Let Me Fill You In!

Well, it’s officially been three weeks today since I first arrived in Romania. My team and I have been so incredibly busy that I have barely had time to write. You may have noticed the lack of blog updates, and I’m sorry for that. In one short post, I will try to fill you in on everything we have been doing here. Ready… Go!

For the first full week we were here, we spent almost every day working in the office. We prepared skits, songs, and illusions for the programs we would be doing in villages during the summer. I loved helping Jan and Rachelle plan schedules and make props in preparation! That’s right up my alley! We had our first program two weeks ago in a very small village in the middle of a field. Even though it was our dress rehearsal, the children were overjoyed by our presentation. We shared about finding the truth in Jesus Christ using clowns, puppets, games, and more!! I had so much fun! But that was only the beginning… We had two more programs the next day; one at an orphanage, and the other at a kindergarten graduation. The weekend in its entirety was a total success!

Next, it was time to prepare for a short term missions team from Wichita, Kansas. Jan, Grati, and Rachelle spent hours preparing their schedule and the villages in which they would minister. We spent the week preparing 17 beds with new sheets and towels, doubling bins full of supplies and props, and completing other various tasks that were needed for their arrival. Meanwhile, camp was in the back of our minds, so we were preparing a program for that event as well. The Kansas team consisted of 7 leaders and 10 kids/teenagers. They were in Constanta for two days, but we traveled with them the last portion of their trip to a few different villages. It was neat to be able to watch the program with the kids as the group performed.

While the group was here, we traveled through the Transylvania Mountains to visit Bran Castle, also known as Dracula’s Castle, on their free day. The trip up there was a little rough because several group members got sick, but luckily I managed to steer clear of the stomach bug for the first time in my life. I couldn’t help but smile as I stared out the window. The view was beautiful and I was surrounded by wonderful people! I was perfectly content! We took a tour of the castle, and it was fabulous! Then, we got to shop… even more fabulous!! We finish the day with shaorma (my favorite food here) to top it all off! We were sad to see the team go, but we still had a lot of work to do so there was no time to rest!

I will give more details about the villages that we visited at a later time. There is a lot there to tell and I want to spend more time on those posts so I get it right. The past few days we have put in 9-10 hour work days at the office preparing every detail for camp. As I finish this post, the vehicles are packed and we are preparing to leave for the camp we have worked so hard to plan. I get to be a counselor in a room of girls! They don’t speak English and I don’t speak Romanian, but I am excited to see how everything works out! I’m sure I will have many stories to tell when I return. I may also get a day or two off when I get back, so hopefully there will be more blog posts coming your way!!

Until then, please pray that God would give us the strength to make it through the camp. Also, that both staff and children will be safe and healthy. Pray that the language barrier would not become a frustration or hinder my team from sharing the love of Jesus with our campers. We have children coming from many different villages that Jan has worked with before, but the government is also sponsoring 12 children from a secular orphanage to come to our camp for the first time! We are excited about their attendance, so please remember those students in your prayers. We are praying that they really enjoy the camp, that they will be open to the teaching, and as a result, the orphanage will want to work with us further in the future! Thank you for your continued prayers! God Bless!

Beautiful Mountains:

Part of Bran Castle:

So Many Kids:

Behind the Curtain:

A clown from the Kansas Group with adoring fans:

Jan with a Young Girl from the Village:

Kansas Team Member Megan with the girls:

Having Fun Even though it's 102 Degrees!

This is the Start of Something Good

So this is slightly delayed, but I'm trying to catch you up bit by bit. This is my journal from May 29th...


This is the start of something good

After a very busy and tiring first day in Romania, I must admit that I was not looking forward to an early morning, followed by a three hour drive. What I was initially dreading turned out to be a fabulous day.

Today we worked with Travis, a missionary currently working with Jan, and helped run a Junior Bible Quiz tournament in Constanta. This is a city right on the Black Sea, East of Bucharest. Chelsea and I rode in a van with three Romanian volunteers who spoke little English. It was quite an adventure trying to communicate, but we tried to pick up a few words to add to our Romanian vocabulary. I also tried to keep my eyes peeled during the drive to admire the Romanian countryside, but after about an hour, I fell fast asleep. I fully believe that this nap was important preparation for the long day.

When we arrived at the church in Constanta, we unpacked our equipment and began preparing for the event. Since I don’t speak any Romanian, I didn’t figure I would be of much use, but Travis and Jan had jobs for us to do. Each girl was assigned to a Romanian Quiz Master to keep time in their room. All I had to do was count seconds on my watch, but I was simply glad to be useful. I was also paired with a fantastic quiz master, Adrianna, whom I quickly befriended.

Instead of electronic buzzers, the kids used flyswatters with an X in the middle of the table. The flyswatters actually seemed more fun, not to mention, a lot more cost effective! So clever! I was amazed at the knowledge that the kids had about the Bible. Though I did not speak their language, it was apparent that they had studied the Word and spent much time in preparation. The JBQ program is really taking off here, so it was neat to be a part of the action.

After the tournament, our team drove through the city to the coast of the Black Sea! It was incredibly beautiful! We were all so excited to roll up our pants, take off our shoes, and feel the sand between our toes. We spent several hours searching for sea shells and watching fisherman reel in their catches on the pier. We explored as much of the area as we could before being dragged off to find something to eat. I could have been content to camp out on the beach all evening, but home required a three hour drive, so we packed up and hit the road.

I spent an afternoon at the Black Sea, and it was well worth the drive…

JBQ:


The participating kids with Adrianna:


There it is...


Our Group, from left to right:Me, Chloe (Travis' daughter), Chelsea, Ruthie, Sarah, Adrianna


That's Me!


Happiness is...