Dear Eastern Europe,
I can’t believe our four months together are over already. I will miss you, Bulgaria, Albania, Moldova, and Romania. You were my first experience outside America, and I won’t forget all the enchanting ways you were different from home. I’ll miss all the babushkas and babas, filling church pews and hobbling past me on the street, with scarves covering their hair and tied tight under their chins. I know I’m going to miss the coffee vending machines next time I want a small cup. How can I ever go back to paying American prices when you offer me a latte for 1 lei? I think I’ll even miss the crepe paper streamers that you call toilet paper. Yeah, the ones that can’t be flushed. As weird as that was to get used to, get used to it I did and now it seems funny to me how soft and fluffy toilet paper from home is.
I’ll miss the super cheap taxis (except for that one from the time that I got ripped off) and how you guys all kiss each other on both cheeks as a greeting. Goodbye cappuccinos in cute cups, cobblestone streets, and sweet old ladies selling flowers on the sidewalk. Farewell to all you farmers moseying down the side of the road in the evening, leading your cows home in the twilight. I don’t know when the next time I’ll have a three course lunch will be, but one thing I do know is that I’m going to have to say goodbye to being able to blend in with a crowd of locals (as long as I kept my mouth shut, that is.)
But most of all I will miss my old team, Apotolmao. God blessed me with the perfect group to start this journey with and to me Eastern Europe will always make me think of my AppleTomatoes. As much as I loved my team, change is good and sometimes necessary for growth. Our squad just had team changes so now I have a new group of ladies to travel and serve God with. I can’t wait to get to India and begin ministry with my teammates from Apotolmao Emily and Abbie, and the new additions of Lara, Emily Knudson, Nikole, and Hannah. We are team Luna. We chose our name because we want to be a light in the dark places we are headed to. The word luna means moon- which is literally a light in the darkness. The moon reflects the light of the sun and as children of Light (Eph. 5) we seek to reflect the light of the Son of God.
Please pray for me and my new team! In India we need prayer for connecting with and ministering to one another, for health (especially in not contracting Malaria), and for focus on The Lord in the midst of a spiritually oppressive environment. If you want more updates on prayer requests, contact me to be added to the email list!
Goodbye Europe! Hello Asia!
