I watched the sun set on my three month African experience and boarded a plane for the last continent of our race – Eastern Europe. After a beautiful sunrise over Asia, a brief layover in Instanbul, Turkey and then one of the shortest flights ever, we landed in Bucharest, Romania. A bus transported us many hours through winding roads and amazingly green landscape to view one of the most magnificent sunsets I’ve seen all year and then dropping all 52 of us off in the same Gypsy village – Viile Tecci.
After Africa it is like complete culture shock. We no longer stand out as the only white people. There is food to eat, too much of it actually, and it is flavorful. We’ve graduated from long drop holes to outhouses (although sometimes it doesn’t actually seem like much improvement) and from bathing in a creek to bathing behind a sheet.
Our ministry this month is relational. We are living with a Gypsy pastor, Sandu, and his family and our first ministry is to serve them and then to reach out to others in the community. I’ve enjoyed playing on the hills with the kids and discovered, once again, that I tire much more quickly than they do when it comes to games that require chasing each other. The people here are beautiful and the countryside is gorgeous. I look forward to seeing what God has in store for the next couple of weeks as well as the next couple of months. Racism and injustice towards the Gypsies is a major problem here and they really need to be shown the love of God. Pray that in the short time we have here we can effectively show them that love.
I’m also enjoying the fellowship of our squad family and encouraging my brothers and sisters, since many of us are just tired at this point in the race.
Looking ahead it is hard to believe I will be home in two and a half months. I still stand amazed at God’s provision for this year. Thank you again to everyone who has supported, prayed, encouraged over the past year. I still have to get through the next couple of months and book a flight home so if anyone would like to help with that you can email me about what that entails. Either way I know it’s all taken care of and I’m looking forward to the last leg of the journey and to sharing all of it with you when I get home. Love you all.
