we started out hanging around the airport for a couple hours (actually a lot of hours) because something got mixed up with the vans that were coming to get us. . .or something. isn't it funny how something that, in the present was annoying, and now i can't even remember what it was all about? thats a nugget we can keep for later. anyway once we got in our vans we traveled to where we were staying and crashed. all i remember about the next day is that we ate SO much food. like, they didn't stop feeding us.
side note: having a food allergy in a country where you don't speak the language can actually be hilarious. i was making animal noises to a lady trying to guess what it was. (turns out it was pork, oink oink)
that week we ran a vbs and stayed at the bible college and helped with graduation and church. as long as i live i will never forget the look on their faces the first time we started singing in their language. i'm getting a little weepy thinking about it. i can't describe it, i can't even come close. but i won't forget it.
we saw a castle somewhere in there. . .
the next week we spend at camp joy. i've been sitting here for ten minutes just remembering it. so many things i could say, so many memories there. all the singing. all the playing with the kids, all the sleeping two to a bunk because we were cold, all the dish washing, showers in the sink, food that was amazing and the one food that we tried really hard to get down. (sorry guys i just can't do sarmali!) all the late night giggles, sick friends, long walks up steep hills. the list could go on for a long time.
but here are the two best things about that week. alexandra florea and reby ciuciu.
i am going to say something that might be hurtful if you have these, but if you have ever had a conversation with me about missions, then you know how i feel about the typical "selfie with an orphan" picture. i strongly dislike them, and here is why. short term missions are a tricky thing for me, and i feel as though it has almost become the thing to do as a christian. kids go to africa to get that picture and then post it as their profile picture on facebook. it becomes a notch in the christian belt, a "hey look at me serving Jesus with these helpless kids" and yes i know that is not everyone's intention behind them, but stop and think about what we do to these kids, their life goes on after you get back. you never see them again. i would even say that, if you plan on writing to them and keeping up with their life, then go ahead and use that picture for your profile! because that kid would be your friend if you kept up with their life. but think about them as human beings that have life too. the two ladies i met in romania are beautiful woman now, both love Jesus, both are a blessing to me still. (even when i can't read their status on facebook.) and they don't deserve to be turned into a missions trip badge of honor.
wow. i got on a little soap box there. i don't mean to offend you but we really should think about what we are doing to those kids.
alrighty! back to the girls! they were both there the whole time we visited and alex was super helpful because she spoke english too! we would ask her how to say all kinds of things and she would always willingly tell us. she taught us songs and was such a fun girl to hang out with! she is 18 years old now and every time i see her new pictures i'm jealous of her style and the great places she gets to visit! (next stop america please! wink wink!) reby the whole week was one of my favorite buddies! i still have the note she gave me before we left! its tucked in my bible and every time i see it i get super happy! it has a heart, two stick figures and the words "i love you abby, love reby." i remember she hadn't learned that much english yet so she would tell me she loved me and hold my hand. oh man she also knew "don't go." and that about ripped me in half when they put all the kids in the van the day we left. (jeez i'm crying again.) she was always laughing at stuff and oh how i wish i knew what they were saying! probably something like, "crazy sweaty americans." or "these girls have a lot of bug bites on their faces." i don't know but whatever it was they were laughing at, i could have listen to it for days. reby is 16 now and i have noticed she wears stripes a lot so that means we are kindred spirits! she is such a beautiful young lady and always has a smile on her face. if i rich i would be back to visit them so fast! maybe someday.
i know that turned into such a long post! i feel like i haven't even covered half of that trip. but as always please enjoy these terrible pictures from mr point and shoot.
^^only downside, our room had flees.
^^the market.
^^one sunday while we were there the families at the church each took a couple of us for dinner. after dinner the girls took us for a walk. that was by far one of the best days.
^^the best! reby is so much older now! this picture makes me laugh so hard!
^^again, i can't even begin to capture how beautiful this country is.
^^now i'm not really sure whose great idea it was to take a bunch of children up a huge hill we could possibly die on, but thats what we did. and it was actually pretty fun.
^^i apologize evan if you ever see this but we were just teenagers. this was hilarious then. . .and now.
^^oh to be that crazy again.
oh to be back in this country! i can't say it enough. this was the best trip i ever went on, and i am so thankful for all the opportunities God provided me. i can honestly say it made me who i am today.
such a beautiful and interesting place. i have never been, and to be honest, i've never even thought of going. i've never been out of the country, but i will definitely have to put this down on my ever growing list of places to visit.
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