Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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One week left here in Tonciu. A week from today we will travel to Brasov for The Awakening, a conference for all World Racers currently on the field, as well as some alumni. After that, we will head to our next destination. At this time, it’s unknown. The plan was Egypt, but that has been changed. I’ll admit that I’m a little disappointed, but we were told at the beginning that our own expectations for the race route needed to be shattered. We’ll be somewhere in Eastern Europe, but details aren’t public knowledge yet. We were talking this morning at breakfast about how the time really is flying by. Gypsy life is becoming normal. We hear Papa chopping wood at the crack of dawn (actually, well before dawn). We wake up and eat breakfast, usually consisting of bread, cheese, ham, jelly, eggs, and my new favorite – Duocreme. Words can’t express the joy I have for Duocreme. Basically, it’s pure chocolate and vanilla swirled in a jar. We’ve found that a thick layer of Duocreme followed by raspberry jelly on a piece of bread is Heaven on a plate. The Kingdom is DEFINITELY here! Sorry, had to throw that in. After breakfast, we pray and have a little quiet time before starting the day. Between meals we do ministry. We’ve been playing soccer, teaching English in the local school, acting out Bible stories for the kids, inviting people to church, and leading Bible studies. Lunch and dinner usually consist of some type of soup. Could be bean soup…or fish soup…or potato/sausage soup. Last night we have liver soup (we think). The kids here are beautiful. They flock to us as we walk down the street. We can’t really talk with them, but they are perfectly content holding our hands as we walk, or sitting in our laps on the soccer field, or bringing us countless flowers as we go door to door through the village.

Our time here has truly been amazing. Mama and Papa are incredible. A few nights ago, Mama called the girls to her room. She presented us with gifts- two head scarves and a floral dress for us to share. These people are so giving, so sacrificial. We were walking home from church last night and a storm was about to come through. It was pretty chilly, and I didn’t bring my jacket. One of the ladies we were walking with took off her coat and wrapped it around me. I tried to resist because she wasn’t wearing any more clothing than I was underneath the jacket. With a big smile on her face, she urged me to keep it until we got home. I could tell she was cold, but she was glowing the entire way back. There is an old lady in the village that has a real shower in her home. A real shower! She invited us to come use it. Yesterday we had our first real shower here in Romania, and it was the most incredible shower I’ve ever taken. There’s no telling how much of her precious water we used. They have so little here according to our standards. But they give all they can, and it’s so much more meaningful.


Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more money into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything- all she had to live on.”
-Mark 12:41-43

Jesus knew we had so much to learn from the poor, but we still miss it. We chase the American dream. I’m seeing first-hand the people Jesus was talking about. When he said blessed are the poor…blessed are the meek…it anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all…

Ken talked last night about how he thought Jesus was a gypsy. The Tonciu people found this thought very entertaining. But Jesus had no place to call home. He was often an outcast. He disrupted the social norm to show people a new way of life. A life of servant hood, a life of sacrifice, a life of love. The people here are helping me to learn to be more like Jesus. And hopefully, you’re learning along with me.