This
is Jean-Claude van Damme.
is Jean-Claude van Damme.
This
month, Bill and I get to sleep next to him on this pull out couch.
month, Bill and I get to sleep next to him on this pull out couch.
This
is the life.
is the life.
This
couch is in the kitchen of a home in Viile Tecii, Romania. This home
belongs to Adi (24), his wife Sanda (23), and their 3-year-old son
David.
couch is in the kitchen of a home in Viile Tecii, Romania. This home
belongs to Adi (24), his wife Sanda (23), and their 3-year-old son
David.
Viile
Tecii is a gypsy village about a 35 minute drive from Bistrita, or a
days worth of train rides from Bucharest. We arrived here a little
less than two weeks ago, but I would swear it was yesterday. I don’t
know where the time goes.
Tecii is a gypsy village about a 35 minute drive from Bistrita, or a
days worth of train rides from Bucharest. We arrived here a little
less than two weeks ago, but I would swear it was yesterday. I don’t
know where the time goes.
This
month we are working with Gypsy Agape ministries
(www.gypsyagape.com). Agape is the Greek word for the love of God.
Our ministry is sharing in the love of God with gypsies. We live
with gypsy families, visit gypsy communities, preach at gypsy
churches, play with gypsy kids, and just love these amazing people.
month we are working with Gypsy Agape ministries
(www.gypsyagape.com). Agape is the Greek word for the love of God.
Our ministry is sharing in the love of God with gypsies. We live
with gypsy families, visit gypsy communities, preach at gypsy
churches, play with gypsy kids, and just love these amazing people.
For
the past week or so, Bill and I have been helping Adi re-roof his
house. Gypsy construction methods are…unorthodox. They basically
use two tools: a hammer and a chainsaw, but it gets the job done. We
were able to get 3/4ths of the roof re-done with the money Adi
currently has, and he will finish the rest when more money comes in.
the past week or so, Bill and I have been helping Adi re-roof his
house. Gypsy construction methods are…unorthodox. They basically
use two tools: a hammer and a chainsaw, but it gets the job done. We
were able to get 3/4ths of the roof re-done with the money Adi
currently has, and he will finish the rest when more money comes in.
This
is the life.
is the life.
A
night or two after we started construction I woke up to commotion in
the next room – the room Adi and Sanda share with David. It was
raining. Rain was falling past the un-shingled, half completed roof
beams through the old, matted insulation, permeating the gypsum
ceiling like a sponge, and dripping a steady stream of brown water
onto the rug below. Adi quickly shimmied up onto the roof and tried
to cover the area with any plastic and scrap material he could to
create a makeshift tarp and stave off the water for a few more hours.
The ceiling held for the rest of the night. The next day however,
the footsteps and hammerings of the workers proved to be too much for
the soggy ceiling, and giving in to the weight of the water, it fell
onto the floor of the room below.
night or two after we started construction I woke up to commotion in
the next room – the room Adi and Sanda share with David. It was
raining. Rain was falling past the un-shingled, half completed roof
beams through the old, matted insulation, permeating the gypsum
ceiling like a sponge, and dripping a steady stream of brown water
onto the rug below. Adi quickly shimmied up onto the roof and tried
to cover the area with any plastic and scrap material he could to
create a makeshift tarp and stave off the water for a few more hours.
The ceiling held for the rest of the night. The next day however,
the footsteps and hammerings of the workers proved to be too much for
the soggy ceiling, and giving in to the weight of the water, it fell
onto the floor of the room below.
Adiwent into the room, looked up at the hole and said, “this is the
life.”
Standing
on the support beams of the house, looking up at the half finished
roof, Adi turned to me and asked, “What do you think?” I looked
around for a minute and responded, “It looks good.” He looked at
me and said, “It’s not American, it’s Romanian.” Then with a
laugh he added, “It’s not Romanian, it’s Gypsy.”
on the support beams of the house, looking up at the half finished
roof, Adi turned to me and asked, “What do you think?” I looked
around for a minute and responded, “It looks good.” He looked at
me and said, “It’s not American, it’s Romanian.” Then with a
laugh he added, “It’s not Romanian, it’s Gypsy.”
This
is the life.
is the life.
Living
with Adi, Sanda, and David I have been increasingly impressed by
their endurance and joy in the midst of the daily struggle to get
ahead of the bills, to repair the falling ceilings, to build a life
for themselves and their son. The hand they have been dealt isn’t an
easy one to play. Sometimes life throws curve balls. Sometimes the
ceilings fall in. But they take what life gives them and they make
the most of it. They shrug, smile, and press on.
with Adi, Sanda, and David I have been increasingly impressed by
their endurance and joy in the midst of the daily struggle to get
ahead of the bills, to repair the falling ceilings, to build a life
for themselves and their son. The hand they have been dealt isn’t an
easy one to play. Sometimes life throws curve balls. Sometimes the
ceilings fall in. But they take what life gives them and they make
the most of it. They shrug, smile, and press on.
This is the life.
They
have family. They have each other. They have God.
have family. They have each other. They have God.
This
is the life.
is the life.
We
can’t prevent the ceilings in life from caving in every once in a
while, but we can help repair them when they do.
can’t prevent the ceilings in life from caving in every once in a
while, but we can help repair them when they do.
This
is the life.
is the life.
