Here is a post specifically for my mother in law, who I affectionately call Mama.

This is Michail and I with Mama, in front of our house.

Today we took a nice 30 minute walk to her house to help her with translation for a service technician who was doing some measuring. Mama is getting a new AC unit this Friday. Her old one broke almost a month ago, and she has weathered the heat all this time.  I am so proud of her. She is a very spiritually and physically strong, Russian woman, who has a passion for God, and loves her children so much. She cares about their souls, like any good mother would. I have seen her weep, and take on loads of stress for those who she may see to be wandering.

I am so blessed that she has accepted me into the Bantseev family with open arms! I love her so much, and its special that she lives only 5 minutes away (driving distance), and we can pop in anytime we want to visit. Like any good Russian, she always has some good food to offer.

Today we had fried salmon, and fresh garden veggies with hummus for supper at her house, quite unexpected too! She was careful to bless us even though she was very obviously exhausted herself today.

Mama Nela - ya loobloo teba, dorogaya!

P.S. My biggest challenge that I cannot afford to put off any longer, is to learn the Russian language. I so want to just sit down and have a heart to heart talk in a language we can both speak fluently!

Wow. Today was a full day. This morning, after helping Michail with his morning routine before the caregiver arrived at 6am, I began my day in the garden. I gave the veggies a good drink, and enjoyed the morning's cool air. Next I prepared our breakfast, which was a hearty raw cereal with banana milk.







Cereal
1/2 C. raw, old fashioned oats, ground to flour consistancy
1/2 C. almonds, ground to almost flour consistancy
1 diced Granny Smith apple (or coarsely chopped in blender is faster!)
1/2 C. unsweetened, shredded coconut
1 T. ground flax seed
1/2 C. raisins
1 t. cinnamon

Grind oats and nuts in an electric coffee grinder - works great! Combine all ingredients.

-----------------
Banana Milk
1 banana
1 C. water
1 t. pure vanilla extract
handful almonds

Throw all ingredients in blender, blend on High until smooth. Milk will be thick. Add more water if desired to thin.

Mix into cereal and enjoy. This keeps in the fridge as well - it just gets thicker as the liquid absorbs. We ran errands today and took the rest along - it was a great snack + filler food!


By 7am, my husband was up and ready to start the morning. He made some phone calls, and then we sat down to eat - double time. We spent some time in prayer, and read the scriptures as we ate our breakfast! This morning we were reading in the book of 1 John. It was so awesome what we discovered! We underlined many verses that took on new meaning this morning!  1 John 3:22 was one that we had to stop and say "wow".

And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

What are God's commandments? In the Bible, remember that God made a covenant with His people Israel. He showed them how to live holy, set apart lives, to reflect His image. Yahweh gave them commandments on Mt. Sinai, and laid out explicitly how to walk in His ways.  He showed them the blessings of obedience, and the consequences/curses of disobedience. He said to "Be holy as I am holy"(Lev.11:44).

I was so astounded by the simplicity of this verse this morning. As the children of the Most High, He will give us whatever we ask, as we are faithful to be obedient to the covenant that He made with us.

Another verse, 1 John 3:24 siad this:

Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

In John 15, Yeshua said to "Abide in Me.." By keeping His commandments, we are abiding in Him, and He is abiding in us. (Abide - "to remain as one")


After we had our breakfast, we headed out to have a nice 1/2-hour walk in the air that had grown rather muggy and warm already by 9am. On our way home we stopped at the grocery store! We made it home in enough time to get cleaned up and get ready to head out the door for my doctor appointment. Today I had a 6-month follow up appointment with my oncologist here in London. I felt like we were running late, but, as Michail always likes to say, we are always "right on schedule".  We arrived at the appointment with 1 minute to spare :)
As I always feel when I enter the Cancer Clinic, I again had the sensing that I don't belong here. God has healed me of cancer, and yet in a strange way, I feel a link with all the people that fill the chairs of the waiting room. Bald heads, head scarves, frail, elderly people. In my heart is a cry, and a desire to help them all. I want to tell them all that there is hope..that cancer does not have to be a death sentence.  As I waited for the doctor, I had a lingering hope in my heart. I know my healing has been real. I knew there would be a good report today. Soon I will celebrate 2 years of being cancer free. Praise Yahweh! He has done it.

After the appointment, our day continued to race on, but ended in a quiet Shabbat dinner...just the two of us with our candles lit, and our hearts grateful for our Father and His bountiful supply in our lives.



Learning to walk

This verse has inspired me this week.  I have been meditating on it for a few days since it popped out to me while reading.
Psalm 32:8
    "I will instruct and teach you in this way that you are to go; I will give you counsel; my eyes will be watching you."

What is this way that I am to go?   I believe that scripture interprets scripture.  "Followers of the Way" was the title given to early converts to Messianic Judaism in the book of Acts (22:4). 
"I persecuted to death the followers of this Way, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prison."  -Paul
These believers were Jews or former Gentiles who chose to place their trust in Yeshua as their Messiah (Savior, Anointed One). 

In my understanding ( I have so much more to learn!), I believe that this Way started in the beginning of the scriptures where Yahweh gave instruction (or the Torah) to His people Israel.  Written clearly in the Torah (the first five books of the scriptures) is the way that Yahweh would have His people to walk.  I have been learning so much lately how the Torah is a revelation or representation of God's character. 
"For I am Yahweh your God; therefore, consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am holy..." Leviticus 11:44
When He says to be holy as I am holy, He has already shown His people how.  He gave instruction on how to dress, how to behave, how to grow crops, how to eat, how to be pure and holy before Him, etc. I feel like I am seeing with new eyes, and I am so excited to get to know the God of Avraham, Yitzak, and Ya'acov in a deeper, richer way than I have ever known. This God of Israel is the same God today as He was in the desert with the children of Israel. He does not change.  His ways do not change.  His commandments to His people, whether Jews or grafted-in former Gentiles, do not change.
"But because I, Yahweh, do not change, you sons of Ya'akov will not be destroyed. Malachi 3:6
 I am learning how full and rich my life can really be as I follow God in obedience, and walk in the example of Yeshua my Messiah. 


Michail and I are approaching our first year wedding anniversary on August 2, and I almost can't believe it! The time has really flown by, and we have had quite a year of learning and growing together.  I have learned so much about Michail and grown more accustomed to his needs and how to adjust to the many changes in life relating to being married to a dependent but very independent husband.  We have faced many challenges together this first year, including an operation for removing my wisdom teeth, putting together the necessary paperwork to begin the process of my immigration to Canada, facing financial hurdles (and learning to trust God more!), making big decisions together, and much more.
I cannot express how blessed we have been this year. God has over, above and beyond exceeded our expectations as we have traveled on this journey together so far.  Michail and I have learned the importance of keeping our relationship priority, and even above that, protecting our personal and mutual relationship with God.  We have come to experience in a greater way the need for more of God's Spirit in our lives. The Spirit is what empowers us to do God's will, and be obedient to Him.  Together we have sought God's face, and cried out on behalf of our families and many friends in need.  As we pray, we are drawn closer to God's heart, and we begin more and more to share His burdens, His desires. 

I am looking ahead with joy to all that our Father has in store for us, though at the same time with sobriety, as I know the days are evil.  I want to be on my guard and not to be found lacking when times get hard, as I know they will.  I want to be always ready to give an answer to those who ask me a reason for the hope that is in me.

sometimes I cry

Two nights ago was tough.

I was in the middle of preparing a late supper. I turned on my computer because Michail and Dominique were going to watch 'Robin Hood' while I was getting supper ready. Once online, I found a Skype message from a friend in Moldova.

She simply said, "Hi Mel, did you already hear the sad news?"

Immediately in my heart I knew what that meant, though I wanted to believe that it was some other sad news...I frantically searched facebook...and it didn't take long to confirm the sinking in my heart. My dear friend Dana had passed away after fighting leukemia for just under a year. She would have turned 28 on March 19.

At first I didn't know how to react. It was so hard to hear this. I am a former cancer fighter, and I believe that Yahweh has healed me. I no longer say that 'I have cancer'. I used to have cancer. I am healed and whole. But, last night when I heard this really hard news, I began to ask my Father, "why?". Why was my life preserved, and my friend's life taken from this earth? I had to come to the conclusion that God has yet a plan for my life, and apparently His plan for Dana was finished. I cried. I really cried. It could have been me! Dana was the same age as me.

I didn't cry so much for my loss, but for the loss of those dearest to her that she has left behind.

I rejoice that she is no longer in pain, and yet sorrow with Eugen her husband, her family, and so many friends and lives that she has touched. She touched mine in a special way.

I first met Dana in Moldova at the airport - the first friendly face that I met as she and another OM (Operation Mobilisation) team member waited to pick me up. Dana was so very friendly, and so helpful. This was my second time on Moldovan soil to join an OM team, and yet this time I came alone, anticipating 3 months without the presence of any other American teammates.

Over the course of the first day or so in Moldova, I met with Dana several times to make all the right connections. She and Eugen, her husband set me up with a cell phone I could use after I had joined a local ministry team in Rezina. She was so much fun to be around. I remember one evening when myself and several others were invited over to Dana and Eugen's house for supper and games afterward. We had so much fun. Dana really made me feel welcome in Moldova, and was an awesome translator!Far above the practical help, Dana became a true friend to me, and even after the 3 months had expired in Moldova, we continued stay in contact over facebook. She was such a sweet friend when I was facing cancer.

Cancer became a huge road block that kept me from returning to Moldova for a 2 year term as I had begun to plan for. If I recall correctly, Dana sent several messages to my parents telling of the Moldovan team praying for me. It meant so much.

Cancer is scary, and it seems to speak a death sentence over most. But, I have learned through what I faced, that God is bigger than cancer. I am also reminded that death has no victory over those who are in Messiah Yeshua, even if their body is taken from this earth!

"So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through Adonai Yeshua Ha Mashiach." 1 Corinthians 15:54-57

Dana Ciumac has gotten the victory! Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Dana was always smiling with a really big smile. I imagine how huge her smile was when she met her Savior face to face. What absolute joy she must be experiencing right now. Please remember Eugen, Dana's husband in prayer. I can't imagine what he is facing right now as half of himself is no longer by his side. May the Father grant him an extra measure of grace as he faces each day.

Remembering...continued

Yahweh has again remembered me. One week later, I heard from the lab that my AFP cancer marker in my blood was at an excellent place! If you want to compare, when the cancer was found in August 2010, my levels were at about 400. This time, the marker was at 5.0 - a very normal, healthy place! I am rejoicing again that I have life, and am cancer free, though it's hard when I hear about friends like this one who are continuing to face bad news when I am so healthy :


Dana has leukemia, and is in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant. Living in Eastern Europe is a challenge medically. They have no BM (Bone Marrow) Registry. Dana has been in remission, but it seems that the cancer has returned again. This is a message from Dana's husband, Eugen - "Today Dana wrote me(Eugen) an SMS with following verse: “Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again...”(Psalm 71:20). This happened after we found out the followings. In the last few days beside her knee pain, she started to have a headache, being dizzy and vomiting. Today we went to have a blood test, it turned out that her thrombocytes are really low, her leucocytes really high and a few blast cells again, it means that we lost the remission again."

Tomorrow early in the morning we will fly to Bucharest to be urgent hospitalized. It seems that we will start another chemotherapy and we have to look for an URGENT bone marrow donor.Would you please keep us in your prayers!

Pray for:

* a safe trip(especially with Dana’s health condition);
* God’s strength for Dana ;
* a donor to be found as fast as possible;
* us.

Thank you again for being close!

With love,
Eugen & Dana Ciumac

Remembering when....now 17 months cancer free!

Remembering is very important. Yahweh told the children of Israel numerous times in the scriptures...remember where you have come from..remember what I have done for you...

I don't want to forget what Yahweh has brought me through!

I saw my Oncologist on Friday of last week, and he once more gave me a clean bill of health, and wants me to not come in and see him for 6 months now! I am so excited about this! I also got some labwork done, which I will find out results from this coming week. I am so blessed by my Father's intervention in my life, and for giving me wisdom to choose the type of treatment that would best support my body that He has given me.

I am now 17 months past my operation that removed my 6.5 lb ovarian cancer tumor, and have not had any sign of setback - HalleluYah! I am healthy and strong, and want to always remember - Look what Yahweh has done! He has healed me!

A peek into my home

In my last entry I mentioned that we have a bigger bed. I cannot say how much of a blessing it is to both Michail and I. Many thanks to a sweet elderly couple who gave it to us for free!

Also, I mentioned that I have two new helping hands in the kitchen - my juicer and blender:

I am enjoying having children around the house. I have agreed to help out my sister in law with her two boys every day of the school week as they are in the process of looking for a home since their's sold. They are temporarily staying at a family member's house which is not nearby. So, to keep the kids in the same school for the rest of the year, I walk one nephew to the school bus in the mornings, and then he and his brother hang out at our house after school for a bit until their dad can pick them up after work. Here are some signs of kids being in our house:

Also, about 2 days a week, I will be watching a little neighbor boy while both parents are working - a favor that my sister in law is not able to manage anymore with moving out of the neighborhood.

I am so excited to have little voices in our home now! I love kids, and according to Yahweh's will and plan, I am expectant about having my own one day.

Oh, and here is Jackson, my nephew's frog that we are "frog-sitting" while they make their transition. He goes to his new home today :(

Michail has been helping me a lot lately with finishing up my paperwork for immigration to Canada. We have realized that time does not stand still like we would like. Yesterday I was digging through some old journals to find some dates from when I started working, and for periods of time. I always find so many interesting things in my journals. I came across some details about when I worked at a Holiday Inn, and the many people that I came in contact that with were hurting. I don't remember many of the stories of sharing Yeshua with them, of asking them their stories, of listening to them....so I am again very glad that I took the time to record those instances.

My stomach is telling me that food should be going in. See you all later. :)