Our first week in Serbia has been nothing short of incredible. Honestly, I did not really know what to expect from Eastern Europe. I went in with zero expectations, except to be a part of growth in others and myself. Also, I heard a lot about the gelato.
Somehow, we got the privilege of spending time with some incredible kids that know their way around Novi Sad. Sunday was technically an off day for us, but the kids insisted that we hang out before church that night. I’m not quite sure how it happened, but we ended up being led into the city by a ten-year-old Serbian boy that only knows “Hi” in English. He lead us three miles away from our host home to a hamburger stand in the freezing, pouring rain. I am not exaggerating when I say it was the best chicken burger I’ve had in my whole life. There’s no way he knew where he was taking us, but hey what are Sunday afternoons for?
After walking all that time in the cold rain, we decided taking a bus back would not be the worst idea. After figuring out the bus we need to get on could take up to forty-five minutes to show up, we decided the only proper way to pass time was finger jousting. (Pictured below)
This is Emil and Mark – two of our kids from camp – and Caleb from my team just waiting out the bus in the rain!
When we were walking back from the bus later, I was talking with one of the girls from camp. She told me “I think that God’s love and joy is coming out of you guys and onto us. I am usually really sad and the past few days I have been so happy.” Isn’t that the coolest thing???
So far week one, month one I’m learning to just say yes. Say yes to the kids that hang around in your kitchen until 9pm when you’ve been with them all day. Say yes to letting a ten-year-old lead you around the city. Say yes to three cones of gelato because all the kids claim the next place is the best. Say yes to church services that you can’t understand at all. Say yes to sharing why you choose the Lord to kids that just met you.
Thanks for listening to these sweet stories and encouraging me!
XOXO forever,
Alexis
