Letter from Romania - week 5
August 11, 2008
Once again, sorry I’m slow getting this update out. And this time I can’t blaim it on a lack of internet access.
Anyhow, the week at the orphanage went well. We camped in tents in the backyard of the girls house, and thank God is did not rain, since the tents where not waterproof. In the mornings, most of the team spend time playing games and talking with the kids, while those with more artistic talet when inside and started decorating and painting the walls in the children’s dining area. In the afternoon, we would continue painting inside, while the rest of the team and many of the kids painted outside. Their playground area had been painted in the past, but all the colors where faded and it looked pretty bad, so outside they basically just painted over what was already there, and didn’t do much as far as new decoration. On the last day there, we were done outside and done with the dining room, so we painted some flowers and decorations along the stairwell of the house.
The kids were very open and accepting of us, and happy to have us there. Even some of the highschoolers where sceptical when we first came, but by the end of the week said they were glad to have spent time with us. Even some nights they chose to stay and hang out with us instead of hanging out with their friends in the city. I know those who were working with the kids taught them Bible stories and taught them about Jesus. Aparently, also, there is a church in the city that has established a relationship with this orphanage, and takes these kids to a camp each year. So when they heard we were a Christian group, they pulled and out a worship song book they had, and came to our camping area after dinner and wanted to sing with us. We, of course, we happy to have more time with them, and try to sing some of their songs in Romanian. So they joined us for singing every night, and on thursday night we got permission from the orphanage to build a camp fire. In these evering times, which were with the older kids since the younger ones had to go to bed early, we had ample time to share with them. And Tim, a man from Canada, used stories of some of his missions experience to give them some idea of what a life of faith in Christ can look like, and how Christ is living and active in daily life matters. We never had an officiall altar call or anything like that, but one of the teen boys, on the night of the camp fire, did say, publically, in front of the others, that he really wanted to try to live his life for Christ. That was very encouraging to hear, and to be honest, he was not the sort of guy that any of us would have expected to get up and say that. I pray that his commitment in those words in sincere, and that God will provided for Him Christian friends to help disciple him and hold him accountable. Really, these teens are in a hard spot. They know they can’t stay at the orphanage forever, but they have very little hope for their future once they leave. Statistically, very few orphans are able to get and hold a decent job. Many of them will probably end up just living on the streets. Already many of them seem to spend a lot of time just hanging out on the streets. And seeing and knowing the reality of that lifestyle, I think a lot of them have trouble seeing how the Christian lifestyle can be anything more than just idealistic, or good for people who are better off than they. But I hope we were able to make some impact in their hearts when we were there, and I know they said they were very impressed with us, and even the fact that we were willing to come and stay on their own turf.
This was my last week in Romania, and I was sad to have to leave, but I was also tired of traveling around so much all the time, so in that sense I was ready to be done. I had to travel back to Sofia, Bulgaria to catch my plain. I missed my bus in Bucharest, so I had to take the train instead, which was a little frustrating at the time, but God has his reason for everything. Part of what I was hoping to get out of this trip was just to be better read to share to gospel with people wherever I am. In the past that has not really been my strong point, and I’m not naturally good at leading a conversation. But I think God showed me a bit of His faithfullness as He gave me ample opportunity to share His truth with another man that night on the train, and He gave me the words to speak, and boldness in speach that I’ve never had before. After arriving in Sofia I had a few days before I had to fly out, and it was nice to have time to relax and make contact with some people that I had met there before. And here again God provided for me the share the gospel with an Egyptian man I ran into in the park. So may God bless both these seads that were planted.
And now I am home again, trying to get adjusted and settled in a bit. I would appreciate if you guys would continue to pray, as all my plans are really up in the air at this point. I need to find a job and start working on paying off my debts. But being over in Europe reminded me of how much I love being over there and in many ways feel like I belong over there. So I’m anxious to return, but I need to wait for God’s timing, although I really do think I many be going back in only a couple years or so. And when I do return I was it to be on a more longterm basis.
Thank you all for your prayers, God is faithful in all things.
Beth
One of the Hungarian girls on our team playing with one of the Orphans.
We made some play dough one day for the kids to play with.
Painting in the dining area. The orphanage had requested “happy fruits and vegetables.”
Two of the teens at the folk village museum we went to. Coco, the one of the left, stated at the end of the end of the week that he truly wanted to live his life after God. I continue to pray for him.
Romania has amazing watermelon, and lots of it.
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