The first week of The World Race is called launch. It's where we all come together as a whole squad and prepare for the journey ahead. We gathered a couple times a day to pray and worship together – speaking life over each other and our upcoming ministries. While I have been so eager to get started, I'm thankful for the time here in Romania.
Here is what stood out to me in Romania:
- There are dogs EVERYWHERE! And they roam around the city in packs. I feel like they could take over the city at any time.
- They park on the sidewalks.
- The people here do not like to smile. I've never really thought of America as being an overly friendly place, but it is a little better than what I've experienced here. On one morning run through the park, some squad mates and I decided to give a friendly Romanian hello – BUNÄ‚ ZIUA! – to people we passed by. We mainly just got straight-faced stares back.
- Some people are willing to open up though. On our day of exploring the city, my team met a wonderful woman at the subway station. She gave us some recommendations and directions and then opened up a little about her life story. She was a woman with a beautiful heart. We ended up all praying together in the middle of the subway station amidst the crowds.
- It is a fun city to explore when you aren't carrying a 47 pound pack with a 20 pound day pack.
- The cabbage rolls and Transylvanian wine were very tasty. Toba – a combination of pork butt, head, heart, rind, ear, tongue, bladder, feet and garlic – is not as tasty.
I'm excited to move on to Moldova and begin our ministry there. We will be working at an all boys home for boys who have come off the streets, and some of whom struggle with substance abuse. I don't know yet what our work/role will be there, but I know that no matter what it will be meaningful.
