Posts Tagged ‘Romania’

Newer Entries »

We’re on Our Way!

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

For those who regularly follow my blog, it’s time for me to switch it from devotional to travel again…

Look at the picture clues 

Big Ben

Buckingham Palace

and guess where I spent Friday! Actually, the majority was on a 747. But having a 7-hour layover at Heathrow airport meant we had time to ride the underground train into London where we saw the sights – Buckingham Palace, Big Ben (we heard it bong at 5:00 P.M.) and the House of Parliament (you can see it, too, if you look on a bottle of HP steak sauce).  Then came the return hour-long train ride to Heathrow amidst commuters heading home to the suburbs. Oh my. Imagine standing…in the heat…squished by other passengers…after being awake for nearly 30 hours. Call it an adventure! We ended the day with a 2 ½ hour jaunt to Budapest, Hungary.

We reached our hotel around 1:00 A.M., grateful that the team’s 22 suitcases arrived intact and thankful for a room with air conditioning. It felt soooo good to crawl into bed. Talk about exhausted! And now we’re up and at it again, after about 5 hours of sleep. Today we’ll drive from Budapest to Resita, Romania. That’ll take at least 7 hours, I believe.

You might be wondering what we’re doing this time. My husband and I are leading a team of 9 volunteers to partner with five career missionaries. We’ll host a camp for young adults facing various challenges in life. We’re bringing craft supplies, hygiene items, snacks and Bibles. We’ve planned games galore. And we’ll be sharing insights from God’s Word to encourage the kids and reassure them that they’re loved and not forgotten. I can hardly wait to see the kids we spent time with last summer, and to make new acquaintances.

Re: craft supplies. I was especially blessed a week ago when a little girl named Joanne celebrated her 8th birthday back in B.C. In lieu of gifts, she asked her friends to donate money to buy soap and deodorant for these kids in Romania. The donations topped $180 so she bought candy and elastic thread for beaded bracelets, too. Then she came to our house with her mom, grandma and two sisters and helped assemble the bags of goodies we’ll give to each camper.

Last year we had wireless at the camp venue. I’m hoping the same will be true this week so I can continue posting about our experience. Stay tuned for more!

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Devotionals, Travels | 2 Comments »

Encouraging Words

Friday, April 9th, 2010

Proverbs 17:25 says, “Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.” I can attest to that!

When preparations for upcoming speaking engagements, writing deadlines or missions trips overwhelm me, I find huge encouragement if someone says to me, “I’m praying for you.” Those words bring added encouragement if that individual actually prays for/with me via phone, email or in person. The reassurance that someone cares about me lightens my worry-load.

I remember one instance in particular. Last July, I was one hour from leaving for the Vancouver airport enroute to Romania. My husband and I were leading our first volunteer team to a camp for young adults living with HIV/AIDS. The prospect excited me, but I felt a little anxious about details such as how the team would mesh, how travel details would work out once we landed in Budapest, how effective we’d be, etc. Then the phone rang.

The caller was a local pastor – a man with whom I’d attended Bible college in the late 70s. I’d had no contact with him since because our lives had taken different directions. He was calling in response to a magazine article I’d written about dealing with the fear of financial insecurity. “Thank you for addressing this topic,” he said. “Where did you gain your insights?”

“From life experience,” I said. “My husband and I are missionaries, and we deal with it all the time.”

“Really? Tell me about your ministry,” he said. And so I did. I started by telling him that we were headed for Romania later that day. Guess what he said? “Let me pray for you right now.” Those words, spoken at that moment, stripped my worry away. They were like a hug from heaven, a divine reminder of God’s presence and blessing on us.  

Perhaps you can relate. If you’ve experienced an encouraging word, please tell us about it. I guarantee – your words will be an encouragement to those who read them.

In the meantime, here’s a word for you today: “There is no one like the God of Israel, He rides across the heaves to help you. The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you” (Deuteronomy 33:26,27).

Have a great weekend!

It seems like forever, not a mere 12 days, since we visited the "Mother-in-Law" bridge in Odessa. These padlocks are posted by young couples to signify enduring love.

"Mother-in-Law Bridge" in Odessa, Ukraine

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Devotionals | 1 Comment »

July 2 — Timisoara

Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

Our four IM missionaries -- Andy and Tresha McKnight, Claudia and Tony UdreaYesterday the temperatures soared to 32 degrees Celsius. That’s mid-90s Farenheit. We’re very fortunate that our van had air-conditioning for 6-hour ride to Timisoara.

Funny how jet-lag hits mid-afternoon. I think nearly everyone took a nap enroute. My daughter Kim put her head on my shoulder and slept for about an hour; I must have slept, too, for suddenly I woke with my head on hers.

We went out for dinner with two of our four IM missionaries to talk about today’s agenda. Tresha, one of the wives, and her two wee children are home sick right now. They never get ill. Why now? Why am I not surprised?

Tresha’s husband, Andy, encouraged the team simply to love the teens to whom we’ll be ministering. And that’s exactly what we plan to do. Can’t wait to see these kids again – Gene and I have met most at the day center on two occasions already.

After dinner we walked in the city’s main square where the 1989 revolt began that resulted in the downfall of Communism in Romania. At the end of the square is a cathedral marked with memorials to the children who were shot and killed by army soldiers during that revolt. We sat on those steps where about a dozen children died only 20 years ago, for the sake of freedom. What a sobering moment.

Now it’s our turn to bless the children of Romania. Once camp begins tomorrow, we’ll be having two Bible lessons per day with a craft or activity to reinforce the message, crafts, sport activities, games, and boat rides. We brought marshmallows, Hershey bars, and graham crackers to teach them how to make s’mores. We have balloons, streamers, sparklers – to celebrate July 4 for the sake of our American team member, beads and hemp for necklaces, Mary Kay product for a spa afternoon for the girls, a rocket launcher built especially to blow off 2-litre pop bottles, and more. What a privilege to know and love these teens, all of whom have HIV/AIDS.

In the past 56 hours, I’ve had approximately 4 hours of sleep. Gotta do something about that right now! Good night, all.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Travels | No Comments »

July 1 in Budapest

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009
Sleepy in London subway

Sleepy in London subway

Arrived in Budapest -- all suitcases accounted for!

Arrived in Budapest -- all suitcases accounted for!

We’re in Budapest! It’s 7:00 a.m. and I hear dogs barking, traffic, and a car siren that’s been blaring for at least 20 minutes already. Once in a while a train rumbles by and a plane takes off from the international airport a few minutes away.

Had three hours of sleep last night – the brain was too busy to sleep when we finally got to our room. Batted a few mosquitoes during the night, woke up with bites on my arm. “Oh Lord, give me strength for the busy travel day ahead.”

The trip from Vancouver to Budapest was excellent. Flew on a 747 and got seats in the bulkhead! What a treat! Landed in London for a six-hour layover. We decided to make the most of our time in England, so we jumped on a train that took us from Heathrow Airport directly to Hyde Park where we began a 2-hour walkabout. Saw Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, and the Thames River. All this in 90 degree heat and while on sleep deprivation. ‘Way to make a memory!

Back to Heathrow where we caught our connecting flight to Budapest. All our suitcases – personal and camp supplies – arrived. A driver from our hotel came immediately to pick us up. Couldn’t have been smoother. “Thank You, God, for making this so simple!”

We’ll have a staff prayer meeting after breakfast, and then load into two vans and begin our drive to Romania at 10 a.m.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Travels | 1 Comment »

Romania Trip

Friday, June 26th, 2009

Our team of 9 volunteers leaves on Monday for Romania. Will be hosting a camp for teens with HIV/AIDS. We made the front page of the local newspaper yesterday!

http://www.bclocalnews.com/fraser_valley/abbynews/community/49044306.html

Tags: ,
Posted in Announcements | No Comments »

Valentine’s Day in Romania

Thursday, March 12th, 2009
typical village scene

typical village scene

Teaching "Dum-Dum Ditty" to the youth group and sponsors

Teaching "Dum-Dum Ditty" to the youth group and sponsors

Journal Entry for Saturday, February 14, 2009

 Spending the morning with newlywed IMer Jenn Soare and her Romanian husband was a real treat. They live on the top floor of a typical Eastern European apartment – we arrived at their door after climbing a spiral staircase. Round and round and round we went until we reached the top. Jenn volunteers at a crisis pregnancy center – she simply focuses on loving the women and their babies and helping in other practical ways such as preparing meals for them. Another extremely important ministry. Without this resource, many women would likely abort their unplanned/unwanted children. Apparently the average Romanian woman has had 14 abortions. My mind can’t even fathom that!

(more…)

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Travels | No Comments »

Is Christianity for Wimps?

Thursday, January 29th, 2009
I remember the day an acquaintance told me, “Christianity is for wimps. It’s a crutch for weak people.” I can’t think of a statement that’s further from the truth!

Christianity is costly. It demands the courage to walk away from the world’s siren call for physical comfort and financial security. It requires the willingness to face persecution for one’s faith. It risks the rejection of family and friends.

This morning I read from Matthew 19:16-21 where someone asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. When Jesus told him he ought to sell his earthly belongings, give the money to the poor, and then follow Him, the man turned away. Following Jesus would have cost him financial insecurity and physical comfort, and he was neither ready nor willing to give those up.

I spent yesterday afternoon and evening with a young missionary couple who work in Romania. Their names are Andy and Tresha McKnight, and they minister to children and teenagers who have HIV/AIDS. They’ve given the past 10 years of their lives to helping these kids who are considered the lepers of modern society in their own country. The work has been physically and emotionally demanding as they’ve trusted the Lord for finances month after month, watching the cost of living escalate beyond their budget, being separated from their family for months or even years at a time, living in a land where medical care for their own two wee children is minimal at best.

Are they wimps? Au contraire! They’re modern-day heroes in my books. They’ve counted the cost of following Jesus, and they’re not looking back.

Those who are willing to count the cost are noticed by God Himself. He’s got good things in store for them. Verse 29 says, “And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will have eternal life.”

There’s no possible way that Christianity is a religion for those who need a crutch. It’s for those who are willing to count the cost, pay the price, and demonstrate the courage necessary to follow Jesus wherever He leads. And for those brave souls, a reward awaits!

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Devotionals | No Comments »

Newer Entries »