Welcome to my camera roll! These are some moments from the past two months in Romania, along with stories and lessons that go with each one. Romania has been full of many little moments, learned lessons, and simple joys. The time I spent there was a gift, and I am thankful for the gift of being able to share it with you through pictures and words the best that I can.
We Made it!
After forty hours of travel, laughter, tears, and a nosebleed, we made it to Romania! Not being able to sleep on planes, trains, cars, or in airports, I was exhausted. Everything was going well until the last train ride, where I had a bloody nose and shed a few tears due to a stressful situation. It’s a long story: ask me sometime. But, when we did get to our final destination, I think we were all ready to be there. We arrived in the middle of the night exhausted. When we got to the Mission House and got settled, I slept twelve hours. I don’t think I have ever slept twelve consecutive hours. Waking up in a bunk bed in Romania at 3 pm was extremely confusing, and it took me a while to understand where I was, what time it was, and how I got there.
While I found our travel days stressful and was humbled by the tears and blood streaming down my face, I am thankful for this squad that cares for one another well and deeply loves each other. As the body of Christ, when one part of the body hurts, the whole body suffers. Some people on the squad love travel days, and others find them stressful. As one who finds travel days stressful, I am thankful for my squad. I am grateful for how they see people so well, meet them where they are, and help them in any way they can. When my nose was bleeding, somehow, someone managed to get out a baby wipe within seconds. They identified a need they could meet and a way to bring a little bit of comfort to a stressful situation.
The Mattress People
These are some of my people, and these are our mattresses. We spent most of our off time on these dirty mattresses in the hallway. One day, we watched four movies back to back. We have a lot of fun together, and I love them a lot. These people are like family to me, and I love them as if they are family. One of my favorite memories of these people on these mattresses is when Luke and I played What Are The Odds, but Brooke lost no matter what. “What are the odds you lick Brooke’s foot?” Obviously, I said, “One out of two halfsies.” No matter what, Brooke had to have her foot licked. She wasn’t playing, but she was part of the game.
Evangelism
The part of Romania we were in is full of people who were hurt by the church, are curious about Christianity, or are deep into legalistic tradition. The church we partnered with was passionate about evangelism and bringing the gospel to as many people as possible. Something we did to do this was hand out hundreds of free calendars that contained the gospel message written on their pages. Seeing people’s faces light as you gave them a calendar was fun. It may seem silly and an inefficient way to spread the gospel, but we reached so many people through this. Being the beginning of the year, people needed calendars. When they bring the calendar home, their families also receive the good news. I didn’t think this would bring people to Christ, but the pastor shared testimonies with us of people telling him they came to know Jesus through these calendars. God is working, and we have to be okay that sometimes it looks different than what we expect.
Castle Trip
We had the opportunity to travel to a different region of Romania to explore an old fortress and stunning castle. The entire trip was full of the creation of good memories. The drive to the castle was full of laughter and even a bit of poop on the ceiling. How did there come to be poop on the ceiling? That’s an excellent question, and I still don’t have the answer. Nonetheless, how could I forget a drive with poop smeared on the ceiling? How can I look back at that moment and not laugh?
At the castle, we spent most of our time posing like every statue, carving, and painting we saw. We laughed together as we recreated them as closely as we could. We tried to master the facial expressions and poses. Some of these proved more challenging than others, but we laughed together as we tried to recreate every detail. I am grateful to make memories with these people and in this place.
Sweet Sabbath Moments
Sundays get sweeter and sweeter every week. I appreciate the gift of Sabbath, but the next week comes, and I grow in a love for the gift God has given us. To cease working one day a week and rest is God’s command. His commands are a life-giving gift, not a rule-setting burden. I have been finding life in obeying His command to keep the Sabbath day holy. These rest days have been filled with fellowship, movies, reading, naps, ordering food from Glovo, and diving into Scripture. On my Sabbath, when I slow down and rest, I notice the small things and grow in appreciation for them. It is a day that I can take a breath and thank God for all He has done, is doing, and will do.
Snow Day
God created the seasons, and we get to enjoy them. We get to enjoy the sun and warmth in the summer, the colorful leaves and their beauty in the fall, the snow and the fun snowball fights brought in by winter, and the new life and growth in the spring. In North Carolina, we got to experience the beauty of fall; in Guatemala, the growth of spring; in Romania, the fun of winter; and in Eswatini, we will experience the warmth of summer. Our squad has been blessed with the chance to experience every season and all that they bring with them.
The morning I woke up to snow, I felt like a little kid waking up to a snow day with nothing else to do but play outside. It was one of our off days, so we played in the snow. There were snowball fights, running in the fluffy new powder, putting snow down jackets, and sliding on ice. It was a fun day when we embraced our inner child and played like kids again.
Girls Night
There was a weekend we were given the option to go to Bucharest, the capital of Romania, or to stay home and lean into rest. At this point in my blog, you know Sabbath has a special place in my heart. Wanting to rest and spend time with God, I decided to stay home and do just that. Most of the squad was gone, and only a few girls stayed home. The house was quiet, and new friendships were being built. Those who stayed home agreed to dress up and go out for a girls’ night dinner. I didn’t want to dress up and go to dinner, but I did and had fun. One of the highlights from that dinner was the pasta someone ordered with shrimp with eyes. Memories were made with those girls that weekend as we grew in friendship.
New Friendships
In addition to being passionate about evangelism, the church we partnered with is passionate about building relationships with the local youth. One day as we were doing evangelism, Gracie and I met a girl who we started a relationship with. After meeting her outside, we went to Starbucks and talked with her for several hours. We asked her about what she believed and listened to what she had to say. We asked her questions about her beliefs and shared what we believe. We met with her again and spent time talking about the Good Samaritan. I enjoyed getting to know her, listening to everything she said, and answering her questions. I was blessed by this friendship, and the time I spent with her. I hope to continue to talk more with her and pour into her life. Though she didn’t accept Jesus while we were in Romania, I continue to pray for her and that the seeds we planted would fall on good soil. If you want to partner with me in praying for her, pray that she encounters God’s love and sees Him as a good father.
English Club
This group of individuals is so special, and they have a special place in my heart. Together they have cultivated a deep community that is built upon the acceptance of one another for who they are. They all have unique personalities, yet they love each other. Teaching them English every Saturday morning has been an honor and a joy. I am honored that they welcomed me in so kindly to have fun with them. They have shown me what being one body with different parts looks like.
Last Youth Night
The church that we partnered with hosts youth nights every Saturday. We spend much of the week, as we are evangelizing, inviting the youth to come on Saturday. It has been inspiring to see how the more intentional we were with the youth we met, the more youth attended. At one of the youth nights, I met two girls who I have a lot of love for. From the first youth night I met them, I loved them and wanted to get to know them better. I got coffee with one of them just before leaving and loved talking with them on Saturday nights. Our last day of ministry in Romania was a youth night, which meant after a fun night of hanging out, we would have to say goodbye to our new friends. The night was really fun, but I also had a heavy heart as I knew the goodbye was coming. When the event ended, those of us who got to know and love these girls prayed over them before we said a final goodbye. Just as the English Club participants have a special place in my heart, so do these two girls. I hope our friendship continues, even though we may not be in the same country again.
We’re in Africa
This picture was from yesterday. We were at the airport, and now the base in Eswatini. God has been so gracious to us in Romania. My time there is characterized by growth through challenges. Yet, despite the challenges, my eyes were fixed on God and His goodness. Though I don’t know much about what our time in Eswatini will look like, I am excited to continue to fix my eyes on God and see His goodness. I am excited to see what God has in store in the coming months. He is good, and He is faithful.
Other Moments from Romania
