Liliana came to the U.S. . . .

from Romania three years ago this November to live with her sister and brother-in-law.  Soon after, these family members decided that she was not doing what they wanted her to do for them so they decided she would have to go back.  Although devastated by their abandonment, she determined that she would not go back!!  Left with little money and speaking little English, she determined to enroll in the local community college while continuing to work the part-time job allotted by her visa.  Her dream: to become a nurse.

Liliana came to our church with neighbors of her family members, our Russian (AND Romanian) speaking pastor and his wife!  Soon after moving in with a co-worker and her adult son, she discovered they were drug users.  Suddenly, the opportunity came for her to move into a church member’s home.  During those first months at church, she listened and learned and finally surrendered her view that there was no God!  She was seeing God work in her circumstances, through other people, and she finally came to the realization that He WAS real and that He had died for her sins and He truly DID care for her! 

God blessed her with additional hours at her community college job, gave her strength to endure a painful back injury and the opportunity to receive medical treatment.  For two years she often walked two miles to catch a bus to take her across town to her college – summer and winter!  She has since moved to another home nearer her college and worked hard to get her driver’s license.  She has faithfully paid back every dime of a loan she needed to purchase a car.  Liliana has continued taking pre-requisites for nursing – things like this semester’s Biomedical Ethics and Biology of Health & Disease.  (I can’t imagine taking them even in my first language!!)

And now, we rejoice with Liliana as she has recently been accepted and will begin Nursing School in the spring!!  Liliana, you are my hero!  Your perseverance is breathtaking!  We rejoice with you in what God has given you the strength to accomplish!!  (Have I mentioned that Liliana is in her forties with a 20 year old son back in Romania??)  Keep on keeping on, Girl!!

Next time,

Karol