Wrapping It Up

Why.....
I have been reading a book on "re-entry" after being a missionary. One major focus is to put closure on your time on the mission field. For me, I think it is important to get our blog current with what has been happening for the last month or so- not just so that others can read about it- but so that we have it for ourselves to read.

The Youth Retreat in Prod

We have been working with the youth here in Sighisoara since September. The first half of that time was spent reaching out to teens in the Baragan area. Although that was rewarding and challenging God seemed to be telling us to change our focus to work with the teens in our church. We have about 5 in our church. Most of these were not coming to the larger Baragan group but we thought that our time here would be much better spent helping them grow in their faith and allowing them to reach out to their friends. It has also allowed us to have more in depth conversations about God that we weren't able to have with Baragan outreach. We average about 7 teens in this group- some of which don't go to our church.

A week and a half ago we were able to take these teens away on a weekend youth retreat. Wow- what a lot of work but also a great time. ( A big thanks to Pastor Greg, Mike, Lynn,TC, Big Dan & Mary, and Doug for how much work you put in to making youth retreats happen at Pearce). All total 22 of us went- 9 teens from the group as well as leaders, Mrs Fleshar and Timmea to help cook, and Andrea Kazmierski, Kristen Spaulding, Aaron Roorda, and Kyle Eich who were here visiting Mel. There were two main objectives to the weekend- to have a chance to talk more about God but also to let the teens just relax and have fun away from the some difficult home and school situations. It turned out better than I hoped. We played a lot of crazy outdoor games, walked in the forest, played fotbal (soccer), and played a whole lot of Rapid Uno.



We also had some great discussion times. The first night Aaron gave his testimony. The second night Andrea and Kristen talked about the road to Christ (using versed in Romans) and what seperates us from Him. They really did a fantastic job. On Sunday morning we were able to have our own church service in the German church that is part of the retreat center. It was absolutely beautiful in there especially hearing the teens singing and Kyle playing guitar. We talked about the Sower's Parable and how that related to each of us after the message that we heard through Kristen and Andrea the night before. A major prayer request is that the seeds that have been planted during this retreat find their way to furtile soil, that people come into their lives to support and encourage them during these diffucult years, and that these teens grow up to really have a personal relationship with Christ that strenghtens and encourages them during the storms of life.



Vacation....


The church was wonderful enough to tell us to take a little vacation time before we came back. Right after Orthodox Easter we drove to Arad to say goodbye to the Dunns. After that we headed up into the Apuseni mountains of Romania. I had made reservations at a Pensiune in the mountains but nowhere on the internet did it say it was on the TOP of a mountain. We should have known the road was bad when Romanians we asked said it was a bad road- that it must be really bad. Needless to say we had to travel 16 km up the side of a mountain on a road that was more like a logging road. After an hour we were wondering how much farther it could be when the car died. As it was rolling backward we saw oil on the ground and the oil light on. Turns out that some way back on the mountain road we bent the screw that holds the oil pan on so badly that oil was leaking right out of the pan. Here were were on a mountain top - no town or tow truck for at least an hour- all we could do was pray (well Maurice offered the car a small kick before that). I mean- there is really nothing else you can do but pray and trust God to help the situation. I think that so many times we trust ourselves first and forget the God wants us to trust him first- he will take care of us.

The whole time up the mountain we didn't have cell phone service. I gave it one more try when the car broke and we got a hold of the pensiune we were staying at. God was already at work- it was right around the next corner. He came with his tractor and towed us to the pensiune. The next day a man was going to the city 3 hours away and brought back oil and the 2 part glue "Poxi-Pol". Roberta has always called this fix all glue but this gave whole new meaning to that. The man sanded the oil pan- put the glue on it- and the next day we filled it back up with oil- and IT WORKED.

The people who live in the mountains in that region are called "Mots". It was just like being int the movie "Heidi". They are very self sufficient, hardy, and amiable people- not to mention the cooking was incredible. Almost every meal was served with items right from the farm- incredible Rasberry jam, Zacusca, butter, fresh milk, pickles. As you can see - the car troubles didn't affect my appetite for good Romanian food. The whole reason we were in this area of the mountains was to see the Scarisaora Ice Cave. From the Pensiune it was a 40 minute walk. Maurice was confused on how you go into a cave when we climbed to the hightest point on the mountain. We quickly learned how. The cave was at bottom of a giant hole in the earth. A very disconcerting trip down the side of the hole to say the least. At the bottom the steps were still covered with snow. Once at the bottom of the hole you walk into a beautiful cave filled with ice. One part of the cave is called the church because of the giant ice stalagmites and stalagtites. Good thing Grandma wasn't with is- as Nolan says- she would have been freaking out watching the boys go down into that cave.

a

After a couple days in the mountains we were ready to cut our vacation short and get back home to Sighisoara. We had an uneventful trip off the mountain but only 20 minutes down the main road another teaching trust moment came along. In the middle of nowhere the car starts making a horrible knocking noise and dies. We waited couple minutes and the car started. We drove for 5 more minutes when the car dies again at the edge of the very next town. This time there was no restarting it. There was a wonderful family across the street who helped us out. It was May Day in Romania which means no one works. It also means that this turns into a 5 day weekend and the only garage in town is closed for the next 5 days. Some of you may be saying- call AAA, get a tow truck, no problem. WRONG. Tow trucks and towing companies don't exist here. The family let us push our car into their driveway and helped us figure out how to get back to Sighisoara. Turns out there was was a bus in just a few minutes and the bus stop was just a few houses down. Pretty much where the car died. We rode two great buses, a taxi, and a train and got safely back to Sighisoara. God took care of us again. Unfortunately the car spent two more weeks of vacation in the mountains before we found a way to get it home. That was over two weeks ago and we still don't have the car back. The mechanic always says- Tomorrow. It is beginning to feel like the country song- "If Tomorrow Never Comes". Ah well- Ce Sa Faci. What can you do?

Stamping.....

We came with grand plans to start small businesses in Tsigmandru. Needless to say that our plans and God's plans were a little different. This has been a blessing to me. We set up the card workshop in the Baragan apartment and are working with a Mrs Ludu and Mia as well as Lori and Sendi Ludu on getting this project going. They are all excited about it. We have made over 100 bookmarks and have done well selling them. We have a basket in the House on the Rock where we can sell them. They have already sold over 50 of these in just three weeks of making them. Lori is really talented and I think has the enthusiasm to really make this successful. Pretty soon she will being making actual cards. I went to Targu Mures a couple a weeks ago and was able to have some stamps made that said Sighisoara, Romania as well as Multumesc- which is thank you. The proceeds are divided three ways, part for the church, part for the person who makes them, and part for supplies. We have a meeting tomorrow night to discuss the transition time as well as resupplying, selling overseas, paying people, etc. Please be in prayer for this fledgling ministry.

Other Ministries....

Last Thursday and Friday I was able to provide a ministry to Dorothy through the form of cooking. The Veritas Board was here last week for a Board Meeting. Dorothy was very anxious that they have great experience and had been preparing for them for months. I saw as chance to give something back to Dorothy for all that she has done for us and also to help relieve her stress a little. I offered to cook two Romanian meals for her guests. Mama was out of town so Liana helped me on Thursday. She made an incredible soup and salad but I was able to make the Salata de Beof and Chicken Friptura with wine sauce all on my own. On Friay I made Sarmale. It is good to know that I can actually cook this Romania food when I return to America. It is like bringing a little piece of Mama, Liana, and Romania home with me. The Board really enjoyed both meals which made Dorothy very happy. So- ministry a success. I wish they were all that easy.

Sunday School Room......

The Sunday School room area at the church has been filled with years full of stuff that teams bring and leave. Much of this in English that no one can use as well as tons of craft items in various places. All of this makes it very difficult to have Sunday School. About a month and a half ago I started working on pulling everything out a drawers, cupboards, and throwing lots of things away. On Sundays duirng Sunday school Lori and I would continue to work on it and put things in order. When Aaron and Kyle were here they helped Maurice and David get a huge, heavy cupboard out of the room that had been partially blocking the stairs to Roberta's office. On Saturday Lori and I spent 2 hours labeling every cupboard and drawer with exactly what was in it. She really enjoyed doing it and did a fantastic job. I think now that her big sister Sendi is going off to school (college) she is really looking forward to leading Sunday School (and at 12 years old). Please continue to pray for both Lori and Sendi. Sendi as she takes major final tests for school and then heads off to college starting a new chapter of her life. For Lori as she now becomes the oldest girl in the Ludu house and the one of the oldest teens in church. She wants to continue with youth group after we leave so pray that a way will present itself.

Construction.....

Lastly but not leastly. Maurice has been actively doing construction projects since the team left in February. He worked with a group that came from Maine and tiled the kitchen in the Baragan apartment. All the work we did on our own house before we left payed off. After the group left Maurice and I went down and grouted the whole kitchen. Who knew that when we we were grouting our own kitchen a week before we left that we would be grouting a kitchen in Romania? Needless to say the bathroom is completely torn apart but not put back together. I guess it is God's will for someone else to finish that. When Kyle and Aaron were here they worked with Maurice and fixed and painted the wall at church. It looks GREAT.