I have been living and serving in Romania for about 2 weeks now and I am really enjoying my time here. I am noticing, however, that though I love each place that I go, each place and each experience is quite different. I find myself “shifting gears” and developing a new idea of “normal” for how I live & serve each time we change countries.
Let’s look at the contrasts between the last 3 months at a glance . . .
| Dominican Republic | Haiti | Romania |
| Highs mid the mid-80s daily (sweating all the time & lots of mosquito bites) | Highs close to 90 degrees daily (sweating all the time & lots of mosquito bites) | Cooler temps with highs in the 50s most days |
| Living in a city within walking distance to dining, a grocery store, and other shopping options | Living on a beach property with no access to leave except for ministry, church, or a planned group activity (safety concerns) | Living in a village with weekly trips to the farmer’s market and a grocery store; ability to travel around the country on our day off |
| Living in a house with 2 other teams (22 people) | Living with the full squad (45 people) | Living alone with my team (5 girls) and our host family (a couple & their 2 year old son) |
| Sleeping on a bunk bed in a sleeping bag | Sleeping in a tent with an oceanfront view | 5 girls sharing a room (slumber party style), heated by a woodstove, in a cozy host home |
| Daily “bucket showers” with cold water | Daily showers in bath house with cold running water (2 showers for 36 girls) |
Twice weekly showers with HOT WATER  |
| Preparing our own food as a team; enjoying occasional restaurant dining & ice-cream @ “Bon” | Eating the same 5-6 meals (lots of rice & beans) that were prepared for us as a group; no access to snack foods | Preparing our own food as a team (one trip to McDonalds J) with abundant access to snack foods (lots of choices!) |
| Free wifi within walking distance with semi-reliable connectivity | Limited access to internet via a shared “internet stick” for a few hours every 8-10 days |
Unlimited wireless in our host home |
| Ministry = house and community visits, children’s activities, a little painting | Ministry = construction, painting, and organizing a clinic & library | Ministry = teaching English & website development |
| Common transportation for the area = walking, cars, and motorcycles |
Common transportation for the area = walking, cars, and motorcycles (school bus or box truck for us ) |
Common transportation for the area = walking, cars, and horse-drawn wagons (Yes, you read it right!) |
The Lord is teaching me many lessons through these “gear shifts” between countries, such as . . .
- The spectrum of the types of ministries that God can use me in, and my ability to serve in those capacities, is much greater than I ever realized.
- There are many forms of community living and lots of lessons that can be learned from each (maybe something for a future blog).
- There really are no limitations on what serving God and others can “look like.”
- My perceptions of “amenities” will never be the same and I AM NOT ENTITLED to any of them!
- A POSITIVE ATTITUDE is my most important asset in approaching any and all situations!
