Well, we're all packing up our things and getting ready to head to Budapest at 5:00 a.m. (which for us is exactly 5 hours away right now...).
It has been an incredibly awesome week, and I really think God opened our eyes to a lot while using us to play a role in His Kingdom story through Rachel's ministry here in Romania. It often bothers me when mission groups travel somewhere thinking they are "taking God there" to that place, because I know that God is already working everywhere. He has been working here in Romania. He has gone before us, He has worked through us, and He will certainly continue to work here long after we leave.
We're thankful for the ways we've been able to serve this week and the people who gave and supported this trip so that we could be the hands and feet, or even just the fingertips and toes, of Rachel's ministry in Tinca. We accomplished (hopefully) a lot on the apartments and other various jobs around the Isaiah Center, and we played our hearts out with the kids in the village during the times we were there. The best we can give is our love, and hopefully we did just that.
We do still have a few people who aren't feeling well at all, so please be praying that they'll feel 100% better in the morning for a long day of travel. It will be a long and uncomfortable day if they still feel sick. We also don't need it to spread to the group and beyond when we get home! So pray for healing!!!
We'll see you on the other side of the world...tomorrow!!!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
the party bus
It's past midnight and I should be fast asleep right now...but I'm still up after some rounds of speed Scrabble and "What If" and the celebrity game in the common area in our hotel.
But I do want to let you know that we're asking God for healing for 2 people in the group who didn't feel well today (stomach bugs...), and I'm sure this is Satan's way of trying to stop what God is doing yet again. Please pray that God will bring their bodies back to normal and give them an extra dose of energy and rest tonight so they can enjoy the last full day here. And please pray that the rest of us and all the kids at the center are shielded from catching anything as well.
We have one more day to work, and work we will... We have 2 apartments to finish painting and several other painting jobs to start and finish. I'm confident that we can do it, and I think we're up for the challenge. If we can blast our new favorite techno song while we work, I'm pretty sure we can get it all accomplished.
Our bus driver, Adi, played a great mix CD today of some techno music and while we were driving through the village the bus became the party bus. So, as we all attempt to sleep tonight we're trying to get the rave beats and "Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh...goin' to the club......oh, oh, oh, oh, oh....put a record on" out of our heads.
I know this was a pretty quick post without a whole lot of thought, but just keeping you all updated!
Thanks for praying!
But I do want to let you know that we're asking God for healing for 2 people in the group who didn't feel well today (stomach bugs...), and I'm sure this is Satan's way of trying to stop what God is doing yet again. Please pray that God will bring their bodies back to normal and give them an extra dose of energy and rest tonight so they can enjoy the last full day here. And please pray that the rest of us and all the kids at the center are shielded from catching anything as well.
We have one more day to work, and work we will... We have 2 apartments to finish painting and several other painting jobs to start and finish. I'm confident that we can do it, and I think we're up for the challenge. If we can blast our new favorite techno song while we work, I'm pretty sure we can get it all accomplished.
Our bus driver, Adi, played a great mix CD today of some techno music and while we were driving through the village the bus became the party bus. So, as we all attempt to sleep tonight we're trying to get the rave beats and "Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh...goin' to the club......oh, oh, oh, oh, oh....put a record on" out of our heads.
I know this was a pretty quick post without a whole lot of thought, but just keeping you all updated!
Thanks for praying!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
What's up rope swing?!?
Just wanted to do a quick post since it doesn't look like anyone had time yesterday to do so. Yesterday we continued to work at the center trying to finish some of the work there. We have all really enjoyed getting to help on the center and work with the kids. Yesterday was also a unique day because we got to go the homes of the kids in the center and bring their families food and pray over them. To say that it was powerful, is an understatement. Those that have come before said that even last year they would have seen it nearly impossible to lay hands on one of these people and pray over them. So today we shared in seeing the progress of the ongoing ministry Rachel has not just with the children, but with their families. This experience did a push and shove routine on the heart. Because while you want to see these people with the eyes of Christ, in the back of your mind somewhere you also know that they hurt the little ones that we love. But, we believe in the power of prayer and God will continue to stir among these people. After this we got to go to the river and play with the kids in more of a park like setting. Some of us even went into the freeeeeeezing cold river via the rope swing.... What's up rope swing club?. Seriously.... I thought my lungs might burst the water was so cold, but it was a gorgeous day and God truly blessed us once again. Sorry this is so short, but wanted to catch you up a little.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Yup Yup
This will be short and sweet.
I'm certainly tired, and I know our group is all exhausted from all of the work we've been doing. We've been painting fences, painting apartments, sorting clothes, sorting toys, cleaning toys, teaching the kids in the Roma village about Noah's Ark and God's hope through Jesus, and playing with kids at the village and at the Isaiah Center. And I honestly can say that this group is serving with positive attitudes and humble hearts. It's a privilege to have 10 great students (plus Chels & Breanne of course!!!) here who are willing to serve in whatever way they're asked. We don't have any complainers, and I don't expect that to change. Tonight we awarded 3 girls who have been exemplary models of humility, creativity, willingness to serve, compassion, encouragement, and positivity. They got the "yup yup" award...which is a Romanian candy/cookie sort of treat.
As the week goes on I'm sure we'll become more and more exhausted and that might give Satan a foothold to tear down whatever work God is trying to do through us and among us. Pray that we'll continue to serve in the same way and to grow as a team.
I'm sure I'll write more about specific stories again at another time, but please continue to keep praying for the Roma people here. Their culture is one that could take years for someone to understand, and thankfully Rachel is beginning to gain their trust in her ministry and is understanding fully how to work in each specific child's situation. Each of the kids at the center not only comes from poverty but from homes of different types of abuse that aren't viewed as extreme in the way that we would see it in America. This impacts their growth physically, tears them down emotionally, builds walls up mentally, but praise GOD helps them become stronger spiritually through individualized attention from the Isaiah Center. We can only pray that the dream for the Isaiah Center becomes a reality and we'll see the future generations change and break this cycle of life as they know it.
I'm certainly tired, and I know our group is all exhausted from all of the work we've been doing. We've been painting fences, painting apartments, sorting clothes, sorting toys, cleaning toys, teaching the kids in the Roma village about Noah's Ark and God's hope through Jesus, and playing with kids at the village and at the Isaiah Center. And I honestly can say that this group is serving with positive attitudes and humble hearts. It's a privilege to have 10 great students (plus Chels & Breanne of course!!!) here who are willing to serve in whatever way they're asked. We don't have any complainers, and I don't expect that to change. Tonight we awarded 3 girls who have been exemplary models of humility, creativity, willingness to serve, compassion, encouragement, and positivity. They got the "yup yup" award...which is a Romanian candy/cookie sort of treat.
As the week goes on I'm sure we'll become more and more exhausted and that might give Satan a foothold to tear down whatever work God is trying to do through us and among us. Pray that we'll continue to serve in the same way and to grow as a team.
I'm sure I'll write more about specific stories again at another time, but please continue to keep praying for the Roma people here. Their culture is one that could take years for someone to understand, and thankfully Rachel is beginning to gain their trust in her ministry and is understanding fully how to work in each specific child's situation. Each of the kids at the center not only comes from poverty but from homes of different types of abuse that aren't viewed as extreme in the way that we would see it in America. This impacts their growth physically, tears them down emotionally, builds walls up mentally, but praise GOD helps them become stronger spiritually through individualized attention from the Isaiah Center. We can only pray that the dream for the Isaiah Center becomes a reality and we'll see the future generations change and break this cycle of life as they know it.
mama watson
mom, i am ok! do not fret...
Today i got sun burnt... yes, in Romania i got sun burnt. Never would have thought that would happen... Eza, Rachel's daughter is helping me type this and said i should write about our baseball game today were she hit four home runs! she is quite the heavy hitter. today the gypsy village was another great experience to just love on some kids, play rasta, rasta, go, (duck, duck, goose) and of course hours of football. It is so amazing to me how every kid is so excited that there is someone there to see them, some one to give them attention and play with them that they literally pull you to the ground from the weight of ten of them hanging from your arms and jumping on your back. I can't wait for another day as tiring as this one.
Today i got sun burnt... yes, in Romania i got sun burnt. Never would have thought that would happen... Eza, Rachel's daughter is helping me type this and said i should write about our baseball game today were she hit four home runs! she is quite the heavy hitter. today the gypsy village was another great experience to just love on some kids, play rasta, rasta, go, (duck, duck, goose) and of course hours of football. It is so amazing to me how every kid is so excited that there is someone there to see them, some one to give them attention and play with them that they literally pull you to the ground from the weight of ten of them hanging from your arms and jumping on your back. I can't wait for another day as tiring as this one.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Joe Bro
Hello all! It's Breanne. I'm not much of a blogger but I have decided it's my time to share. As Chelsea mentioned a bit in her latest post, today was our first day getting to visit The Isaiah Center. Please, if you aren't aware of what the Isaiah center is, you should visit the website and read more about it. www.fmnministries.org. A brief summary though, is that the Isaiah Center was opened by Forget Me Not Minstries, whose mission is to reach out to the abandoned and orphaned children living in the Roma Community. It was so inspiring today listening to Rachel, the founder of the organization, share her hopes and dreams for the future of the Isaiah house as well as the entire Gypsy community of Tinca. It is a huge dream, but is one I know that can be accomplished.
Currently the Isaiah house cares for 7 children. Abel and his brother Samuel, Florica and her sister Simona, their cousin Maria, Alex, and baby Calina. All 7 of these children are from the Roma Village. I would be more than happy to talk about each one of them in another post, but it is getting really late and we have a long day tomorrow, so for this post I must cut it short and then head off to bed. So for now, I'll just share a couple thoughts...
JOE BRO! What? Yes, I said it. Joe Bro. That is our prestigeous award for today! Each night, us leaders have decided that we will be giving out awards to the students for outstanding effort and acts of complete selflessness. Today, the "Joe Bro" awards (named after a DELICIOUS Romanian snack called 'the Joe Bro') were given to Aaron, Jacob, and Michael. Not only have these guys survived being the only boys being outnumered 3 to 10 by us ladies, but they were AMAZING today. The way they interacted with the children at the village left us all speechless. So hats off to you boys!! Have a Joe Bro.
And, moving on...
As the bus pulled into Tinca today I realized that I had absolutely no idea what to expect! I had been so excited to get there and to see all the children, but as I got up from my seat to exit the bus a sort of panic ran through me. "What am I doing here?!" I must say though, that immediately as I got off of the bus, all of my fears vanished. Kids instantly began running up to us with smiles on their faces, and hands reached out looking for someone, ANYONE, to just hold their hand and show them that they were loved. We were there for almost 2 hours, and not once was your hand empty or did you not feel a loving child's arms wrapped around your waist. Every time I looked into a child's eyes, my heart melted. There was one girl in particular who touched me today. She looked as though she was about 10 years old, and when she walked up to me she looked at me and smiled, and put her arm around my waist and just layed her head on my shoulder. I squeezed back to give her a hug, and just let her leave her head on my shoulders. I immediately began thinking of the love and attention this girl desired. How much love had she been shown in her life? How much abuse had this girl gone through personally that I have no idea about! Unfortunately, the stories of the abuse these young girls go through are horrific, and the hard truth is, that it would extremely rare to find one who has not been abused in some form or another. Then another thought occurred to me. When you see the babies, and toddlers, your heart breaks for them, seeing them filthy, neglected, abused, and defenseless. Especially when all you want to do is just squeeze those adorable pudgy cheeks and hold them and cradle them in your arms. But what about the older children? Do our hearts break as easily for them? Obviously we care abot them, but do we run to show them the same love we show the younger ones? I know this isn't every case, but usually it's the young children our eyes are drawn to that you want to cuddle and love. But this older girl had probably been through more than I can even imagine. At one time in her life, she was one of those young babies, and has grown up in a life of poverty, abuse, and neglect. Yet still she stands here, arms open wide, with a huge smile on her face, just wanting someone to love her. So I did. And her and I were inseperable for the last 40 minutes we were in the village, in a constant side hug that I didn't want to break when we had to say goodbye.
I know I will see her throughout the rest of this week, but then I will be leaving. I will head home and leave them behind. But I cannot get discouraged by this thought. Because this week I am going to give her, and as many other children as I can, the love that they deserve, and hope that they can see our Father's love through me. And I will do all I can to help Rachel with our projects we are doing at the Isaiah Center to make it the best center that it can be, and to do my part to help ensure that Rachel's God given dream for the center becomes a reality. Because even though I may be leaving for now, I WILL be coming back. And others will be coming as well. And Rachel and her team will be here working. And these children's lives and their families' lives, WILL be changed. Because God IS here.
Currently the Isaiah house cares for 7 children. Abel and his brother Samuel, Florica and her sister Simona, their cousin Maria, Alex, and baby Calina. All 7 of these children are from the Roma Village. I would be more than happy to talk about each one of them in another post, but it is getting really late and we have a long day tomorrow, so for this post I must cut it short and then head off to bed. So for now, I'll just share a couple thoughts...
JOE BRO! What? Yes, I said it. Joe Bro. That is our prestigeous award for today! Each night, us leaders have decided that we will be giving out awards to the students for outstanding effort and acts of complete selflessness. Today, the "Joe Bro" awards (named after a DELICIOUS Romanian snack called 'the Joe Bro') were given to Aaron, Jacob, and Michael. Not only have these guys survived being the only boys being outnumered 3 to 10 by us ladies, but they were AMAZING today. The way they interacted with the children at the village left us all speechless. So hats off to you boys!! Have a Joe Bro.
And, moving on...
As the bus pulled into Tinca today I realized that I had absolutely no idea what to expect! I had been so excited to get there and to see all the children, but as I got up from my seat to exit the bus a sort of panic ran through me. "What am I doing here?!" I must say though, that immediately as I got off of the bus, all of my fears vanished. Kids instantly began running up to us with smiles on their faces, and hands reached out looking for someone, ANYONE, to just hold their hand and show them that they were loved. We were there for almost 2 hours, and not once was your hand empty or did you not feel a loving child's arms wrapped around your waist. Every time I looked into a child's eyes, my heart melted. There was one girl in particular who touched me today. She looked as though she was about 10 years old, and when she walked up to me she looked at me and smiled, and put her arm around my waist and just layed her head on my shoulder. I squeezed back to give her a hug, and just let her leave her head on my shoulders. I immediately began thinking of the love and attention this girl desired. How much love had she been shown in her life? How much abuse had this girl gone through personally that I have no idea about! Unfortunately, the stories of the abuse these young girls go through are horrific, and the hard truth is, that it would extremely rare to find one who has not been abused in some form or another. Then another thought occurred to me. When you see the babies, and toddlers, your heart breaks for them, seeing them filthy, neglected, abused, and defenseless. Especially when all you want to do is just squeeze those adorable pudgy cheeks and hold them and cradle them in your arms. But what about the older children? Do our hearts break as easily for them? Obviously we care abot them, but do we run to show them the same love we show the younger ones? I know this isn't every case, but usually it's the young children our eyes are drawn to that you want to cuddle and love. But this older girl had probably been through more than I can even imagine. At one time in her life, she was one of those young babies, and has grown up in a life of poverty, abuse, and neglect. Yet still she stands here, arms open wide, with a huge smile on her face, just wanting someone to love her. So I did. And her and I were inseperable for the last 40 minutes we were in the village, in a constant side hug that I didn't want to break when we had to say goodbye.
I know I will see her throughout the rest of this week, but then I will be leaving. I will head home and leave them behind. But I cannot get discouraged by this thought. Because this week I am going to give her, and as many other children as I can, the love that they deserve, and hope that they can see our Father's love through me. And I will do all I can to help Rachel with our projects we are doing at the Isaiah Center to make it the best center that it can be, and to do my part to help ensure that Rachel's God given dream for the center becomes a reality. Because even though I may be leaving for now, I WILL be coming back. And others will be coming as well. And Rachel and her team will be here working. And these children's lives and their families' lives, WILL be changed. Because God IS here.
Dema
Today was the first day we arrived at the Rachel's center. We did some painting and cleaning... and of course loved on the kiddos (who are the most precious little ones I may have ever seen!). But sometimes I would have to remind myself that all the work to be done around the center is important. Though we surely want to all play with the children, we have to remember that fixing up the center carries importance as well.
After working for the morning there, we had probably the best spaghetti ever (thanks Rachel!) and left for the Roma village. The Roma people live in a village on the outskirts of Tinca. To say that these people are gypsies is correct, but out of respect and value for them, I'm going to call them Romas. Romas are a very supressed people. They are looked down on and even thought and told they have no souls. They generally don't speak Romanian but speak a Roma dialect. All those facts aside, these people are beautiful. I'm not sure I've ever seen such brokenness and purity at the same time. Within a matter of minutes one of the little girls told me she loved me. The language barrier didn't seem to be too much of an issue because they really just wanted love... which translates in every language.
What I was left with today was the thought that anyone one of those children could have been in my place... and I could just have easily been living their way of life. It's hard to understand and grasp why God puts us... almost assigns us... our place in His world. It's something that I'll continue to ponder and pursue, but I just left feeling like I now have to do something great or make something of myself in order to use the opportunity that is my life.
Yesterday we ate lunch with a few of the families at Caminul Felix. I was at Dema and Monika's house. In the course of our conversation, he reminded me of something I had somehow forgotten... he said, "The world may be in crisis, but God is never in crisis." It just might be that God, in His infinite wisdom, is trying to teach me something.
After working for the morning there, we had probably the best spaghetti ever (thanks Rachel!) and left for the Roma village. The Roma people live in a village on the outskirts of Tinca. To say that these people are gypsies is correct, but out of respect and value for them, I'm going to call them Romas. Romas are a very supressed people. They are looked down on and even thought and told they have no souls. They generally don't speak Romanian but speak a Roma dialect. All those facts aside, these people are beautiful. I'm not sure I've ever seen such brokenness and purity at the same time. Within a matter of minutes one of the little girls told me she loved me. The language barrier didn't seem to be too much of an issue because they really just wanted love... which translates in every language.
What I was left with today was the thought that anyone one of those children could have been in my place... and I could just have easily been living their way of life. It's hard to understand and grasp why God puts us... almost assigns us... our place in His world. It's something that I'll continue to ponder and pursue, but I just left feeling like I now have to do something great or make something of myself in order to use the opportunity that is my life.
Yesterday we ate lunch with a few of the families at Caminul Felix. I was at Dema and Monika's house. In the course of our conversation, he reminded me of something I had somehow forgotten... he said, "The world may be in crisis, but God is never in crisis." It just might be that God, in His infinite wisdom, is trying to teach me something.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Sunday morning
Happy Sunday!!!
It's about 9:30 a.m. here and we're heading off to church, which is always a great experience in Romania. The services are about 3 hours, so it's longer than what most of us are used to. They're also a little more charismatic and the people seem more excited to be there, which I think is something we can learn from. We'll have several college-aged students sitting among us to translate the sermon, and we'll do our best to sing the songs in Romanian. (They do a lot of Hillsong music, so we'll probably recognize them as ones we do in our own churches.)
After church we're headed to 2 of the homes here at Caminul Felix to eat lunch. If you'd like to read more about Caminul Felix, you can check out their website. It is a Christian organization here that has 2 villages (somewhat like compounds) with about 10 homes, and most of them have about 15 children living there with a set of loving Christian parents. On the compound there is a "hotel" where we're staying all week, and it's a blessing to be here helping their ministry as well. They are amazing servants, and they definitely know how to cook! I think we'll all come back a few pounds heavier after the meals we eat here... There is certainly no bug-eating or weird animal meat you don't recognize like you might assume most mission trips consist of.
Well, our bus is probably outside waiting, so have a great Sunday!
It's about 9:30 a.m. here and we're heading off to church, which is always a great experience in Romania. The services are about 3 hours, so it's longer than what most of us are used to. They're also a little more charismatic and the people seem more excited to be there, which I think is something we can learn from. We'll have several college-aged students sitting among us to translate the sermon, and we'll do our best to sing the songs in Romanian. (They do a lot of Hillsong music, so we'll probably recognize them as ones we do in our own churches.)
After church we're headed to 2 of the homes here at Caminul Felix to eat lunch. If you'd like to read more about Caminul Felix, you can check out their website. It is a Christian organization here that has 2 villages (somewhat like compounds) with about 10 homes, and most of them have about 15 children living there with a set of loving Christian parents. On the compound there is a "hotel" where we're staying all week, and it's a blessing to be here helping their ministry as well. They are amazing servants, and they definitely know how to cook! I think we'll all come back a few pounds heavier after the meals we eat here... There is certainly no bug-eating or weird animal meat you don't recognize like you might assume most mission trips consist of.
Well, our bus is probably outside waiting, so have a great Sunday!
Mamba
WE'RE ALL HERE!!!! Our other student arrived today with no trouble! We were so excited that he had safe travels and everything worked out so well. He made it, just a day later. In fact, he had an amazing experience with the man he sat next to on the plane and was so blessed by that experience. I shouldn't be surprised, God is sovereign after all. So, all of Mandy's sheep are here ;).
The only word to describe today is "gorgeous". It was sunny and clear and around 70 degrees. (It could not have hurt that for the previous 28 hours we were in stuffy airports and smelly planes ;). After some much needed rest (and showering), we started our day by going to a hill that overlooks the city of Oradea. It was truly an amazing sight. We took some pictures and spent some time praying over the city and for our week. At this particular sight, we could see the whole city, but something distracted me. There was a small bunker type structure at the top of the hill that was once used during wartime to kill those trying to charge the hill. It was hard to accept that this part of history took place while I was still alive. For many of us, this part of history isn't quite as real because we didn't necessarily experience it, but for these people it still hurts. They still remember, remnants of its hard past are almost overwhelming... like the synogogue that we saw had been burned from the inside out. We were told later that during World War II the synogogue was evacuated and all the worshippers were taken to the street and shot. Their past may be in the past, but it is very real and can not be overlooked.
Later in the day we visited an old Hungarian cathedral built in the 1700s, the word "beautiful" does not hardly begin to describe it. The portraits and paintings were so ornate that one look did not do justice. After some other sightseeing, we went to the "walking street" to do some shopping. We spent the remainder of the afternoon going into various shops and enjoying the gorgeous day. As I was buying a scarf in one of the shops, I tried to say "thank you" in Romanian, but clearly did not say it correctly.... good news is a smile translates in every language and the lady at the counter just laughed and smiled back. Although, it is unbelievable how much English is around. The radio stations switch back and forth between everything from Celine Dion, to Shania Twain, to techo Romanian music, to Stevie Wonder. It seems that Romania is heavily influenced by Western culture and I just pray that we don't steal what makes these people unique.
During dinner I noticed something that I usually don't notice until the end of a trip. We were loud and all telling stories... sharing laughter... talking over and around each other... joking around, and it reminded me of a big hodge-podge family. It was such a blessing. After dinner, a few of us went to the grocery store to buy food for our lunches and for the families with the center. There I found "Mambas". If you don't know what those are, they are a chewy candy comparable to a mix of starbursts and now and laters. Mandy and I hadn't had these since we were kids!! It was so funny to see them here. Most of the students got to meet some of the kids and played with them for a few hours. It's so funny how kids here love the same things... Hannah Montana, the Jonas Brothers.... again... it's that western culture seeping in where it can.
Today was a beautiful day. Everyone else has gone to sleep in preparation for tomorrow, but I'm still reflecting on how God works in the most mysterious ways. I pray that we remain open to the many ways in which God works and ready for what He can do this week.
The only word to describe today is "gorgeous". It was sunny and clear and around 70 degrees. (It could not have hurt that for the previous 28 hours we were in stuffy airports and smelly planes ;). After some much needed rest (and showering), we started our day by going to a hill that overlooks the city of Oradea. It was truly an amazing sight. We took some pictures and spent some time praying over the city and for our week. At this particular sight, we could see the whole city, but something distracted me. There was a small bunker type structure at the top of the hill that was once used during wartime to kill those trying to charge the hill. It was hard to accept that this part of history took place while I was still alive. For many of us, this part of history isn't quite as real because we didn't necessarily experience it, but for these people it still hurts. They still remember, remnants of its hard past are almost overwhelming... like the synogogue that we saw had been burned from the inside out. We were told later that during World War II the synogogue was evacuated and all the worshippers were taken to the street and shot. Their past may be in the past, but it is very real and can not be overlooked.
Later in the day we visited an old Hungarian cathedral built in the 1700s, the word "beautiful" does not hardly begin to describe it. The portraits and paintings were so ornate that one look did not do justice. After some other sightseeing, we went to the "walking street" to do some shopping. We spent the remainder of the afternoon going into various shops and enjoying the gorgeous day. As I was buying a scarf in one of the shops, I tried to say "thank you" in Romanian, but clearly did not say it correctly.... good news is a smile translates in every language and the lady at the counter just laughed and smiled back. Although, it is unbelievable how much English is around. The radio stations switch back and forth between everything from Celine Dion, to Shania Twain, to techo Romanian music, to Stevie Wonder. It seems that Romania is heavily influenced by Western culture and I just pray that we don't steal what makes these people unique.
During dinner I noticed something that I usually don't notice until the end of a trip. We were loud and all telling stories... sharing laughter... talking over and around each other... joking around, and it reminded me of a big hodge-podge family. It was such a blessing. After dinner, a few of us went to the grocery store to buy food for our lunches and for the families with the center. There I found "Mambas". If you don't know what those are, they are a chewy candy comparable to a mix of starbursts and now and laters. Mandy and I hadn't had these since we were kids!! It was so funny to see them here. Most of the students got to meet some of the kids and played with them for a few hours. It's so funny how kids here love the same things... Hannah Montana, the Jonas Brothers.... again... it's that western culture seeping in where it can.
Today was a beautiful day. Everyone else has gone to sleep in preparation for tomorrow, but I'm still reflecting on how God works in the most mysterious ways. I pray that we remain open to the many ways in which God works and ready for what He can do this week.
Friday, April 3, 2009
FINALLY here...but waiting on one.
We are FINALLY here safely!
However, there are 12 of us and I feel like a shepherd who is missing one of her sheep. The student who had the missing passport didn't get it from the Chicago agency in time, so he had it in hand this morning and was rebooked on a flight today to arrive in Budapest tomorrow. While I hate having him fly by himself, I think he has made it through quite a feat so far, and I know God will bring him safely here tomorrow.
Here's the long story made short...
His passport was lost in a family move recently, so he had to reapply for a new passport at the last minute by going to the Chicago agency twice within days of our trip. He was told he could pick it up anytime Wednesday after 3pm, so his plan was to take the train up to the city earlier Thursday and meet us at O'Hare. Despite all he had already been through with the passport, his train got delayed in Bloomington because of a wreck in which someone lost a life. He was picked up by someone from LCC, driven to the city, and unfortunately did not make it to the building in time before they close their doors. We got him rebooked for the next day (Friday) and he is safely in the air at this moment as I write. We'll be celebrating when our last sheep finally returns to the flock tomorrow!!! (Along with feeling like a shepherd, I feel very much like a mother hen...)
Our flights went well. We had a 5-6 hour layover in Zurich, Switzerland in which we tried to nap on concrete floors and hard chairs and entertain ourselves however possible. We made it to Budapest, finally, and endured the long 3 hour bus ride to the Romanian border to find that the Hungarian police were having computer problems and wouldn't let anyone in or out. We got stopped there for 2 hours and finally made it here to our "home" for the week around midnight. Despite our long wait at the border, we're thankful God brought us here safely and without any problems...and with a yummy meal waiting for us when we arrived.
The thing that has been on my mind throughout our travels so far is this: Whatever obstacles come in the way I'm determined are not God's signs that we made a wrong decision or that we are not where we should be. I'm certain that those obstacles are simply roadblocks we have to get through that Satan is trying to use to discourage us. I know this has been the case for my 13th student who is on his way.
And this is what proves to me that God is up to something this week. Something big. I know He is going to do big things in us and hopefully through us.
Thanks for your continual prayers, and we'll keep updating as much as possible!
-mandy
However, there are 12 of us and I feel like a shepherd who is missing one of her sheep. The student who had the missing passport didn't get it from the Chicago agency in time, so he had it in hand this morning and was rebooked on a flight today to arrive in Budapest tomorrow. While I hate having him fly by himself, I think he has made it through quite a feat so far, and I know God will bring him safely here tomorrow.
Here's the long story made short...
His passport was lost in a family move recently, so he had to reapply for a new passport at the last minute by going to the Chicago agency twice within days of our trip. He was told he could pick it up anytime Wednesday after 3pm, so his plan was to take the train up to the city earlier Thursday and meet us at O'Hare. Despite all he had already been through with the passport, his train got delayed in Bloomington because of a wreck in which someone lost a life. He was picked up by someone from LCC, driven to the city, and unfortunately did not make it to the building in time before they close their doors. We got him rebooked for the next day (Friday) and he is safely in the air at this moment as I write. We'll be celebrating when our last sheep finally returns to the flock tomorrow!!! (Along with feeling like a shepherd, I feel very much like a mother hen...)
Our flights went well. We had a 5-6 hour layover in Zurich, Switzerland in which we tried to nap on concrete floors and hard chairs and entertain ourselves however possible. We made it to Budapest, finally, and endured the long 3 hour bus ride to the Romanian border to find that the Hungarian police were having computer problems and wouldn't let anyone in or out. We got stopped there for 2 hours and finally made it here to our "home" for the week around midnight. Despite our long wait at the border, we're thankful God brought us here safely and without any problems...and with a yummy meal waiting for us when we arrived.
The thing that has been on my mind throughout our travels so far is this: Whatever obstacles come in the way I'm determined are not God's signs that we made a wrong decision or that we are not where we should be. I'm certain that those obstacles are simply roadblocks we have to get through that Satan is trying to use to discourage us. I know this has been the case for my 13th student who is on his way.
And this is what proves to me that God is up to something this week. Something big. I know He is going to do big things in us and hopefully through us.
Thanks for your continual prayers, and we'll keep updating as much as possible!
-mandy
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
T minus 24 hours...
In the midst of about a billion things going on today and me (Mandy) feeling like I'm in Jesse Spano mode, I'm taking a brief pause to write.
Tomorrow we leave (13 of us total) for a place that has somehow become near and dear to my heart over the past 3-4 years. We leave campus in approximately 19 hours and fly out of Chicago in 25.5 hours. About 9 hours later, we'll land in Zurich, Switzerland, and then several hours later fly out toward Budapest, Hungary, ride in a van for 3 hours and arrive at our final destination: Caminul Felix in Oradea, Romania.
While the place where we stay, Caminul Felix, is a ministry organization itself, we'll be working primarily with Rachel Ross--a friend and alum of Lincoln Christian College as well. Rachel followed the burden God put on her heart for abandoned children in Romania and went there years ago to work with abandoned babies in the hospitals. Since then, she began building relationships and sharing Jesus with gypsy families in the village of Tinca. Out of that grew a ministry she began called Forget Me Not Ministries and God has been working by providing support and opportunities for this ministry to grow. You can read more about what she's doing at: www.fmnministries.org.
Why Romania? Why gypsies?
* Romania has a population of 22,303,052 in an area that is roughly the size of Oregon
* The average income = $100/month
* Poverty is widespread, and umemployment has risen while living standards have fallen.
* There are 5,000 children abandoned every year.
* 31.8% of the babies left at hospitals have no identity papers, so are considered "invisible."
* There are currently 29,000 children currently in institutions.
* 15% of Romania's population is Roma (Gypsies), who are greatly discriminated against.
* 80% of the abandoned children in institutions and hospitals are Roma (Gypsies).
* 1.4 to 2.5 million of the population consists of Roma (Gypsies).
These statistics are just one thing, but when you come face-to-face with the reality that these people (gypsies) are not even considered human by the rest of culture, the statistics come to life. And when you meet some of the children who have beautiful smiles on their faces, despite the fact that they were locked in a cellar or left under a bridge or were not held for the first year of their lives, the statistics don't mean much anymore. Each little smile and each precious life becomes more important than any number.
The kids have stolen little pieces of my heart every time I have been, and I'm sure I'll return in 10 days with a little more of it there. But somehow, each time a little piece of my heart is stolen by them, my heart becomes more whole. These words of Bethany Dillon's song "Beggar's Heart" have been resounding in my heart:
Hands reaching through barred windows
Thanks for your prayers!
(And now, I'm going to pack...)
Tomorrow we leave (13 of us total) for a place that has somehow become near and dear to my heart over the past 3-4 years. We leave campus in approximately 19 hours and fly out of Chicago in 25.5 hours. About 9 hours later, we'll land in Zurich, Switzerland, and then several hours later fly out toward Budapest, Hungary, ride in a van for 3 hours and arrive at our final destination: Caminul Felix in Oradea, Romania.
While the place where we stay, Caminul Felix, is a ministry organization itself, we'll be working primarily with Rachel Ross--a friend and alum of Lincoln Christian College as well. Rachel followed the burden God put on her heart for abandoned children in Romania and went there years ago to work with abandoned babies in the hospitals. Since then, she began building relationships and sharing Jesus with gypsy families in the village of Tinca. Out of that grew a ministry she began called Forget Me Not Ministries and God has been working by providing support and opportunities for this ministry to grow. You can read more about what she's doing at: www.fmnministries.org.
Why Romania? Why gypsies?
* Romania has a population of 22,303,052 in an area that is roughly the size of Oregon
* The average income = $100/month
* Poverty is widespread, and umemployment has risen while living standards have fallen.
* There are 5,000 children abandoned every year.
* 31.8% of the babies left at hospitals have no identity papers, so are considered "invisible."
* There are currently 29,000 children currently in institutions.
* 15% of Romania's population is Roma (Gypsies), who are greatly discriminated against.
* 80% of the abandoned children in institutions and hospitals are Roma (Gypsies).
* 1.4 to 2.5 million of the population consists of Roma (Gypsies).
These statistics are just one thing, but when you come face-to-face with the reality that these people (gypsies) are not even considered human by the rest of culture, the statistics come to life. And when you meet some of the children who have beautiful smiles on their faces, despite the fact that they were locked in a cellar or left under a bridge or were not held for the first year of their lives, the statistics don't mean much anymore. Each little smile and each precious life becomes more important than any number.
The kids have stolen little pieces of my heart every time I have been, and I'm sure I'll return in 10 days with a little more of it there. But somehow, each time a little piece of my heart is stolen by them, my heart becomes more whole. These words of Bethany Dillon's song "Beggar's Heart" have been resounding in my heart:
Hands reaching through barred windows
Falling asleep on the sidewalk
You say You draw near to the low
Now I'm here, I know I'm not low enough
Because all the things I know
Suddenly seem so small
When You build, it feels like You tear me apart
When you heal, it always leaves a scar
And even when You fill, You leave me with a beggar's heart
I pray that each of us will return with a beggar's heart. I'm excited to see what God is going to do in the next 2 weeks. Please continue to follow our blog where each of us will hopefully be writing throughout the trip. Thanks for your prayers!
(And now, I'm going to pack...)
Friday, March 27, 2009
6 more days and an urgent prayer need.
Hey everyone!!!
So this is the official "blog" for our Lincoln Christian College Week of E3 group going to Oradea, Romania. I couldn't be more excited about our group of 13 leaving next Thursday, April 2nd to serve alongside Rachel Ross and her ministry. This is my third year going to Romania, and my second year to work with Rachel, and it's truly a blessing. I'm looking forward to giving lots of hugs and kisses to the little kids who stole my heart last year, and I can't wait to see how God is going to change us in the process.
I'll update more with our itinerary and some prayer requests for those family members, supporters, and friends who want to keep up-to-date with our adventures. Also, I'll try to give some background information on where we're going, what we'll be doing, etc. so you understand the needs that exist in Romania.
For right now, I'm just asking that you pray for one of our students whose passport was accidentally lost in a family move this past weekend. We're working things out and, Lord willing, we should be able to get the passport expedited through the Chicago passport agency and in his hands by the time we leave! PLEASE PRAY that this will work out!!!
So this is the official "blog" for our Lincoln Christian College Week of E3 group going to Oradea, Romania. I couldn't be more excited about our group of 13 leaving next Thursday, April 2nd to serve alongside Rachel Ross and her ministry. This is my third year going to Romania, and my second year to work with Rachel, and it's truly a blessing. I'm looking forward to giving lots of hugs and kisses to the little kids who stole my heart last year, and I can't wait to see how God is going to change us in the process.
I'll update more with our itinerary and some prayer requests for those family members, supporters, and friends who want to keep up-to-date with our adventures. Also, I'll try to give some background information on where we're going, what we'll be doing, etc. so you understand the needs that exist in Romania.
For right now, I'm just asking that you pray for one of our students whose passport was accidentally lost in a family move this past weekend. We're working things out and, Lord willing, we should be able to get the passport expedited through the Chicago passport agency and in his hands by the time we leave! PLEASE PRAY that this will work out!!!
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