It has been a few days since my last post. I am not sure when I will actually be able to post this blog. The internet isn’t working in the building. As Americans we are very dependent on the internet. It is amazing what a bummer it is to see that Internet signal yet for one reason or another it is not connecting. A few years ago on a trip like this we would be lucky to talk to home once a week at an internet café or hotel phone. Then it would cost us an arm and a leg. Today it is completely different. I think it is nice to be able to post a blog, send an email, and make a call. The difference is when the attachment from home keeps you from bonding with the group and the people of country you are in. The internet like all things in life needs balance and self control. That goes for whether you are traveling abroad or living in your home in the United States or wherever else your home may be.
It is somewhat of a time warp here in Moldova. The combination of longs days and jet lag make it hard to remember which day is which. Today is Sunday and yesterday was Saturday, which means my last update was Friday. Friday seems so long ago from today. Saturday was the Thanksgiving for Moldova. It is a day of thanking God for the harvest. They have a program at the church which involved about ten other churches from other villages. The program involved singing, preaching and testimonies. They had this beautiful setup at the front of the church, which included the biggest cabbage I have ever seen, apples, sunflowers, pumpkin, grapes and other produce from their harvest. The difference between their Thanksgiving and ours is that they actually grow and harvest the food that they eat. In most homes in America we go to the store and buy the food we eat for Thanksgiving. In two places that are very different in many ways we can both be thankful for what the Lord has given us.
Today was Sunday. We went to church in another village and then later today went to Mihailenii for lunch, home visits and fellowshipping with Moldovans. The group I was with went and visited with a woman with crippled legs and chronic pain. She told us that she prayed to die. She asked for medicine for the pain. We told her that we didn’t have any medicine, but we do have God and the power of prayer. She told us she wanted to give us money for prayer and the visit, but we told we where there for free. That it was gift. We prayed for her and talked for a little bit. The Moldovan girls sang her a couple of songs. Then we left because she was tired. I could hear her crying as we left. I asked and they told me that the youth from the church would follow up and continue to visit her. I hope that they do because that is what will make this first visit effective.
After the home visit I talked with a Moldovan girl who lived in Sacramento for two years. We talked a long time about Moldova, school and life. She taught me some Romanian and Russian words and we ate walnuts from the tree. It was good. Then we joined some other girls in the eating area and we just hung out for a while. They sang songs and then made me sing a solo. Unfortunately I can’t sing and then I couldn’t remember any songs, but I think they got a kick out of my embarrassment. It was just a good time of bonding with the church over here. When Alexandria left she left because she had to bring the cows in – I thought that was an interesting cultural difference.
Remember to keep me in your prayers. Pray for the youth and the church of Mihailenii. Pray for the healing and salvation of Mila, the crippled lady, from today’s house visit. Pray for Moldova.
The Amazing Grace of Jesus Christ be with You!
Here are some pictures from Moldova...
This is one of the water wells across the street from the church. The Orthodox church built that building behind it with the purpose to make it a store to distract from the church we are working with. The building is currently empty.
Our van sort of broke one night in the middle of Mihailenii. It was an adventure and nothing too serious.
This is the church we went to on Sunday
I think these cars are so cool! I want one =)
This is me at the outside market on Friday. I am going to spell it wrong, but the call it a Pizzaza or something like that =).
This is a picture of the church that we are working with in Mihailenii.
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