Into the unknown...

2008-08-26T00:54:00.003+03:00

www.melanieroorda.blogspot.com
PS: I know I haven't been uploading any pictures. Sorry...
And furthermore. I left out a couple of important people from the "thank-fest":
Dorothy and Roberta. What wonderful women who live to serve our God. Their example, guidance, and love continues to mean so much to me.
The Cini family. My experience without them would have been so very different. They definitely helped to teach me a lot about ministry and growth. I pray that their work in Tsigmadru continue to grow and flourish.

Okay, really now. THE END. :]

Closing Out.

2008-07-08T21:19:00.003+03:00

Alright, so this sounds utterly depressing, but it's not. Life continues to go faster than I can grab hold of and time has come to close out this beautiful chapter of my life. That does not mean by any means that:
a) it doesn't exist and never happened.
b) I won't come back and revisit memories and stories.
c) I'll forget everything. People, places, lessons learned.
No way! God has done incredible things this past year and I continue to stand in awe of his grace and wonder. I continue to learn new lessons from the experience. I don't think it will ever really be "over" in my heart or mind. God will continue to shape my life emerging from this amazing experience. Romania has shaped another new beginning, where another new story will be written. Our God is the ultimate planner and weaver. I'm sure that he will continue to weave the threads of Romania into the pattern that remains to be mine and I can't wait to see how that looks...how he does that.
Here are a couple of things that I want to share with you as I end this blog. I am working on uploading lots of pictures from the past year. I hadn't done it as the year went on for multiple reasons, but now I have time to do it and hope that some of you will enjoy them. I'll slowly add album by album. So I hope you revisit and share in the memories as I do.
http://melneurope.shutterfly.com/action/
Also, after my time in the Ukraine, I had said that I would post entries elsewhere to read about that experience. I never did, but I have had them all this time saved on my computer. Now as I make this transition, I think it's time to share. This blog is a one time only type of thing. The only posts you'll see on it are the ones there already. And take your time reading them. There's a lot to be read so if you get bored...read it piece by piece. I promise it's worth it.
www.melukraine.blogspot.com
Lastly, I want to tell you that I do intend to start another blog about my experiences this summer and upcoming in college. I'm not sure when I'll begin that one, but I will be sure to post the new address on here when it does. Again, I know for sure that God will be weaving my past experiences with my new ones and it could (will!) get interesting. So I hope you take the time to follow me through the new adventures involving becoming the dreaded college freshman. It will be funny, that I assure you.
And the ultimate last thing is a word of thanks. I can't say it enough or express it in words that portray it's depth, but I am so thankful to everyone who is supporting me and has done so for the past year. I am thankful for your thoughts, prayers, cards, encouraging words, financial support...everything! Thank you so, so very much.
Thank you to the Dunn's in Arad specifically for helping me through a lot this past year and taking the time to invest in understanding me and being such an incredible support. Thank you for your hospitality and sharing your wisdom. Thanks for everything!
Thank you to the Rapps, Kazmierskis, Hoefleins, Spauldings, Dickinsons, Faros, Kellers, Aunt Sandy and Uncle Daryl, Grandma, Nian and Rayven, Harps, Drews, TC, Greenos, Jan Francis, Kennedys, Khulkins, Deb McClarin, Redfields, Rebers, Babcocks, Stewarts, and more of course. If I forgot to specifically mention you, I apologize! I know that there are some people who chose not to be recognized and I thank you as well. Know that you all have made this entire year possible and helped us to be the hands of our church in Romania. I hope and pray that you would continue to support others in their missions' experiences.
Those of you reading from Romania...I miss you more than I can say. I wish you all the best and assure you that I am anxious to hear from you! I want to thank Mama, Tati, Emil, Liana, and Lian and Andrei specifically for their amazing hospitality and love.
Also, the Capusneanus and Ludus for the same.
I miss you all so much.
And now I leave you with a verse that I remembered as I began the year and all throughout and continue to remember as I leave it:
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20 and 21

"How are you doing?"

2008-06-25T04:01:00.004+03:00

I have heard the question a multitude of times in the past couple of weeks. And everytime I respond in the positive. "Good! Really well." Then I always check myself, "I am good, right?" Yep. Honestly, I don't think the transition could've been any smoother.
I thought that I would ache to go back to Romania and be miserable for a little bit, but the truth is, it was time. I needed to come back to America, to come home and be surrounded by family and friends who love me unconditionally. It felt like one of those foam-pit things. You know, the pool sized hole filled with squishy foam squares with a long trampoline leading up to it.
I was jumping and jumping (and loving it). And once I got to the end where the pit was, I got a little scared and hesitated a bit. Cause jumping is great and I wasn't so sure what the pit would be like. But time got the best of me and pushed me over the threshold, bringing me to the softest and most comfortable landing ever. It's been especially relieving after having jumped for so long. My jumping muscles are getting the biggest and best possible break.
To sum up the past couple of weeks:
I came into the airport at about 12:30 in the am on Sunday (a week and a half ago) and was greeted by a few friends. It was the perfect amount of people. Any more and I would have been overwhelmed. We chatted minimally before I headed home to my big, beautiful bed. I had a couple of good beds in Romania, but nothing hits home like your bed.
The next morning I was off to church with mom and dad. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the congregation getting all blubbery and thanking them for allowing us to be the hands of Pearce in Romania. (Which is totally true and worth blubbering about).
Then mom and dad made me an incredible london broil (beef!) meal and I thought I would fall out of my chair because it tasted so good. We went to Community of the Savior that night and I got to experience the church that I've heard all about for the whole year and anxiously awaited visiting. It was really cool.
So my days since then have been spent relatively "low key". I discover something new everyday, like the fact that I don't need a match to light the stove OR the oven! Spanish is not Romanian no matter how hard you try to make it the same. And eggs are white. And driving is like riding a bike. Cell phones are not permitted whilst driving a car. Swinging is still just as exhilirating as it was 335 days ago. The root beer is dee-licious. Cheddar cheese is incredible stuff. Reading a book in the sun is heavenly. Wegmans is still huge and very put-together. Golf is the same sport it was when I left. Knowing very little about the latest movies leads to bad decision making. There are developments springing up all over the place like mold on month-old applesauce. Hanging out with friends is still as fun as it ought to be.
Part of my adjustment being so calm and clean is that everything feels so dang normal. I feel like I was dropped back into life as it was. Yet my brain is racked with all sorts of new information and lessons learned. And sometimes the change in others peeks out at me, too. And I smile. Because I've realized that while I was away, things changed. Just as they should. Hey, although 15 year old me thought that the world revolved around my head, I've come a long way. And it's awesome to see those changes, to feel them, explore them. It's as if this huge feast is going on, but everyone from my life here in America has brought a course. So now we have all sat down and the feast has begun. Exchange of lessons learned and stories unheard doesn't disconcert me, it makes my experience richer. I don't know if I'm making any sense. I don't mean to sound like "oh my year was better than yours", no. That's not the point. The point is that all of our experiences mixed together and layered on top of one another make this beautiful piece of work, this fantastic feast. And only God can craft something like that. His fingerprints are all over this transition and for that, I am so thankful.
Praise God for his grace and strength. For his peace that surpasses understanding. And for the beauty in life that unfolds itself in unusual and unexpected ways. Praise his unending and limitless love, that we can only stand in awe of.

Meager meandering.

2008-06-19T05:49:00.003+03:00

Alright, mom has been telling me I need to blog (wierd that mom can tell me what I need to do again, huh?) . And I do. I will write something soon. But, I'm just not sure what's best to write now. Things are going well. I'm feeling at home here in America. Strangely normal. Little things are surprising me along the way.
Of course, I miss Romania. I miss the people and the place itself.
I am trying to adjust healthfully, but I'm not sure what that means either. I'll let you know how it goes.
Anyway, the pictures above are from Sendi's graduation...the whole reason that I stayed behind a few days in Romania. It was a beautiful process and I was blessed to be a part of it.
Hm. Again, not feeling up for detailed explanations tonight. But I'll fill you in soon, really. I just needed a few days off. And now I feel like I can get the gears in the brain greased to move again. So I'll crank a new one out in the next couple of days. =]
Hope you're as excited as I am.

Last this, last that.

2008-06-10T13:38:00.002+03:00

Life is extremely busy right now.
The Hopkins have officially left the country and will be in America this evening (your time). That is a truly strange feeling. These next few days I'll be trying to say goodbye to everyone. Turns out I know more people than I realized last week when I was attempting to plan out how this week would go. It's hard having to say goodbye over and over. Having to explain that I have no idea when I'll be able to come back to Romania and no clear idea what God is calling me to next. Sometimes I feel a certain expectation to know exactly where I am going, what I will end up doing, and how long it will be until I return. Only God knows.
One thing I have learned to do fairly well here, is to take it one day at a time. Focus on living the best you can in this day. And then when you rise the next morning, you can think about that one. But sometimes I still struggle with it. I want to say "this fall! I'll come back this fall!" or "next year! for sure next year!" but I can't. The way God weaves Romania into my life from here on out is truly up to his handiwork and I can only wait to see what that will look like.
So these past few days we've had some "wrapping it up" type things to do. Our last teen meeting all together was on Friday. On Saturday we went to Viscri with the Ludu family. On Sunday we had a big church picnic up on Vila Franka and I also went to church service in Tsigmadru for the last time. Yesterday I spent trying to prepare things for later in the week and also went up and helped the Hopkins out a bit. We had our last Monday night dinner and after that the Mailat's (the family I live above) came to say goodbye and send them off. Today I had elderly club, where they all were insistant on telling me I must come back as many times as I can before I go. And now I am off for my last trip to Tsigmadru where we'll have kids club and teens club. Tomorrow I have an equally full schedule, but mainly of going to see people.
I won't deny that the prospect of leaving all of this behind makes me really sad. I am trying to enjoy the time I have left, but having everything labeled "last" in my head is frustrating. I want to yell "no it's not!", but instead the truth remains and it really is.
I am so thankful for this year. I can't even put it into words. I am so blessed by so many people, I don't know if I will be able to express fully how much I care. And God is so faithful and real that it's overwhelming.
I don't know if this will be my last post from Romania. It very well could be because I really don't want to waste any more time on the computer. But if that's the case, I want to thank all of you profusely. Thank you for your support. Thanks for your prayers and comforting words. Of course, you will hear more from me. I will continue to write upon return.
Multumesc din suflet! (Thanks from the soul)

What day is it?

2008-06-02T13:19:00.002+03:00

Most of these pictures were taken by Ange. I won't deny the fact that I didn't take very many. And we forgot to load Kristen's before they left. But these do a good job of capturing it.
Together again. At a cafe in Sibiu.
On a sweet bridge in Sibiu.
This one is for you, mom.
Beautiful Sibiu! Doesn't it look like a postcard?
Ange's all-time favorite picture. =]
Most of the group of teens that came to Prod for the retreat.
Porch in Prod.
Kristen and Ange with one of my elderly friends. They played rummi the whole time! And she talked and talked to them while they nodded their heads and said "da!".
Sendi and I at my apartment.

Oh dear. Time continues to fly and blessings and riches pile on top of each other with each passing day. I spent all day Friday bringing my friends to catch their flight in Bucharest and before I could even think about them being gone... Saturday I ran into mama Capusneanu who asked whether or not I was going to the Veritas picnic. I said I hadn't been invited, to which she responded, "what are you waiting for a hand written invitation? You're coming with me!" So we met Anita at the train station and walked up to Vila Franka (a restaurant that overlooks Sighisoara). And just about the whole staff was there. It was so much fun just to have time to be with everyone all at once. Oh, and guess who showed up? HANS! I didn't think I'd ever see him again! But he and Rhiann came to Sighisoara for the week.
So I'm sure this week will be spent just trying to drink it up and keep up with the race. I still can't believe that it's really been almost a year. And I still don't want to face the reality of leaving behind home here. I don't have to yet...

Breath of fresh air

2008-05-30T16:41:00.003+03:00

That title embodies the past 10 days.
It has been such an incredible blessing to share "my world" with my friends and to introduce them to the place and people I have fallen in love with. For a few transient moments I was nervous about what that would look like. "What if they don't like it? What if they don't understand? What if they ask me all sorts of questions that I really should know, but have no clue how to answer? What if it seems like I've just been flopping around all year, not accomplishing much of anything?"
Then I realized all of those questions were ridiculous, whispers from the evil one. These are my friends who love me unconditionally and have supported me all year. Who just want to see and experience what life is like for me because I mean that much to them. That thought came while standing in the airport waiting for them to walk in and it occurred to me once again just how richly God has blessed me in my life. I feel like I have enough already to last a lifetime. Sometimes I wish I could say "stop! stop! I don't deserve it." Of course his amazing grace swoops in and hushes me. God's all-consuming grace, fills one with all-consuming joy, that's irresistable...even when things are hard. I have a hard time understanding how or why or even when this truth invaded my life this year, but it's something you don't compromise with persistent and useless questions. You accept it and embrace it, knowing full well that it may not always feel this way. I've been told before not to question where God has placed you, but just to listen and accept the blessings he pours over you. Share. Use the life of abundance given to you and bless others with it. Don't make it about yourself.
Okay, back to the week's activities. Traveling last Tuesday went well although it was unplanned (on my part) really. Leaving at 3ish in the morning, I took the train to Bucharest. Jumped on the metro and then the bus, arriving at the airport about 5 full hours before their flight came in. I actually enjoyed my time exploring, people watching (you know we all do it), and reading. Once they came through the gate I was quickly informed that all of their luggage was missing. HA! I couldn't help but laugh nervously as I thought of them being sucked behind the counters of "lost luggage" here in Romania and not resurfacing for two or more hours. However, half an hour later we left for the train being told that their things would show up the next day in Sighisoara "hopefully". All were in good spirits though as we left for the train and things like "well, this would have been no fun lugging stuff with us anyway" were said. Aaron, Kristen, and Kyle's luggage did show up the next evening. Ange's not until Friday afternoon.
So Wednesday Karen and Maurice decided that they were willing to house Kyle and Aaron the whole week for the cost of food. That was a relief because it would have been a little more difficult had they stayed in a host family. We had a relaxing Wednesday and pretty much just "hung out" all day. Karen had kid's club, which Aaron and Kyle attended, while Kristen, Ange, and I stayed with Liam.
Thursday we had another laid back day. I had planned for all of us to go to Sibiu and meet my friend Anita there, but it was supposed to rain. So we stayed in Sighi. We went to elderly club in the morning and then did some typical tour-like stuff after lunch. Climbed the clock tower. Went to House on the Rock. Enjoyed just being together. I'm pretty sure this was the day that we also went to go see the woman that Karen has been making visits to all year (and I've mentioned in a previous blog) Tanti Lenuta. It was really good to see her again and also interesting for me to see how much I could understand of what she was saying. Man does she get carried away talking about all sorts of things sometimes...=] It was fun to see her and hear her tell stories again though.
Friday was the day we left for a neighboring village, Prod. It was teen retreat time! We spent Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday until late afternoon in Prod with the teen group. It went fantastically well and I believe God really worked in many of us in different ways that weekend. I was so glad to have that time with Sendi and Csilla as well. We had wonderful food gathered by Karen and prepared by one of the kid's mothers (with varying peoples' help too). We ate, laughed, played, ran in the rain, sang, talked, and stayed quiet together. I'm not sure that anyone wanted to leave when it came time. We had an adventure getting home after a vehicle broke down, but eventually all of us returned safe and sound.
Monday we decided to go to Sibiu. It is beautiful there and I loved it the first time (with Maggie and Anita) and loved it all over again the second time. We took an early train and spent the whole day just strolling around, climbing clock towers, sitting in cafes and parks, enjoying the sun. Again, just having time with each other felt incredible.
Tuesday we went to elderly club and family center lunch. After that, we all went out to Tsigmadru. The boys rode with Nelutu and the girls caught the maxi taxi. We hauled a snack and craft with us and just enjoyed time with the kids and with the teens. It was awesome to have them meet Nelutu and see the ministry out at the Nazarene Center. Especially for Aaron and Kyle, who had seen it when it was only a vision, literally stakes in the ground of a field.
Wednesday we went back to elderly club and enjoyed our time there. We thought about hiking to the Briete with Nolan and Liam while Karen had kid's club, but it was just too hot. So we mostly stayed home. Though we did go for a short walk to get ingredients for making dinner that night. After getting back from that walk, the girls and I headed back to the apartment to start in on dinner for the family I live above. Pizza, salad, toast and cheese, strawberries. With mandarine oranges in jello and sweet cream dessert. Yum! Csilla and Anita both came over to enjoy the meal with the whole gang. It was Kyle, Aaron, Kristen, Ange, Anita, Csilla, Lian, Andrei, and I. Liana and Emil ate too, but after the rest of us, so I didn't get to see their reaction. =] It was funny to watch Lian and Andrei as they ate "American" pizza. That night was great.
The next day was Thursday (yesterday). Last day already! We did some errands around town pretty much the whole day and hung out with Sendi and Csilla. For dinner we enjoyed a Romanian meal cooked by Karen and Liana that was absolutely delicious. And then after that we went up to Villa Franka with David and enjoyed the view as the sun set while eating some "house cake." All of us got home fairly late and then us girls continued the trend of lateness by staying up and enjoying the stars, packing, and talking. We had to do an up and down check of my apartment because something of Ange's went missing, but after that we settled down for a full 3ish hours of sleep.
Getting up at 4 to be ready by 5 and at the "barrier" at 5:30am, we dragged all things to meet our autobus on time. Loading in, we set off together and their super long day of travel began. I went with them to Bucharest airport, dropped them off, and hopped right back on the autobus to come back to Sighi. And now here I am.
I cannot believe that their time here is over. And furthermore, I can't believe what that means for my time here. But for today, I think I'll continue in denial and just try and catch up with some much needed sleep.

Chaos and I like it.

2008-05-19T09:26:00.002+03:00

I'm going to pick up my friends from the Bucharest airport tomorrow. What time? Don't ask because I haven't figured that out yet. It could be 3 in the morning or it could be 6. The plans are a little sketchy right now. But that's okay with me and I'm not worried at all because all that matters is that they will be here. Ange and Kristen will live with me in my apartment and Aaron and Kyle will live with a family on the Veritas' staff. 10 whole days. And you better believe that I am going to enjoy every minute of it. =]

Moving forward.

2008-05-14T13:03:00.004+03:00

I always want to say something profound or reach some kind of revelation when I sit down to write. Why is that? Why do any of us have the desire to say profound things or to do profound things? To be people who change the world and "make their mark." Can we not be more happy if we simply humble ourselves and stay quiet? Won't God teach us more through this than through constant meaningless chatter? And if we ever reach that point where we are no longer intentionally trying to say profound things or be profound people, this is when God will shine through us most and speak truth into our lives. Isn't it ironic how that works? We need to be willing to give it up in order to recieve and obtain what we desire. And of course that very lesson is portrayed through the verses of Matthew 10:38-39:
" and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
It is easy to look at those words and ignore the truth in them. But once you take a deep look into yourself and what you are striving for, their relevance speaks clearly.
Over the past few days I've been thinking about this concept and wondering what my ultimate goal is. What am I striving to be? More importantly, who am I striving to be? The person God made you to be is not too far from the reality. The question is are you going forward and actively trying to be that person and make it reality? Are you trying to bring the eternal to the mortal and live out God's kingdom on earth, like Jesus did?
Are you bringing joy, peace, happiness, positive energy, patience, kindness, and wisdom to the table? Or are you bringing the opposite?
I know for sure that I am messing up and making plenty of mistakes along the way, but the important thing is that with every day I am trying. I want nothing more than to bear and bring the fruits of the spirit to those around me. And although it is messy and not always the most fun and again, mistakes are made...it gives life the value that it deserves and makes it worth the struggle.
"It is not that we are perfect now or that we will never have to struggle. Or that the old person won't come back from time to time. It's that this new life involves a constant, conscious decision to keeping dying to the old so that we can live in the new."
Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis
So you've messed up. Ask God's forgiveness, apologize and make amends with those you need to, forgive yourself, and then pick yourself up and move on. Move foreward and put the past to rest. Continue to strive to be the you that God intended you to be and bring the best he has blessed you with. God is doing a new thing now.

Oh Life.

2008-05-10T13:28:00.000+03:00

What I’ve been up to:

*Went to Tsigmadru over a week ago for “carnival” with the kids. They all dressed up in costumes and brought snacks. We scored costumes, handed out prizes, and played several games. About 7 of the teens came to help out with that before Nelutu brought the teen group out to Bezid (I think that’s the name of it anyway). It was once again one of those things I knew nothing about before seeing and experiencing it. This time “it” being a beautiful lake. Nelutu had bought all the makings of a Romanian gratar (cook-out) including mici (said “meech”…it‘s a type of Romanian sausage that is a mixture of meats), pork, bread, mustard, salad, tomatoes, cucumbers, and juice. We hauled it all to the gorgeous lakeside and enjoyed an afternoon of eating and relaxing under the sun.

*Two Fridays ago now, I went out with “the ladies” (Dorothy, Roberta, Morag, and Magda B.). We took a leisurely drive a few hours out of town to see several things including a craft fair, a “volcanic” lake, and a bog. The drive itself was breathtaking, the rolling hills, mountains, and huge pastures of Romanian countryside coming in and out of scene along the way. We had a great time together just being away for a day. One of my favorite things to do on trips is to allow time to “go the long way” and lollygag, taking time to look for something distinctive (but not really caring if you actually find it). We stopped in several small towns simply to observe the little things. Things like a unique fortified church and overpriced (but really nice) guesthouses. At one point we pulled the car over in a place that had a view and cowbells in the background (who doesn’t need more cow bell?) and pulled out a picnic. Again, it was just an all around beautiful and fun day.

*Last Saturday I went on a hike with David and Sandor. We saw a lake and then hiked up behind it to one of the highest spots in Sighisoara with an incredible view. I had forgotten how beautiful it is from up there and it was fun to re-experience that with two of the funniest guys I know. David is the Hungarian-Romanian guy I work with in Elderly Club and Sandor is a guy from Germany, who is actually Hungarian too, and came to Sighisoara for the month of April to do some work for school.

*Nolan’s birthday was also last Saturday and he turned seven! I went up to visit him in the afternoon and enjoyed cake and presents with the family.

*This past week I got sick on Tuesday and haven’t been 100% since. The worst of it was the first day though and even then I kept telling myself “I can manage being sick one day out of an entire year,” so it really wasn’t too bad. Again, I’m just blessed that it’s only been once this the whole year.

Other than that, it’s been a fairly normal week. I’ve just continued to be blessed by my friends and have really been enjoying going to see them and just being in each other’s company.

I did miss mom and dad this week, what with being sick and all, but it’s the good kind of missing. The kind that just makes you grateful for how wonderful they are.

Today I think I’m going up to the Briete which is flatlands up in the hills of Sighisoara that have huge oak trees that make you feel real small. It’s our first attempt at walking there, so it will be an adventure. Hopefully the boys and Karen and I will find enough wood to build a fire big enough for some good ol’ marshmellow cooking. The boys have been waiting to do that for awhile now. =]

So, that’s life lately, I guess. I know it’s not much for 10 days worth, but I don’t have much more time to even write out what’s been on my mind. Another day, another post (as I always say…)

Should have asked more questions.

2008-04-30T14:44:00.005+03:00

Once again I admit to falling behind in updating. And once again I have excuse upon excuse. Life never seems to slow down, does it? In fact, with each passing month it feels like it picks up speed. My year here has felt similar to the phenomenon of velocity increase throughout a lifetime. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. When you’re five years old summer feels like heaven, literally lasting an eternity. Day after day is spent exploring and facing adventures. Those days feel five times longer than normal and everything is bigger than yourself and worth investigating. However, with each passing year summer gets shorter and things begin to shrink. Christmas comes faster than you can say “school‘s out for summer” and then all of the sudden it’s Spring and everything is green. And in my case, with Spring comes your birthday knocking at the door much sooner than anticipated and then, well, crap. You’ve passed another year and on comes an even faster one. Buckle up and enjoy the ride, don’t freak out. At least that’s what I am telling myself.

So I’ve had a wonderful week. One so full that in spite of all I just said, it felt like a month. (That’s another one of life’s crazy tricks isn’t it? Time is so strange.) I had a great day on Monday, cooking with Maggie. Our dinner was delicious and those last moments spent with people I’ve grown to love were invaluable. We had a lot of fun. Tuesday was difficult and I spent the day in complete denial that I was about to see my parents. Why must everything be made so complicated? Basically, I didn’t know what to do with myself. Which ended up being okay since I had no choice but to board a train at midnight and head toward Budapest, Hungary. I slept intermittently in my seat as the train barreled down the tracks and thought heavy things as I did so. I don’t know where my head was, but it wasn’t planet earth. It wasn’t until standing in the airport in Budapest that reality hit. I was about to see my parents for the first time in 9 months. All that lie between us was a gate that they would walk through at any moment. It was then that I sort of lost it. Although some would say I had lost it way back somewhere on Tuesday and then mid-Wednesday I actually ran into it and picked it up again like you would a five dollar bill left in your winter coat pocket. Either way, I could barely contain myself and once they did walk through the gate I thought I’d burst. I don’t recall ever being so happy to see them, except maybe after having my wisdom teeth out, but the lines between happiness and understanding were a little fuzzy after that procedure. This, this was just plain joy. It was calm after a storm, sense brought to panic, and replenishment of a dry oasis. Don’t get me wrong, I was doing great without them, but I had forgotten just how much love parents have for their children and how much I had missed feeling that. The point is: it was wonderful to see them again. And of course, to see my aunt and uncle too. I had not seen them for about a full year.

We stayed in Budapest for two days (one night). We went on a couple of tours with a very stylish and knowledgeable tour guide, met up with a friend and colleague, Larry Winckles, and enjoyed a couple of absolutely delicious meals together. We really enjoyed the beautiful sights of Hungary’s capital city, which although sounds a lot like Romania’s capital, Bucharest, is a completely different place. It would be easy to understand a mix up between the two, though. =]

We left Hungary on another night train. Try cramming six beds, along with the people that fit in them, along with all of those people’s luggage into a 10 by 25 foot area…and you’ve got yourself a sleeper car. I thought it was awesome, which is why I got the treat of sleeping on the top bunk of a triple-decker bed-space. I have to say, one of my dreams was fulfilled that trip. I had a fairly in depth conversation with our Romanian roommate, Rodica, about me finding a good Romanian boy and settling down to begin the process of making babies (I am at the ripe-old age of nineteen now, you know). She informed me after the passport control swept through that the man who came to our door was cute and probably a good pick, I should have asked him more questions. Well, I guess I missed my chance at romance right then and there, but that's okay. All I really wanted right then was to live out my dream of sleeping in a triple decker bunk. And that's what happened, sleep instead of romance. =] Upon arrival in Sighisoara, we trucked all of our luggage up to the apartment and immediately jumped into action, going from place to place. I could detail all we did together, but that would get tedious. The most important and best part of them being here was introducing them to the families and friends I have really come to know. It’s true that I dragged them (mostly willingly) to about four services for the Easter weekend and we could have gone to more, but it was mainly for the sake of meeting people. I wanted them to meet everyone and everyone had expressed wanting to meet them, too! And it was wonderful every time an introduction was made, every time that connection was united, and the bridges crossed. It was awesome to be able to finally convey and have them understand just how much I love the people here, and how much they love me and take care of me in return. I wish I could do a good job of that on my blog, but I don’t think it’s possible. All I can say is that the people I have met here have taught me so much and helped me an immense amount. They continue to bless me more than I could ever have asked for, or even imagined and for this I am so thankful. And all of that, in itself, is an understatement.

Of course, my family being here meant more than I can explain and their stay had multiple aspects of wonderfulness and layers of experiences. I haven't shared even half of it. Such is life though, complex and confusing, eluding all of us most of the time.

Being "less" busy.

2008-04-21T09:58:00.003+03:00

So it's true that here in Romania I am less busy than in America. Well, I take that back. I am a completely different kind of busy. A refreshing, motivating, rejuvenating kind of busy. And who doesn't like that?
Today I will go to elderly club and enjoy a beautiful, bright, and sunny morning there. Then the process of cooking Monday night dinner will begin. Every Monday night I have dinner at Dorothy's house with the students, a peace corp worker, and any other volunteers in town that week. The students are obligated to cook at least once a semester for the group. I've cooked twice already, but I have so much fun each time that I'm back up to bat today. Also, you sign up with a "partner" and Maggie is mine for the night. We are so excited to cook together! We're having stir fry, rice, spinach salad, and a white coconut cake for dessert. Yum, yum, yum. Right after elderly club my day will be devoted to that. We'll go shopping at the open air market and then to several side shops in order to find all we need. We'll take our time and make sure to get everything because there aren't any stores up in the citadel and if we forget something it's a 15 minute walk to the nearest alimentare (store). After getting all we need we'll haul it all to Dorothy's house and begin to cook! We'll just prepare and cook all afternoon until it's time for cultural class at 5. Then at 6 we'll sit down and enjoy fellowship over a great meal with some wonderful people.
This will be the last Monday night dinner with the students. Which I can't believe. How has it been a semester already? Have these girls really been here as long as the last group was? It feels shorter.
It means my departure is not far off. How can that be true?
Tomorrow is no exception to the "different busy" rule. I will rise a little earlier than normal and start to clean. A tradition in Romania is to clean, clean, clean before Easter day. It's basically Spring cleaning, but everyone does it. Yesterday I was informed by Tati that by no means was I "let off the hook" of this cleaning experience just because I am American. I must clean before I leave for Budapest on Tuesday in order to have an orderly room on Easter weekend. He let me know right where the vacuum would be and told me that Tuesday morning was the perfect opportunity for me to get the work done. I laughed and thought to myself that it's good someone is telling me that it's time I organize myself and giving me a specific time because otherwise it would most likely be left undone. And he is right, I'm no exception. I'm actually looking forward to doing that and having a sparkling space. It will be nice.
After cleaning there is elderly club and hopefully I will make it there to see them one last time before Easter break next week. At 2ish I'll head out to Tsigmadru with Nelutu, Maggie, and probably Sandor (a new student in town) for kid's club and teens. Following that, I'll come home to pack quickly for the trip and then board a train at 11:30 at night and head for Budapest, Hungary. Taking the night train, I'll end up in Budapest early Wednesday morning and make my way to the airport to greet my parents and aunt n' uncle.
Reality hasn't sunk in yet (it's 48 hours away!), but I am SO excited.
Please be praying for safe travels and an encouraging time with one another. Also, just that plans would fall into place and run smoothly, seamlessly while they're here.
Thinking about "lasts" with the students and this short time with my parents has begun to stir up strong feelings about coming near to "the end". And working through that will be a challenge over the next couple of weeks, so please pray for that as well.
As always, I thank you over and over for being so very supportive and loving.

Weary for words...pictures will do!

2008-04-16T18:08:00.007+03:00

So Spring has finally, finally sprung and the trees are looking beautiful. In fact, the whole town is looking beautiful. The past couple of days have been rainy, but I have not a care in the world if it means more GREEN! Which it does, of course. So here's a few from "around town":

Meet Tommi. The cat who lies outside of my door every morning and greets me every night when I come in. I never thought I'd say I like a cat, but Tommi, I like.
Man selling seeds at the market. He was stunned that I asked to take his picture and then confused what to do when I pulled out the camera and he realized I really was taking a picture. He was a nice man though, and I thought his little seed chamber thing was cool.

These are pictures from the Ukraine:

This is the Mom's and their disabled kids' club. These are only a few of the members against the back wall of the room. They were the ones who really cheered me on when I had to particpate in a game up front. =]
The little lady in the middle is the one who insisted I take a dress home with me from her wardrobe. She was so joyful and beautiful, being with her was a blessing. My good friend Maggie is on her left.
This is a little boy I picked up at the Home for the Disabled. He was 9 years old and unusually quiet. But when I made faces and laughed he let out a giggle, too. He was precious.

One night Liam and I had a date at the pizza place Quattro Amici. He loved it. We played tick-tack-toe and ate plenty of pizza. Later he came over to my place and we goofed around a little before his brother joined us after a long day's journey to Bucharest (to pick up "Miss Debbie").

(He insisted that Pup-pup be in the picture.)
Nolan and Liam being their goofy selves on a swing in the "park". "Park" consists of a set of swings that has 2 out of four functioning places.
Csilla and I after our hike up a huge hill.
Yep, Deb's in town! And it has been a blessing having her around. She comes to elderly club every day! She has already preached on Sunday and done a little devotional for the elderly. She will lead Friday morning devotions for the Veritas staff, too. Continue to pray for her as she experiences Romania! This picture was taken after a hike up in the hills. We ran into a shepherd and his flock of goats and he let us hold a baby. =] It feel asleep on Deb, just like a puppy would. Cute! The experience rekindled my desire to have a pet goat. Wouldn't it be sweet?

Here is "the gorgeous Gorge!" (said "theee GORGEOUS gorge", of course):

And a little note to those of you hoping to hear more about the Ukraine. I am in the middle of writing a little summary-type thing that I will post elsewhere and link to this blog. I don't want you to feel swamped with reading and life is still moving fast with lots of other things to post about, but I do have plenty more to say about Ukraine. So click if you choose, once I've finished and posted the link.
Thanks to all who continue to read, pray, support, even just think about us over here in Romania, as we continue our journey through this year.

In it for the long haul

2008-04-10T17:04:00.003+03:00

I don’t even know where to begin when describing what has happened this past weekend in Ukraine or even how I feel about it all. I guess I am still (and forever will be) processing it and trying to grasp the how, why, when, and what to do questions that surface on anyone’s mind when they’ve encountered something overwhelming.
I’ll start by explaining why we went at all and the basics of what we did from Friday morning when we left till Monday night when we arrived back home. In the city of Chernivtsi, Ukraine there is a woman working to further the existence of occupational therapy and support /aid mothers and their disabled children. The American students, Dorothy, Elena (she was my language teacher earlier in the year), and I went to encourage her and try and help her out in any way possible.
On the trip there, we stopped several times to stretch our legs and prevent the stiffness that comes with long (10 hour) car rides. My favorite stop was the largest and most famous gorge in Romania. It was GORGEous! Hahaha. Really, it was. Dorothy dropped us off at the mouth of it and we walked about a kilometer through, along a road that twisted and curved with a creek alongside it, the miles-high cliff sides climbing on either side of us. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It felt like something you dream of, or read about in a fantasy novel, or maybe see in a magazine (knowing full well that it was tailored by the mouse-click of someone with way too much skill in creating fake worlds). But no. All real. The stream gurgled on the side of the road and my brain couldn’t decide which to watch: The sparkling spring water flowing flawlessly over smooth, green rocks and forming wells of water that were all-too-tempting to jump in to…or…The walls of the gorge covered in moss and reaching so far up that my neck had to strain back in order to see the top and pick up the view of the fuzz that was actually trees sticking out of the sides and gracing the top. Thankfully the road lasted long enough that I could drink in both views for plenty of time. That stop in itself made the trip worth the long trek. Little did I know what was to come…
Friday night we met with our friend and spent some time getting to know her at dinner. She is a great lady, full of passion and vision. It was inspiring just being around her and her excitement for progress was contagious. It was clear to me that God was working some pretty awesome things into her life right now. As she said “it’s the season of miracles.” “Wow” I thought to myself, “what did I get myself into.” The type of “what did I get myself into” that just means it’s not what you expected and there is definitely something bigger and unknown behind it. The kind that makes me anxious and itch with excitement. God is at work there, that’s for sure.
We stayed in a Young Life facility there and that was great. I never could have imagined that I would get to experience Young Life in another country. I was so blessed by that. Upon meeting the leaders, I was told “Welcome! Any Young Life-er is a friend of ours and the rest of you have to work on that one.” I laughed to myself at how familiar and remnant of my past experience with Young Life that greeting felt. It felt like a piece of home in a way. I sat in on a club for a few minutes and laughed at the skit that made absolutely no sense in Russian and again took comfort in feeling like God spreads so very far and wide. I know it’s strange to find that in a skit that’s really rather pointless, but it’s true. I found my appreciation of Young Life grew a lot through witnessing it’s overarching message of love in a country where I couldn’t even understand it. Again, really cool.
Saturday we helped, which really just means participated, in the club (that this woman I’ve been talking about) started for the disabled and their mothers. It was really such a blessing. Volunteers from Young Life came and ran the club. They were incredible. Again, their compassion and love was visible and tangible. They were so excited about planning and running the club, so happy to have time with the kids and love on them. So good at what they did. We had craft, singing, games, skits, food, and more throughout the duration of the club. I again felt so encouraged and inspired simply by witnessing such a life-changing and joy-giving ministry.
On Sunday came events that I can only attempt to portray, but I know that I do so poorly because you just can‘t grasp it from reading. I don’t say that to belittle those who haven’t experienced it firsthand, I only say it as warning to those who choose to read on. We visited two institutions run by the government. One was a nursing home and the other a home for the disabled (mainly boys and men). The nursing home held over 100 patients and the other one over 70. I was shocked by what I saw here. I had read and talked about institutions before, but never again should I claim to know something before I’ve experienced it myself. The people in these homes managed to capture my heart and break it at the same time and all in only a few hours time. They were so isolated and alone, so needing love. Their conditions were awful. No running water at one of the facilities, and seemingly none at the other. It stunk and you could feel the filth hanging in the air and lingering on the patients. The saddest part was how few staff were in each place and how little attention each individual was paid. Hardly any. It could hardly be said that they were treated as people at all. Yet they were so sweet. Talking to us in a language we could mutually understand; kisses, stares, smiles, grabs. A part of me broke Sunday and along with it, the dam holding back tears did as well. I cried the majority of the day, replaying scenes from both places over and over. My world came flooding over me in all it’s ugliness and I questioned all that I stood for and defended formerly, up to that very day. The meanness and cruelness of it all thrust itself under my nose and asked whether I could take it. The answer to that question remains to be answered. My own selfishness has slapped me in the face time and time again since then. Here is where the “how?”, “why?”, “when”, and “what to do?” questions started. God’s still molding that clay. Right now it just feels like wet dirt. Heavy, ugly, uncomfortable, unproductive, and shapeless. Where do I go from here? I think that is a question only time and prayer will answer. God only knows. Praise Him for knowing though, I’d be completely lost if there wasn’t that truth to hold on to.

Just the facts.

2008-04-03T13:44:00.003+03:00

Some random facts in no particular order:
*I'm reading Mere Christianity and it's a great book. At first I had a hard time following him, but things are starting to piece together and the grand picture is a whole lot more clear.
*This weekend I was invited to go to the Ukraine with the students. So I am honored with the opportunity to see yet another new and exciting place in the world with almost no cost.
*I had a frustrating week last week for no particular reason, but the weather made up for it. It was absolutely gorgeous and sunny. This week I'm not having a particularly bad week, but the weather is gray and dismal. Which leaves me feeling groggy and disoriented, like someone woke me up at 3 in the morning and told me it was time to get ready for the day and then pushed me out the door.
*I'm applying for SUNY Geneseo even though their deadline for applications was January 1st and there is little-to-no chance of a.) getting in b.) recieving financial aid. But I am doing that whole scrambling "is this really what I want" thing before making a big decision. I can't decide what's better: going somewhere I know I will be comfortable and fit in, I know that the education is incredible and the opportunities for success are great OR going somewhere to try and figure out what I want to study because right now I'm real uncertain...and for a lot less money than the latter, and just about as equal a rigorous and reputable education.
The fact of the matter is that I may not have to choose because it would be rather miraculous if I made it into Geneseo. There is a peace about that whole situation though, I know God's guidance is behind it even when it feels like chaos to me.
*My parents are going to be here in 20 days. Actually I'm going to meet them in Budapest, Hungary and we'll stay there a couple of days before taking the night train together here. They'll be here for Orthodox Easter weekend, which also means my birthday!
*Everything is on the verge of being green and bursting forth color. I'm feeling caught in the suspension of Spring coming. The fluctuating weather is bringing me to a feeling of unease rivaled by wanting to take joy in the obvious potential there is behind it all. Through it all, there is the constant feeling of comfort in knowing it will come. There's no chance of it not coming. I'm just hungry for it. I want to feel the warmth of the sun on my shoulders and smell the sweet scent of blooming trees and flowers. I want to see green (my favorite color) blanketing the hills and wavering in the trees. I'm waiting anxiously...

Maybe not.

2008-03-26T12:49:00.003+02:00

I knew when I said it, I'd regret it. The very same day that I got all Spring-happy, a storm came crashing in and we got snow! It was big snow too. It didn't snow a lot, but the flakes were HUGE. So I walked home that night with my leopard print umbrella (courtesy of two wonderful friends of mine) laughing at the irony.

The next morning I woke up to this:
And this morning I woke up to this:
Haha. Needless to say, Winter's not had it's final fall yet. It's been really cold the past couple of days! I'm hoping it doesn't last. This morning I felt like hibernating again. =]

"The times, they are a-changing."

2008-03-24T14:05:00.005+02:00

I have had a very rich weekend, full of wonderful experiences. Friday was a little odd. I had to keep reminding myself that it was Easter weekend. The majority of Romania is Orthodox and Orthodox Easter is a month from now. The church we attend (Sighisoara Nazarene Church) celebrates along with the rest of the crowd during "Orthodox easter" and so this weekend was fairly quiet in the way of easter-ish happenings. There are a few churches who celebrated this past weekend, but more on that later.
On Saturday, Nolan, Liam, and I decided to take a day out in the town of Medias at an indoor pool there. We had planned on taking the train both ways, but the train was so late departing that Karen and Maurice graciously drove us. It seems like only seconds after walking in the door the boys were headed for the water. They were so excited. I was too. We hung out in the pool for the majority of the day, only taking a quick break for food. A friend from Veritas came to swim as well and it was great to have their company for the day. Needless to say, by the time we got on the train to come home...all three of us were tired to the max. Liam and I rested the whole way home and Nolan made up for his lack of food whilst swimming. We had a great day together.
Sunday I woke up super early to go to an Easter service with one of the students studying abroad here this semester (Katie). Dorothy had told us that there would be an Easter service at the church "on top of the hill", which means the church at the top of the "German staircase" here in the citadel. It's the highest point of the citadel. Taking advantage of one of the very few churches celebrating at the same time as our American counterparts, Katie and I met at 6:30 to make it there by 7. It was a beautiful, cool and crisp Spring morning. The sunrise painted the sky slightly pink and the birds were chirping. The service was really nice. Although it was all in German (only partly translated into Romanian and then Dorothy whispering English at us now and then), it was moving. We started down in "the crypt" of the church and it was all lit up by candlelight. Then we worked our way up into the sanctuary and stood in a circle around a handmade cross and sang together. After the service there was breakfast at the parish house and I thought to myself "this is exactly what Easter should be like." We all enjoyed a meal of hard boiled eggs dyed red, sweet bread, and hot drinks. The dyed red egg has significance, but I can't remember right now. By the time second Easter rolls around, I'm sure I'll know. It was a lot of fun just to enjoy fellowship with one another, celebrating the resurrection of Our Savior.
After attending the Nazarene service I headed home for a quiet and relaxing day. The family that I live above is Orthodox, so I knew that they wouldn't be celebrating yesterday and that was okay with me. I really enjoy the opportunities I get to be a part of "the Romanian experience" and I know that will come next month.
So Mama and I went for a walk together yesterday afternoon. We walked to the cemetary where she and Tata are going to be buried. I know it sounds a little morbid, but I've got to tell you...in general Romanians have a better handle on death than we do. That's a statement to save for it's own entry. Anyway, it was way up on the side of a hill. And it was beautiful. The weather was beautiful, too. I'm not trying to rub it in for those of you with snow, but the sun was magnificent. I could go outside in just my longsleeves!
This kind of weather always makes me a little antsy. I get this feeling in my bones like I should be doing something, especially outside. I start to wake up a whole lot earlier and go to bed a lot later too. These are transitioning times.

"The Bachelorette Pad"

2008-03-20T14:22:00.006+02:00

It's perfect! =]

The world is full of people

2008-03-18T13:57:00.002+02:00

There is this thing called egocentrism that I learned about in psychology class last year. It’s said to be a specific stage that kids go through where they are completely focused on themselves and simply can’t understand the existence of other people, or at least the independent thoughts and feelings of other people. A common symptom of it is lack of regard when it comes to feelings. The children assume that the person in the room experiences everything they are experiencing, even their thoughts. Hence, they’ll launch into explanations that seem unconnected and reveal their own thoughts in ways that appear illogical to the rest of the world. “Wow, that kid’s got an imagination,” we all say. Often that’s a true statement and it really is quite a shame that we can’t share in their world the way they think we can. The imagination of a child is something to marvel at. Something I sometimes wish I could have back. I digress, back to the point.
Part of that egocentrism never leaves. It stays with us from the moment we are born to the day we breathe our final breath because it’s not just a stage, it’s built in. The moment the fruit was taken from the tree, our focus came off God and unto ourselves. Part of me wants to stick my fingers in my ears when I hear that again, simply because I am hearing it again. “I know, Lord” I want to say, “stop reminding me and help me fix it.” Then I pull back and recognize the fault of the response. It’s as if God directly points out the fact that I am focused on ME. “No, child” he says, not chastising, not scolding, or being condescending, but filled with love and understanding. And for a moment, things are so clear that fear fills me. I am so lost, so far off from living the way the Lord intended…how can I ever find that trail that is so hard to see. So narrow and distant. I begin to think to myself “I have no idea what I am doing…I really know nothing about being a Christian…how can I focus on others when I don’t have it figured out myself?!”
And then love in it’s most real and raw form always finds me and greets me where I am. Suddenly I find myself at the foot of the cross, humbled by the sacrifice of the Lord. Jesus died for us. How often do I hear that and it goes in one ear and out the other without any kind of true understanding? He died for us so that we don’t have to “figure it all out“. He gapped that bridge. He knows we’ll mess up and that’s okay. He forgives us every single time. EVERY single time. He knows we’re a fumbling, confused, clumsy, and blundering bunch. He loves it. Sometimes I wonder, “does he ever get sick of all of us making the same mistakes over and over again?” Ooooh, grace. That incomprehensible and perplexing thing. Grace. Hm.
I’ve realized over the past year that your whole life you continue to learn. Even the authors I’m reading right now, who write so eloquently as if they’ve got it “all figured out”, don’t! They don’t. They’re on the same journey I am along with the rest of the world. Along with the rest of the world…
Sitting on the train on the way back from Arad, I was trying to read a book, but found my eyes drawn toward the window for the majority of the time. I kept looking out the window and people-watching. We all do it, don’t deny it. I play this game where I single out a person and watch them for some time and then tell their life story (to myself, usually). It’s a pretty fun game when you get going with it, but today it wasn’t a game. Today I realized (for the umpteenth time) there are a ton of people in this world and there have been for a long time. People come and people go through this life like it’s only a flicker of time. And my egocentrism struck me like a ton of bricks. Every person has a life. I don’t know how I can verbalize this without sounding like I am extremely self-centered and clueless…like I am being “captain obvious.” But honestly, how often do we think of others in that light? That they are people who deserve just as much respect as we expect. Who could be going through similar things to us. Who could be facing situations much more than they can handle. Each person has their own family to be a part of (or maybe not!). Each person questions their life and purpose and wonders “what on earth am I doing here?” Each person has their own complexities of life to deal with. Their own feelings to tend to. Their own thoughts. When I think about how much is going on in my life right now, it boggles my mind to think that every person in the world has that. Everyone has to learn to live their own life and decide how they are going to do that.
And it’s right about there that I just want to get on my knees and say “This thing we call life is bigger than me. It’s more complicated and messy than I’m ready to be. It’s not easy and not always fun, yet You give me joy in living it. It is not all about me and I know that I make it to be all the time. Thank you for forgiving me of that and taking my hand to guide me through anyway. Thank you for your patience and grace with one so insignificant as I. Thank you for knowing each and every person’s purpose and loving us so deeply and richly when we are undeserving and ignorant most of the time. Thank you, Lord!”
God chose you to live this life. Delight in it. Live it to the full.

Life is great.

2008-03-13T16:41:00.002+02:00

The apartment is great.
Hanging out with Nolan and Liam has been great.
Elderly club is going great.
Been doing a little work in Baragan with Maurice and Eddi, that's great.
Getting to know some of my Romanian friends a little better and that's great.
This weekend I'm going to Arad, that'll be great.
How many times can I say "great" before it loses meaning?
Life's been a blast and I've been enjoying every little bit.

Life is never "the usual"

2008-03-07T13:17:00.003+02:00

There is just too much to say!
Let's start from the top. Monday I relocated. Yes, I am now living apart from the Hopkins in a little apartment above the house of our Romanian friends. It is absolutely wonderful and I am really enjoying it a lot! Living on my own has thrown me into a contemplative state of the last 7 months. Of how good they were and of how much growth all of us have done since the beginning of living here. It's also gotten me so excited for the next fourish months of living here and all the new lessons to be learnt. I've already learned some "mini" lessons in the past week. Numero uno: Hold down "flush" nob on toilet for at least 10 seconds. Number two: Never let the water in the shower run unattended to. It will result in at least 2 cm of water on the floor. Number three: Don't drink water from the tap. Enough said. Number 4: Whilst repairing elecrtical things, don't touch parts while said electrical object is plugged in. Will result in a jolt. Number 5(and 6): Never leave the heater on. Load on the blankets at night.
Haha, I'm sure there are more to come. =]
Again, so far, it has been an absolute blessing and a ton of fun. It's a beautiful place. A single room is filled with a big bed, storage cabinets, a stove, a fridge, a table, and it even has a bathroom off of it with a shower! It is the perfect size for me. I couldn't have asked for more.
Last night, Nolan and Liam came over and we had a "slumber party". We watched a movie, played some games, had snacks, and wiggled all our jiggles out before climbing into our big bed all together and talking until we fell asleep. It was quite the setup and we all loved it. Upon waking up this morning, we sat together and ate Lucky Charms and Life cereal, curteousy of several wonderful American people I know. It was great.
I don't know how to put into words what has happened since the team was here, but life has been almost too good to be true. Each day seems better than the last and whenever I think it just couldn't get any better, it does. I can literally feel God's presence day-in and day-out. I can see the work he is doing in and through me, which hasn't always been clear or understandable. It's as though, if only for a moment, I can catch a glimpse of purpose. I feel like I'm on a mountain top, out of the mist and haze that normally prevades. I also know it can't last. The journey down has to be made. But, that's okay too. In many ways, a corner has been rounded and although I know there are difficulties to come and challenges to face on the road that lies ahead, God has restored a confidence in me that will remain.
Praise the Lord, for He is good, and His love endures forever.
In a "future day" (as we say to Liam), there will be a post with pictures of the new apartment and other words of wisdom regarding relocation and living on your own. Until then!
PS: Tomorrow is "Mother's Day" here in Romania. This entire week has been "women's week"! So Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers. And especially to my own (love you!).
I just want to point out that "Men's week" or "Father's Day" don't exist here. =] We women are special. (I love you too, Dad).

Mărţişoare (mart-see-shwa-reh)

2008-03-01T17:39:00.003+02:00

Today is March first which marks a Romanian "holiday" or tradition. March 1 is considered the celebration of Spring coming. Throughout this entire week and even today there were stands full of flowers and little pins everywhere. It was especially fun for me because I didn't really have any clue what it was about and my friends had fun explaining and showing me how it works. I spent the day with my friend Sendi. It was also special for her because it's her birthday! She stayed last night and then this morning we made "clatite american" (american pancakes). After that we met her sister in town and walked together to the blocks where she lives. I spent the day there just laughing and relaxing with the Ludu family and enjoying the busyness of a house full of girls. Plus Relu and Sendi's dad. You can't forget the two guys. It was Sendi's brother-in-law, Relu, who fulfilled the tradition of martisoare for all the girls in the house. On the day of martisoare the guys are supposed to buy these special little pins and give one to the girls they love. So, Relu bought about 9 pins and handed them out to all of us. It was so sweet and I was honored! Ha. What fun.
The celebration seemed significant to me also because over the past week it has been in the 20's. Celcius of course (Translation: 60's F) . Ironic because Spring usually doesn't come this early. And now it seems that it has come to stay. Nice and early. It's been absolutely beautiful and has made it easier to get up in the morning and face the day. It breeds more energy and excitement. I have loved it.
What a great day.

"Romania 2008" Team Summary

2008-02-27T21:37:00.003+02:00

I know that I often start out with this word but...wow. The past week and a half are a blur. The team that came was incredible. I don't know how to better state it. They were such an encouragement and support. It was such a lift for me, mentally and emotionally. They were a blessing straight from the Father himself. Perfect timing. It's funny how just when we think God's forgotten us, he lavishes blessings and love on us as if to say "Ha. And you thought I didn't know what you needed." Of course he knows, come on. Psalm 139, anyone?
I can't even tell you all that we did together. It ranged from planning and throwing elderly parties, to doing construction in 3 different locations, to working with kids here in Sighisoara, to going out to Tsigmadru for kids and teens program, to playing soccer with the kids from Baragan school, to hanging out and singing with the teens here in Sighisoara...and more. If you want the "full report" just head over to the team blog at www.sighisoara08.blogspot.com.
By the end of the week, the whole group was exhausted inside and out. I think I can say with certainty that they felt like the trip had changed them in many ways. Although they came wanting to "change" Romania for the better, I think they left themselves changed for the better. It's also safe to say that a lot of missions work goes that way. Many people go in expecting to make a difference for the people of a specific country and come away with the people and country making a big difference in themselves. It is a very cool thing to experience (as I have been over the past few months), but it's possible that it's even more fun to watch others go through that. It is a humbling that is rare to come by and absolutely beautiful.
After planning for so long, it's strange that the "event" is over. One of our major "checkpoints" in our ministry here has come and gone. For me, it's left a little bit of an unease at the fact that June is coming quickly. Another side effect of having the group here has been that I have fallen even more in love with Romania, if possible. Everything feels fresh and vibrant, bright and welcoming. I feel like I know this place, I'm comfortable here. I feel like there is so much more to learn and not enough time to do it in. I know all of this may sound like a bunch of contradictions, but I don't know how to describe it.
It could be that the late-night fog is settling in and my words are beginning to tumble over one another, one thought unable to decipher or connect with the next. It's time to let that happen and accept the sleepiness, so I think I'll take another shot at explanation later this week. I wouldn't want to leave you hanging in the mist, but there's no way it's clearing out now.
Key point of today's entry: I loved having the group here and I am so thankful that they could come. I am so excited at the work that God has done and is doing in them and through them. I am sure that work will continue even long after they are gone. Praise God for that.
So thank you for sending them here with love and encouragement. Thank you for your gifts, both materially and in prayer. Thank you for everything.

What is love?

2008-02-14T11:11:00.000+02:00

I don't claim to be an expert on love. In fact, I'm clueless. However, one thing I feel God speaking into me over these past couple of weeks is love. Love in it's most pure, most simple form. I have been attempting to embrace that. Not only am I learning how to love others, but also how to love myself. And of course, we all know that this is essential in life. A friend once said "The secret to life is love" and in a lot of ways I agree. If we could all learn to love a little better, a little more, a little purer...the world would certainly be a better place. So on this Valentine's Day (which I agree is a completely fabricated holiday, but let's ignore that fact) let's delve a little deeper into real love and ask ourselves, "what exactly is love?."

*"Love is handing your heart to someone and taking the risk that they will hand it back because they don't want it." -Rob Bell
*Vulnerability
*"echad"- being one flesh
*Forgiveness- even when it hurts.
*"carrying each other's burdens" Ephesians 6:2
*Agape.
Putting others before yourself. Giving, giving, giving. Not expecting anything in return.
*Exploring another person in respect and wonder of who they are.
*"Builds up" 1 Corithians 8:1
*Humility- Considering others better than yourself.
*Purity.
*Having faith. Putting your trust in someone else and in God to watch over you and that "someone else".
*Confidence. Not pride.
*"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
1Corinthians 13:4-8
*Allowing yourself to think yourself beautiful.
*"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:38-39
*The ultimate love is being willing to give your life for someone else.

PS: The pictures at the top are just random. They are from gospel choir. A group I'm a part of that gets together each Wednesday evening for an hour to sing. It's just plain fun.
Double PS: The Pearce team leaves America today to join us here in Romania tomorrow! WOOHOO. =]
And that my friends, "is all I've got tah say 'bout that."

The Uncapturable Moments

2008-02-09T14:04:00.001+02:00

There are always transient moments in time that are so beautiful and true that they are impossible to capture. It's those instances that you just wish you could bottle and save for the times when life is not so easy. Things like summer sunsets where the sky is painted so radiantly that no camera can catch the vividness, or find those colors that no one has ever been able to paint. Mornings where you wake up to a blue sky, bluer than you think it's ever been before, and shining sun. Times where life seems completely at ease and comforting in every sense. Sitting against a warm "sorba" (heater-thing) in the middle of winter in a Romanian household. Laying under a blanket with pillows piled high, watching a movie with the boys. Sleeping in at a friends' and waking up laughing and then sitting down to enjoy a delicious brunch together. Cooking with Mama Maria early on a Friday morning. Communicating in "perfect" (not really) Romanian and the enjoyment of a fluid conversation in another language. Walks in the the coolness of a day when the sun shines just enough to warm the top of your head and your shoulders.
It's as if God gives us glimpses of what he meant life to be like. The perfection he had wanted for us all and the beauty he had hoped we could live in. And when I am struggling with life's minor difficulties, this is what I try to focus on. The fact that there is more. This is not it! Those "uncapturable moments" will eventually be what life is like. I will get there and God will bless us tremendously with unimaginable joy and that peace surpassing all understanding. That day will come. I can see it even in my ordinary, little life. Praise God for that.
All I need to do is trust in Him. Trust that this is true. Push on and know that "the best" awaits us all. God will bring us through.

Being all that you can Be

2008-02-04T14:24:00.000+02:00

Cliche, I know...but hear me out. Being at the age I am, in the place I am, I have been forced to come to grips with who I really am. I'm not talking surface stuff, I'm talking soul stuff. It's a time for me to explore if I am really being the person God has made me to be. Am I really doing what God has asked me to do? Am I living up to full potential, or at least trying?
I'll tell you now...there are all sort of opinions on that one from all sorts of people. And for a long time, I was intimidated by that. Big time. I thought that I wasn't measuring up to others' expectations, so I must not be measuring up to God's. I felt lost and confused for a long time, wondering who I really was. I read Psalm 139 over and over trying to imprint it on my brain. It sounds ridiculous. It sounds lame. Ask a bunch of therapists and they'd say "that's normal for your age".
But don't stick me in that mold. I really hate that mold. People of all ages face this question every day and people of all ages struggle with it. Although what I've learned may sound "typical" or like something you've heard before, believe me when I tell you it's unique. Because it's specific to me. God is doing this one-on-one thing with me right now, that is teaching me wonders. But sometimes it's painful. In fact, a lot of the time it is. And I know what your response to that is too..."Well, you know what they say! Growing pains!" True. As always, I know that I'll end up learning an infinitely valuable lesson and continuing to build on the foundation of faith God has built up with me. But again, still painful.
Right now I'm reading a plethora of books and the one I just finished was really good and completely played off of this year-long lesson God's working on. I'm still digesting it and I'm considering reading it again just to try and absorb a little more. If any of you have the time or opportunity, read Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell.
Here's an excerpt that describes my feelings very well, in better form than I could manage to string together:
"The problem is that the image of God is deeply scarred in each of us, and we lose trust in God's version of our story. It seems too good to be true. And so we go searching for identity. We achieve and we push and we perform and we shop and we work out and we accomplish great things, longing to repair the image. Longing to find an identity that feels right. Longing to be comfortable in our own skin. But the thing we are searching for is not somewhere else. It is right here. And we can only find it when we give up the search, when we surrender, when we trust. Trust that God is already putting us back together. Trust that through dying to the old, the new can give birth. Trust that Jesus can repair the scarred and broken image. It is trusting that I am loves. That I always have been. That I always will be. I don't have to do anything. I don't have to prove anything or achieve anything or accomplish one more thing. That exactly as I am, I am totally accepted, forgiven, and there is nothing I could do to ever lose this acceptance."
So I am trying to trust and each day I wake up and have to make the conscious decision to do so. Such is faith, right? How incredible is it though, that just as I am is good enough. I mean, all of us recieve opposite messages constantly from all sorts of sources. But don't listen! Only listen to the Lords still, strong voice. The one that has been and will be forevermore.
Amen.

Tare (Tah-rrreh).

2008-01-30T13:15:00.000+02:00

Did I mention that my days were jam-packed? Not much has changed since my last blog in the way of busy-ness. There have been several things that dominate my schedule. But the truth is, I like to be busy. I drink it up like water on a hot day. It's probably unhealthy at times, but too much of anything can be unhealthy, right? Anyway, life has been great.
Last Thursday I was so busy from the moment I got up, to the moment I lay down, that I had to think back and ask myself what I had accomplished. In the morning, I was supposed to pick up packages (sent by some wonderful Americans- thank you!), but I ended up "missing the boat" so to speak. You can only pick up international packages from 10-12 on Thursdays and I walked in at 12:10. Yoy (as I have been endeared to say). So tomorrow I will make sure to be there right at 10 with the notices I'm supposed to bring, and my passport! Hopefully try #2 will be more successful with better planning on my part.
Thursday afternoon I went out to Tsigmadru by maxi taxi (an autobus-type-thing) to work at the doctor's clinic. The moment the doctor arrived it was so busy. Patient after patient came through. It's hard because most of them just need regular pain killers. And from what I can gather, they're hard to get in the Romanian pharmacies. So they basically have to just wait for donations to come in and once they run out, that's it. People come and ask, and we have to say no over and over because we don't have them. I began to think a lot about that on the ride home and it just amazes me how much I take for granted. If I have a headache, no problem, I've got medicine at the ready. I could take medicine for even the smallest of pains if I wanted to. And they simply can't. That hit me pretty hard. I wish I could send for a huge crate full of everyday drugs. But it occurred to me I can't do that either. So since then, I've been praying and asking God to show me how I can help. I know there is only so much I can do, but I feel like God is prodding me to do something else, something more. Also in regards to the doctor's office...please pray for Annie (the nurse). She is home from England, but having back problems. Please pray for healing!
Friday held another fun-filled cooking session with Tanti (term of endearment/respect) Maria. She taught us how to make this delicious jam-filled prajitura (sweet cookie-type-thing). She also taught us how to make mamaliga cu branza, which is a traditional meal of corn mush and cheese, served with a fried egg and sour cream. Oh, and pickled peppers! It was a fantastic time of learning and fun. She is so knowledgable in the way of cooking and I am so blessed to be taught by her! What an honor.
Saturday was another day filled with adventure and new sights. Karen drove Emilia (my adopted Romanian [actually Hungarian] "mama"), Maggie (one the new students studying abroad here...already my good friend!), and myself to Korund. Korund is a town about an hour and a half away that makes handcrafts. I just realized I didn't take any pictures, but it is a really cool place. I don't want to bore you with all the details, but it was a really fun day. I just love exploring the country and meeting new people and feeling small. Feeling like our God stretches over all the earth (and he really does!).
There are some other "new" things as of late, too. Both teens clubs have been going really well. We have begun to treat the one here in Sighisoara more like a Bible study, although the last one consisted of playing "Dino-opoly" (which is hysterical to translate) and dancing to several worship songs, which is a ton of fun. I'm not sure what direction God will take that group, but I'm excited to see. As for teens out in Tsigmadru, Nelutu has been working on using lessons out of this wonderful book...and they're always good. My own faith has been challenged several times by the topics at hand, so not only is it fun, but I feel like I'm learning a ton. And there is a lot to be learned from Nelutu about how to run a successful ministry as well. Ah! There is just so much to learn. Sometimes I feel like being here is a wafer cookie. Layer upon layer of "sweet sweet" learning. Okay, that's a strange analogy, but hey...it gets the point across.
So what else is new? Well, there is a new pack of American students in town (as previously mentioned) and it has been a real joy getting to know them. They are enthusiastic about Romania and pretty excited to be here. And I have really been enjoying their company. There is just something soothing about being around girls my age (Americans and Romanians alike!) I've also been really blessed by the growth of many of my Romanian relationships. God has truly blessed me in this department, bringing some extraordinary people into my life. I wish I could list all of the people and everything they mean to me...but it's just not possible. Not only because I haven't asked permission, but also because I just wouldn't know how to put into words just how much they mean to me.
Which reminds me of my title: tare. Life here these past few weeks has been "tare". It's a Romanian word that does not directly translate, but means something along the lines of strong. Each day has brought new vibrance and wonder to me and sometimes I feel like I could burst with just how real, how strong, how alive I have been feeling. My experiences have been so very good, so real, so...tare. And I give all the glory to God. I am so thankful for each day, each morning I wake up and being in Romania proves not to be a dream...each breath God grants. That has not always been true for me. Praise God that it reigns true now!
And now, I leave you with some random pictures:

Neat doorway.
Cozonac! The traditional Romanian sweet bread I told you about! Evidence of Tanti Maria's amazing cooking and teaching skills.
Vitamin sorting at the doctor's clinic. =]

Alright, I have one parting thought that has been the focus of my day today: Wouldn't it be incredible if all we needed to eat each day was spiritual food? No bother with the food of this world...just constant attentiveness to the Spirit. That is something to look forward to in His Kingdom! Lately, I feel like I've been feasting on spiritual food and fed up (haha) with having to eat anything else. I know that sounds crazy and don't worry I still love real food. I'm just excited because I feel like I've had a tiny taste of everlasting food and it is delicious! Can't get enough of it, in fact.
Okay, I think that's enough for today. Do you feel "caught up"? I have really missed blogging and as a result I may have bored you with an incessantly long and sort of sporadic one, but I hope not.
As I always say, thank you so much for all of your support! It truly does wonders.

Empty Month, Jam-Packed Days

2008-01-15T11:23:00.000+02:00

Sigh. I've already spent an unreasonable amount of time on the computer sending well overdue responses to many emails. And since there is only a half an hour left of elderly club, I guess I am just going to bite the bullet of guilt and continue on with my long overdue blog post. As you can tell, life here has been incredibly busy. It's funny how the months we believe to be "down-time" months, with no major event planned, become days filled top to bottom. Anything imaginable can happen on any given day. There are two things in particular that have come to dominate my thoughts over this past week.
Friday morning, after the boys had gone to school, Karen and I headed over to our friend's house (the Mailat's). Liana and Emil are two friends that we have had the honor of getting to know over the past few months. Although we have a "forced" relationship because they are the "landlords" of our house, our relationship is anything but forced. We love to spend time with them. Often we can be found eating together and talking in Romanglish, teaching each other our native language. It's just always fun to see them. And along with Liana and Emil, we have gotten to know their boys, Lian and Andrei, and Liana's parents, "Liana's Mama" and "Tati". All of which are such a blessing to us. They are simply wonderful people. Okay, enough gushing, on with the story. Karen and I went over to cook with Liana's Mama. Both of us have always wanted to learn to cook Romanian food and who better to learn from than a retired restaurant cook, who knows everything about Romanian cuisine? Including how to make the best salata de bouf we've ever had. So that is just the thing we went to make! After enjoying a cup of coffee and delicious selection of homemade prajitura, we got to work. Step by step she showed us how to make this fantastic creation and by one in the afternoon, we had made a masterpiece. It was so much fun, and so tasty. It's difficult to fully explain, but it's almost like potato salad...just 10 times better. We had so much fun and learned so much that this week, we'll go back to learn how to make cozagnac. A traditional Romanian bread-like sweet. It's also delicious and I can't wait to hang out with Liana's Mama again. What fun!
Saturday was a jam-packed day as well. We had open gym with the Baragan teens, went to visit a new friend, then I had a birthday party to attend. It was another great day, but the thing that "hit me" most was our new friend. When we had the canned food drive, Karen met an elderly woman who lives in Baragan. Since then, we've gone back to visit her several times. A lot of the time we just sit and listen to this woman's amazing story. And it is a tragic, difficult, amazing story. She is such a strong individual and seeing her faith through all that she has been through, has been a poignant lesson. I couldn't help but feel my heart break a little as she continues to reveal the hardships her life has held. Often I find myself thinking that it's not fair, but I really don't know what else to think. I have grown to love these visits and love the small amount of joy we can bring her each week. I love singing in her little apartment and hearing the happiness in her voice when we tell her the next time we'll see her. I love that God is doing visible work in her life and bringing restoration. I just love her. What an honor to have her in my life.
So this week, please pray for our friend if you think of it. Her name is Lenuta.
Also, continue to lift in prayer our other ministries as well. In particular, the Tsigmadru kids club and teenage club could use your prayer. I think that as the new semester students come in, there will be some changes in the way they run. Pray for Nelutu as he has a huge responsibility in both these groups and I know it must feel overbearing at times. And pray ultimately, that God would continue to guide each day spent here in Romania.
Thank you for all you do for me! Your support means so very much.

Un-met Intentions

2008-01-09T13:18:00.000+02:00

I've been meaning to post for a while now. There's plenty I could say, but it seems no time to say it. And the trend continues today. I came directly from elderly club to here (House on the Rock) and sent out a couple important emails. Now I've got to run home and clarify that I am picking up the boys from school. Most likely in less than 20 minutes I'll head off to do just that. And somewhere in there I should try to attempt at some sort of lunch. Which very well could be (one of my favorites) a hacked off chunk of cabbage. Mmm mm. And toast with zacusca. But as you can see, even today, I have no time for a significant update. Don't give up on me though, I'll get one to you as soon as I can manage a window in time.
Thanks for sticking with me!

PS: Does my title even make sense? Haha. Ah well, you get the point.

La Multani! (Happy New Year!)

2008-01-05T12:42:00.000+02:00

Our New Year's celebration was wonderful. The Sighisoara Nazarene Church (our church) held a New Year's party and it proved to be a ton of fun. Monday evening we watched a movie that a friend sent to me while the boys napped, and then left for church, Karen's dish-to-share in hand. We enjoyed playing games, eating, and talking together until the anticipated hour arrived. At ten to midnight we all bundled up and rushed outside, waiting for the fireworks show. Standing next to two of my closest Romanian friends, I brought in the new year admiring an elaborate fireworks show and laughing about how little of the "La Multani" song I actually know. I couldn't have asked for a better way to do it. =]
As I mentioned in a previous post, part of the fun of this time of year is noticing all of the little things that make Romania, Romania. One thing that is different here is the tradition of breaking glass at midnight on New Year's. It is supposed to bring good fortune. So as the fireworks came to a close, you could hear bottles being thrown to the ground, glass breaking everywhere. I smiled as I realized how uptight this would make Americans..."broken glass everywhere, are they crazy?". No, they aren't. It's just a different way of celebrating.
Another thing I noticed that made me laugh was the mini fireworks shows that were going on all over the town. It reminded me of being at the beach on the fourth of July and seeing little shows flare up all over. The only difference is that at the beach, you can hear sirens as the police try and hunt down the people starting these little rebellious displays. Here, the police were setting off their own show to join the bunch. Everybody celebrates! Just as it should be.
This week has been rather slow, which has been a welcome break to the fast-paced life we normally lead here in Romania. But I would be lying if I said I'm not ready for the gears to start grinding again. I look forward to this new year and all that God has planned for it!

Craciun Ferecit! (Merry Christmas!)

2007-12-29T12:53:00.000+02:00

Wow. I have thought since stepping off the plane in July that Christmas here in Romania would be the hardest time of the year for me. Honestly, it couldn't be further from it. One of my favorite things about living in Romania is that everything is so unexpected. I love exploring the differences that are inevitable when living in another culture. There is something magnificent about sharing life's most treasured time of year (so I think) with other people who are willing to open up their life with a "stranger" and guide them through the unfamiliar territory. So let me fill you in on my Christmas story...
Our Christmas tree. Fashioned by a well-known 4 and 6 year old. Complete with flashing colored lights.
Our pretend fireplace made of cardboard, construction paper, and tissue paper. Turns out I miss having the real thing. =] The boy's stockings hung neatly in front of it.
Our little Christmas elves. Or maybe they're santas in training. Either way they are all decked out and ready for their school's Christmas party. Where they both said poems aloud and sang colinda(s) (carols) in Romanian. It was adorable.
Christmas morning. We actually slept in til 8:30! Amazing, huh?
And here is what I am marveling at in the above picture. Karen and Maurice got me a watercolor of the citadel. It is definitely one of my favorite gifts!

Okay so here's how our Christmas went...
Christmas Eve we were invited to go caroling with a family from our church (the Ludu family). We were super excited, since caroling with the family is a Romanian tradition that we weren't sure we would have the honor of participating in. Alas, we did! With a wonderful family, too. We arrived at their house unsure of what to expect...would we just sing together at the house and enjoy some traditional food? Would we actually be going around to houses to carol? In fact, it was the latter. We spent almost 4 hours going around to about 10 houses, singing Romanian carols that we had just learned with the family. At each house we went, we were invited in for some suc (juice) and prajitura (sweets) of some kind and then encouraged to sing some more! It was a fun night and a wonderful time of fellowship with the Ludu family. Once we reached home, the boys and I crashed-excited for Christmas morning.
Christmas day was quite a rush. We woke up at the decent time of 8:30 and after opening a fresh box of Lucky Charms (woot!) began the fun of gifts. Watching the boys get excited over each one they opened was funny. And opening mine, was a blessing. Some had been sent from friends and family (and I restrained myself until Christmas morning) and others were from Karen and Maurice. It was amazing to me the provision God has for you when you least expect it (or are even asking for it). Thanks to all who sent their Christmas blessings to me!
After opening gifts and lazing about for a bit, I made my way to Roberta's to help with Christmas lunch preparations. We worked together for an hour before the guests began arriving and then all of us enjoyed a wonderful meal together. There was about 12 people there and it was a lot of fun to eat and celebrate. I left Roberta's feeling stuffed (although I had been forewarned not to stuff myself) and immediately the Hopkins and I piled into the car and headed for the Ludu household.
After caroling with the Ludu's we were invited to Christmas dinner at their house. Karen tried to politely decline, mentioning that we would be dining at Roberta's. But the response was simply "Oh that's okay, come after you're done there!". Sometimes Romanian hospitality blows me away. What wonderful people! And what an honor to be asked to their house for dinner! So we couldn't refuse and off we went.
We had a beautiful second meal that included Romanian potato salad and bread, homemade sausage and sarmali (with smantana, or sour cream), homemade grape juice, and homemade cozagnac (a traditional Romanian sweet bread). The finale was marshmellow fruit salad that Karen had made. And since you can't get marshmellows here in Romania, that was a huge hit. Eveything was absolutely delicious and again the fellowship with the Ludus was great fun. We shared with each other different wonders of our own cultures and delighted in simply having time to sit and talk.
Straight from there we headed off to Christmas service at the Nazarene Church here in Sighisoara. It was absolutely gorgeous. It was similar to the one at home, with carols and scripture, and lighting of candles. The candles are stuck in oranges, which is again a Romanian tradition (I think). The whole service was very peaceful and joyful, reminding us that even though we are basking in the wonders of having a "different" Christmas, it is truly all about the little baby boy- Jesus Christ.
So I praise God for the many blessings this Christmas season has brought into my life.
And also thank him for the ultimate gift of Jesus Christ, his son.

GOOOooooaaal!

2007-12-21T12:44:00.000+02:00

Well, I just wanted to state that I finally, finally sent in my college application. After weeks of procrastination, denial, and self-doubt...it is on it's way over the invisible lines and fences we like to call the internet. I feel like running around yelling "GOOOAL" like the europeans like to do during "futbol" games. There are plenty of things that I learned about myself in this process, but none I feel like detailing for the world to see. I'm just glad it's over.
Now let the financial-aid applications begin. =P
Life is a whole lot of paperwork.

2007-12-19T20:28:00.000+02:00

The above picture is one of my favorites of winter in Sighisoara so far. It's the covered German staircase that is right around the corner from our house. I actually like climbing it just for the fun of it every now and then. What a beautiful town we live in.
On Tuesday morning I walked into elderly club expecting to help prepare a Christmas meal for later on in the day. Unbeknownst to me, all that needed to be done. We began by peeling potatoes, multe cartofi (many potatoes). As soon as we got to the bottom of the box I did a little dance in celebration, but stopped mid-dance as David brought in another sac de cartofi (figure that one out). We peeled 46 kilograms of potatoes all-in-all (for you Westerners, that's about 100 pounds). Once we had finished that, we moved on to setting the table, putting together Christmas packages, lighting candles, filling glasses full of cider, turning on the Christmas carols, and making sure that everyone had their fair share of chicken, potatoes, and pickled green tomatoes. We took ten minutes to eat ourselves and then began the process of cleaning it all up. Not only did uneaten food need to be piled, but dishes cleaned and washed, mugs and cups emptied and washed, everything brought in from the "dining room" to the kitchen (which involves a trip outdoors). Then we needed to prepare the room for a teenage group to come perform and sing. It took some convincing to get the elderly women to sit and wait for the group, but once we had they were happy to see the youngin's come. The ladies sang loudly and clapped even louder when time for applause came around. On their way out they thanked, and kissed, and blessed each one of us who had helped with the day's festivities. Next it was the teenager's turn for a snack and some tea and that took setting up and preparing as well, but luckily (as my parents have taught me) teenagers make great slaves and they joined in the cleaning process to quicken the shut down of the place for the night.
My "couple of hours" of help turned into a 10am-6pm production. An event I don't think I will ever forget. It was so much more than just "helping out". David, Mea, Magda B., and I spent much of our time singing, talking, and laughing. I learned more about the Romanian armada (army) from David as he told stories about serving as a soldier in the days of the revolution. Mea's laughter was contagious when one of us made a slip of the hand or slight mistranslation. Magda's quiet concentration and patience, along with encouragement provided a perfect mix among the group. The people we served were so gracious and thankful it almost broke my heart. It was as though we had made their year just by giving them their own Christmas party. It really didn't take much on our behalf and it meant so much to them...it was such a blessing.
So not only had I done enough potato peeling to make up for my entire childhood and washed enough dishes to make up for my lack of a collegiate food service job, but God taught me yet another lesson about serving others and using time wisely. Just a few hours can make a world of difference. Praise God.
One of the three vats of peeled potatoes.
David mashing and flavoring.
Mea cutting up some pickled tomatoes.

( I may have one of Magda B. before the week is over. =] )
Check back this weekend for an update on the "Canned food drive" and the Baragan Teen Ministry.
Thanks to everyone for their continual prayers and encouragement. Know that I love you and wish I could give you a huge hug. Consider it sent via blog. Blog-hug (kinda like bear-hug, 'cept a little less strong). =]

R.I.P. Lappy

2007-12-17T12:42:00.000+02:00

Lappy the laptop has officially "bit the dust". It's time of death was about 7:32PM Sunday December 16th. I think I killed it. I was pressuring it to copy all my pictures on CDs and I was pretty relentless about it. Since each time I started it up the screen said "Back-up all files immediately. There is a hard drive failure. Replace hard drive. A crash is imminent." I decided it would be wise to follow directions and back it up. Hence, Lappy was working hard (but not very well) to copy a big set of pictures at it's time of death. I know I should have been nicer and let Lappy go out peacefully, but what can I say I'm ruthless. So Lappy's done...when I try to caress it back to life it simply puts up an angry black screen that says "Error in operational system..." Sigh. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. I'm okay with it, but I am a bit sad that I hadn't copied any of my Romania pictures yet and that means they are all lost in a world of darkness somewhere amongst the broken failure that is my hard drive. Perhaps there is still hope, so I will hang on to Lappy's corpse until official declaration of death by someone more worthy than I. Until then, I will trek to the House on the Rock and climb up the big 2 flights of stairs it takes to reach a computer that will allow me contact with the outside world, not only because it's good for you to know what's up on this side of the world, but also because I love to write now. And once Lappy quit I realized the one thing that can't be taken away because of that is this, my blog. And so I write with joy, knowing that my words, this memoir of my experiences, is the best I have and I'm so happy to have it. =]

Keep on truckin' through...

2007-12-14T23:16:00.000+02:00

Life is real busy right now. I guess it's Christmas, so that is to be expected...at the same time I was sorta hoping Christmas in Romania meant a 3 week break where all I do is sleep in, drink hot chocolate, and read by the fire. Hah. Dream on.
Nah, I knew it wouldn't be that lackadaisical but here's to fantasizing about it.
Reality check:
-Last week Saturday we had Round 1 of the "Canned food drive" all afternoon
-Had Thanksgiving #2 on Monday and said "official" goodbyes to American students
-American students left on Wednesday
-Thursday was Annie's (the nurse) last day in Tsigmadru before vacation and medicine storage/care had to be sorted out for the next 5 weeks while she goes to England
-Today I went out in Tsigmadru and spent the day planning (with both the kids and the teens) their Christmas program and party for next week
-Tomorrow is Round 2 of the "Canned food drive" during the afternoon and at night we have the Veritas/volunteer Christmas dinner
-Sunday I am going out to Tsigmadru in the morning to "film" with the teens (they are making a Christmas movie for the church) ...I'm an angel.

It was just last week that I said goodbye to Hans. And just last week that we celebrated mos craciun (said mosh crah-choon) day. Also just last week that we stayed home and made gingerbread houses and cookies. How is that possible?
Less than 12 days from now is Christmas. That's just sheer insanity. On one hand I'm in complete denial: It's not winter and no WAY is Christmas in a little more than a week. On the other hand I've embraced it: We witnessed a desperately hot summer and beautifully colored fall, naturally it's time for winter. Along with that reality I would enjoy some snow...I would even be happy if a blizzard came along, although it's almost risky saying so.
I love snow. I love putting on layer upon layer of clothing until I actually break a sweat from the effort, then walking outside into the bitter cold and still feeling the stiffness of my gloves and jeans through all layers as the cool air drifts over them. I love the smell of a fresh snow (or frost). I love the feeling your nose gets after being outside once you've escaped the frigidness and entered into a warm and cozy house. I love pulling out sweaters that have been tucked away since last winter and wearing my slippers (by my own choice) because they keep my feet so toasty. I love laying on the carpet with the boys under a warm blanket watching Elf together. I love drinking a hot cup of real, rich and creamy hot chocolate in the early morning when my eyes barely want to open. I love the fact that because I'm entering a time of tradition, there are all sorts of new cultural differences to delight in and be a part of. I love that here Christmas is less about stuff and more about people. So even though it's crazy busy...
I love winter and Christmas-time in Romania.

Forgotten Videos

2007-12-09T18:19:00.000+02:00

I forgot that I promised a video too. =]
Here is the "Ott in Rome" video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBMs35S-95U
Here is a video of the Kid's Club in Tsigmadru singing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRf6iUoEIp0
When you're bored, check them out!

Wonders of Winter

2007-12-09T17:02:00.001+02:00

I believe I promised some pictures. =] Here are some from the past few weeks:Playing in the Christmas lights in the park.
The front of the "Nazarene Center".
Kid's club on opening day, singing one of their favorite songs "Cine al creat..." (Who Created...).
Ali, Chila (dunno how to spell her name), and I at House on the Rock for the candle walk.
Winter sky view from my favorite window.
Ginger bread house fun: Liam applying icing cement. I didn't dare interrupt him.
Nolan using some imagination to decorate his house.
The boys' finished products! Nolan's on the left and Liam's on the right. (Liam had some help) =]
The front of mine as a finished product. =] Yeah I'm a bit of a craft nerd. Haha. All Liam wanted to know was "when can I eat it?"

Thanks to everyone who has been lifting me up in prayer! My spirits have been steadily rising since the last time I wrote.

Loss for words

2007-12-06T21:03:00.000+02:00

So I felt the need to write tonight, although I have no idea what I'm going to say. Today is another day where words elude me, so why am I dedicating a post to words I can't articulate? Because it's important to see the struggles along with the triumphs. And since many of the people who read this are my support team and prayer warriors-I'm calling in the troops on this one. I need some prayer.
This week has been hard for me. I don't want to say it's "culture shock" because it's not. I still absolutely love being in Romania and believe whole-heartedly that this is where God wants me this year. Each day I feel blessed simply to have the opportunity to walk out of my door and into such a beautiful place. But somehow, I still feel defeated and weak. I still feel like I'm battling something greater than myself, bigger than I have ever dealt with. And the feeling of defeat has left me confused. I know that not every day can be filled with happiness. With gum drops and lolipops, rainbows and balloons. I know that sometimes a few days of solitude is just what God has prescribed and ends up building you up and growing you more. I know I will survive it and God will probably teach me something I hadn't known before. I know that because of what we are doing here, I am dealing with spiritual warfare. I know that I'm not just feeling like I'm in a battle, I am in one. But knowing all of these things doesn't make it any easier for the time being and right now I wish I knew exactly how to come out of it.
But I don't. You know why? God is the ultimate planner and he's got the schedule out of view from my prying eyes at this moment. He knows what he is doing and just because I can't look at a calendar and say "well, at least it will all be over in 4 days" doesn't mean that there is no guidance, no plan, no future. It's times like these that one of my favorite verses plays over and over in my head. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 Those are powerful words.
So I can go on, I can get up in the morning and know that even when it's hard God's guiding hand is there. I can pick myself up off the ground each time I feel knocked over and forgive the knockee, maybe even thanking them for the lesson learned. I can rejoice in the fact that God is teaching me something new and unprecedented. I can be joyful, even when I don't feel happy.
God is here. And I will praise him in the storm.

Flying Dutchman (more like driving)...

2007-12-03T21:18:00.000+02:00

Alright, it's true...I'm overdue for a post full of pictures. I just don't think I have it in me to do that tonight. I spent a lot of today on my computer doing one of two things the whole time: 1) Making a video slideshow of Ott the troll in Rome for Hans (I'll add a link to it in my next post) 2) Re-booting repeatedly and scanning for viruses. It's true I could have been a lot more productive today, but something about the weather being halfway between snow and rain makes me feel sluggish. Then I spend time on this time-sucker of a computer and feel even more sluggish. It's sort of a continuous cycle that I hope to break tomorrow. I'm setting my alarm and getting up relatively early even though we are having a "home day" together. I will put on a thick layer of comfy clothing, my gloves, and a hat, then head outside to hit the road and bring myself back to Center. Something about a frozen morning mixed with a nice walk and good views over the town, just reminds me of who I am and what I'm here for. It reminds me of God's all-encompassing grace and his purpose for my life. It may sound crazy, but it really does bring everything back into perspective.
After that I'll be able to face a day full of fun in the Hopkins-Roorda household. We're looking forward to starting off the Christmas season right with gingerbread house construction, cookie baking, house decorating, craft making, and Christmas carols as background music all day long (at least until I go to Tsigmadru at 2). That is a day guaranteed for greatness right there.
The only thing holding it back from hall of fame status is the fact that tomorrow is the last day I will see Hans for a real long time. He's going back to the Netherlands with his girlfriend, Rhiann, to figure things out for an undetermined amount of time. It is definitely for the best, but I am really going to miss him. He gives so much to the programs out in Tsigmadru and without him it will feel completely different. I know that God has big plans for him and for Tsigmadru, I just wish that they were overlapping plans.
The first day I met Hans he made me put wood putty in screw holes at least four times, sanding back excess each time. I thought he was an obsessive control freak. When in reality he's just Dutch. (Being 50% Dutch makes it okay to say that.) And the truth is, he can make decisions and reach conclusions before I've even thought about the issue at hand. His initiative and willingness to put ideas out there (even if they're not openly welcomed) will be one of the many things I'll miss. It will be hard to say goodbye but I know that God will see us through. I hope you will join me in praying for the best for Hans and for Tsigmadru, whatever that may be.

Breaking new ground

2007-12-01T23:27:00.000+02:00

The past twenty-four hours have been an exciting and joyful time for many people here in Romania. Today was the official opening and dedication of the Tsigmadru Nazarene Center, which means the "Tsgimadru church" is official! WOOT. It's been a long three years in many ways, yet short in others. It was four years ago that a group of teens sent from Pearce were priveleged to see the land where the church would be built. All that was there at that time were stakes in the ground. This was only the beginning of Pearce's ministry in Tsigmadru, which conincided with the new beginnings of the church. There have been several teams from Pearce in between then and now and the progress has been followed (and helped along!) year by year, but it is now that the final "product" stands. The church looks absolutely beautiful, it's long-time brick facade...now a beautiful smooth and creamy color. Inside is no different. The wooden floors are laid, sanded, and stained. The walls and trim painted. The balastrada up, stained, and functional. The computer room actually has computers in it! Same for the sewing room, it actually has sewing machines (and very little excess stuff) in it! The daycare room is as clear as I've ever seen it, it's walls freshly painted. So much work has gone into this church. So many people have put their heart into this church and today it showed. God's presence among us was so tangible it's hard to explain and the joy was almost too much to take in. Surely God has blessed this church, these people, and the work that they do and plan to do. It was a very cool thing to witness and be a part of, I wish you all could have been there with us.
Towards the end of our stay at the opening, we got to enjoy a meal of sarmale. Sarmale is steamed (pickled?) cabbage leaves stuffed with a mixture of rice, onion, meat (of some sort), and...who knows. It's a traditional Romanian meal and this was by far the best sarmale I've had yet! A fost delicios (It was delicious).
I was too excited to tell you about today to mention the fact that I spent the night out in Tsigmadru at the church last night. It was a teen sleepover thing because some teens from Bucharest and Sighisoara came and joined the teens from Tsigmadru for their evening club (and for the events of today). It was a lot of fun. We played games for the majority of the night, but it was topped off with a Russian movie (Romanian subtitles). I think I understood about 3/4 of it. It was actually pretty funny to watch without complete understanding, makes things a little more interesting. =]
So yet again we've had another incredible weekend and God has blessed us with being a part of something much anticipated and way bigger than ourselves (praise God). Again, I wish you all could have been there to see just how God is moving in this place. It truly is a miracle sometimes.

Halfway to Heaven

2007-11-27T13:12:00.000+02:00

Since today is Tuesday and we have teen club tonight, I thought I'd fill you in on "Halfway to Heaven." That is the name that the group of 12-15 year olds have chosen to call themselves, although it's still normally referred to as "teen club." Every Tuesday night Timmie Capusneanu watches Nolan and Liam while Karen, Maurice, and I head off to club. Usually we pick up Dragos and two of the American students (Courtney and Rebecca) and we all pile into our car and drive together to the Baragan apartment block school.
All of the times I have gone, there are already kids waiting outside the school doors for our arrival and once they spot our car, there are big smiles and some waving of hands exchanged. We greet them and as a whole we all file into the school and head straight for the Chemistry Lab. Moving the tables to the side, we grab all the chairs (which are really small stools) and sit in a circle-like form and wait for instructions on the games of the night. The games are always a riot and it's actually fun trying to come up with different ones to play. Some we've played include: "Shuffle your buns" (which does not translate well), body-part musical chairs, pickle spitting, snowball fight, the human knot, pass the tongue depressor (without hands), and more...
Many-a-time directions don't translate too well and we end up playing a "regular" game with a new twist on it, which is pretty funny.
This past weekend we had "gym day" and on Saturday, the whole family went over to play in the school gym with the group. Not very many showed up (about 5 "regulars" of 25ish...10 total), but we still had a blast playing soccer for two straight hours!
Over the past few weeks we've begun to have mini "talks" included with the club. Karen usually leads them and has led the group through some very interesting discussions already. Since all of the group, with the exception of two, are Orthodox...talk time is always interesting. The first week of talk-time the fact that we are Protestant came up (and that's usually not seen as a good thing here in Romania). We praise God that these kids are still interested and excited about coming to teen club and we are excited to spend the rest of the year building relationships and learning from them. The year with them is certainly unpredictable!
A specific prayer request for this group is our upcoming (well, I guess it's now!) "project". We want to do a food drive with the group and collect food from their neighboring apartments to give to the less fortunate. Since this is a foreign concept to Romanians, it has met some resistance and the kids are unsure that they can do it. We hope and pray that God will work through their doubts and build them up as a team through this project!
Thanks for all of your prayers and support!

Procrastination doesn't make it happen...

2007-11-25T21:58:00.000+02:00

I am such a procrastinator. Although I should be editing and revising the college essays I wrote yesterday, I'm loading good music to my iPod instead. Well actually, there's a plethora of things I've done today instead of doing that. In my defense, they were productive things. Things like: searching for decent wall material for a "gingerbread house", washing dishes, cleaning out the fridge, playing cards with the boys, and the list goes on. Meh. There's no way around it: I flat-out hate college essays and dread them like nobody's business. The truth is, I can write fairly well and once I suck it up and do it, it's good. It's the doing it that's key. My deadline is Friday though. And seeing as this is the only obligatory piece of writing I have for this entire year, I think I can manage. =] I know my college freshman friends are yelling at the screen right now...sorry guys, not trying to rub it in.
Anyway, I thought it would be interesting to write a post that lists all of the ministries I am a part of (as of now) along with the days of the week. Then in the next few posts I'll pick one off the list and describe it for you. So here it is:
Sunday: Sometimes help out with worship (rarely) in Sighisoara
Usually some type of relationship building time (hanging out with friends)
Sometimes go out to Tsigmadru for evening service, when I don't the boys and I stay here in Sighisoara
Monday: Monday night Dinners @ Dorothy's with American students
Tuesday: Out to Tsigmadru for Kid's Club
Back to Sighisoara for Teen's Club (Halfway to Heaven)
Wednesday: Gospel Choir (not really "ministry" unless you count it as relationship building)
Thursday: Doctor's Clinic out in Tsigmadru
Friday: Devotions with Veritas Staff
Out to Tsigmadru for Kid's Club and Teen's Club
Saturday: Usually a day to myself =]

Monday-Friday: Walking the boys to school (Karen, Maurice, and I trade-off)
Elderly Club
Of course these aren't always consistent, but it's a general outline. Also, it's a given that living with the Hopkins is a 24/7 ministry for all of us. It's actually hard for me to categorize life here into "ministry" and "not ministry"- to me it's pretty much all ministry. I'd say watching the boys is ministry and I think hanging out with friends is ministry too...it just doesn't seem necessary to add them to a list titled "ministry" because they are so ingrained into my life. Like I said, separating life into "ministry" and "not ministry" just seems odd to me because shouldn't our lives be a constant ministry to those around us? Oy. Either way, I hope this helps you more clearly understand my day-to-day life here in Romania. Stay tuned for more details. =]

Thankful for Thanksgiving

2007-11-23T12:51:00.000+02:00

We had a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner at Roberta's house last night. It was a lot of fun and having a "traditional American" meal was great. The company included 3 "foreigners"...one Brit, Annie Mettie...one Scot, Morag...one Dutchman, Hans. So we laughed together about some of the strange traditions and phrases that make perfect sense in your own culture, but not in other cultures. We went around the table and took the time to say what we're thankful for (in short, I said support). We just spent time in one another's company. It was really a blessing to be able to have that. I almost had to be rolled home, but luckily I managed to walk. =]
I do miss my family (and friends), but as I say a lot, God is guiding me through and providing in ways I didn't know were possible. Each day I am amazed by his grace and remain thankful for the opportunities I encounter daily.

Unveiling the Truth

2007-11-21T12:16:00.000+02:00

I have to say, it's incredible how much God can reveal to a single person in the span of 4 days. The conference was beyond what I could have even hoped for. Just when I think God can't possibly grow me anymore, he takes me by the hand and leads me onto new and unforeseen ground. Some things I can't even put into words, but I can tell you what the Conference was all about. There were Free Methodist people from all over Europe (not just Eastern) who came and gathered together each day. We had meals, morning service, workshops, fellowship groups, and evening service every day. Karen, Maurice , and I rotated schedules so that we could all go to some of everything.
I had heard most of what was taught before, but God has a way of making you see things through new eyes. A lot of the conference was about prayer. Some of it was way over my head, but I could also absorb some of what Europe's most faithful missionaries had to say and teach us. It was comforting to be reminded that prayer is a constant learning process (along with life in general, right?) and that even the disciples had to ask Jesus, "teach us how to pray". It was awesome to see that although we were people from all different places, different languages, different cultures, different ages (15 countries and 13 languages)...we could relate to one another through Christ! One major point that Jerry Coleman made throughout the weekend is that the kingdom of God is not just at hand, it's here. We should strive to live in the kingdom and bring kingdom aspects here on earth. That was a really interesting concept and I'm still contemplating what that means to me. But again, it made me realize that the people there are my brothers and sisters! It was really good to get to meet and talk with people who know me (and I kinda knew them), but I'd never met face-to-face. Prime example: Lynette and Josef Sykora (and baby Simon!). They are wonderful people. And I had the opportunity to spend quality time with Lydia and Stephen Dunn, which was really good. One of the worship times.
Another worship time, Karen helped lead! Along with many of the Romania delegation.
Liam in the "drinkbar", watching TV of course (heh heh).
Nolan and Liam had a lot of fun too. One of their favorite things was the elevator. Another was having their own room and building "forts" in it. =] They handle the 10 hour car ride there really well. Once there, they won the hearts of many of Europe's FM missionaries. Often we'd find them with candy in their mouth and ask "hey where'd that come from?", only to look up and watch a sneaky smile pass over their face. They also took it upon themselves to be "waterboys" at the first evening meal. It was pretty hilarious to watch unexpectant people approach the watercooler with the intent of a simple glass of water and leave with smiles on their faces after engaging in a conversation with Nolan or Liam as the boys filled their glass.
The one day we went out to do the "touristy" thing, it rained. It was still beautiful!
Another beautiful view.

So the trip was all-around great. It was definitely refreshing and rejuvenating. It really got me pumped up and excited about all of our ministries again. It made the briefness of a year come to mind again, but encouraged me in that. Since I know that this is what God has called me to, I can trust that he will do the work in and through the Hopkins and I that he intends to do.
The conference really challenged me to live for the Lord in a way that I have neglected to do, even though I am trying to listen to his call by living here in Romania. It unveiled several truths about myself that I had chosen to ignore and called me to reach deeper, listen longer, and live richer. I have taken another step in discovering and defining my relationship with God. I've left a part of myself behind this past weekend and I know that God will continue to guide the reconstruction. It's exhilirating and at the same time, a little scary. But I stand in the face of change, with God's hand in mine, and say "bring it on."

Here is a set of verses given to us upon departure that really served as great encouragement:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
Hebrews 12:1-3

Amen.
Thank you for your prayers and support!

Pack your bags. We're going on a trip...

2007-11-15T22:43:00.000+02:00

Phew, this week has been another filled with a whirlwind of activity. And it doesn't stop now. Tomorrow we are leaving for Budapest, Hungary! I'm still in shock (obviously, seeing as it's 11pm and I'm not packed) that tomorrow at 6:30 in the morning I will be on my way to Hungary. You know, the country. For a Free Methodist Eastern Europe Missions Conference.
We have known about this trip for awhile, but two weeks ago my outlook on going was grim. There is this little thing called a VISA that is rather important when you are living in another country for an extended period of time...and I didn't have it yet. In fact, I still technically don't have it. But long story short, my papers are far enough along in the process that I can safely cross the Romanian border without threat of deportation (therefore, the trip became a possibility again). Fantastic, right? Well, not so fast. It's not that easy. Although Karen and Maurice have their VISAs (as of yesterday), the boys do not. So then it was a matter of getting the boys all set in their paperwork process in getting their VISAs. Yesterday we had a very successful trip to Targu Mures (where the police station that processes the paperwork is) and the boys were "cleared," so to speak, in order to go to Budapest. Praise God. All of us were "ready" in that respect.
But our car...that was another complication. We knew that we would be driving if we went to Budapest this weekend, so when our car broke down on the way home from teens the other night, it put another damper on going. Another relatively long story short, we were able to get the car fixed within a two-day time frame and Karen and Maurice picked it up this afternoon. There were even more small obstacles that took tackling before we were assured that we can, indeed, go to Budapest tomorrow.
All this to say, that try as he might, Satan is not keeping us back from this conference. We all feel like it is something we need and will greatly benefit from. I am really looking forward to it and I can't wait to see what God has in store for all of us and how he will continue to grow us through this.
"Let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting Him."
Hebrews 10:22
Thanks so much for your prayers!

It's alive!

2007-11-12T22:00:00.000+02:00

Well I can joyfully announce that my computer is back in business! (Lappy is happy.) It has been running pretty much all day yesterday and today; organizing folders, downloading lost programs, reloading pictures, and more recovery things. I can't believe how "back to normal" it is...all thanks to Relu, the computer whizz from our church. =] He has done a wonderful job! And since I wasn't really expecting it to revive, it's resuscitation is all the more sweet. Praise God for the small things in life.

Rainy Days in Romania

2007-11-10T15:06:00.001+02:00

Today I was the first to wake up in the household (for a change) and waking up to silence was so unusual that I couldn't fall back asleep. I stumbled out of bed, stretched my hands up to the cieling, and then fumbled with my curtain before making it safely onto the higher landing of the main floor. With squinting eyes I could see that it would be another soggy, cold day. I woke up at a remarkable rate, all things considered, and readied myself for the day.
My day so far has consisted of a few small errands. Saturdays have become an extra day to "get things done" for me. First we went to the photography place to get our pictures taken for a folder that's vital to our VISA process. Next on the list was cleaning at the Baragan apartment. Last week Saturday I had a "halloween party" with several of the teens from "halfway to heaven", the teen group on Tuesday nights out in the Baragan school. It was quite an experience, maybe a story for a later time. However, the apartment was left a mess. I had gone to clean earlier this week, but it appeared to me that someone else had already done it. After further investigation it was apparently not clean. Anyway, today was the ideal time to do it and so off we went. It was actually fun, Karen graciously helped me (along with Nolan and Liam) and we blasted worship music as we vacuumed and scrubbed. After that we slipped over to the "Russian market" on the Baragan property, which is pretty much a flea market of sorts. We strolled up and down the outdoor aisles quicker than originally intended because the air was biting and the boys were freezing. Last, we stopped over near the piata (open-air market) long enough for Karen to pick up some meat and pasta.
Once we had made our way back home, I threw some leftover chicken noodle soup on the stove and cut myself several chunks of some Hungarian bread Karen bought especially for me. When all was ready I sat down with my hot bowl of soup and bread, feeling the warmth flood my body from head to toe. Sometimes nothing tastes so good as hot soup on a cold, wet day. Then Karen made hot chocolate from milk that Hans gave me last night (basically milk straight from a cow) and afer having a sip of that I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Since then I haven't done much but stay warm and comfy, enjoying an afternoon free of activity.
In a little while I'll call mom n' dad and enjoy an update on life back home along with the encouragement and comfort that comes with simply hearing their voices. Then I'll call two of my best friends and laugh with them about how crazy it is that they are almost done with their first semester of college.
What more can you ask for on a rainy Saturday in Romania?

Bring it Home

2007-11-08T13:46:00.000+02:00

It's hard to tell you exactly how I'm feeling today. It feels like one of those days where God's reassurance of my being here is overwhelming. I'm filled with an unexplainable and ambiguous joy. And I know that it can't come from anywhere but God because the past two days have been dreary. Cold, wet and unrelenting. I felt weighed down and burdened, but today is different. Today I have strength that is not my own. Today I will go to Tsigmadru with Annie and tend to the needs of people who truly need it and forget my own unimportant worries.
I feel like my focus has been off for the past couple of weeks and finally, today, God has brought me home.

"What do you want to do today?...Oh let's just Rome." Part 2

2007-11-04T18:20:00.000+02:00

Alright, as usual it’s been much longer than I anticipated to get you this entry. =] I should altogether stop telling you when I think I’ll get them done. And hey, then it’s always a pleasant surprise when you find a new one. Anyway, I give you: Rome Part 2 (Final Rome conclusions)…
It’s been over a week since I returned home from Rome. My memories already have that history haze beginning to glaze over them. You know, that haze that makes it feel like yesterday and a month ago all at once. Sevral random things still stand out from the fog:
*Seeing the Coliseum from the public transportation bus and plastering myself against the window
*My first gelato by the Trevi Fountain
*The sights and smells of the little bakery/pastry shop down the road from our “house”
*Walking to the Pantheon with Ali and Amanda – Ali: “Doh-vay see troh-vuh Pantheon?” Guy: “Speak English.”
*Homemade dinner nights
*Walking through the Trastevere by night
*Laying on the cobblestone ground at the Vatican and looking at the stars, enjoying the peace and quiet
*Standing in Piazza Repubblica and replaying old memories in my head

I still can’t believe that I went to Rome for a week. It was my first “adult” trip. I’m not a child anymore, and I don’t need a chaperone. When did that happen?
I’ve learned to:
*find my own way around a large, crowded city (use a map)
*take public transportation and NOT get angry at the world when it goes slower than expected
*budget money in a way that’s frugal, but still enjoyable
*be the spokesperson for a group
*exchange valuable information through few words
*bite my tongue when my opinion is of no value
*intuitively plan activities according to the preferences of an entire group
*figure out another person’s preference without talking about it
*confront an issue before the breaking point
And more…

Okay I know lists can be obnoxious, but I’m a list person... imi pare rau (I’m sorry). I just can’t find a way to express how valuable this trip was to me on so many different levels. I not only saw Rome and all its glory (and shortcomings), but I learned things about myself that no other situation in life thus far has revealed. Before leaving, I imagined the trip to be extremely relaxing and just plain fun. I had no idea God would “put me to work” and help me develop as a person (in Him) in the process. It's funny how he does that when you least want it/expect it/feel like you can handle it, isn't it? And it's also funny how it's always perfect timing.
Yet again life here has proven to be challenging, unique, and invaluable.

More pictures from the adventure:

One of the many churches we saw. They were all very extravagant.
Although I don't know the theology and all the reasoning behind this act, I do know it's beauty.
By night, Rome is a different place.
Funky pyramid thing that supposedly houses the bones of someone important. (Haha...)
Fun at the fresh water fountains that appear out of nowhere on any given street.

Meet Ott the troll. He was kidnapped by the group from Hans and enjoyed a week in Rome with the rest of us. Here he's taking in the Spanish Steps. =]

Life is crazy

2007-11-01T13:42:00.000+02:00

From that day I climbed on the plane to this very day, one thought has permeated all I do and think. Life is such a crazy thing. Since when did I become an 18 year old who lives in Romania and hangs out with the elderly (and loves it)? How is it possible that each day I get to walk out of my door into an old historical town and pass under a clocktower that has stood for many years past? Why do I get to go and work in a village that has no true doctor and help aid the nurse there today? Why do I get to experience what it's like to have two "little brothers" who love me? How come I get to hang out with two of Pearce's most committed leaders day in and day out? What on earth have I done to deserve such a life? Nothing.
God's grace is all-powerful and incredible.
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
2 Corinthians 12:9

"Rome-ing Around" Part 1

2007-10-30T08:59:00.000+02:00

I've been back from my week-long trip to Rome for a few days, but long and filled days they have been. Now, I finally have the chance to fill you in a little bit on my wonderous trip. =] Hopefully there will be a series of updates, fairly close together...so keep checking back this week!
So as you've heard several times now, I spent last week in Rome! (It never gets old saying it.) It was a lot of fun. Since I had been there before (for a grand total of 2 days? maybe 3), I quickly became the group of five's tour guide and event planner. It was a real challenge, but I enjoyed it for the most part. It definitely honed my map skills and stretched my ability to plan ahead. Personally, I find myself happy to just BE somewhere...and major events and sightseeing are good things, but not altogether the point of travelling. There is something to be said about being able to visit the same attraction 4 times, simply because it's your favorite and you want to absorb all you can of it. Hence, the group found themselves at the foot of Trevi Fountain several times. =]
One thing I also had to learn is how to feel out what the group, as a whole, wanted to do. This group was fairly flexible and would do "whatever", but there were also times when we'd go somewhere and all would be bored, tired, and dragging their feet. That meant naptime or some good quality sit-down time.
Another thing that caught my attention was the desire of the group to "eat cheap". The first three nights we stayed in an apartment above the Rome Nazarene Church. Those nights we went to the supermarket and bought food to cook at the apartment. We bought a big loaf of bread, parmasean cheese, pasta, sauce, and italian sausage. It was sooo delicious and a lot of fun to cook together. The next four nights we stayed in a hostel that had "free pasta dinners", which meant a small plate of pasta per person. So we ended up needing to supplement that many-a-time with the oh-so-amazing gelato found on just about ANY street corner in Italy. Mmm mm. The major difference in food preference for me, was McDonalds. I think we went to McDonalds almost 4 times. I ate the first time, but not the rest. I was hoping for Italian pizza, or pasta, or even a side-stand panini! I don't just want to see the city, I want to taste it. That's why the one night we chose to go out for dinner at a local restaurant, I was thrilled. Not only was the food incredible (I ordered brushchetta, pasta with a delicious red sauce, and tiramisu for dessert), but it was in my newly designated "favorite" part of Rome.
The Trastevere borders the Tiber River and by day is bustling with Italian people. It often gets overlooked by tourists because it's not labeled as a "main attraction", so as you stroll the streets there are obviously less lost and confused (usually English-speaking) people and more Italians who know the area like the back of their hand. The streets are narrower than normal and the architecture is "older" than in other places. There are little shops, cafes, and restaurants around every corner and each street reveals something more exciting than the last. The oldest church in Rome lies at the center of this area and stands proud with a bubbling fountain rising from the middle of the piazza. Everything about the Trastevere says "this is Rome", and I love it.

Alright, I must be off to elderly club. I must say, life in Romania has definitely "taken off" and the days continue to get more and more filled. To give you an example, since being back from Rome, we have not had a regular sit-down dinner together at home. We've been out and about every single night. Schedules are ever-changing and more adjustments are being made as life here constantly throws us new things to juggle. But it's good, very good. God has been faithful and ever-present through it all. It's amazing to watch the ways in which he works not only through us, but through other people to reach us and those around us. I guess I didn't realize just how much he would have to hold my hand through this, but hold my hand he has, and for that I am so thankful.

On that note, I'll leave you with a few pictures from the trip:
The colesseum. Always an incredible sight to see.

The Trevi Fountain. My favorite monument. =] And my favorite place to get gelato.

This is the fountain in the Republicca Piazza. We got to witness it's beauty almost every day.

An Acquired Taste

2007-10-18T12:24:00.000+03:00

I have always associated acquired tastes exclusively with food. It's the onion or tomato that you hate when you're 5, but somehow magically enjoy when you hit the ripe old age of 13. Well folks, it isn't so. You can aquire a "taste" for other things in life too, and I have done just that. Last weekend I went on a retreat into the mountains of Romania to a place called Paltinis. It was absolutely beautiful. We stayed in a house high on a hill that overlooked other mountains. The fall colors radiated back at us from all directions and the air was cool and crisp. The fog would softly come and go, rolling in and out at an unpredictable rate. It was quiet (when you left the house full of 40 people to wander) and peaceful. I chose every opportunity I could to go for a walk and stroll down the winding road that led away from the house. Life there seemed so intertwined with nature that it was hard to separate the two. It's in this atmosphere that I learned to truly appreciate hymns. I've always enjoyed them, when they were few and far between. I have always loved them at Christmas and Easter time, but it was A-okay with me if that was all. But now, I can't seem to get enough of them. Each night a group of people would sit down in the "family room" of the house and sing in harmonious melodies the old hymns that they had grown up with. When I was not alongside them singing, I was listening as the sound carried throughout the entire house and drifted into every room. I think I was unconsciously learning to love them before the retreat as well, but the retreat definitely served as a climax and affirmation of my desire to know and sing more of them. I've come to the realization that many of the hymns hold so much more meaning and depth than the modern worship songs. Even the melodies and harmonies "offer" more. I feel like they do a better job of explaining God's magnificence, although nothing and no one can fully cover that. I know that not everyone agrees with that, and I can understand and accept that. But personally, I hope to learn more and more of these old hymns and continue to sing them when I come back to America as well. Like I said, I can't get enough of them.
Here are a few pictures from the weekend:
Elena, David, and Doreen. Only three of the Veritas staff who came.

An old church that we walked to the first afternoon. The inside was beautiful too. Very ornate and intricate.

The view from the top of the mountain that some of us climbed. It was hard-but so worth it!

Alright, so by now you are probably wondering WHO was this retreat with? Well, it was a retreat for all Veritas staff and volunteers. So the American students who are studying abroad came as well because they are mainly working with Veritas while here. If you want more info on Veritas there is a link for it under "Romania Connections". It was a wonderful opportunity for me to get to know people who I had seen all over town, but never formally met. It felt like another big step into getting invited into the "family" of Veritas. And a warm welcome it was!

In other news: I am leaving for Rome, Italy tomorrow at 8 in the morning!

How is that possible?!

Visual Stimuli =]

2007-10-09T12:22:00.000+03:00

Alright so it's not exactly "tomorrow", but it works.
First we have the elderly club trip.

One of the old fortifed churches.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxon_villages_with_fortified_churches_in_Transylvania)

Break time. This picture just cracks me up.
The "monastary" chapel. It was fairly new because apparently the old one burnt down a number of years ago. The old one was all wooden and this one was all concrete.
Cute little german lady who asked us, "Sprekenzi doitch?" Ummm, no. "Romaneste" No. "Ahhh, engleza." Da! Alright, so maybe you had to be there, but it was funny. She let us climb to the top of the tower there. It was beautiful!

Okay, moving on to random pictures from around town. Sometimes when I'm walking I feel the need to go on a photoshoot of sorts. It's a lot of fun and every now and then I get a good one.

This is part of the "old fortified wall". Pigeons are everywhere here. In fact, lots of people keep them as pets.
Funky night time picture of the German stairs.

The next three are just plain random. =]

For those who are wondering (including my mom =] ), I have had no lice since two days ago! Wooohoo. Thanks for all your prayers, they were answered!

Hmm. There are other things to say-but no time now. So until next time!

Mice,Lice, and all things Nice.

2007-10-05T15:22:00.000+03:00

Life has been rather interesting the past two weeks despite my inability to share it with you all for so long. =] There have been a few new developments in my life that could be considered "worth talking about." We'll start at the top of the list.
I almost wish we had trained the cat that temporarily lived under my bed to be a house cat because now I am sharing my room with the little creatures we all know and love: mice. They must think that I enjoy their company because there is nothing for them in my room. So one or two will come out at night and scurry across my things, just loudly enough to wake me up. I have the perfect picture of one of my little friends, but I'll have to share it with you some other time (my computer is still rather nonfunctional).
Next on the list is lice. This is a first time experience for me, but it's an unwelcome first. I have a case of head lice. I'm going to try to "Nix" it and get rid of them today. Two weeks ago my head started itching and we looked, but saw nothing. It got really bad yesterday and when I took a shower I saw them. *Shudder* It's pretty much gross. I guess prayer that the nix works the first time would be much appreciated. No prayer too small, right?
And of course, last on the list: All things nice. Don't let the last two things fool you. I've had my fair share of good and fun times in the past two weeks too. One of my favorites was going on an "excursion" last Monday with the elderly. All 3 of the local elderly clubs combined, rented a tour bus, and took the day to travel south of Sighisoara. We stopped several times in these small historical towns that had old fortified churches. They were beautiful. On one of the stops we (Kristen, Kris, and I) convinced David (the elderly club leader) to climb to the top of one of the towers with us. In all reality it didn't take much convincing and the view was tremendous from the top. The main attraction that day was a "monastary." It was on the very top of one of the high hills near the mountains of Făgăraş. Sadly, it was hazy that day so we couldn't see the mountains...but it was still beautiful. Once we got there, I noticed that there weren't any monks around. I listened to a nun preach for about 40 minutes (remember, this is all in Romanian) and she explained the history of the place. I caught maybe 3% of what she was saying. After that they served us a wonderful meal of ciorba (Romanian soup-type stuff), bread, gras de porc (pork fat), and grapes. And yes, I tried the pork fat. It's definitely...different. Upon leaving after the meal, the English speakers of the group were enlightened with the fact that it was a convent! =] Haha. They don't have two separate words for those institutes in Romanian. That cleared a lot up for me.
That day was not only a lot of fun, but it occurred to me how valuable the relationships with those people are to me. God is really beginning to grow them and show me that the time spent with them is high-quality. One of my favorite things about elderly club is that it's two solid hours every day of learning about the culture and language of Romania. And elderly club remains to be pretty much the only "constant" of the past two weeks. Day to day life here always brings something new, which is good...but it's nice to have a constant too. =]
That's about all I have time to write now, but I hope to post some "picture leftovers" tomorrow. So check back to see those!

Temporarily "Out of Business"

2007-10-03T15:33:00.000+03:00

Just a little note:
Alright, so I've been temporarily not able to update (as is obvious) because my computer was down. I'm not sure what I did to it, but apparently I hurt it. Poor Lappy. So now I've got it back, but the internet is down and there's other minor problems. So it takes a lot more effort to try and get a blog entry up. No worries though, I will get one to you this week if possible.

Picture Leftovers

2007-09-19T20:37:00.000+03:00

Food leftovers are wonderful. Usually. I guess it depends who you ask. In my family they were a commodity. I always loved going to the "Roorda Restaurant." Okay that's a lie, not always.

Anyway, hope you find picture leftovers just as great. =]

Me and the hooligans in the apple tree at Dorothy and Roberta's house.
In bucatarie este un frigider mai mare. (In the kitchen there's a very big refridgerator. [I've been practicing my kitchen vocab lately.] )
Strugul. (Grapes) These are off of the vine in our backyard. YUM.

Mental Stretch

2007-09-17T21:26:00.000+03:00

Today was an intense day. I got up "later" than usual for language lessons at 9. Came home afterward to a hardworking, dishwashing Karen and Maurice. The boys didn't go to school today because all of us had to go out to Targu Mures to get our visas. We were supposed to leave around 10:30 and as is normal here...didn't get on the road until about 11. So off we went on the hour and a halfish trip to Targu Mures with Dorothy, Roberta, and Elena in Dorothy's big blue van. We arrive at the judetul de politia (police station?) and it's obvious that all who've been there before are apprehensive of processing paperwork there. Long story short we were there until about 3:30 or longer and I was grumpy. Having no lunch and two energetic boys in small spaces and "quiet" places is not so fun for me. So I discovered.
But my personal paperwork process was quick and painless. I walked in and he flipped through everything, said "sign here and here" and that was that. I am visa-fied. Although before that, we all collectively had to leave the first building, go to another to pay for the visas, and come back with a reciept. Then they processed the paperwork. And when I say "they" I mean, "he". There was only one person working. =]
The way back home was groggy and quiet, until we passed through Tsigmadru which was my stop. I wanted to stay in Tsigmadru for the teen club. We joked that Dorothy could just slow down and I would roll out the window, but that's what it felt like. I was dropped off at the road to the church with a "la revedere" (goodbye) and off the rest of the crew went. Little did I know, Nelutu had just left the church (it was 5 and teens doesn't start until 7) and the only people there at the church were the two guys who do construction. They speak little-to-no English, but I managed to communicate in broken Romanian that I was staying for teens, but I was hungry so I was going to a magazin for some food...and I would be right back. I went and came back (with no food) and still no Nelutu, so I just sat outside and read for awhile. Then I got a call (much to my surprise...I had the cellphone?!) from Maurice asking if I had the keys to our house in Sighisoara. Indeed I did. Both pairs. WAY TO GO me!! Soooo, then I called Emil (our property owner, kind of) and communicated with him in some more broken Romanian that I was in Tsigmandru with both keys and Karen and Maurice were in Sighisoara at home with none. I managed to get him to understand and then I managed to understand myself that he would send Liana (his wife) with a key to the house for Karen and Maurice.
Alright, so finally 7 arrives and I think to myself...back to "normal"...back to what I'm used to doing at that particular time on this day. It wasn't so. Teens came and I said "buna ziua" (hello) and they said it back and we exchanged small talk (cause that's all I really know in Romanian) and I thought they were going to stay so I walked over and sat on the church steps. They left while Nelutu was upstairs doing something. One of the girls who's really patient with my Romanian came and sat next to me, but it was getting dark and no one else came. Nelutu came back and I joked "I scared them off" to which he laughed. But then he was upset, not with me, but with them for leaving. He ended up cancelling teens for the night and we left. I was lost in the midst of language confusion through it all. Sigh.

Note to self: Any given day in Romania will be different from any that you've already experienced. Expect the unexpected.

Sensory Overload

2007-09-15T16:03:00.000+03:00

Yesterday the sun reemerged and gave us all relief from the rain we’d been having since Sunday. Some would say that there was a bit of pathetic fallacy going on in my life this week. My gloom from the beginning of the week was echoed in the weather. I had been gradually feeling better as the week progressed (even with the rain), but the sun emerging from hiding yesterday sealed the deal. I think I feel 110 percent better! =]
Over the past week I’ve experienced several things that seem to have hit on each one of my senses individually in one way or another.

Taste: Every time I go out to Tsigmadru I’m offered a walnut. Right now is the beginning of walnut harvesting season and so everyone’s got them in their pockets and you can bet that at least one of a group is busy breaking, shelling, and eating them. They all laugh when I’m handed one because apparently, I don’t know how to do it right. But I get right to work and stomp on the walnut to try and break it, if that doesn’t work you get another one and squeeze them together in your hands, and if THAT doesn’t work, you resort to your teeth. Now mom, I know you would highly advise against this, but you do what you’ve gotta do. =] So yeah, it’s a lot of work for a little bit of nut. But they’re pretty good. And I can’t deny that I like the challenge.

Touch: This morning Karen, the boys, and I went over to “Miss Dorothy and Roberta’s” house to pick apples. Roberta told us that they were just going to go bad if they weren’t picked, so we went over and got them. It required climbing, balancing, stretching, and yanking on branches. It was a lot of fun. I was just thinking the other day that I wished we could go apple-picking. And so we have!

Smell: One of my favorite things about this time of year here in Romania is the grapes. I love the sweet smell of them! It’s the best when we’re walking somewhere and a waft of it comes from “nowhere”. Of course, with investigation it’s usually easy to locate the source. The running joke before we moved was that I wasn’t coming if we didn’t have a grapevine in our backyard. =] And guess what? We have one! =] So now I’m afraid I’ve been spoiled. Grapes from the vine is the only way to eat ‘em. And I think I'll always miss the smell, once we go back to the states.

Hearing: Yesterday I heard that there would be a pipe organ concert at the local German church. So when 6 rolled around I made my way over to the church. I figured that it was something I’d never really experienced and it would be interesting, even if I didn’t really enjoy it (I wasn’t planning on liking it really.) Wow, was I surprised. The man who played was amazingly talented and it was quite the experience just to sit in this old, beautiful German church and listen to him play for about an hour. The organ was up in the balcony and everyone sat down on the floor facing the opposite direction of where he was playing, but the reality is that it didn’t matter where you sat because the music engulfed the church. You could feel it in your bones. So after I had taken in the surroundings of the ancient-looking sanctuary, I put my head down on the pew in front of me and just let the music fill my head. I can’t explain just exactly how it made me feel, I can only say that it was an experience I won’t forget. I tried to “record” some of the music on my camera. Of course it doesn’t come close to the real thing, and there’s not much to see from the recording because there were actually “no cameras allowed”. I figure you won’t rat me out though. If you’re interested in hearing a bit of it…here’s a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxA0jLRwZag

On squat: Okay I know “squat” isn’t a real sense. But if I could’ve had a 6th sense for these past two months, it would have been a sense of “squattage”. Let me explain. Any time anything was needed from the refrigerator, one would have to squat to get it. You better believe my legs were feeling the burn from that, sensing that if food was involved, so were they. Some would say that is an advantage of having a mini-fridge. In fact, that should be a selling point… “Will give you quads of steel!” Well anyway, although my sense of squat was highlighted the past two months, my legs have recently been relieved of that sense. We got a big refrigerator! With more than one shelf! And a freezer!! I was so excited. I’m not sure why, because we’ll probably get relatively the same food and plenty of people live without fridges everywhere. I guess it's just a comfort of home that I'm grateful for (and wasn't really before I had lived without it).

Last, but definitely not least...
Sight: Well, I had an experience this week in Tsigmadru that left an impact on me. On Thursday I went out to practice music with Karen and Hordu (not sure how to spell his name) because we are going to be helping lead worship at the Sunday night service out there. The service will actually be a special memorial service for Magda’s mama. We practiced in the afternoon and then I stayed out in Tsigmadru with Nelutu for teens later that night. We had a break before teens and so Nelutu told me that we were going to bring food to some people from the village. He told me that they lived in the poorest part of the village, and that their daughter had some mental problems. That daughter was actually the one we were bringing the food for. I thought that was awesome that Nelutu did that for the family and was pleased to go with him. However, I don’t think anything could have prepared me for what I saw. The house (if you can call it that) was about the size of a small bedroom and was made of brick, although there were holes and gaps in the walls everywhere. The roof was made of sticks and recovered sheets of plastic. The floor was dirt and none of the children (of which there were at least 4) had shoes. There were about 4 beds scantily clad (does that phrase work here?) with dirty, old blankets. There was one wooden cabinet that was old and broken against the wall. It was hardly functional, but it held the one piece of meat that I’m sure had served as food for the past few days. The girl was obviously thrilled that Nelutu had brought her food, although she could not talk and was bed ridden. The parents looked thankful, but sad and tired. There had to be at least 8 people living in this tiny space. I describe it not to degrade the people, but to try and covey just how sad the condition is. When we left I couldn’t help but cry. How can I be even the slightest bit unhappy with my life? God has given me so much and blessed me beyond what I could ever need. And yet my heart is ungrateful and selfish, always requesting more. The realization that I want to use my life to help others was cemented that night. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

Time takes its toll on us.

2007-09-11T13:01:00.001+03:00

Well these past couple of days have been difficult for me. I am really starting to feel the snugness of our little abode. I can't say I've ever lived in such a small space for so long and at first I saw it as a challenge to be met and now it's more...something to cope with. It's a difficult feeling to describe, but those of you who have lived in small spaces with people other than your family (sometimes even your own family!) know what I mean. And I'm not "hatin' on" the Hopkins at all! They are wonderful and I've loved getting to know all of them better. I simply miss the ease and comfort of living with my own parents. I bet many of my freshmen friends are feeling the exact same way. =] Well, maybe not YET...give it a few more weeks. It could be the accident on Sunday night, or the weather changing from hot and muggy to cool and crisp, or my schedule tightening with activities...but I've just felt ominous since Sunday. I don't know if you've heard it, but the song "Time takes its toll on us" by Bebo Norman, has come to mind several times over the past couple of days. Here are the lyrics:

Have I become a soul so numb
All too familiar
Words of gold have all grown cold
Over and over
I need to see you in the sunrise
Time takes its toll on us
And it tries its best just to steal our love
And we bend and we break but we don't give up
Time takes its toll on us
From the start you touched my heart
And turned it in to something more
Beautiful, you're beautiful
So why does it have to be so hard
To see you in the sunrise
Time takes, time takes away
Love remains, love remains

It's a really good song, highly recommended. =]

Although I've felt down, I can also feel God holding my hand through it all. He knows what he's doing and he's definitely trying to teach me something...even if I'm oblivious of what exactly that is right now. It's a continuous cycle of learning here. Although I'm learning completely different things than if I were in school, I'm convinced that they are just as valuable...if not more so.
And in the midst of this funk, there is still an untouchable sense of joy. God has given me the means and the will to be here! I still smile at the simplicity of it all, the citadel, the sunsets cast over the hills of Sighisoara, playing Uno with the elderly (who have their OWN set of rules), walking the boys to school in the cold of the morning, the changing color of the leaves on the trees, breathing deep upon smelling grapes nearby, and playing "futbol" in the street with the boys' friends. God is faithful, and will be to the end.

A Loss in the "Family"

2007-09-10T13:13:00.001+03:00

Yesterday I decided to go out to the Sunday night service in Tsigmadru. I wanted to talk with Hans and Nelutu about plans for today and see several of the village people. And I hadn't been out to a service yet! So I was eager to go. From the moment we arrived at the church, it was obvious that something was wrong. Upon approaching Roberta's van full of American students and Nelutu, we found out that Nelutu's grandmother had been hit by a car on the main road in the village. She was in critical condition. The woman who is the general caretaker of the church is Magda Cini, Nelutu's mother. It was Magda's mother who was in the accident and Magda and Hans had left the church to go to her mother in this time of dire need. In the end, nothing could be done and "Magda's Mama" passed away last night.
Obviously this is a difficult time for the church and especially to the Cini family. Please be praying that in this time of grief, they would be comforted by God's loving touch. That an unexplainable peace would overcome the church and it's people.

Things are picking up.

2007-09-06T23:07:00.000+03:00

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Karen!

Yesterday was Karen's birthday. Aside from being really busy, it was good! She enjoyed lunch out with Roberta and then went to Targu Mures to pray over someone in the hospital. After I had language lessons (my first one!) and she had left, I walked to the market and bought a big boquet of daliahs. I also went to the cofetaria and got some eclairs (prajitura) as a treat for her. And when I got home, I cooked dinner so that she wouldn't have to and then made a little card. =] I then proceeded to rush out the door and leave it all behind for her to discover when she got home. (I spent the day in Tsigmadru.) Now don't you wish YOU lived with me?? =]

Just a note to mom and dad: I'm getting better at the whole birthday...special...giving gifts is a good way to love on those who have the day of birth. Sorry it took me this long. =] But don't worry, you've got plenty ahead of you.

So here are some highlights of the week:

*"Shuffle your buns" with the Tsigmandru pre-teens

*Having a conversation with the teens in Tsigmandru all in Romanian (and understanding it!)

*Playing the role of "domesticated Melanie" and cooking and cleaning all day Tuesday

*Walking the boys to and from school

This is along the path on the backroad to our house.

*Buying potatoes and beans from the little old ladies at the market.
*Discovering there is a cat living under our house...the only entrance to "under our house" is under my bed. Leaving it tuna last night and hearing it eat it in the middle of the night.
*A big storm on Wednesday that brought some very cool weather.

*"Game night" on Wednesday night with Hans.

*Building my first successful tower of cards ever!
*Sleeping in yesterday...9:30AM Woooohoo.
*My first language lesson with the American students studying abroad (I knew everything already!)
*Meeting Annie (the nurse) and spending the afternoon with her in Tsigmadru, helping tend to patients in the doctor's clinic
*Learning how to take blood pressure and what the numbers mean. (WOOT!)
Annie, the nurse. =]
Me and some patients. The baby has a umbilical hernia (I now know what that looks like!) and the little boy has a huge burn on his foot that was infected.

*Dancing with the little Romanian girls in the street to some very techno-esque Romanian music (malene).
*Playing "special rules" UNO with the teens last night. They said all the rules in Romanian. Needless to say, I was lost. I was the last one to "go out" (AKA: the loser) and so I was punished with running around the church 5 times.
*The drive home with Nelutu and him turning up his Romanian music after we had both declared "Suntem obosit", or "We are tired."

I've had a very busy week, but it's been a lot of fun too. It's good to have the boys in school and begin to have a more regular schedule to live by. I'm loving it! =]
I still inhale deeply when I walk outside, take a look around, and sometimes pinch myself. It's all real, I live in Romania! Holla back to God for that. =] Haha.

School's out for SUMMER....wait, what happened to summer?

2007-09-02T17:17:00.000+03:00

Can it really be September? Summer has already passed?! Oh dear. I can't believe how transient my summer has been. Yet it has been filled with so many amazing memories...
Bring on the year! I'm ready for it.
This week has been great. Although I posted on Tuesday, I'm not sure how I managed to hold in my excitement of getting a new guitar and not say anything! Well, the "secret" is out. I got a guitar from a place called Reghin. It was about an hour and a half away and I got up around 7 to go (that in itself proves just how excited I was about this...). Karen, Maurice, Hans, the boys, and I packed into our nice Opel wagon and hit the road. Once we got there we discovered that the Hora guitar factory was closed, but they had a store located elsewhere that was selling guitars. So we ventured over there and after much deliberation (and with the help of my handy-dandy dutch friend, Hans) I decided upon a cherry colored "Western" guitar. =] And here are my "artsy" pictures of it:

Okay, I know. Posing with the guitar= really cheesy. But I love it. I'm even considering what to name it. You see, I have a fascination with naming things. My car is Butch, my Vaio laptop is Lappy (clever, eh?), my camera is Snappy... (okay I may have lied about the last two things). Anyway, I think I'll name it a guy name just to offset the pinkish color. Suggestions anyone? =]
The guitar is actually a gift from my parents. It's my graduation present! And I am SO grateful for it. And thankful that I can afford something like this. It's such a blessing!
Hopefully, through spending plenty of quality time with it...I can improve my "skills" and eventually play for worship here at church! I really hope that I can use it to bless others in the future.
Alright, moving beyond Tuesday... the other major update from this week is that I spent some time out in Tsigmandru. Thursday I went out at night for their Youth Group and Friday I went out for Kids Club. I really enjoyed both of them. One thing it made me realize is how anxious I am to continue with Romanian language lessons. I really want to know how to speak it! And understand it (of course). Even with the little Romanian I know now, I had fun trying to communicate with the teens out in the village. They seemed really accepting of me and really kind too. It was another answer to prayer and blessing from God to me. Hopefully I will continue to be a part of the Youth Group in whatever ways I can, including attending their meetings on Monday and Thursday nights. The Kids Club was amazing too. I went to help, but Neluțu didn't really need it. I was astonished as I watched the group of 50 plus kids sit and listen to him talk for at least a half an hour. They were all respectful and attentive. 50 plus kids! How crazy is that? One man keeping that many kids under control for that long...it was extraordinary. I bet that I will be learning a lot from Neluțu this year.
Today has been spent making French toast and reading. A nice, relaxing Sunday. This morning I finally got myself in a picture in "front" of the clock tower. This may be my first "tourist" picture? Okay, not my first...but it doesn't matter...

So this is just a "hey" from me to you. Know that I'm missing you all and really appreciating your prayers and encouragements. Thank you so much!

What's goin' on?

2007-08-28T22:18:00.000+03:00

So here's the lowdown of what's going on around here lately. Last week Tuesday Karen, the boys, and I went to Sovata to a salt mine and then to a salt lake (pictures in the last entry). It was beautiful. The mine itself was a little bit wierd. Apparently Romanians think that spending time down there is good for your immunity and your health in general. So there are playgrounds and a church, and places to eat...all there for people to enjoy. It was intriguing just to see that. Despite it being strange, it was still amazing. The "cieling" was REALLY high and the ground was really smooth. The walls had salt all over them (go figure) and it had this damp, salty feel. It almost felt like you were at the beach at night. The salt lake was breathtaking to me. It reminded me of a lake in Algonquin, but it was a lot smaller and really deep. The best part of salt water swimming is floating!
While we were out in Sovata, Maurice stayed back and recieved our "new" car! It's a white, opel wagon. It's really nice and the perfect size for us. We've realized that driving people around could be a big part of our "ministry" living here. Many people don't have vehicles and if we can lend them a ride to Tsigmadru, why not? Maurice has actually done a lot of driving people around. There were about 3 teams that came from the Netherlands spanning over the time we got here until just last week. He's been helping tote them around and he's also worked out in the church of Tsigmadru with them. This week kinda feels a little strange with no team being here! =]
Karen and I participated in elderly club on Thursday and Friday. We made cards with them and it was a lot of fun. They loved it and one of the groups actually asked us if we would do a "photo shoot" with them next time. That will be a lot of fun. I guess I wasn't expecting 70-something-year-old Romanian ladies to have that much personality. But man, they have enough personality to float a boat. They were adorable. I'm really looking forward to participating in that more often this year!

As for the Beregan apartment ministry ideas/opportunities...it's on hold right now. We were waiting for Roberta to get back because she is in good standing with the director of the school there, whom we have to communicate with. Dorothy told us before she left for the states that's what we should do. Now that Roberta is back, there will hopefully be some new developments with that in the next two weeks.
This week Karen and I led worship together at church. It was great. Karen has been playing piano each week, but just these past 2 weeks, I got to sing. =] Maurice regularly helps with scripture reading. I am really starting to feel at home at that church. I thought it would be difficult going from a church family so big to one so small, but it turns out God knows what he is doing. I really enjoy being able to see people and know who they are and ask them how they are...I can pretty much ask everyone in the church! And I've realized that I still have my family back in the states too, they aren't going anywhere and are showing amazing support. (THANKS!)
This is me, Amelia (Magda B.'s friend) and Karen.
Next week Nolan and Liam begin school at a local private kindergarten. They’ll be in the same class along with two other English boys their age (Gabriel and Sebastian…Bethany and Mihai’s son), so be praying for them as they have to relearn how to live here and will be undergoing a lot of mental stress. It’s an English school, but the majority of the children are Romanian and therefore, speak Romanian.
This week, I will be going out to Tsigmadru and working with the teens in that town. I'm really excited about that and I'm hoping to be very involved in the programs with them. It's really a big answer to prayer. Hans and Nelutzu need a lady around and I'm here...and I've been wanting to work with youth out in Tsigmadru. Anyway, please be praying for that! That all goes well and I learn to work with them in a healthy way.
And that my friends, "is all I've got to say about that." =]

Accumulation of Photos

2007-08-25T22:33:00.001+03:00

Okay, so the truth is I let time slip through my fingers this week and forgot all about posting. So forgive the excess and mixedness of the following:

Sunset out in the hills. We drove with our "new" car to one of the towns outside of Sighisoara and just climbed a random hill. It was beautiful.

The Sighisoara train station. This part is actually the nicest looking thing among a mess of a station. And this part is nonfunctional right now. =]

The forest near the Breite. There's no shrubbery! (Shrubbery is probably one of my favorite words.)

There is an explanation. This my friends, is me in a salt mine in Sovata. I was simply making sure that my money was well spent (like a true dutch girl) and that it was authentic. Indeed it was.

We spent the rest of the afternoon at a salt lake in Sovata! It was incredible. I laughed as I floated in the lake and recalled memories of swimming in the Mediterranean with some of my best friends. The difference here was that this salt lake was a "natural reservation" and could only be swum, swam, swimmed (I have never been able to figure out the past tense of that and I was a swimmer!) in from 3-5PM. No other times permitted! Haa.

Liam and Nolan goofing off at the lake. They always make things interesting, that's for sure.

This is Real (pronounced ray-al) in all her glory. Kidding of course. But she's a beaut, a real big one! (Steve Erwin anyone? His voice incessantly rings in my ears and my brain is beginning to hardwire itself to enjoy his little mannerisms. Animal Planet is one of the VERY few English television stations we get. And you better believe that with two boys, it's all that this house sees.)

"Citadel." For anybody who wasn't good at history, that's pretty much a town square- a fortress used to protect a town. We live within the walls of the old historical fortress of Sighisoara.

The bridge to the Orthodox Church in Sighisoara.

A view overlooking the "river" and onto the main "highway" that goes through Sighisoara.

I hope you enjoyed those, instead of feeling overwhelmed by the quantity of them. I will try harder to split up my picture taking and posting. Haha. Right now I don't have time to write much of an update, but one will come early on this week. I hope. =]
Thank you for your prayers!

Mastery in the Art of Baking

2007-08-19T18:25:00.000+03:00

So it's Happy 1-month Anniversary to us! =] We've successfully survived (quite well, mind you!) an entire month in the country of Romania. WOOT.
So the accomplishment of the month on my behalf, is baking. (I know, I'm all about accomplishing things these days, but you've gotta set goals when living a completely new life!) And baking is a pretty grand one if you ask me. Let me share with you the wonders of Mel's Kitchen (okay so it’s not really MY kitchen, just bear with me):

Crepes. This was the last one of the batch. And the best. =]
Blackberry muffins! And I only burnt about 4 of them. Haha.
Anniversary cake. I give my good friend Betty some props on this one (it kinda came from a box.) The frosting however, is all my creation.

There have been more sweet, tasty goodies made with these crafty hands of mine, but I believe these to be the best of the bunch.

Now here is the reason baking is such an obstacle to be tackled:I don't know if you can see it. But this is our oven and the temperature reads: Big flame or little flame making it a little hard to judge what temperature the oven is when it has been lit. Also, it's a gas oven and has to be lit with a match. I can't take any credit for that part of cooking though, Karen seems to be the only one in the house who has conquered that feat.
In fact, Karen has mastered cooking in general. She makes us wonderful meals and I don't know how she does it half of the time...making "American food" with Romanian groceries is not the easiest thing to do. We've had our fair share of "interesting" flavors and unexpected textures, but all of us are willing to try new things and open to pretty much anything.

Liam is by far the most adventurous with food. That boy will put anything that even remotely looks like food in his mouth. And usually he'll chew it up and stomach it too, even when he doesn't really like it. The other night we were eating chicken off the bone, and he threw a piece of bone in his mouth, determined to eat it, and chewed for about 5 minutes. He gave up, but only when Karen reminded him that bone is not for eating.
And no matter what, he's always hungry. There isn't a day that goes by without hearing the words "I'm hungry, I'm hungry, I'm hungry" fall out of Liam's mouth. Karen said that last night when he was passing the dinner table on the way to his midnight bathroom break, he declared that he was "ready to eat his dinner now". It was one in the morning. =]

Liam devouring some delicious chicken. One night he took the leftovers from lemonade and decided they'd make a good snack. I tried it, but could only make it through the picture. Too sour for me!

This past week we did some more exploring. Perhaps you'll find more pictures up later this week. =]
There isn't much to update with ministries, except that both Karen and I helped with worship this Sunday in the absence of Dorothy and Roberta (the two missionaries that live down the street). Karen has also been providing stories for the kid's sunday school and helping with that. Maurice did the benediction. It's been great to be an active part of the church and I'm excited to see where our responsibilities will fall "permanently" (for the year). Continue to pray as we earnestly seek his will for us here, and thank you for your prayers thus far!
Life here seems to have become "normal" to us. We're starting to find an every day ebb and flow that works for us, but not for long! The boys start school in two weeks and hopefully we will have begun things in Beregon by then...life will be up in the air yet again and living here will be a whole new wave of discovery.

But no matter how many days go by, I still wake up every morning and smile to myself. I am living in Romania. God is so good!=]

Love is in the Air

2007-08-12T14:46:00.000+03:00

This week has been spent exploring, investigating, accomplishing, and enjoying. Hence, there are plenty of pictures to share.
This is one of my favorites. The flowers here are beautiful. And I'll spare you from meaningless millions of pictures of them because they're much better to see in person, in context.

Karen, the boys, and I went on a "hike" earlier this week up into the hills of Sighisoara. We went as high as we could and this is a taste of what it looked like:

I tried to do this panoramic thing with my computer. It didn't quite turn out like I'd hoped. But no worries, I have a video for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9s8HJwlA5s

Zoomed in picture on the citadel/clock tower area.

Karen and I also tromped down to the market yesterday. It was "market day" and I really love going on those days. There are a ton of people. The little old Romanian ladies smile wide at me and I smile right back. The atmosphere buzzes. I can't get enough of it!

This picture doesn't do the market justice. There will be plenty more to follow throughout the year though.

And this is just the accomplishment I'm most proud of this week. My closet. Woot woot.

Rope and nails: about 5 lei
Having a closet: priceless

The reason for the title:
I sat on my back steps last night after the boys had fallen asleep and Karen n' Maurice were on a walk. I spent time to just absorb the not-so-silent silence. The wind picked up fast and the trees bent and swayed. The grapevine twisted every which way and exposed the silver backs of grape leaves. I felt the left over heat of the day mix with the oncoming storm coolness and brush against my knees and face. The skies flashed behind the hills that surround us and the ground rumbled. It was fantastic to once again be reminded that our God is fierce, a God to be feared.
I absolutely love storms. And they seem even more intense here on the hilltops of Romania.

God romances me stupendously.
It's good to know he can never be outdone and will keep at it forever. =]

[Did I scare anyone?]

Boys will be boys.

2007-08-07T22:30:00.000+03:00

I think it's about time for another update. =] This week has been busy, which I am actually excited about. I've watched the boys several times and they are a riot. One minute you love them and the next they're asking for food. Haha. They are funny though and I'm learning how to live with them peacefully. =] This week they've been doing lots of outdoors "camping" and this is their tent:

Liam on the left. Nolan on the right. They also just got new rain boots this week. They absolutely love them and wear them everywhere. Even while walking into town! Nolan once wore his shorts with his bright orange boots and went for a walk with Maurice. He got a few sideglances, but he was unaware and could care less. It was quite the comical sight.
This is a huge snail they hunted down one afternoon. It was a good hour of entertainment.

So here's what I've learned so far from living with two younger "brothers" :

-There are unpredictable substances everywhere. Hence I sat in silly puddy and had a puddy tail this week.

-Bodily functions are loud and proud.

-Anything I'm doing is worth investigating.

-There is no correct position for the toilet seat.

-Noise at any time is a good thing: growling, yelling, stomping, tractor engines

-Hands in the pants is A-okay in their heads.

-The Princess Bride is NOT the best movie ever because of the story. It's ALL about the sword fighting.

So yeah, life here is a daily adventure. I spent one day this week out in Tsigmadru working in the church to do some organizing (scary, huh...me organizing!). Roberta asked me to work on building shelves out there. When I went to see what the job would entail this is what I encountered:

A pile of mismatched shelving with all different sizes, shapes, and other foreign objects lodged in there. So I took the day to just try and sort through it all. And here is the result:
WOOOooo. All organized by size, color, where certain holes were in the wood, and whatever else I could find differences in. Still I don't know if I will be able to conquer the task of assembling them. I think I'll need the assistance of someone who either took them apart or have put similar shleves together...because there is just too much! And wood glue, dowels, and screws are who knows where in the church. We shall see.
Today, Maurice and I went out to Tsigmadru and ended up not doing any construction. We brought the team out there lunch, talked with Hans a little, and then decided to get further supplies for the other construction workers. So we came back to Sighisoara to the hardware store and attempted to buy paint with no luck, they were out. We're not too upset about it though, because that's the kind of stuff Roberta (the other missionary here) does all the time. And if we can do it to be of any help and relieve her (although, she's back in the states on vacation right now =] )...then it's well worth our while.
Anyway, Karen and I just got back from meeting with a couple of people about starting a ministry in "downtown" Sighisoara. It went well, we think. Our next step is to talk to the director of the school in the area in order to try and get use of the facilities. We are hoping that goes smoothly. Please pray for us as we continue to pursue starting ministries here. Thank you so much for your support!
Pe curand! (See you later!)

Imagination makes it happen

2007-08-04T19:21:00.000+03:00

I wanted to share just a couple of photos to hold you over for the next couple of days. =]
This is a picture of a pathway I found on the way to the market. I'm not sure I'll ever see it again, because I got lost. This place is beautiful though. Everywhere and anywhere begs to be photographed.
My favorite accomplishment of the week. I suggested that we hang on to our plastic bottles because they'd make good shelving. So we had several laying around from the past couple of weeks and now that we have a Brita filter we don't need them...to hold water! Karen cut out holes in the top of them and took a pot and banged some nails into the beams and wah-lah! A nice, cheap shelving system. =] Nails in the beam also work great for keeping our pots off the counter and reserving space in the shelves. Take that functional fixedness.

Welcome!

2007-08-04T18:12:00.001+03:00

Well I think it's due time that you all see where I live. This is my (well, our) humble abode.

This is the front of the house. The top floor is the one we live on.
This picture is just a better view of the street that we're on. It's called cojocarilor because there is an old historical tower to the left of where this picture was taken that we're pretty sure a clock maker worked in. Our house is where he lived. Hence we have clocks all throughout it. Hopefully, you'll be able to see that in this video! =] Just click the link and it will take you there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7xwUDjnPGU

It's all in the...food.

2007-08-02T20:33:00.000+03:00

Of all the things I could be missing...friends, family, smokeless rooms, quiet mornings, big refrigerators, air conditioning, dish washer, driving/having a car, and the list goes on...I found myself missing Wegmans the most the other day. I remember Lindsay coming back from France (only two weeks ago) and being uber excited to visit Wegmans. At the time I thought it was strange, but little did I know I would shortly be longing to dance in the aisles of excess sustenance. I know it sounds ridiculous, but everything around this house seems to do with food. If we're not eating, we're thinking about what to make for the next meal and/or how to acquire the food it requires. Then taking steps (literally) to get the food is quite the production. It all depends on whether or not we have a vehicle to use. If we do, we can buy "as much as we want." If we don't, we can only buy as much as we can carry or as much as we can fit in our college-sized refridgerator, whichever comes first. Buying what we need means going to at least 2 different locations and usually 3. Everything comes from all over the place, no organization involved. Call it selfish, materialistic, acquisitive, or avaricious...but Wegmans = bliss.

That is why my adventure to the city of Târgu Mureş today was great. We went to a store called Real and it is possible that it's larger than Wegmans. It's like Wegmans and Walmart made babies and this is what popped out (painful birth if you ask me). There are entire aisles devoted to one single thing like this one:

Behold, the milk aisle.
There was also a cheese aisle. Mainly the dairy stuff held it's own. And although this is what I found myself missing, walking down the glorious aisles seemed not so glorious. It actually felt kinda wrong. I have no idea how many Romanians actually use a store like this (obviously enough to keep it running), but most cannot. Why do I find myself attached to having so many options? Ya git whatchya git. Be happy with it. Basically, the trip quenched my thirst for Wegmans and made me feel content (for the most part =] ) with the open air market, the meat market, and the 3 alimentare stores that we like, which was really nice. And don't get me wrong, these stores do not exist all over Romania...we travelled over an hour to get to Real.
It was a gorgeous drive...

The view from my window.
The trip home required some flexibilty and agility on my behalf because Hans (seen on the left hand side of the photo) and Roberta had to get some supplies. And so did we.

You can't see it, but there are piles of Styrofoam over my head.

Here's the list of "stuff" we had to get:

-Frying pan

-Peeler

-Spatula

-Sink drain strainer*

-Bread pan

-Cake pan

-Brita filter

-small fan

-Strainer

-Plastic table cloth

It may all seem random. That's because it is. It's all stuff that wasn't available in our town, Sighisoara.

*We discovered the necessity of this by experience. Our sink clogged and was overflowing into the neighboring drawers and onto the floor earlier this week. When our landlord came to fix it he detatched the little "S-curve" thing and pulled out a watermelon seed and said "Nu." Simply "no." Ha. He must have been thinking "stupid Americans." We got the point though, no food down the drain...no matter how small.

"Patience is a virtue."

2007-07-31T15:19:00.000+03:00

I thought I'd post a few pictures from this week. Enjoy! =]

These are the stairs that lead up to our house. Don't let your eyes decieve you, they go up, up, and up. My legs are starting to get used to them though!

One afternoon I went to Tsigmadru to see what a medical clinic was like. These are two kids out of a plethora that were there.

Blurry picture of the festival by night. It was beautiful.

Earlier this week we went to a hotel right outside of the city to spend some time cooling off at the pool. We learned a few cultural differences here:

-Girls 10 and under, wear skimpy bikini bottoms with no top whatsoever.

-Some kids just go naked.

-Men wear banana hammocks.

-All women wear bikinis, regardless of size and age. And I got stared at because I wasn't.

-There were no lifegaurds and no restrictions, and no one would yell if you ran.

It's a rainy day today and I haven't done much except read. The advantage of the rain is that the temperature has dropped and we can walk anywhere without getting soaked in sweat. Also, the country simply needs rain. So I thank God for it.

I'm beginning to feel anxious about this coming year and ready to begin whatever we'll be doing. I know God has given us this time to adjust and just get used to living daily life here. And I bet that what I'm doing right now is just as important as what I'll be doing a month from now. So patience is what I really need. It will all happen in time. Please pray for patience on my behalf until God provides something for me to take part in. And thank you everyone so much for your prayers thus far, they truly make a difference. =]

See post below...

2007-07-27T22:47:00.000+03:00

You'll see plenty more of this picture I'm sure. It doesn't look as impressive as it truly is in this picture, but this is the huge staircase in citadel that leads up to an old Orthodox church and a German Scoala (School). Someday I'll get a good one of this.

The view from my favorite place in our apartment, the window. I like to sit on the window sill and look out over the city, and it faces the West which is great for two reasons: 1. We see the sun set every night and each day it seems to be more colorful and beautiful than the last. 2. When I sit in the window and look out, I pray for everyone back home, because I'm facing them! =]

I don't really know what this is supposed to be. Obviously it's a globe and I think it used to be a fountain, but it isn't anymore. The old Orthodox church is the one in the background (but don't mistake this Orthodox Church for the one at the top of the hill. =] )

I don't know if anyone can follow what I'm talking about, because it's easy to be egocentric and forget details, but I hope you like the pictures all the same!

Festivus for the Rest-of-us

2007-07-27T22:16:00.000+03:00

There is a feeling of constant movement in the air. The feeling where, although you sit perfectly still and nothing is moving around you, something stirs inside. And no, it's not your bowels. The humdrum of life beats in your ears and brain.

The reason for this feeling in Sighisoara is that a huge festival has begun. It lasts the entire weekend and I'm sure that thousands of people will come through the city before it's over. There are people constantly around our house, out back on the path outside of our gate, in front looking at historical towers, taking pictures of our stairwell (because apparently it's photogenic). The citadel (center of town) is hardly recognizable. There are stands lining everything that even remotely resembles a wall loaded with gobs of stuff that nobody really needs. Many times you pass a stand that you thought you saw "back there" (a lot of them have the same stuff). Stages are set up all over the place with traditional music and dance. As you walk through the stands your stomach will most likely begin to growl because of the permeating smells of food stands. You would expect life to feel cheery and uplifting at an event like this and most of the time...it does. Then you take a few steps forward and run smack into someone wearing all black with black makeup and long black hair. Freaky? Yeah just a bit. You see, this is a "midieval festival". Therefore it's entertaining and somewhat frightening. =]

Anyway, that is what's going on this weekend. We spent this past week trying to get our house up and running. We're still having a few technical difficulties and the time it takes to straighten them out is much longer in Romania. But, while running errands all over town I managed to take a few photos. (Those are posted at the top of this one.)

Pictures!

2007-07-25T11:18:00.001+03:00

At the Washington-Dulles airport.

The clock tower in the citadel.

The House on the Rock, or international cafe.

The soccer field up by the Briete. My brother went here when he came to Romania. Jake played soccer here with the Romanian kids too. =]

The Briete woods.

More of the Briete woods.

Me cutting a HUGE watermelon. It was ginormous!

This entry is really--July 24, 2007

2007-07-25T11:14:00.000+03:00

As I lie on the carpet of our apartment and move only my fingers to type this entry, I sweat. It is so hot here! The heat skyrocketed up one hundred degrees yet again today. We were hoping for rain to relieve us today, but no luck.
There are so many things to be stressed out about right now, but to be honest, I’m doing great. Several things aren’t working in our house and it can be frustrating sometimes. The ATM cards aren’t working. The wireless internet isn’t working and the man who tried to come help us couldn’t do anything for us because we don’t speak Romanian. Oh how I wish I could speak fluently. Maybe if I pray hard enough it will just come to me. Haha. =] Because our wireless internet isn’t working, our Vonage doesn’t work either. Therefore, we can’t make any calls or give anyone our number who is trying to help us get settled. The only contact we have is through coming to the internet café and spending money on connecting. That is not necessarily a good thing because we can’t get money out of the ATM right now. The boys are tired and cranky almost constantly because they aren’t getting to bed until around eleven. Oh, and the Hopkins are missing one tub of stuff from the flights over here still.
Yet I still find comfort in the fact that I know this is where we need to be. God has us here for a purpose and although it is yet to be discovered, all of these small frustrations are only bumps in the road that will bring us where we need to go. The only thing there is to do is rely on God to provide what we absolutely need and it is for him to determine when we really need it. I guess you could say my patience has been turned up to full blast and I am willing to wait. After spending time in the word and rereading all of the encouragement that I got from my friends, this verse stands out to me:
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.”
Ephesians 3:20-21

And we're off..

2007-07-23T14:07:00.000+03:00

Well, it truly has begun. Today is only day three here in Romania and I already feel like I've been here for weeks. My sleep cycle is not normal yet and I find myself laying awake at night in the blistering heat, staring at the cieling. I tried to read myself to sleep, but no dice. I'm hoping that when it cools down, and when the concerts up on the hill at Villa Franca stop (they had loud blasting music every night since we've been here that goes until at least midnight) I will be able to sleep. And then I can be more concerned about the things I should actually be concerned with. Haha.
We went to church on Sunday at the Nazarene Church and it was great. I was still half asleep...but I met a girl my age that has just spent a year abroad herself. It seems like she and I will get along very well. I'm excited for that. We also met with Dorothy and Roberta today and talked about a few things together. They are wonderful people and very open minded too. I can't believe how hard it must be to have short term missionaries coming and going with their own agendas all the time...and they do their best to be rational and try and make it so that everyone is happy. I think I am going to love having them as people to go to when I need help with something.
I am thrilled to be here right now and anticipating what the year will bring.
Even from the very few days I've had here I know this is going to be difficult for me and grow me in ways I could have never grown at home. I'm nervous, but I know that I am taken care of by the greatest caretaker there is. =]

It has begun...

2007-07-12T00:55:00.000+03:00

Well, with a countdown of only 6 days, I believe the journey has commenced. Never had I imagined that it would come this quick. The simple fact that I will be in Romania a week from now rocks my world even though I've known this little tidbit of information for almost a year. Through experiencing the VISA Free Methodist World Missions training I have learned so much (and it's not over yet!). My brain is in lockdown right now because I've taken in so much over the past 3 days that I'm fairly sure it could melt at any moment. I don't even know how to explain the value of hearing experienced missionaries talk. I can't tell you how many times I've had to remind myself that I am a missionary. That's still hard. I don't feel like I am. So basically today I am utterly overwhelmed. I know that this is what God wants for me, but I feel a little like Moses right now (in a very very humble way =] )..."send someone else". Don't worry, I'm not going to back out. Like I said, I know this is right somehow...it feels etched into my being. I just don't know how it's going to work. And trust me, I know that God will work it out too. But I guess He has told me "This is going to be hard. Go."

Mmmmm.

2007-06-19T06:51:00.001+03:00

So, I'm graduating on Saturday. And I'm uber excited about it.

I'm gonna miss this...kind of.

2007-05-27T03:35:00.000+03:00

So much of this years "lasts" are over. I was trying to think of a list of them, but the one that is at the forefront of my mind is ball. First and last Senior Ball is over. I hadn't been anticipating it that much this year. Yes, I was excited...but nothing in comparison to last year's feelings. And then I had the most amazing time with the most amazing friends and it made me think a lot. I don't know what it was about ball, but I think it got everyone thinking, "this is one of our last events where all of us are in one place having a lot of fun together." No matter what you do, it gets you down a little bit.
Excerpt from Rachel's blog:
"Senior year is so weird. For the fall and winter, it's dark and cold out, and you're sitting and waiting to hear from colleges. Everything feels slow and all you want to do is getting moving and get out. And then spring comes, and you choose a school, and APs start picking up, and everything just starts to go so fast. It's like you're waiting for the plane to take off and you discover that you're actually attached to a rocket. Now I'm just hanging on by my fingernails, hoping I can survive all of the changes that are suddenly very close, and very real."
That is exactly along the lines of how I'm feeling right now.
I've begun to realize this is the end of this stage in my life and we're all moving on. We're growing up. That's hard, but how can we let it hold us back? Some people choose to revel in the high school years and esteem as some kind of "glory days", but why? You choose the way you live your life. Take a chance, move on. Live for each day and face it as a new beginning, a fresh start, new adventures (I think my subtitle says something like that =]). I wish we could all live life like that. Imagine how excited we would be to wake up in the morning. How happy it would make us. Anyway, life is getting crazy. I don't think it's going to stop getting crazy either. And it's sad, yet thrilling all at once. Get ready to see me flail...
=]

Alvin and the Chipmunks...

2007-05-12T20:32:00.000+03:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npObNVS6Gck

So I posted in honor of getting my wisdom teeth out and let's be honest, the Chipmunks freakin' rock.
No, I'm not anywhere special unless you count the indentation I have made on the couch. However, this is a general life step that most people end up having to take. And it's not as fun as I was anticipating. Haha. I mean it's funny at times-like when I'm sitting with my socks tied over my head with frozen peas in them. But definitely not at other times-like throwing up more in the past 24 hours than ever. It's only been twice, but still. I hardly ever throw up. I guess it's the mix of medication and not being able to eat much, having a fever, being in pain. I don't know. I'm not trying to scare those of you who haven't gotten it done, but it does suck. You can still be strong through it though. It's kind of a roller coaster ride of feeling good and then feeling disgusting. And even when I feel good, the vicadin makes me a little out of it.
It's good to know that this is temporary. It's especially good to know that by the time I'm fully recovered I'll be going into prom day. And life is going to feel grand. =]
It's upsetting to me to be going through this and being such a "wimp" when a lot of people all over the world suffer this much day in and day out until they die. That's a really sad/morbid thought. But, I really want to work to help people like that as I live my life of "privelege". Finding out HOW I'm gonna do that is the hard part. I know I need to listen to God's call and if I'm constantly attentive to Him, he will show me. But I just wanted to say that I don't think that this is just a call in my life. This is something God has called each and every one of us to. To help the weak and poor, the suffering and sad. And that doesn't mean each of us have to become doctors and travel all over the place...not at all. I'm beginning to learn that God uses me where I am to do His will. And he'll do that for you too. It can be simply smiling at someone in the halls at school.
Just something to think about...

It's picturesque...

2007-05-04T01:21:00.000+03:00

I took these yesterday!

Today, it's raining. We went to the huge parade in the rain. It was miserable, but it was still funny to see all the kids soaked in their dutch clothes with their little wooden shoes clompin down the street.

Renewing memories

2007-05-03T05:16:00.000+03:00

Alright, just for clarification purposes:
This blog is going to be really unorganized (obviously) and not always easy to read. Writing doesn't come naturally to me and putting my thoughts into words is not my forte. If you know me, you know that I tend to "drop sentences"..."Well this one day I dsjkfghiedjfnllMEHH." Ha. I just want to let you know that I mean well. I really want you to be able to "walk" with me through my new experiences. I feel like I've been learning so much through my many trips and somehow I'd like to attempt to pass that on. Forgive me when I can't make things clear and laugh at me when I make a mess of it. =] Most of all, have fun here. I hope I can at least make you smile through my words.

And now back to Pella, Iowa. Where it:
1. Doesn't actually smell.
2. Isn't boring.
3. Does harbor some different family. But I am who I am because of these people!

So halfway through the second day of being here my dad brought me down to the little square and we walked around it hand-in-hand. We went into Jaarsma's Bakery where you can get the best bismark in the country. I felt like a little dutch girl who should have been wearing here wooden shoes and bonnet. =] He told me stories of the people who own shops and how he knows a lot of the people who have chosen to spend their whole lives here. He reminded me of how mom and he met and even showed me the many houses he had lived in while growing up here. As we walked I let the memories sink in along with the sun. It was really fun to hear all of the stories.
Realization struck. This is where I was born. (I saw the church I was baptized in!) This is where my roots are and part of who I am. It's been amazing to see things and connect them to my memory of coming here to visit in the past. Just today as dad and I drove around the town, we passed by the playground that I believed to be a castle as a kid. It still is pretty impressive which is awesome. A lot of times things tend to lose their majestical feel when you revisit the past, but not this. I went back by myself just to swing and absorb. My best friend Lauren and I used to strip to our underwear and run around in that park (through water fountains and sprinklers...it was all in good taste, haha) during the summer. We'd buy little dutch waffle cookie things and chow down as we swung as high as we possibly could. It was there that my brothers taught me how to hide in the "peaks" of a playground.
How can I have so many memories of a place that I only knew as a 5 year old?? I'm not sure, but it's amazing. I'll be walking by an old building and like a wave, a memory will come to me. I find comfort and love here in a way that can't be found anywhere else. And I love it.
My family is odd. Have you met me?! Haha. When we went over to grandma's the other day I watched descendence in action. I don't know if I just made up a word..but I'll explain. Grandma was doing things and saying things that I see in Dad all the time. And then Dad was doing and saying things that I see in myself every now and then. I'm like my grandma! I haven't seen her in years and to meet her and appreciate her for the first time is interesting. I get my blue eyes from her. I get my stubborness from her as well. And a lot more too...
So pretty much I've realized that this place is beautiful. It represents a part of me that no other place does and instead of being a surly teenager that drags her feet, I'd rather be a young woman (did I just call myself a WOMAN? wierd) exploring her past.
I can't wait for tomorrow when the rest of my siblings show up. That means more stories and more fun. =]
I'll leave some pictures tomorrow. Hopefully I'll get a shot of my "castle!"

Home, home on the range...

2007-05-02T09:18:00.000+03:00

So I know this is sort of a wierd spot to start this thing. However, I am on quite an adventure as we speak...so I thought I'd share it.
I'm in Pella, Iowa. When I first found out that we'd be coming out to this "neck of the woods" I wasn't thrilled. Far from it actually. I hadn't been out here in at least 8 years and there were valid reasons for not wanting to come this way...
1. It smells. You think I'm joking, but you know that "farm smell"? Permeates here.
2. It's boring. There's nothing but fields and farms out here. Nothing to do!
3. Wierd family. I haven't seen them in forever. I think my Grampa's funeral was the last time. Sad, huh?
Let me give you a little taste...

This is the pool at our first hotel.
The view from our window.

Label on the toilet. Haaa.

I don't think there was anyone else with us at this hotel.

Our first night was spent in a really OLD Days Inn. It was funny. I didn't care because it's one night and people deal with much worse conditions than these...but this was so bad! The carpet was greasy, the bedsheets were "bally" and see through, the bathroom was mildewy, the towels were stained and crusty, and there was certainly no accessing the internet. I didn't take a shower there because I was afraid I'd come out feeling more dirty than clean. (It bothers me that all of this bothers me, but that's a whole nuther story...) I was a little bit discouraged.

I'm uber tired right now, but I'll let you know how things changed tomorrow. =]