Wyattjourney

Real Blog

2007-11-10T07:53:00.000-09:00

Don't forget that my real blog is at www.wyattjourney.com.

My 10, 20, and 30

2007-10-17T23:05:00.000-08:00

"An acquaintance in the writing community, Mary DeMuth, is doing a blog experiment to see how far-reaching blogs can be. She tagged 12 people and asked them to tag others to see how far this can go. If you decide to answer her question, either leave it as a comment on this blog or answer it in your blog and link back to hers. (http://www.relevantblog.blogspot.com/)

"The question is, what were you doing 10, 20 and 30 years ago? Here's my response:"

10 years: In 1997, I was working as a technology assistant in the Juneau School District and working on my master's degree at the University of Alaska, Southeast. I remember lots of long nights and Saturdays full of doing homework for the degree.

20 year ago: 1987 is the year that was such a pivotal year in my life that I use it as brain-anchor by which I judge the progression of time and it is the standard by which I judge the successes of all other years. It was the year my cousin lived with us for a few months, we sold my childhood home, I drove through Canada for the first time, we moved to Vancouver, Washington, I established many great friendships that I still hold onto, and I began three years at a wonderful and small private school. It was a big year.

30 years ago: I was in Kindergarten at Auke Bay School. I also started 1st grade at Glacier Valley School where I am now a teacher. We missed the first three days of school that year because of a possible teacher strike and I missed out on a lot of the classroom procedures which led to the most embarrassing moment of my life. But I have lots of good memories (or at least 3) from 30 years ago.

Wedding Party #5

2007-07-09T00:33:00.000-08:00

Our dear friends Albert (Bubba) and Lavinia threw a Romanian wedding shower for us on Sunday night. We invited all of our students and other people we know from our travels and met at the House of Culture for the event. About 30 people came.

The first house was spent welcoming people and enjoying the good food we had. Dana and I had brought a variety of Tillamook Cheese from Oregon and some salmon from Alaska. Dana created a very tasty salmon dip with it. It got rave reviews.

We then played some games. For the first one, they lined all the women up and blind folded me. I had to go down the line and feel every woman's hand and try to figure out which one belonged to Dana. By accident, I chose Lavina's hand (ooops). I had a chance to do it again later and was more successful.

We then played the newly-wed game. I didn't get many answers correct. I guess that Dana and I will have to talk about more things. Of course, some of the questions were ridiculous..... like, "What were you wearing on the day you went to get your marriage license?" Who knows that?!? Another question was, "What was the time you laughed the hardest together?" Our problem is that everyday we laugh about a bunch of things so neither of us chose the same event.

Albert brought back some of our wedding supplies like candles, bubble-tubes, and napkins and that added to the fun.

At the end, they gathered us in a circle and prayed for us. As people left, they gave us one more blessing. It was wonderful.

Ah.... the market

2007-07-07T09:12:00.000-08:00

It is Saturday and, as planned, we decided to take it easy today. We thought it would be easiest not to travel too far from the apartment. Near our summer place (an apartment owned by Albert and Lavinia) is an out-door market. You can buy clothing there or food or pretty much anything. We spent time looking at the fruits and considered buying some pretty silverware but decided not to.

We got REALLY excited when we found some skeins of real-wool yarn. The man who sold it to us had bags of wool around him and I am pretty sure that he is the farmer who owned the sheep and spun the yarn. We bought several skeins for a very good price. The man insisted that Dana have her picture taken with him.

We continued to wander through the market and bought some cherries. We also found a country woman who was selling carved utensils. We bought something from her just so I could get her photo.

Later in the day, we went to the park and listened to a band. We then ate lunch and went to Albert and Lavinia's house to do some laundry and watch a movie. Dana just got done cutting my hair and we are going to spend the rest of the night trying not to get do anything that requires energy. We expect to have a very busy week with students next week.

Students and Co-workers

2007-07-06T05:25:00.000-08:00

We are doing great. We are finally feeling like we are able to do what we came to do because we are building the relationships we desired with our students. My first student each day is Tudar (too-dar). He is 15 and is in an epic battle with his sister at home. We spent one whole class period this week talking about how to get along better with her and how to be more respectful with his parents. He seems receptive and has tried a few of my suggestions but Rome wasn't built in a day.

Another student of mine works in the city but has a unique hobby. He is a bee keeper. We spent time talking about the hobby and I want to read more on the subject now. He will bring us some honey next week. He wishes that people on earth were more like bees. Bees work together and don't get in each other's way. In other words, they don't sin.

I had a good conversation today with a lady. I took her over from another teacher who had to head back to the states. This lady and I talked about why Christians have more joy than non-Christians. It was a deep and rich conversation. I hope to meet with her again.
I have other students too and will share things that we talk about in the next week or so.

Carol and Caroline are our co-teachers from Alabama this year. They have been great to work with. They have such positive personalities and we have enjoyed getting to know them better. This was Carol's second year to work with me and Caroline's first. They both have wonderful senses of humor and they both love the Lord. We are sharing an apartment with them this year and have spent time getting to know them as we ride in taxis, metros, and busses.

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for cooler weather. It is working. God has blessed us with temperatures in the 80s. I was even cold the other night (while sitting in the air-conditioning of my bedroom).

All Hail to the Red White and Blue

2007-07-04T05:05:00.000-08:00

The weather continues to be hot but it is getting cooler a little at a time. I have had a few great studies. Yesterday I had a study with a lady who did nothing but tell jokes.... it was fun and a good way to build relationships. She laughed when I told her that nobody understood my jokes when I tell them in Romanian so she was doing well to tell me jokes in her second language.

Today at noon we went to the Cook's house and met up with some other missionaries. We had hamburgers, fries, and colas. We sang patriotic songs and shared a few minutes of America time with each other. It was very special. We finished the time by singing a bunch of songs about God and His love for us. It filled our tired spirits.

Last night, Dana and I went to dinner with Albert and Lavinia. We love them very much and they inspire us with their love for God. It was the best way I could think of to spend an evening.

We have fallen in love with their kids too. Bogdan is now 2 1/2 years old and busy as a bee but very friendly and I've yet to see him do anything but smile. Lara is 10 months old and seems to enjoy being passed around the room. I think she and I have a special bond going because she doesn't cry when I hold her much anymore. She is a cutie-pie.

This afternoon, I have several studies to lead.

HOT HOT HOT

2007-07-03T05:21:00.000-08:00

It is very hot here this week in Bucharest. It is 40 degrees Celsius which translates to about 104 Fahrenheit. It is interfering with our studies because we are in a building that is not air-conditioned and we are having problems keeping awake while we listen to our students. PLEASE help us pray for cooler weather or we will melt.

In other news, we were thrilled to see several of our students from last year return for more instruction this year. One of mine, Laurentiu, we baptized this winter and it is exciting to see his new joy and commitment to Christ.

Also, our missionary friend, Albert, is a little bit famous in these parts now. His picture was selected to be on a pretzel bag. We think it is fun but I don't think he likes the photo they selected. We intend to bring lots of bags home and display them in our house.

We have spent our time-off trying to stay cool. Yesterday we went to the village museum where they have 50 traditional Romanian homes and buildings. It is a neat way to experience the culture of the country this way.

We hope you are all well and we look forward to hearing from you. Please feel free to email us.

Romania at Last

2007-07-01T03:47:00.000-08:00

Hey All - Traveling overseas requires good problem solving skills and patience. We made it to Romania 12 hours later than we intended. Along the way, we survived a severe thunder storm in Chicago. A horrid security line in Warsaw. A re-route through Istanbul. A run fo r a plane. Two missed planes. Nobody in Romania to pick us up. And a taxi ride through Bucharest after dark and nobody at the apartment to let us in when we arrived. It was an adventure and an exhausting event.

We started meeting with students the next day (Friday) and will really get into our studies on Monday. We are eager to do that.

Yesterday we went to the mountains to relax and enjoy the view. It was very nice up there but we were tired and ended up napping in a park. The train ride was our favorite part.

All-in-all, it is feelingvery natural to be back in Romania. We are having no problem finding our way around and we are enjoying getting to reaquant ourselvs with our students and friends.

More later.

Returning To Romania - Summer 2007

2007-06-25T21:12:00.000-08:00

Dana and I are very excited to return to Romania to do some mission work for the month of July. It was this very trip last year in which we became very good friends and started down the road to marraige. We are especailly excited to continue our friendships with our students and spend time with our good friends Albert and Lavinia Cook (and their kids).

Please keep checking on this blog to see what happens.

Wind and Weather

2006-12-02T01:47:00.000-09:00

The weather this week is the hot (or shall I say cold) topic. We speculate on what the snowfall might be the next day. We wonder if planes will get in or out. We listen to the radio and contemplate the chances of a school closure. We consider if it is safe to drive on the snow-covered roads. And sometimes we day-dream ourselves to warmer places. This week we've had heavy snowfall some days and extreme cold other days. The worse part about the bitter-cold is having to deal with the wind. It blows loose snow in your face and bites your cheeks. Despite that, we bundle-up and head outside anyway. Who says life shouldn't have risks?

Dreaming Boats

2006-11-26T22:59:00.000-09:00

What do boats do in the winter? I suspect that most hibernate. They get the people they own to winterize their engines and then they dream of summer. They dream of whales and fish and overnight camping trips. They dream of sunny days on calm waters and sliding up onto rock-infested beaches. They dream of oil-changes and new propellers. They dream of salmon derbies and crab hauls. Whatever they do, I assure you that they were not exploring the inside passages this weekend. Event he bravest of boats don't venture out in 8 foot seas.

Winter Continues

2006-11-25T22:57:00.000-09:00

On a stroll along the Auke Bay docks, I spotted a crew unloading their winter crab catch. Their hold was full of dungeness crab and they were working hard to unload it.

Imagine my surprise yesterday when I came across a porcupine sauntering down the middle of the road. I thought they hibernated in the winter but apparently not. He didn't really like being the center of attention so he headed off across a snowy field.

Two things that make for a miserable weather mix are cold and wind. That is exactly what we are getting. After a week or two of nice snow, the weather has turned bitterly cold. I took a quick trip downtown after school yesterday and captured this arctic gust which threatened to blow pedestrians down the road. The news reports we could get gusts up to 70 mph. Brrrrrrrr.

Winter Begins

2006-11-16T22:09:00.000-09:00

We have had snow on the ground for over a week now. I am always a little nervous about the early snows because they are so beautiful and yet so fleeting. November snow-stick generally only has a half-life of 2 days before rain begins to slush it away. This time it has stayed for 10 days. Yesterday we were hit especially hard with around 12 inches of snow and more expected tomorrow. Everyone is crossing their fingers for a snow-day but I think it is unlikely to dump that much overnight.

There has been a lot of snowfall this week. With school canceled for two days, there was much time to enjoy the great outdoors. My friends Janet and Dana went for a walk in the woods with me. It was impressive to find undisturbed evidence of just how much had accumulated.

Snow was made for children.

Sunset in the Tongass National Forest

2006-11-09T23:15:00.000-09:00

Election Day

2006-11-07T23:09:00.000-09:00

This is the Alaska State Capitol building where the legislature meets and the governor's office is located. Today we will vote for a new governor. - www.wyattjourney.com

November Begins

2006-11-01T23:25:00.000-09:00

This past sunny Saturday was such a blessing. The sky was clear and the air was crisp. Snow came a long way down the mountains but none had reached the valley yet. Stopping at Auke Lake, I caught this floatplane taking off. It is the time of year that these planes must leave the lakes before they get frozen in. - www.wyattjourney.com

Autumn Leaves

2006-10-29T01:11:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a knock-down, gorgeous day in Juneau. I got dozens of photos that I am very eager to share with you. These leaf photos were all taken during the course of the day in various places throughout Juneau. It was too hard to decide which one to feature. All of them tell the story of Autumn. - www.wyattjourney.com

2006-10-23T22:13:00.000-08:00

On my hike to the top of Mt. McGinnis earlier this month, I was buzzed by a helicopter. I figure that since I was the only thing interesting on the mountain, he brought his guests in for a closer look. In one of my photos, I can actually see his passenger taking photos of me.

Mt. McGinnis has been calling me to climb her all summer. I had scheduled the climb several times but the weather this year made conditions too dangerous for the journey. I even got up at 6 AM once so I could climb it and be back in the valley in time for an appointment. It rained double-hard that morning. Finally, on October 7th, I reached the top. This was my 5th time climbing it but each time seems like a real accomplishment. I started on the trail at 10:00 AM and reached the top at 1:00 and was back home by 4:30. It was an extremely quick hike up to the 2,800 level. I can't wait to do it again next year.

So, what is the view like from the top of Mt. McGinnis? It was pretty cloudy most of the time I was up there but right before I left there was a little bit of clearing.

Mendenhall Valley

2006-10-18T00:38:00.000-08:00

I am so glad to be back up after a week of server troubles. Thank you to everyone who inquired about the site and my well-being.

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On a crisp Saturday morning a few weeks back, I went on an exciting adventure up to a place many Juneauites see but to which few travel. I climbed Mt. McGinnis which is located at the far end of our valley and to the west side of the Mendenhall Glacier. From the end of the West Glacier Trail, where one picks up the Mt. McGinnis trail, there is are amazing views of the glacier and the valley where I live.

2006-10-17T22:48:00.000-08:00

There is a book commonly used by educators called Flat Stanley (by Jeff Brown and Scott Nash). In the book, a kid is shrunk down so he can fit in an envelop and travel the world. Teachers will often do a lesson on this and have their students send a Flat Stanley on a journey. A student in Ohio found my class website and sent me this Flat Stanley. I sent their class a postcard and I sent these 8 photos (sorry, you'll have to wait until wyattjourney.com is up-and-going before you can see all 8) regarding Flat Stanley's weekend. I had a lot of fun putting these together. I wanted to do more but you have to stop before midnight on a school night.

I need to send Flat Stanley on to someone else and I am looking for a volunteer from someone. You don't need to do much. Flat Stanley comes with instructions. Signing the letter and sending a postcard are only two requirements. So drop me an email if you are interested.

Where's the Journey?

2006-10-16T22:14:00.000-08:00

Thank you for all the emails and phone calls asking where wyattjourney.com has been these past few days. My hosting service upgraded their servers and in the process my site got booted off. I think it may be fixed today so you should be able to catch up on the past 5 days when I get it loaded. Thank you to all who contacted me expressing concern. I am glad so many make The Journey a part of their day. Peace.

Rainbows and Dust

2006-10-15T22:09:00.000-08:00

You know how you never have your camera when a good photo comes? Well, on a recent drive I had my camera right next to me. So I pulled over to the side of the road and took this photo from the driver's seat. Notice that the Fall colors are here.

With Fall comes the arrival of snow on the mountains. Do you remember what we call that first sign of winter? If you said termination dust, you got it right. It is called that because it marks the termination of summer. We've had termination dust on several mountains since the beginning of the month.

Thank you, David!

2006-10-13T22:30:00.000-08:00

Thank you David!! I had an excellent time.

We fit a lot into the weekend but the highlights for me included going for a flying tour over Tri-Cities, driving to Spokane, sharing time at Promise Keepers, tour downtown Spokane, driving back from Spokane, eating sushi with Paige, going to a movie, spending time in the bookstore, attending your church, submitting photos to an online contest, shopping for shirts, going to the dog-show, and generally just spending time with you. I admire your faith and your openness to encourage others toward a stronger relationship with Christ.

Best In Show

2006-10-12T22:26:00.000-08:00

Back in Kennewick, David took his daughters and me to see a kennel show. There were some beautiful dogs on display at this competition. I didn't get a photo of the winning dog because I wasn't very fond of it and was surprised it won for "Best in Show." I guess I don't have a refined taste for such things. For some reason, the photo on the right cracks me up!

Spokane

2006-10-11T22:24:00.000-08:00

Spokane is a gorgeous and well-kept city. At one time, I had considered moving there. The downtown area is filled with brick buildings and old-town character. In some ways, it is like Portland. These shots were all taken within a few blocks of each other, near the grounds where the 1974 World's Fair was held.

Promise Keepers

2006-10-10T00:19:00.000-08:00

I didn't just go down to Washington state so my brother could take me on an awesome flying adventure (although that was certainly worthwhile). The major reason for my trip was to attend a Promise Keepers conference with my brother. This conference was designed as a time of spiritual renewal for men who are seeking to be good fathers, sons, brothers, employees, and servants of God. I was most impressed with the messages of Rick Rigsby and his encouragement to pursue a deeper relationship with God. Approximately 10,000 men were at this conference in Spokane with us last weekend.

The music at Promise Keepers is always a highlight. I have learned several new songs each time I go to a PK conference. My favorite new song this year is called I Will Boast in the Lord My God. There is an admittedly concert atmosphere at the conference and yet there is also a sense of worship shared among the participants.

Flying In Kennewick With David

2006-10-06T00:25:00.000-08:00

I have been picked up from airports around the world in various ways including cars, trains, taxis, metros, 4-wheelers, and once a bike. However, I had never been picked up by an airplane until now. My brother, David, met my commercial flight in Pasco with his Cessna and flew me around the Tri-cities on our way to Kennewick. It was a great way to start the weekend. David is an excellent pilot. He takes it very seriously and often uses his skills to help and encourage others. Check out his blog. I took over 300 photos on our flight and will show some of them in the next few days.

The windmill farms located just outside Tri-cities are impressive. Most amazing is each windmill's colossal size. Figure that the road below them is a standard single-lane path. Each windmill is 200 feet tall and each blade is 100 feet long. They need a breeze of at least 8 mph to star producing electricity but the optimal speed should be 35 mph.

Hike on Beach

2006-09-24T22:45:00.000-08:00

Some hikers take a stroll on a sunny day along a beach located north of town.
Note: Yesterday was the three year anniversary of wyattjourney.com! - www.wyattjourney.com

Point Retreat

2006-09-23T23:39:00.000-08:00

There are dozens of lighthouses in Southeast Alaska. Almost all of them are run on solar-power. Nobody lives in them. This one is near Juneau on the northern tip of Admiralty Island. The lighthouse is on Point Retreat.- www.wyattjourney.com

Sea Lions

2006-09-21T21:44:00.000-08:00

One of the best parts, for me, of the whale watching tour on Saturday was when we went to see the sea-lions lazing on a beach. When we arrived, this man in the dingy was taking photographs. The crew on our boat thought that he was probably a scientist targeting the seals that had numbers on them (see below). These seals were marked when they were pups and have been tracked for several years to determine migration patterns and population discrepancies. Look for more photos of these wonderful creatures tomorrow. - www.wyattjourney.com

Far Off Ferry

2006-09-18T22:38:00.000-08:00

Friday was sunny and warm. As the sun set that evening, a lone ferry slowly worked its way to the dock. My camera sat on a beach several miles away and captured the returning ferry through heat vapors. This photo reminds me a little of a painting, done by former Alaskan artist John Fehringer, which hangs in my parent's living room. - www.wyattjourney.com

Burning Embers

2006-09-17T22:44:00.000-08:00

At a cookout with friends on Friday night, I caught these shots of a child blowing life into an ember. Below are some other fire shots from that night. - www.wyattjounrney.com

Alaskan Cotton Grass

2006-09-15T03:10:00.000-08:00

This is Alaskan cotton grass blowing in the wind. Named because it looks like a ball of cotton on the end of a long blade of grass, this is an Alaskan favorite. In my growing up years, mom had some that had been dried and she prominently displayed it in a little vase. Below is a photo of a field of grass near where the main photo was taken. - www.wyattjourney.com

Juneau Horses

2006-09-14T03:05:00.000-08:00

What a surprise to be hiking along and see a dozen or so horses grazing in the grasslands alongside the trail. Juneauites (those from Juneau) don't see too many horses around here and especially not in the middle of nowhere. - www.wyattjourney.com

Juneau Frogs

2006-09-13T22:54:00.000-08:00

There is a common misconception that Juneau is void of frogs. This myth can now be dismissed because several were found on a recent hike. They are not big (only about the size of your thumb), but they are fast. In fact, they are very difficult to photograph because they move so quickly. With the patient help of a friend, this one shot turned out. - www.wyattjourney.com

Salmon Berries

2006-09-12T23:09:00.000-08:00

It is berry picking season here. This one is called a salmon berry (not sure why). It is my favorite berry. It looks like a large raspberry but tastes much sweeter. It has several colors including orange, yellow, violet, and purple. People make jelly out of them but I just eat them by the handful. - www.wyattjourney.com

Slopes

2006-09-11T22:04:00.000-08:00

There is something somber about an empty chairlift. Fortunately we are heading into the months where it will begin to snow in the mountains and we hope to see these chairs swing into action as soon as November. I plan to hit the slopes several times this winter. - www.wyattjourney.com

Sitka Black-tailed Deer

2006-09-10T21:27:00.000-08:00

On the hike through Eaglecrest, we saw two Sitka Black-Tailed deer. Both of them stood there staring at us, trying to figure us out. Eventually they both took off into the brush. Read more about these wonderful animals here. - www.wyattjourney.com

Vic and Debbie

2006-09-08T21:17:00.000-08:00

Lovingly referred to as my sherpas, Vic and Debbie have been my hiking partners for several years. I appreciate their willingness to go to unusual places, at unusual times, in unusual weather. They are especially patient with my constant need to stop along the trail for "the perfect photo." An added bonus for me is the Christian example they are to me in my spiritual journey. - www.wyattjourney.com

Juneau at Night

2006-09-06T22:13:00.000-08:00

Here is another photo of Juneau taken after nightfall from atop Mt. Roberts. The lights in the foreground represent Juneau's downtown area. The lights in the background are about 9 miles away and comprise of the airport and surrounding neighborhoods. The furthest islands visible are in Auke Bay which is about 12 miles from downtown. The waterway down the middle is the Gastineau Channel which separates the mainland from Douglas Island. There is only one bridge across and the channel is only navigatable beyond the bridge by small boats at high tide. - www.wyattjourney.com

Nightfall on Mt. Roberts

2006-09-05T19:57:00.000-08:00

The other night I watched the sunset from the top of Mount Roberts and took lots of photos. It will take a couple day show all the good ones. Compare this one with other photos posted this day and a similar photo shown on August 26. - www.wyattjourney.com

Juneau Rains

2006-09-04T22:10:00.000-08:00

Even Juneauites are not used to almost 12 inches of rain in a one-month period. Of the 31 days in August, only one was without precipitation. Probably the worst of it was at the end of the month as the winds increased to enhance the misery. Then a miracle happened. We awoke Saturday to blue skies and sunny weather. I am not sure there was a single resident who was not outside doing something. That night, I drove to the camp-ground near my house and took photos of the road underwater. This is almost 24 hours after the rains stopped and apparently the water was much higher earlier in the day. - www.wyattjourney.com

Blueberries

2006-09-03T00:38:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't heard, Juneau had 11.5 inches of rain in August. One of the consequences of that is the poor berry crop we are getting this year. Apparently the bushes need more sunlight to produce nice tasting fruit. Nevertheless, I found a patch of blueberries while on a walk yesterday. They looked plump and delicious but that ended up having little taste. When we picked blueberries as a kid, we would always let them soak overnight in a salt and water solution to bring the insect larva out of them. You wouldn't believe how many worms these things hold. Unfortunately, I couldn't I find any to photograph in the berries I looked in. Maybe they all moved to dryer climates. - www.wyattjourney.com

Annual Mushrooms

2006-09-01T23:36:00.000-08:00

Here is this year's mushroom collection from the Tongass National Forest. These photos were all taken near the Mendenhall Glacier and reflect the smallest sampling of fungus in our area. There are hundreds of variety growing in with the mosses that cover the forest floor. If only I knew a little more about them then they could be identified here. - www.wyattjourney.com

Hiking

2006-08-31T21:49:00.000-08:00

The mountains have been calling my name. Hiking is a big part of Juneau culture most days I've been able to hit the trails after work. My current favorite is the East Glacier trail near my house. These photos and those in the next few days reflect some of the sights seen on the hikes. The ones below could easily have been main-frame. The first is of raindrops settled on a blue-berry bush. The second is a leaf resting on some devil's club. The third is of the moss that commonly covers almost everything in the forest. - www.wyattjourney.com

Water Falling

2006-08-31T20:15:00.000-08:00

There seems to be one advantage to all this rain we are getting. We have some very large and beautiful waterfalls coming down the mountains. Sometimes, when the clouds lift, we can even see them. - www.wyattjourney.com

First Day of School Cookies

2006-08-24T21:11:00.000-08:00

My mother started a tradition years ago that carries on today. In fact, there are some indications that I went into education solely due to this annual event. I'm not sure how she did it after she started working when I was in third grade, but all through my school years I would return from school on day one to the smell and taste of good chocolate-chip cookies. Since I started teaching, the event has become hit-or-miss. This year I decided it needed to be a "hit" year so I talked my next door neighbor (a stay-at-home mom) into baking some store-bought dough while I was at school. It was sitting on my table when I got home and the sight of it rejuvenated me after an exciting but exhausting day. Thanks Lela. - www.wyattjourney.com

Buds of Education

2006-08-23T22:59:00.000-08:00

This tree showed its buds at the beginning of summer and has enjoyed several months of life. It is ironic that as leaves begin to fall, a new bud forms. This bud is formed in the minds of my students. The first day of school sprouts signs of new growth, like a tree in spring. My job is to nurture, prune, and water these future leaders. Soon they will take root in the enriching nutrients of care, respect, and knowledge found in my classroom. My hope is that they grow into mighty oaks and reach to the heavens. (Psalm 119: 7)

Today I begin my 9th year of teaching. - www.wyattjourney.com

Bear Sighting: Day Two

2006-08-22T22:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, at a different salmon stream, we had two unusual bear sightings. The first was a mother bear and her two spring cubs. I will show those photos tomorrow. The other involved seeing this black bear diving out of the woods and scoop a sockeye salmon into its mouth. It happened very fast but I was able to get a few good shots. It is a little sad for the salmon because this fish was just days away from spawning and now it sits in a bear's stomach. However, it was thrilling for us and for the hoard of tourists who were nearby. - www.wyattjourney.com

Bears in Streams

2006-08-20T23:00:00.000-08:00

The rain finally broke for a few hours today so a friend and I hopped in the car and headed out the road to look for bears. This is the perfect season to see them because of the spawning salmon. We saw several black bear but were most interested in this small one and a larger one competing for the same stream. The most exciting moment was when the large one (estimated at 200 pounds) chased the smaller one away from the stream. In all, we saw 5 bears tonight. I am ready to go searching for a brown bear now. - www.wyattjourney.com

Ice in the Lake

2006-08-19T08:55:00.000-08:00

Not every town in the world has its own natural ice maker. Pieces of ice break off the glacier and eventually float to shore. Locals are in the habit of going out and getting the ice to fill their ice chests before they go fishing. I remember on several occasions as a kid going out to get ice to cool our homemade ice cream. Dad would put waders on and chip away at a small berg with an ice-pick. We would then crush the ice and add salt. I am not sure the ice changes the flavor of the ice cream but I don't remember any that has tasted as good since. - www.wyattjourney.com

Hiking

2006-08-18T23:09:00.000-08:00

It has been consistently raining since I returned home 10 days ago. From what they tell me, it had been raining a good two weeks before that. In fact, this whole summer has been one big rainfest in Juneau. However, I've still tried to get out and hike almost every day since the return. These photos are all from a hike earlier this week. For those who are new to this site, you should be aware that you can click on the photos below and they will open in a larger size in a new window. I encourage you to take a look at some of them. I especially like the leaf photo on the far right. - www.wyattjourney.com

Beaver and Bear

2006-08-17T22:25:00.000-08:00

After church last night, I drove out to the glacier looking for wildlife. There are plenty of salmon spawning in the rivers and that has attacked bears. We saw two black bear eating fish along-side the trail. Two steps to the other side was a beaver happily chewing away at his grub. Unfortunately the lighting wasn't too good due to the heavy rain but I still took a few shots. I made this photo B&W because the coloring didn't turn out in the original. I hope to get a better bear photo in the next few weeks but for now the one below will have to do the trick. - www.wyattjourney.com

Fly Fishing

2006-08-16T00:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning while on a walk, I happened upon these fly-fishermen. They were fishing in the Mendenhall River near the mouth of Montana Creek. The Fall salmon are running. I don't know if these men were having any luck but they sure were having fun. The thing that really caught my eye was the fog that was hovering over the river. - www.wyattjourney.com

Padens Off

2006-08-15T21:19:00.000-08:00

My good friends, Jon (far left) and Jeannie (far right) left the other morning to head back to their winter-home in Unalaska. This year they took their granddaughter with them for her eighth grade school year. They want to give her a unique experience. The rest of their family (son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons) are all staying in Juneau. It was very good to spend time with them for a few days before they headed off. I am considering another trip to see them at spring break. - www.wyattjourney.com

Mt. Robert's Rain

2006-08-14T21:59:00.000-08:00

After "enduring" a summer of sunny weather, I am now back in the safety of the Southeast Alaskan rainforest. On Saturday I went on a hike with two friends. We took the tram to the tree-line on Mt. Roberts and headed toward the top. I wouldn't say the hike was a failure. It was still very pretty along the way but we couldn't see any further than a few hundred feet. We didn't make it to the ridge because there came a point, somewhere around where the wind was blowing the rain sideways against our bodies, that we decided it was time to head back down. After the hike, we stopped at the lodge to look at photos of what we might have seen had it been a sunny day. - www.wyattjourney.com

Mosquito Eater

2006-08-13T23:32:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of the giant Alaskan mosquitoes? They reportedly are big enough to carry off small animals and can drink up to 2 pints of blood a day. Unfortunately they are camera shy. This is not a mosquito. I am not sure what their proper name is but they are commonly called mosquito eaters. Few Alaskans are willing to kill them because of their name. For perspective, this one was about 2 1/2 inches long and was hanging out with 7 or 8 friends on my front door. - www.wyattjourney.com

Whale Ride

2006-08-11T22:58:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of the summer I was invited to go on a whale watching journey. Although it was a grey day and the boat was a little rocky, we still saw lots of humpback whales. Mostly they only showed their back and tales (AKA flukes) but we could still get a good idea of their size. I've only seen whales breaching a couple times but not on this trip. A breach is when the whale hurls itself completely out of the water, rolling on its side and making a big splash. It is quite spiritual. I would love to get a photo of a whale doing that sometime. - www.wyattjourney.com

Lions of the Sea

2006-08-11T22:31:00.000-08:00

On the whale watching excursion I mentioned yesterday, we stopped at a seal-lion rookery and watched hundreds of seals sleeping, burping, and competing for space. - www.wyattjourney.com

Hiking Cross

2006-08-10T08:21:00.000-08:00

Someone told me recently that Juneau is the city that global warming forgot about. Apparently it has rained most of the summer as I've traveled. These photos were taken before my trip. It is raining this morning but I am determined to hike as much as I can before things get busy with school. In Juneau, if you wait for a "pretty" day, you might be waiting a while. - www.wyattjounrney.com

Back in Juneau

2006-08-08T21:46:00.000-08:00

Yeaaaaaaa! Unbelievably after two solid months of traveling, I am back in Juneau. I have missed it. Yesterday I stopped by my classroom and looked at it. Today I am going to go in and consider unpacking a box. Eventually I will get into full gear on the thing. No need to rush and overextend myself.

Here are some photos taken early in the summer on Douglas Island. This is an old pump-house used in the mining days. - www.wyattjourney.com

Sacred Harp

2006-08-08T00:16:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the movie Cold Mountain? I can't say that I recommend it. It isn't that great. However, it tangles twice with my life. First, few realize that the movie was filmed in Romania. Second, there is a song it in that sparked a recent adventure with my dad. The song is sung in a church in the movie. The thing that made it stand out is that it is sung acappella (like my church) and they sang it with shape-notes (an old form of music reading). I later found out that the particular style of music used in the movie is called Sacred Harp. Apparently there are lots of Sacred Harp groups around the country that have regular meetings. They don't perform. They gather and sing just for the fun of it. This style has three distinctions: A) The songs are all acappella B) Generally they are hymns from the mid-1800s) They always sing shape-notes (fa, sol, la, and mi) for the first verse. All this is to say that my dad and I enjoyed an evening of singing with a Sacred Harp group in Portland. - www.wyattjourney.com

P.S. If you want to hear some examples, type "Sacred Harp" into the search feature of iTunes.

Being Fair

2006-08-06T22:02:00.000-08:00

On Friday I went to the county fair with my parents, sister, and her kids. We had a good day wandering around and looking at the animals. There were also carnival rides and I went on two with my nieces. My favorite was the ring of fire. We all got our blood pressure taken, ate a good lunch, explored the vendors tables, and enjoyed people watching. I think this filled my county fair quota for this decade. - www.wyattjourney.com

Burgerville

2006-08-06T14:03:00.000-08:00

There is only one fast-food restaurant that I look forward to eating in. It is only located in the Northwest. As an ad campaign of their said, it is "Inconveniently located throughout most of America." They serve milkshakes, hamburgers, and fries of the highest quality. Everything on their menu is produced in the Northwest. This Burgerville is in downtown Vancouver and was the very first one opened. They still do a lot of business there. - www.wyattjourney.com

I-205 Bridge Adventure

2006-08-05T22:10:00.000-08:00

The other day I had a fun adventure with my dad. There is a bridge that spans 3 miles across the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon on I-205. I've always wanted to walk across this bridge but have never made an opportunity to do it. With a free afternoon and our cameras ready for action, we headed off to give it a try. It took a while to find the path but once we did we had a lot of fun. It was less of a hike than a exploratory stroll. There are lots of cool things to see walking that close to traffic. We probably took 300 photos between the two of us. This may prove to be one of my favorite memories of my time in Washington this summer. - www.wyattjourney.com

Sailing

2006-08-04T22:01:00.000-08:00

As per tradition, my friend Roy took me sailing on the Columbia River. We were on the boat with another friend, David, and his mom. The wind was perfect and we made it up to our goal in record time. On the way back down to the docks, he even let me try my hand at the wheel. We approached the dock under wind-power and I had the important job of jumping off the boat and securing the first line. This job is called the "splat" but I fortunately didn't live up to the name. It was a relaxing and enjoyable evening. Thanks Roy! - www.wyattjourney.com

Blue Heron

2006-08-03T22:43:00.000-08:00

On a drive yesterday we saw a blue heron sitting on a log in a swampy area. We got a few photos before it got skittish and flew off. - www.wyattjourney.com

Missy the Dog

2006-08-02T22:41:00.000-08:00

My sister's family got a new dog named Missy. She is cute and friendly. - www.wyattjourney.com

Visiting Vancouver

2006-08-01T22:39:00.000-08:00

After a one day layover in Juneau, I came down to Washington to spend 10 days with the family. In a rare moment of convergence, the entire family (minus my sister-in-law, Paige) was together for a few hours. Perhaps some day we will even all be looking the same direction. - www.wyattjourney.com

Wyattjourney.com

2006-07-31T21:57:00.000-08:00

My photo journal site is almost completely updated. It is my major focus in blogging. Please visit it at www.wyattjourney.com.

Back in the USA

2006-07-28T21:34:00.000-08:00

I am back in the states. I flew from Bucharest to Juneau (30 hours) and spent one day packing and preparing for my trip to Washington state. I am now down in Vancouver, WA at my parents house and I am working hard to catch up on my web-site. I will be switching the main enphasis of my site back to the photo-essays and they will be posted at www.wyattjourney.com.

Back in Bucharest

2006-07-21T22:48:00.000-08:00

We had a great time in Greece and now we are back in Bucharest. This will be a busy week so I will update the site and comments as I can but likely it won't happen before next Friday when I am back in the states. Sorry.

Greece

2006-07-16T06:13:00.000-08:00

We have arrived in Greece for a few days of decompression after our time in Bucharest. Our friend Robyn, from Anchorage, arrived about 20 hours after us. She had been traveling 3 full days due to some technical issues on a plane she was on. I had a friend of mine meet her at the airport in Bucharest and make sure she was safe and happy. Our hotel is about 70 miles from the airport, located in Thessolonica, and so we rented a car and drove up to get her late last night. On the way back to the airport, we got into traffic jam and didn't get back to the hotel until 4:00 this morning.

It is very beautiful here and we plan to take advantage of the area by visiting historical areas and relaxing on the beach. I see that this computer lets me upload photos so I will be posting a few later this week.

Afternoon Breaks

2006-07-15T05:37:00.000-08:00

On a campaign it is important to stay hydrated and rested. Each day after our morning classes we have 4 hours to go hang-out and enjoy relaxing. We live far enough away from the apartment that it is almost not worth going back there so we find other things to do. Most breaks begin with a meal. Often the whole team will eat together but sometimes we go separate ways. The meal will often last over an hour. This is a good time to catch up on our students and bond a little with our teammates.

In this past week, being our last, we tried to do things that were on our list that we had not had time for. Dana and I walked to the Botanical Garden of Bucharest and enjoyed walking through this park. They have a long way to go before they become a world-class garden but we still enjoyed looking at at the ponds and a few flowers. They had some turtles in a pond and several ducks. We liked this knotted tree.

On another day, one of our students, Dia, was nice enough to take us to a park and help us rent a boat to row around in for an hour. We had a great time doing that. I spent some of that time teaching Dia how to row. The whole experience made me miss the ocean.

Most breaks end with an hour or so at the Internet place. It is pretty cheep here and it is air conditioned. In addition, we found a place that doesn't allow smoking. This is a rarity in Bucharest.

With sadness, our campaign ends today. We will miss our students and our breaks but we are looking forward to some R&R. I will be traveling tomorrow and can not guarantee that I will have email access. Thanks for visiting.

Romanian Summer Mission Report 6

2006-07-14T00:17:00.000-08:00

Geoffrey's Report - It has been quite a summer. As I suspected would happen, the Lord has been active in our lives and our ministry. We see growth in our students, in our fellow teachers, and in ourselves. Some of the growth has been easy and fun and some of it has been painful and hard. We have laughed a lot and we have cried. We have found ourselves as comforter and comforted. We have seen parts of the human spirit that we can rejoice in and other parts that we would rather not even exist. We have seen people return to God and some who have yet to grasp his love. We have had students who have found the missing element of their lives with God and others who have been strengthened by talking about their faith. We rejoice in all of these situations because we know that they are causing the growth.

Earlier this week I had a student tell me that he has been encouraged to leave his apartment more. He sees that there is more hope in the world than he has seen in the city and in his work. Another student has picked up the Bible for the first time in his life and is excited to read what God has to say to him. Many of my students have decided to keep their faith at its current level but I am happy for them as they have allowed themselves to be exposed to the message God has to offer. I pray their faith will increase.

We have been greatly encouraged by the time we have been able to spend with the other teachers. We come from different parts of the states and we all have different experiences in life. From college students to church elder, secretary to professional teachers, the time we have spent together has been special. I have memories of late night talks and game playing. Also memories of exploring the city and stumbling into adventures in the areas outside the city. I now have many stories of laughter in the buses, trains, and metros. This is a reminder that Christians can laugh and in a good clean way.

Every morning before classes start, we have been able to sing, pray, and share scriptures with each other. On several occasions, we've had students join us for that time. Though they came early on "accident", they have all expressed how special it was to them. I think many of them have not seen worship done in this way. It is good they can see a group of people who care for each other as they share in the worship of God. I hope they will "know we are Christians by our love."

In all likelihood, this will be our last campaign report. With the World English Institutes' end on Friday and we are taking a week to do some traveling with another friend from Alaska who has come over for a few weeks. We will return to Bucharest on the 22nd to help with Albert and Lavinia's art exhibit that is being used to introduce the church to others. We will then return to Juneau the following week. We thank you for your emails and prayers. It has been encouraging to share in this ministry with you and hope God will bless our congregation with many more opportunities to spread the word.

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Dana's Report - This summer has been full of many trials, many blessings, and many surprises. As I somewhat blindly stepped into this journey, I took a huge leap of faith, trusting that God would provide me with the way and the means to serve Him in Romania. A missionary can take on many different forms. A missionary can be a child, a grandparent, a student, and, at times, an unsuspecting soul. There is no one special mold that can really define a missionary. The purpose, however, spreading the Word of God, is the over-arching goal that unites all who serve our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Several years ago, when I first started considering mission work, I did not believe I had the ability to step out into an unfamiliar place and share the Word of God with strangers. I had been comfortable talking about my faith with people I already had established relationships with, but it felt difficult to talk about God with people I didn't know. I resolved that my mission field would be in my personal friendships, in my work life, and in any other opportunities that God provided. During these years, I saw my Christian friends traveling to other countries, working on teams to repair churches and orphanages, or praying for those doing mission's work abroad. Again, I felt comfortable serving in the way I always had, helping others in the community, at work, or in my personal life. But God had another plan for me. Through God's intervention and without hesitation, I knew, accepted, and trusted that it was God's plan for me to serve Him in Bucharest. Five weeks later, by God's will, I've done just that.

This morning, my student told me that she can see God working in me to help her. She shared that in our conversations she could feel God's presence and His desire to have a deeper relationship with her. She said that through this course she's been able to see God's love and desire for her, something she has not seen in many years. When you step out of your comfort zone and allow God to work in your heart, you find that God can use you in ways you never imagined. This summer God gave me a spirit of confidence, of strength, and of love for the people I came in contact with. As a result and to His glory, He reached many who are seeking to understand or have a relationship with the Lord. This was one of the many ways I experienced God's work in Bucharest.

The Lord also worked in the lives of the teachers for the World English Institute. He put a desire in our hearts to be closer to Him, to read His Word more, to pray together, to worship together, and to love one other. More than ever, I have seen the power of the Bible and I am reminded that it is active and living, ready to be received.

At first it felt strange to participate in worship using another language or to hear people praying and to not be able to understand the words. But when I looked past my own feelings, I could experience the sincere desire to make a connection with Our Lord. The people I met in Romania are not afraid to ask the difficult questions, they are not afraid to know about the Lord or about His love, and they are not afraid to worship God with their entire heart. The Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to share in this experience and as a result I can feel the joy of knowing that God desires the hearts and souls of every human being.

As I prepare to leave Romania, my heart is open to what the Lord has planned for me in my next mission trip. I know that there are no boundaries when we serve the Lord with our entire hearts. It's only when we look past our perceived limitations and truly start trusting God, that we can actually do His will more completely. I thank you for your support, your prayers, your encouragement, and your love. I only pray that one day you will be willing to step out of your comfort zone to experience how God will use you.

The Four Year Old Missionary

2006-07-13T00:17:00.000-08:00

What is a missionary to you? Is it someone who sells all their things and moves to a far-off place that you can't even find on a map? Is it that person who comes to your church with a 2 hour slide-show every couple years looking for money? Is it someone who is well versed in Biblical concepts and extremely outgoing? What is a missionary?

I think we often cut ourselves short when we think of missionaries in the context of the above questions. I think the definition of a missionary is much simpler than we give credit to. A missionary is someone who helps in the spread of God's powerful message. I spend many of my summers overseas talking with people about God. By definition, I am a missionary. I don't think of myself in these terms but the facts remain.

As I sat with a student yesterday afternoon, I looked down and realized that one of my nieces is a missionary of sorts. She, unknowingly, is helping in the spread of the gospel. Tabitha is only four. She was three at Christmas time when she walked into a store, went directly to a notebook with a pen-holder, and proclaimed it as a gift for her Uncle Geoffrey. It was the perfect gift because I am good at not having a pen with me at any given moment. This notebook helped me solve this problem.

Yesterday I realized that the notebook is now full. I have used every page. That is rare in my notebook collection. It is full of drawings, scriptures, phone numbers, email addresses, and scribbles. Probably 98% of the things in the notebook have to do with ministerial things. Without this notebook, I could have not communicated as effectively with my students this summer.

The notebook is ragged and beat-up. The pen died several weeks ago and was replaced with a newer one. Several pages are torn and there are stains in several places. This is no matter. It just proves the worth of the notebook and is a reminder to me of my niece and the contribution she has made to the ministry in Romania.

As I reflect, I think we don't realize how often the little things we do for people can be used in powerful ways. Even the innocent actions of a four year-old can steer people to Christ. Praise God that He can grow an oak with a small seed. (photos will be posted soon).

Rumikub

2006-07-12T04:11:00.000-08:00

There is a game that I am totally addicted to called Rumikub. Last summer when I was here I bought a really nice set of Rumi-blocks to play in Juneau. Then I found some friends who were willing to play with me. We played just about every week this past winter.

When we got to Romania this summer, I bought another copy of the game and we have been playing is several nights a week. We have at least one of the interns addicted to it. Some nights we play WAY past our bedtime. We don't keep score and we bend the rules sometimes but it is all in the name of fun.

Last week at our favorite park, we discovered a group of old men playing a version of the game. We tried to figure out the rules but there were doing things we couldn't understand. I will have to try to look it up on the internet. We would have stayed longer to watch but we were kicked out when trying to take a photo. Fortunately I was able to sneak this one in before the great exodus.

The Classics

2006-07-11T00:02:00.000-08:00

The past three weeks have been very enriching for us in so many ways. In fact, they have gone so well that we feel as if we've have a years worth of experience packed into a short period of time. Some of our classes are so good that we are certain they lasted much longer than an hour when in fact they didn't. As I've said before, we are growing to love our students and to be entwined with their lives.

On Sunday we had a mixer and around 20 of our students came. The Americans and non-students made the crowd to be around 50 people. We had a great time eating, chatting, and playing games. It was a success.

One of my students is a quality control engineer at a local (famous) croissant factory. We meet two times a week and we have had a good time sharing our thoughts on God and life. He has a very good sense of humor and also a big heart for his family. The other day he showed me his car. He told me today that he wants to take it to the beach soon. I told him that his wife would like that. He told me that his wife wouldn't go. Why not... is she afraid of the water? No, she is afraid of my car.

I plan to keep in touch with Vacile and the other students who will give me their email addresses. I am not always good at writing but I will make an attempt to keep in touch with these friends and encourage them in their lives and spiritual growth.

Good InVESTment??

2006-07-10T04:11:00.000-08:00

It started near the beginning of our time in Romania. I casually pointed out a fashion trend among older Romanian men.... The vest. I had a student last year who wore a vest everyday. His daughter claims that he sleeps in the vest. I believe it. She snuck one of her father's vests to school the other day so we could all have our pictures taken in it.

After showing this trend to Dana, we started pointed out vest-wearing men when we saw them. It is sort of an easy version of Where's Waldo. There are hundreds of styles here. We have seen vests in camo, pink, grey, blue, yellow, mauve, green, and so on. They come in various lengths and with differing numbers of pockets. While most vests are worn by older men, we have also seen them on women and younger men. We have also seen "Trainer" vests on little kids. I guess there must be a good reason they wear them. We sure have fun looking for them and commenting on their quality and style. Maybe I should consider getting one.

Our Newest Roommates

2006-07-09T01:58:00.000-08:00

We have been working at the English/Bible school for three weeks and we have one more to go. The McPhersons were here for the first two weeks of the institute and when they left, the Browns came to join us. Marcus is an elder in the church in Alabama and also works for University of Alabama teaching computer programming. His wonderful wife Carol is the head office manager in their church in Tuscaloosa.

They had no problem diving into the activity of the campaign and their students have enjoyed getting to know them. It has been extra special for us because every morning we have a devotional before class and the Browns are good singers. We have also enjoyed listening to the Marcus give us wise thoughts about life and spiritual matters.

We enjoyed being on the train with them yesterday as we went to the black sea on the train. 8 hours on a train gave use some good talking and laughing time. Last week, on a bus ride home, Carol made friends with an 84 year old woman who was dressed in traditional Romanian clothing. Although the lady spoke little English and Carol speaks little Romanian, they hit it off. Mostly because of Carol's out-going personality.

It has been a good week getting to know the Browns and we look forward to spending more time with them in the coming week.

Book, Books, and More Books

2006-07-08T03:38:00.000-08:00

This weekend we are traveling to the Black Sea for a day of sun and sunburns. We will leave Saturday morning at 7:30 by train and return sometime around 9:00 that night. We are eager for a little relaxing fun after an exhausting but rewarding week.

No doubt we will have books on the trip. One of the best things about summer vacation is getting to read all the good books I want to read during the year but have not had time for. I started the trip by reading a science book called, "Why do men have nipples?" It answered odd questions you've always wanted wanted to ask your doctor. It was a funny book but I can't say I'd recommend it.

My next book was called "Better Off". This is the true story of a man and his wife who move into a community with some minimalites so they can see what it is like to live without major technologies. This is a funny and poinient book that makes one stop and think about what technology does to us. When I got done with it, the book got passed to just about everyone on our team. We all enjoyed it and I highly recommend it.

Next was a book by Rick McKinley of Imago Dei Community Church in Portland, Oregon. The book is called "Jesus in the Margins". It was a well written book about our relationship with God in a world that is less than perfect. I highly recommend it.

I next read a book that I've always wanted to read. The book "Kon-Tiki" was written over 50 years ago and chronicles the true adventure of 6 men taking a raft across the Pacific Ocean from Peru to Polynesia. It was an amazing book and I would love to go on an adventure like this.

The next book was called "Looking for God Knows What" by Don Miller. He does a nice job of talking about current spiritual thought. While not as good as his previous book "Blue Like Jazz" I still liked it.

I am currently reading "Sho-gun" but it is challenging because it is an old copy of the paperback book and each time I turn the page, it falls out. I guess that puts a little fun into the reading process.

I am not sure what I will read next. I am almost out of books. I am sure something will come up.

Romanian Summer Mission Report 5

2006-07-07T03:56:00.000-08:00

Dana's Report - Being part of a team and family is important to me, both here in Bucharest and in my home in Juneau. The book of Ephesians tells us that we are united in Christ. This unity is essential in encouraging one another, supporting one another, and in sharing how God is working in our lives. This week, God helped me to see that isolation gives a false sense of security and the truth is that we are one in the Lord. I feel He is encouraging me to acknowledge, care about, and participate in this amazing family and trust that this family also cares for me, as I care for the members of this family. In times of loneliness, pain, or despair God is there--calling us to acknowledge that we are ONE in the Lord and that He will provide for us, heal us, and care for us. As God heals the wounds and pain in my own life, He is also giving me the strength to help others so that He, too, can heal their wounds. One young woman, Alexa, is someone who is experiencing wounds in her heart that God is beginning to heal.

I meet with my new friend Alexa on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She speaks fluent English and has taken many exams to demonstrate her English proficiency. Very early in our conversations, I saw that Alexa did not need to participate in much of the grammar studies or the reading practice we do in our individual studies. With approval from our Director, Albert (a.k.a. Geoffrey's best friend, Bubba, who is a missionary in Romania), we decided to spend most of our sessions in conversation.

As a young woman, Alexa is seeking to understand more about God, His actions, and His Word. Alexa's life, to me, seems somewhat of a paradox, as she adamently declares her dedication to a movement called the Objectivism Philosophy. This life style places a significant importance on self-preservation and individualism. Although Alexa states she believes in God, she also feels that people do a disservice in helping others, especially those in poverty. God, however, is showing her that she needs to care for others, showing them love and compassion in their hardships. Alexa took her first step towards helping others this week in her act of helping a disabled man on the subway. Not only did she take a stand for this man, but she has also admitted that she DOES care for others, something she previously stated she shouldn't do.

In addition to Alexa's questions about God, she has been actively seeking a credible source of information. She has had many conversations with her family, friends, Orthodox priests, and will often spend time in monastaries. This week, she was surprised to receive some answers (and some new questions) during our sessions. Alexa, like many people I know, including myself, has questions about how God cares for her or if He calls her to demonstrate His love for people. As I've learned and also believe, God's Word is the place to go for those answers. It is there that we learn about Jesus, His life and resurrection, and how much God loves us and wants us to love others. In Thursday's session Alexa discovered that God DOES care about her and that He is calling her. She admits that she had much thinking to do, and she needs our prayers as she digs into God's Word this weekend. I've spent a lot of time in prayer regarding my conversations with Alexa and ask for your help, as members of God's family, in doing this. God is drawing her nearer each moment and as she experiences God's love she is also experiencing His grace through her faith.

As you can see, God is blessing our efforts here. I thank you for your continued prayers.

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Geoffrey' Report - As Dana and I wander around Bucharest each day, we are struck by the poverty that seems to be everywhere. Entering the Metro the other day we watched an old woman sitting with her hand out in the beggars pose. Her sad eyes asked for money. Walking down the street this week, we saw two little kids with ragged clothes hoping to get a handout somewhere. As we rode the bus to school on Wednesday, we could see an impoverished lady passed out in the middle of the sidewalk, people stepping over her. We can't escape seeing these people and we don't always know what to do. Our American upbringing has taught us to be cautious about who we give money to. What if they use the money for something bad? Despite this, our hearts tell us that we can't pass them all by. We sometimes give a few coins and sometimes we give a little bit of food. These are temporary fixes but they make us at least feel like we have done something. We know one thing, we can't look away. That could be Christ sitting there.

Each day in our classes we deal with an different kind of poverty. This is a poverty of the soul. Our students will often share there feelings about God with us. Sometimes they tell us that they do not know if God loves them or if he even exists. Sometimes they tell us of troubles in their lives and their frustration in not knowing what to do. One of my students this week told me that he wants to have a relationship with Christ but "Jesus seems far away. He seems unreachable and untouchable." Again we realize that we can not ignore the pain or the frustration. We can't just step into their lives and treat their problems and desires as trivial matters. We are obligated to share Christ's love with them. Sometimes the only thing we can do is listen. Sometimes we can share a verse or hope they will allow us to pray with them. The more time we spend with them, the more we grow to love them and see them as children of God. We hope they can hear us share the message of grace and forgiveness. We hope that somewhere in our word they will find some peace and joy.

One student this week allowed me to pray with him. He said he had not prayed any more than 10 times in his life and he had not been in a church in over 12 years. After the prayer, he said that he liked the prayer very much and wanted me to write it down so he could memorize it. He is beginning the steps to a relationship with God and I hope he understood when I told him that prayers come from the heart. They are honest communication with God and can't be scripted.

Another students told me this week that our studies have put a change in her life. She feels like God is calling her back to a relationship with Him. She is seeing that God wants her to bring her son and husband to a relationship with Him too. We rejoiced together in this restoration.

After sharing the concept of total-forgiveness with a student early in the week, he sat there in quiet thought and finally told me that nobody had ever told him anything like this. He said it was a lot to think about. I am sure that his vision of God is one of a distant spiritual dictator who looks for ways to make life miserable. The idea of a loving, forgiving God can be a hard one to grasp. "How many sins of mine will he forgive?" "All of them." "So what prevents a me from sinning and sinning and letting God forgive me all the time?" "When we fall in love with someone (God), we go out of our way to not hurt them. As faith and love increases, the desire to sin decreases."

Another student and I concluded a session by resolving that the Bible is easy enough for the simplest person to understand and complex enough to confuse the greatest scholars. However, it is clear that God wants to have relationship with us. He desires reconciliation and forgiveness. He hates spiritual poverty and seeks to put a stop to it. Too bad man is so good at thwarting His efforts. Spiritual poverty will be with us just as material poverty is with us until the end of the world. All we can do is be tools that God can use to spread his message of hope. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Funny Things Said

2006-07-06T03:33:00.000-08:00

Sometimes working with ESL students can have its humorous moments. This week were two instances that allow my student and I to laugh while learning.

One instance involves a man who also speaks Russian and gets the "V" and "W" sound confused sometimes. He read from the book, "Rebecca covered her face with a whale."

Another student was trying to thank me for helping him with this English course when he said, "I will pay you back for this curse."

Each of these students got a good laugh out of the errors when it was explained to them.

Orthodoxy

2006-07-05T02:35:00.000-08:00

Romania is about 87 percent Orthodox. Most of our students were raised with this tradition. Many of them consider Orthodoxy their religion but they do not take it seriously. It is more of a cultural expectation. However, since this church is prevalent in the country, most people have some level of spiritual understanding.

The orthodox church is much like Russian orthodoxy and relies heavily on praying to dead saints for help. They pray to icons and relics and light candles for their dead relatives. They also pay the priests to pray for them. Several of my students have expressed frustration that their priests seem more interested in the money than in the spiritual nourishment. However, they are reluctant to look into other faiths because of the fear of social isolation.

There is an Orthodox church building on almost every corner in Bucharest and we have been inside several of them. They are very beautiful buildings. The central church for the Orthodox religion is in downtown Bucharest and I have visited it frequently. It is pictured here.

Getting to Know Folk

2006-07-04T01:44:00.000-08:00

Since we are working long hours, we don't have lots of extra opportunities to get to know our students on a social level. This Sunday night we are inviting our students to join us for a little party. We are all eager to meeting their spouses and kids and just hang out a little bit.

This is not the first party we have been involved with. The day before our classes started, we had a get-together in a park with some of our Romanian friends. Some of them were former students and some of them were Christians from the Mihai Bravo Church of Christ. I have known many of them for several years and some of them I met at the park.

I am not much of a party person but this kind of social event is good for me. It gives me a chance to mingle and spend time with friends. The best part for me was when I pulled out my frisbees and got several people involved in a friendly game of catch. The food was also pretty good. We grilled up some meats and had some salad.

Above our park-spot was a mulberry tree. I climbed up into it and shook the branches. I was sorry I had done that because the berries all came crashing down and stained our clothing. I guess that is part of the risk of having fun.

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On another note, please keep our students in your prayers this week. We are starting to have some very deep conversations with them and we are being encouraged daily with their newly discovered understanding of God and his love for mankind.

Animals

2006-07-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

There was a lot of interesting wild life on our hike the other day. One surprising guest was a snake that was laying the middle of our path. There are not snakes in Alaska's wild so I had a little jump when I discovered this guy.

There were some cool plants and I saw tons of ladybugs chewing away on many of them.

On our way down the mountain, I had the window open and something hit my head. I asked Mihai if he had hit me for fun and he said that he had not. I looked back and there was a large moth flying behind him. By the time I got the flashlight out, he was gone. I figured he had flown out. Sunday morning after church, Dana climbed in the back of the car and gave a little scream. She had discovered the moth. The colors were amazing and several of us had to get photos of it before rescuing Dana.

Some other animals we saw on our trip were mules, lizards, frogs, mountain goats (not like the ones in Alasa), and lots of colorful birds.

Moldoveanu Peak (2543 Meters)

2006-07-02T04:41:00.000-08:00

Saturday was a day of rest for us. After a long, hot week, we finally got a little rain in the city. Unfortunately I missed it because I was on another "adventure" in the mountains. Big Bogdon and I drove for 5 hours with another friend, Mihai, in order to climb the highest peak in Romanina. The last 40 kilometers of the drive was us a beautiful dirt road that paralleled a rushing river. The road was in pretty good shape except for one spot that had a major river flowing down the center of it. With some prayer and good driving, we made it over that hurdle. The road was blocked by a large avalanche near the end. We decided that we had not driven all morning for nothing so we parked the truck and climbed over the blockage.

Bogdon thought that is was only 1 kilometer to the trail so we started on the walk with much enthusiasm. Two hours later we found the trailhead located at the bottom of the mountain. In the valley sat a shepherd's house and there was an amazing waterfall coming off the cliff. We started hiking toward the top. Because we were starting later in the day than planned, we set the goal of getting to the plateau below the mountain peak rather than going all the way to the top. Had the road not been blocked, we would have reached the top without any problems.

It was a hard climb, straight up in parts, but the resulting valley we reached was amazing. All the stresses and worries of the world slipped away as I sat in that high point marveling at the beauty. We could see Moldoveanu Peak above us. Through the valley ran a picture perfect stream.

After an hour of enjoying the scene, we started down the mountain. We reached the road after an hour and then headed for the car. We thought the walk to the car would be a lot shorter than the walk to the mountain because it was downhill. We were wrong. It was still a two hour walk. As we drove out of the mountains, it started getting dark. We made it back to Bucharest at 2 AM. It was a long day but it was worth every minute of it.

People's Palace

2006-07-01T03:47:00.000-08:00

During our afternoon break this week, we went to the People's Palace. With the exception of the pentagon, this is the largest building in the world. It was built by Ceaucescu. He was the last dictator in Romania. He tore down 10,000 homes to build this government building. He forced people to work on the building, often without pay. He demanded perfection in the building even if it meant a great expense. While his country starved, the building was built.

The People's Palace was not the only structure built during this era. In front of the "Palace" he had a long and wide boulevard built. This one is several meters wider than the one in Paris. The view of the boulevard from the People's Palace is amazing. You can see a lot of the city as you stand up on the hill.

Most Romanians, especially the ones who lived through it, are embarrassed by the building. It took too much money and too much repression to build it. Since Ceaucescu's assassination following a revolution in 1989, the "Palace" has been turned into the capital building of the country. It holds the parliament and other major government offices.

Romanian Summer Mission Report 4

2006-06-30T04:24:00.000-08:00

Geoffrey's Report - We are at the half way point in our ministry here. We have two more weeks in the campaign and then we are going to take a little break and do some traveling. However, we are currently focused on the Lord's work in Bucharest. This week has been one of joy and exhaustion. We each have eight or so students who have come regularly and we have formed some deep friendships already. I guess that is expected to happen when people talk about personal matters and the Lord. We have also met with many more students who have come for one or two meetings and then dropped out. This does not discourage us because we feel that even with one session, seeds of God's love have been planted. We pray for each of our students daily.

This week, I have had several wonderful and interesting conversations with students. I asked one of them if they would like to live in a place like the garden of Eden. Usually when I ask this question, the answer is "Yes. That would be very relaxing." However, this student said, "Yes. I would love to live there because right now I don't have the time or strength to walk and talk with God constantly. I think Adam and Eve had a wonderful opportunity to be in continual communication with God and I would like that." This showed a deep understanding of what it takes to have a deep relationship with God.

One of the nice things about returned this year has been in continuing relationships with several students from previous years. Each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoon I meet with Laurentiu and Andrea. They are both returning students. Laurentiu is growing in his English Language skills and each time gets better and better at it. More importantly, he and I get into good conversations about what it means to have a relationship with God. He has come to church with me several times and has kept up a relationship with Albert throughout the year. I think he is looking for a church that emphasises the God relationships.

I have Andrea at the end of the day. That is a very good thing because we get into deep and rich conversations and it pumps the energy back into my body after a long day. He and I decided that other day that God's word is simple and complex. That is, it is simple enough for the least educated person to understand and complex enough that the greatest scholars can not fully comprehend it. He asks many thought provoking questions about how Jesus chose his apostles and what God expects from each of us. Each question is multilayered and is often pointing to an underlying answer. He keeps challenging me to stay on my toes and I keep reminding Andrea that God loves him and simply wants his devotion.

As you can see, our time here continues to go well and we continue to grow. We ask God daily to give us strength and to allow the Word to penetrate the hearts of our students. We know God will bless these seeds.

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Dana's Report - Today concludes the second week of studies with my students. Depending on the availability and committment of each student, I've had the opportunity to study between 1 and 6 times with each person. As we've entered further into the text, I've found connections and similarities with my students, resulting in many interesting and thought-provoking conversations. Additionally, God has been working in me, making changes and softening my heart in ways I couldn't have imagined!

One special student that I spoke with this week is Crina. Crina is 29 years old and originally from Belgium. She speaks fluent English, works for the Metro System, and is one of the most energetic, animated students on my roster. Crina attends an Orthodox Church in Bucharest and has a lot of skeptism regarding the practices of this faith. Crina expressed her distrust of the priests in her congregation, sharing that many priests charge its members money in order to pray for its followers. Additionally, Crina is aware of much hypocrisy within the church, citing that a priest may teach others to show kindness, however, he doesn't exemplify this characteristic in his own life. I've really enjoyed my conversations with Crina and although she is typically hesitant to share her personal feelings and beliefs about God, she has become comfortable to do so during our studies. Although Crina doesn't feel ready to leave her church, she is becoming more aware of the discrepancies between what the Bible teaches and what her church teaches and practices. Please pray that Crina will continue to seek God and be open to hearing His Word during our sessions.

Another student that has been actively searching for God is Felicia. Felicia joined the WEI program late last week. She expressed her love for Jesus when she joined the class and recently revealed her desire to have a deeper, more personal relationship with God. As our studies have progressed, I have found that Felicia and I have had some similiar experiences in our lives, feeling alone and undeserving of love. My joy comes from sharing with her that God DOES love us, inspite of our sins, and it is because of His grace that we are cleansed and saved through our faith in Him. Felicia is the first student that has expressed an interest to pray together. This is both exciting and encouraging to me because I can see God working in her heart and impressing a desire for her to draw nearer to him. Please pray that Felicia will experience the love and hope that God offers us through our relationship with Him.

At the half-way mark, I've also been reflecting on God's purpose for bringing me to Romania. Although I've felt confident that it is God's plan for me to be ministering here, I've been surprised by His work in my life, as well as the deep attachments I've made to my students. Last week, one dear student, Nicoletta changed jobs. She is no longer able to attend classes due to her work schedule. I feel a great loss in her departure and ask for prayers for her that she will recognize God's love and see hope in the world. Nicoletta also struggles with feeling alone and needs reassurance that God is with her, even in the darkest hours.

God has given me great strength over the past 3 weeks. I am constantly surprised at His ability to give me the power to get through the day. The days have been long, hot, and sometimes discouraging. But at the perfect time, God has been placing conversations, moments, and experiences that both lift me up and encourage me to continue. I am thankful for my team members, especially Geoffrey, who have brought laughter, joy, and patience in my life. I am hopeful that God will continue to help me open my heart to others. I desire deeper friendships and relationships that our God-centered and I am excited to see His plan for me. Praise God for the work He is doing in each of us here!

Rembradt

2006-06-30T03:41:00.000-08:00

As mentioned in a previous post, we went to a museum the other day and looked at an exhibit about Rembradt. It was a nice painting and the information about it was very interesting. I think we mostly just enjoyed a powerful air-conditioner. Here are some photos from our trip to the museum.

They told us that the exhibit is the first of its kind in Romania and they were doing it in a way to prove that they are capable of hosting such a large event. I am sure this has to do with their hoped entry into the European Union. It seems like everything is gearing towards that. Overall it seems like a good thing. The country as a whole is looking better and people seem more positive.

Sunday Church

2006-06-29T04:15:00.000-08:00

I am finally able to download my photos from this past week. This is a photo taken on Sunday at church. Albert (aka Bubba), his wife Lavinia, and a friend named Bogdon are doing a church plant in sectors 5 and 6 of Bucharest. They will be doing the church launch in a few weeks and so right now the group is pretty small. We hope some of our students will become a part of the new church.

Although most of us were Americans, we sang the songs in Romanian. It was funny because I knew the tunes but could not sing the words and the Romanian next to me knew the words but not the tunes. After the song service, Albert preached one of the nicest sermons I've ever heard on being purified by Christ and being sealed with his blood. He used a wine bottle to demonstrate the sealing. After the sermon, Bogdon gave a talk on the meaning of the Lord's Supper and then we had about 10 minutes of meditation and singing. During that time, we could go up and take the communion when we were ready.

I am very proud of these three missionaries and the work they are doing to start a new church in this part of the world. Please keep them in your prayers. The church launch is on july 22.

Snails

2006-06-28T04:11:00.000-08:00

Well, not a lot to say today. The weather continues to be hot, hot, hot and I don't know if you have noticed but the ALASKANS are MELTING out here. We went to a museum today to see a Rembrant painting (photos to follow) but I think most of use enjoyed the cold air-condisioning as much as (or more than) the art. After classes yesterday, we went hunting for some fans for the apartment but we could not find any because everyone was sold out.

We continue to build good relationships with our students and enjoy talking with them each day. A few have dropped out but they are eagerly replaced by others. I will give more detail in our weekly report on Friday.

Near our Institute location is a really nice park. We have enjoyed walking through it several times and may go rent some boats to paddle around the lake sometime in the near future. The other day, while walking in the park, we saw two snails attempting to cross the path. They were huge and also interesting to watch. I would guess they were about the size of a doughnut-hole (but not as tasty). I took a few photos and the ones displayed here are the best of the bunch.

I hope you all are having a good summer. Please drop me a note if you have a moment.

Our Co-Teachers

2006-06-27T04:27:00.000-08:00

It is 94 degrees in Bucharest right now and we are drinking lots of water and sweating quite a bit too.

Today I would like to take a moment or two to talk about three of our campaign co-workers. They come from Alabama and Tennessee and are working in the English Institute for the first two weeks. Kelly and Carisa are married and this is their second summer in Bucharest. Kelly is a student at the University of Alabama and is studying language. Carisa is a fourth grade teacher at a private Christian school. They are very fun to work with and have great attitudes. We love to laugh and talk. They also like to play games with us. Most importantly, they both have a love for God and a desire to serve him.

Sue is Kelly's mother. This is her first campaign and she is doing a great job. I especially appreciate her compassion for her students and her willingness to cry and comfort them. She is a real trooper and has had to put up with the jokes of a younger generation. She stands up for herself pretty well. That is probably because she is a high school science teacher in her regular life. Again, we love the love she has for the Lord.

As you can see, we have a very strong team this summer. We will miss Kelly, Carisa, and Sue when they head back to the states on Friday and we will look forward to getting to know our new partners this coming Sunday.

Day Off - Part II

2006-06-26T04:00:00.000-08:00

When we left our struggling heroes, they had just found out that they were stuck at the top of a mountain in the middle of Romania with only a few hours until sunset.....

Cell-phones are wonderful inventions. As soon as we found out we were stuck, we started calling around for options. I joked with Bogdon about getting a helicopter up to lift us away and he just laughed. After getting Lavinia and Bubba on the phone, they said that there were only two options: A) Start hiking down the mountain. We should get to the bottom by sunset. B) Check into a hotel that was a short walk from the cable-car and catch the first train back in the morning. We didn't like either options. The first option was the better of the two but some in our party were not regular hikers and were already tired from our trip to the cross. The second option was not so good because we were starting to run low on funds and probably couldn't afford the hotel AND the train ride back (plus meals and the cable-car).

Bogdon said that he thought we could walk toward a hotel that was clear across the mountain-valley and we might be able to find someone with a car to drive us down the mountain. We all agreed that this was a nice option (although we were surprised there was a road out of this location). After making a few calls, Bogdon secured a car to come get us at 8:00 so we started walking toward the hotel. Our perception was that the hike would take us 20 minutes or so but looks were deceiving. Ultimately it took us about 2 hours. Half way across the valley was a deep ravine that was thought would be impossible to cross. However, with teamwork and vague recollections of rope-courses, we helped each other past the obstacle.

After more walking, we finally reached the hotel. Bogdon called the driver and confirmed the pick-up. He said he might be an hour later. We had plenty of time for dinner at the hotel and then we sat in the cold mountain air looking across the valley for the car. As we waited, we talked about movies, food, family, other travel adventures, and generally just got to know each other better. We also wondered if the guy was really going to come get us at all.

Finally, around 9:00, when it was beginning to get dark, we saw the car come around the corner. He was a long way off and we wondered if he was pulling a horse-trailer of some other type hook-up. As he got closer, Mike told us that he could see a tarp on the back of a pick-up truck. We knew then that this would be adventure. As the guy pulled up to the hotel, we started laughing at the fun we were about to have. It was an open-air safari tour truck and was not in great shape. In fact, when he hoped out to wipe down the seats, the clutch slipped and we about lost the truck down the hill.

Jumping in the back, we started off down one of the bumpiest roads of our lives. We laughed and joked as we bumped and bounced. We waved at shepherd as they watched their flocks. We giggled at seeing the Safari cows. We hooted every time we hit a big bump or looked out the back, straight down a steep cliff. We howled as were thrown from our seats and helped each other back up. It was likely one of the most fun rides of my life and we enjoyed every minute of it.

But the fun and learning wasn't over. We arrived at the train station at 10:15 to find that the last scheduled train was at 9:40. Only God could get us back to Bucharest this evening. We went to the ticket counter expecting to be told that there was nothing to be done. The agent told us that the 9:40 train had been delayed because it hit a bear along the route and would be there at 11:00 if we wanted to take it. We couldn't believe it. God had done it for us.

When the train pulled up, it overshot the platform and so we had to RUN, RUN, RUN to get on the right car. Trains don't wait around too long to get passengers. After more laughs and shared moments, we settled into our seats to sleep on the ride back home.

It was an awesome day with events that we couldn't possibly have foreseen or planned. However, we would not have traded it for any other day-off adventure.

Day Off - Part 1

2006-06-25T06:10:00.000-08:00

This story is going to take two days to tell because it was going to be a simple day traveling to the mountains and it turned out to be the adventure of our lives. Let me say at the onset, we were never in any physical danger and everything worked out in the end.

After working hard for the week, the 7 teachers (myself included) decided to take a train up to Bust an and hike in the mountains. Our troubles began early. We met at the train station at 8 in the morning and found out that our 8:30 train was booked solid so we had to hang out until the next one until 9:30. Getting on the train, we were joined by Bogdon, a Romanian who is working with Albert and Lavinia in the church plant.

When we got to Bustan, it was raining very hard. We went to a store so one of our teachers could buy a coat for the day. We then slowly strolled up to the cable-car station stopping along the way to eat some sweet-bread and use a bathroom. We got to the top of the mountain at around 12:30 and spent some time looking at the interesting rock formations at the top. These formations are said to had been carved and used by the druids many centuries ago. The one pictured here is called The Sphinx.

Around 1:00, we went into a lodge to eat some of the best Chorba I've ever had. Around 2:00, we headed off on our hike toward a giant metal cross that overlooks the valley that Bustan and Sania are in. The hike was a little difficult in some places but we made it there by 3:30. We stayed for 30 minutes and then headed back. When we got to the cable-car station, there was a sign on the door that said that the last tram car left at 3:00. We had forgotten to check on this little detail. I wasn't worried until Bogdon caught up and said that we were stuck. There would be NO car down the mountain until 9 the next morning.

At over 1000 meters in the air, no ride to the bottom of the mountain, and no tents or sleeping bag, we were potential trouble. This was one twist in the day we were not prepared for.

(To be continued... tomorrow)

Thank you for the coffee

2006-06-25T05:47:00.000-08:00

Dana has been craving a blended mocha since we got here. It has been especially bad since it started getting extremely hot. As we were walking somewhere, she was asking for the pronunciation of the word "multumesc" (phonetic: mooltzoomeask) which means "I thank you." I told her how I said it and added that there are other forms of it. For example "Multumeam" means "We thank you." Then I started joking with her by saying "multu-mocha" means "I thank you for the coffee." Had I stopped there, she would have believed me. She later told me that had I stopped there, she would have believed me. She was eager to try that out when she found her blended mocha. Unfortunately I pushed too far and told her that "multu-metro" meant "Thanks for letting me on the metro" and "multu-mula" meant "thank you for the money." I think she is starting to learn not to trust me too much.

On the 7th day

2006-06-24T05:40:00.000-08:00

There is a lot of controversy and contradiction of fact concerning this event that our team has chosen to laugh about. On Thursday afternoon, when it was especially hot in the WEI room, I had a student reading to me from a chapter about the creation of the world. After the session was done, one of my co-teachers came to me and said that she had seen me with my head down and asked if I had been sleeping. "Of course not," I insisted. The way I sit, I don't think I could even get my head down on the table (seriously). However, at one point in the session, the student stopped to ask me a question and after I answered it he started reading again. I asked if he meant to start up the page a few paragraphs. "I already read that," he insisted. I didn't remember it AT ALL and told him to continue where he thought he was. The paragraphs I missed out on had to do with the seventh day of creation... day God rested. Ironic and worth several laughs to the team. I admit that I may have been day-dreaming but I am certain that I was not sleeping.

Romanian Summer Mission Report 3

2006-06-23T03:12:00.000-08:00

Geoffrey's Report - It has been a good week for us. We started our classes on Monday and have been meeting with 7 students a day. We have students on MWF and a different group on TT. They read a chapter to us from a World English Institute book and we help them with pronunciation and comprehension. The first few lessons are designed mostly for introducing basic concepts about God and man's fall from grace. Over time, as students become comfortable, we start having discussions with them about faith. Often we can only just listen to their needs and struggles and give assurance of God's love for them. Sometimes a student allows us to pray with them as did one of my students this week. Our studies can be a little tedious and mind-numbing as we listen to the same story over-and-over again but God gives us the strength. In fact, last night the whole group of teachers (there are 7 of us) were so wrapped up in deep discussions that nobody wanted to stop even though we had been doing it all day and it was after 8 P.M. It was an amazing moment as we realized that our tired bodies took second place to God's powerful word. My students include an computer engineer, a food-quality engineer, a soldier, a aviation-communications expert, a couple retired people, a heavy-equipment salesman, a graphic designer, and a few students. It is interesting to hear their stories and get to know them. We are glad that we decided to stay for the entire 4-week institute because it will give us more time to get to know our students be a tool for hope in their lives. Thanks for your continued prayers.

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Dana's Report--What an exciting first week! I had no idea how encouraging, humbling, and rewarding these Bible studies would be. With 12 new students, the breadth of their life experiences is overwhelming. From chemical engineer, hotel manager, to university faculty, each of my students are unique in their jobs, their home lives, and their relationships with God. I believe that the next 3 weeks with these students will provide me with the opportunity to know them on a personal level and with many prayers, some interesting conversations may arise. God has already surprised me this week, as some of my students have already felt comfortable enough to share personal information about their lives.

One student that has been especially important to me this week is Nicoleta. Although her studies are on Tuesday and Thursday, we spent an intense hour together in our second study session as I witnessed an incredible event. After reading the story of Adam and Eve, Nicoleta began to share a moving and heartbreaking story of how her husband of 19 years left her and their 5 year old daughter to begin a new family. Although this in itself can be devastating, soon after her father passed away which resulted in her mother's desire to move to America. Alone, Nicoleta began to struggle with depression and for the past 2 years, she has been doubting the presence of love in the world. Nicoleta shared that the Bible studies at World English Institute are the first thing she has been excited about since her mother's departure. When I first spoke with Nicoleta on Tuesday, I could feel the sadness in her voice, her eyes, and her heart. I am hopeful that Nicoleta will be able to see God's love through me as He puts a desire in her heart to seek him. Please prayer for Nicoleta.

Another student who has also been very special to me this week is Dana (pronounced Donna). Although she has a beautiful name, this is not the reason she has become special to me. In our first session, she shared with me that she hasn't ever read the Bible, nor does she have one of her own. I was able to give her an English Bible and spoke to her about the power of the word and its importance in my own life. Since Monday, Dana has taken time to compare the Bible with the first 3 lessons in our WEI booklets. She is excited to see that the booklets are in line with God's word and she is very suprised at how powerful God is. Dana expressed her skeptism that God is present in a world that has much pain and suffering. I assured her that God does love each of us and that He has demonstrated this in many ways. I feel Dana is open to receive God's word and I pray for her to desire a relationship with Him.

Although each of our students are studying at different reading levels, with different people, and may be in different stories, I trust that God's word is working. God blessed me with the opportunity to see and feel how powerful His word is. It is also important for each of us to share the word and to plant the seeds, even when we cannot or do not see His results. I praise God for the work He is doing here and thank you for your continued prayers.

Surprised by Concert

2006-06-22T03:31:00.000-08:00

Last night, after our classes, we all went down to a restaurant called Sherrif's and enjoyed a variety of foods and ice creams. The teachers like to get together for lunch and dinner to share some fellowship and debrief about the day. It also builds a team spirit for cooperation and encouragement. After we ate, Dana, Mike, Joseph, and I all decided to walk up to the University district to catch a Metro home. When we got near the station, we heard some nice music coming from the National Theatre. We decided to take a detour and check it out. It turned out to be a special concert by the Bucharest Symphonic Pops.They played several songs we knew like Summertime, a Muppet Medley, selections from Phantom of the Opera, and I Did It My Way. They had a couple guest singers who were very good. They spoke perfect Romanian but when they sang the songs in English, they had no accent. We stayed for about 45 minutes until they had a French guy who got up to sing. He had an awful voice as he tried to sing To Dream the Impossible Dream. I think I have a good impression of him if you ever want to see and hear it. In any case, it made us leave quickly. Otherwise, it was a pleasant surprise to be a part of this special event.

Getting Around

2006-06-21T03:15:00.000-08:00

I will mostly be writing about some transportation issues we have had to deal with here but I want to start by letting everyone know that our campaign is going very well. Look for a posting on Friday explaining our thoughts and comments about it this week.

Since we have such a big group this year, Bubba and Lavinia are not able to drive all of us around to wherever we need to go. It has been mostly left up to us to get from point A to point B. This has caused some challenges because Bucharest is such a large city. I am the main navigator because I've been here enough to know where we are most of the time. We have been confined mostly to busses and the Metro. There is a bus that stops right in front of our apartment and takes us to a good Metro stop. We were excited to learn this morning that one of the busses that stops in front of our house (and there are only two) goes almost directly to our school location. This is good news because it could save us 20 minutes... time we could use to sleep. The Metros are pretty nice. They zip along at a quick rate but you often have to wait up to 10 minutes for one to come. Last night after our classes, we wanted to go to a specific restaurant across town. When we went to get on the bus, we had to fight 100 Romanians for space. We were crammed in to tight that if we had died, we would not have been able to fall over. It was a little uncomfortable but it was a cultural moment and actually pretty funny. (Working on a way to get photos)