Church Sunday (Day 4)

My first day at church I was really not sure what to expect.  I didn't know if it was only going to be in Romanian, English or both.  I was definitely excited for it though.  Excited enough that I forgot my Bible, which I will not do again. Church ended up being really good though.  There are like three or four Adii's (pronounced Ah-Dee) and all of which were preachers and three of them spoke really, really good messages.  It was almost like a three-point sermon, but each preacher made one point.  One of the preachers spoke in Romanian and the other translated it to English.  It was definitely pretty cool.  And different, but good.

The first point was probably my favorite.  It was taken from Exodus 3:1-4 and Isaiah 6:8 and it compared how Moses said "Here I am." and not willing to go and how Isaiah said "Here I am! Send me!".  We were encouraged to be like Isaiah and be passionate for going instead of hesitant.  Then we split up into groups and prayed for ourselves, opportunities to go and others who are going as well as encouraging each other.  Then some announcements were made as well as a sending off prayer for a missionary family who is going back to the states on Wednesday to Washington D.C. after serving in Romania for three years.  After this another Adii spoke about the first apostle's in the NT.  How some were remembered by there mistakes (Doubting Thomas) and other's for their faith.  Then he asked how people are going to remember us.

One thing that I have noticed with the Romanian church that I went to today is how much they emphasize trust and dependency on the Lord.  I know that is emphasized in America, but there is just something different and refreshing about this trust that they talk about and live it.  It's like they don't trust Him with independent things, but with everything together as a whole.  That's a hard concept for me to comprehend, but I will be working on it and hopefully by the end of the summer I can have that sense of trust and dependency that I am being shown here daily.

Another strange concept here is that they don't seem to be hiding anything here.  If they are mad, they are mad and they don't put on a face.  When they feel like they need to they just don't go around other's.  It is such an open place, but yet hardened place as well.  The women have to learn how to be tough because they are put down so much (especially in the looks department) that they have to withstand it and move on.  It seems like it is hard to have the soft-heartedness that we can have in America because of all the hurt that they are put through between the negative reinforcement and negative and demeaning comments that are given.  Cami told me earlier in the week how she was so excited that I was here because she could see the tenderness of heart and misses that because your heart has to be hardened at least a little living here and it is such a fine line that it is hard to balance.  That is something that I will be working especially hard on keeping while I am here for the summer.

Well after church the Mather's, David, and I as well as the orphans who Cami picked up to take to church went out to McDonald's.  I had this beef sandwich that had cucumbers on it instead of pickles.  It was so weird, but decent.  I ended up sitting with Coasti, 15, as well as Madrica, 11, (I am unsure about his name, but hopefully I will learn it soon and it will stick) and we had a fun time.  They kept asking questions about me and I in no way could understand them, but when I could respond I did.  It ended up being a good afternoon with them.

After McDonald's I went for another walk and tour of the city.  It was fun.  I passed a big store called Domo and I think Kaufman but I had no idea what was inside because I haven't become that risky yet.  I really do enjoy walking around the city.  It is so much fun as well as entertaining.  You get exercise, see people, could go shopping and just lots of things going on.  I am really excited for my next long walk  It will be one of my highlights while in the city and not visiting the orphanage.

This next week I am supposed to be at the camp prepping it for the incoming kids as well as fixing and building things until Thursday.  More updates will come soon and hopefully will start to be shorter.  Now they are so long because everything is so new to me and I want to share everything.  More will be written soon. :)