Banking Boo-Boos and Bye-Bye

From a Romanian village back to the bustling city of Bucharest.

Today Darlis and I went shopping with Jill, another IM missionary. Bless her heart – that woman’s driving skills surpass anything I’ve ever seen. Let’s just say she’s very, very good.

And I was very, very thankful that SHE was the one driving in the city…not yours truly. I’m sure I would have gotten us killed in the process of trying to figure out which lane to use.

A pocketful of cash

I made a boo-boo at the bank machine today. Not understanding the exchange rate between Romanian and Canadian currency, I punched in an amount that I thought was reasonable. At first the machine told me that I couldn’t withdraw that much. So, I tried again with a lesser amount.

The machine complied this time. I took the bills and stuffed them into my wallet. Later, I realized that I’d withdrawn the equivalent of about $500. Oh my goodness – I only wanted $60. Live and learn! Such are the joys of cross-cultural experiences!

Grateful for friends’ hospitality

I’m thankful for the hospitality shown to us by our IM staff. I realize that having company means flip-flopping their schedules, driving us from point A to point B, adjusting menus to fit dietary restrictions, washing bedding and towels without the convenience of electric dryers to complete the task, and the list goes on.

As our journey draws to a close, I want to say “Kudos” to our missionaries. This has been a most amazing event in my life. Seeing your lives up close and personal has helped me understand your needs and concerns more thoroughly. Now I can pray more intelligently for you. You are loved!

And now for bedtime. It’s only 8:30 p.m., but morning will come early. We have to get up at 3:30 a.m. so we can drive to the airport and catch our flight home. It’ll be a lonnnnng day.