle of the long side of the sofa and Andrada was sitting on the short side. Hoini would go to the end of the sofa, launch herself over me, and land with a thud at the corner where the long side and the short side meet. This scared me the first time, as I was talking with Andrada and suddenly saw this four year-old bundle of energy flying over my legs. Eventually she got tired of this and pushed me off of the sofa. I didn't know what she had in mind so I just stood and watched as she resumed her "flying" without the annoying hindrance of me in the middle.

She sings very well. She sang "Here I am to Worship" in Romanian for me one day. She has the sweetest little voice that would make anyone go "awwww!" She has the sweetest laugh that comes from her heart like little bubbles of love and joy. Life for Hoini isn't without its challenges, though. She has been diagnosed with gluten intolerance and needs a special diet to thrive. At four years old, she doesn't understand this so I just smile as her parents try to make whatever she is eating look and sound more appealing than what everyone else at the table is eating.

She is truly a special little girl, bringing joy and laughter into her home and her new, big family. Please pray for her as she grows. Pray that she will continue to feel and experience the love of her family and the God that created and formed her perfectly. Pray that she will draw close to Him, letting Him become the source of her joy and happiness.


Hoini with one of her big brothers, Ionut