romania news

a sincere apology for my absense in writing, but since i've been in romania internet time has been a little hard to come by. but here's an attempt at a short summary of what i've been up to lately ....

i arrived in romania october 1st, after 31 hours of travel, exhausted but grateful to be off a plane and on the ground again. our team of eight women are staying at the ywam base in cluj-napoca, in the northwest part of the country. the base is just outside of the city and we're in what would be likened to the suburbs. there are little family farms surrounding us and the countryside if beautiful. the neighbor brings his cow over to mow our backyard ....

some of our ministry activities have been .... bringing food and groceries to some homes of needy families (had some amazing conversations there); picking up garbage along the dirt road that runs in front of the base; visiting some children's homes for kids that are in high risk situations (parents are in jail, there is drug/alcohol abuse, domestic abuse, etc); teaching english in a couple of high school classes; some cleaning projects here at the base; touring around the city and getting our cultural education in; prayer walking at some important and influential points in the city; cleaning the office building of a crisis pregnancy center; and we'll be going to a village from the 26th - 30th .... hopefully staying in a house with heat but we don't know that yet for sure. it's been in the 30s overnight and daytime highs usually in the mid-50s. we'll be spending time with the kids in the village probably, teaching english, talking about God and maybe helping them harvest their potatoes. :) should be fun!

we've been having some really incredible base intercession/worship times with the team here .... times when we've felt like God has given specific words, prayers and Scriptures to be prayed over the romania base leaders and their students .... really touching heaven and hearing God's heart for this place. we've been so welcomed and accepted into their family here and worship/intercession times have just made us even closer as we pray for them and worship next to them. their love for God runs so deep and their wisdom and trust in God humbles me every day. they've walked some hard roads and their faith challenged but they remain unshaken. they walk in obedience as God gives them strength. they've inspired and encouraged us all.

we're all safe and well, but the colds have been making their rounds. one of our team members (karen, the nurse) got really sick and this morning when we were waking up it sounded like there was a man in our room. poor girl ... her voice isn't doing so well. but it makes us laugh, so it can't be too bad. she's sitting right behind me as i type (we're at an internet cafe) so i shouldn't write anything too terrible about her. :) (and she says hello :)

anyhoo, that's my attempt at keeping you semi-updated on what i'm doing. hopefully i can write again, but i won't promise anything. i return to the states november 5th and then fly back to mn about a week later. thank you all again for your prayers. it makes such a big difference in what we're doing. blessings, hugs and kisses, erika