What's goin' on?

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." =]