Even though I’ve meant to do this a couple times already, this is the first time I’ve been able to blog since joining the team in Romania. I was so excited the first night (I can’t remember what day that was) when we finally pulled into the driveway at our house here in Finate. It was a long sleepy drive with Achim and Pastor, especially since the GPS was locked on the airport for an hour. But I was greeted with hugs by the few close friends who stayed up till 2am when we finally got there. It was a reunion I’d been looking forward to for a long time.
This week in Romania has been both difficult and joyful and heartbreaking and rewarding. Our time with the teenagers at the camp has been the highlight of my trip so far. It’s hard to grasp all they’ve been through and I want to be able to make everything right in their world but I can’t do anything but be their friend. I feel like they’ve really opened up to us and now tomorrow is our last day. I wish we had another week to hang out with them. A few of them are believers, but the culture of the orthodox church makes things complicated for them to grow in their walk with God and their life story has been rough. We’ve been able to encourage them in Christ and just be a listening ear when they need it. That alone was worth me coming. The other night I felt drained and like I didn’t have anything left to offer after traveling for a month and a half, but I was reminded that He has me here for a purpose even if I can’t always see it right away. Being friends with these guys is a big part of it and it’s so worth it.
Random thoughts:
-“Thank you” and “My name is” both include the sound cows make (although here in Romania, they suck in to moo)
-our translators are some of the coolest people in Romania
-riding with Achim requires a strong trust in God
-Spiderpig is dead, let’s not talk about him anymore
-Alison is now 14!
-the creeks here are amazing and everyone just jumps in!
-hayrides bring out the redneck in people, nomatter what country they’re from
-I’m so going to miss these kids!
-nomatter where you want to go in the country, you can always get there in “30 minutes”
-Pedro did the Mexican Hat Dance and lost his sombrero (over and over in slow motion)
-Romanian donuts are the best!
-Joey needs to eat more fruit so he can get big and come back and marry a Romanian girl
-sometimes smiles, highfives, and thumbwars are the only ways we can say we care about these kids, but it works!
