Crăciun Fericit!

Merry Christmas everyone, or in Romania we say Crăciun Fericit (Cruh-chee-oon Fer-ee-cheat). I have been busy singing with a caroling group around the city of Bucharest. It has been a lot of fun singing and sharing the message of Christ. We also sang on a local Christian radio station for a half-hour and have since been invited to come and sing at several evangelical churches. Today we participated in a concert at a Christian high school. Somehow (still trying to figure out how), I was chosen to play Santa Claus for the occasion in some dramas and entertain the smaller children who came. It was all fun. I am enjoying my first Romanian Christmas. But, still no snow. In Romanian Santa Claus is Moş Crăciun

Our group singing at a Christmas concert

My Bucharest: a City of Contrasts

A few pictures to give you a taste of Bucureşti, Romania:

Piaţa Obor: a major swap market district in Bucharest. Roundabouts are also very common

When the first snowfall hit in November. Unfortunately, it didn't last very long. This has been the warmest December of my life. And being from Minnesota, it just doesn't feel right not having snow for Christmas. The concrete blocks dominate the city's architecture.

The Ferentari Neighborhood

I wanted to give you some visual images of what my city, Bucharest, is like. These are images of the Ferentari neighborhood, in the southern portion of Bucharest. This is widely considered the poorest area of the city with the highest amount of crime. Certainly not one of the prettier neighborhoods of Bucharest, but nevertheless, gives you a picture of what some areas do look like. Over 80 percent of Ferentari is ethnic Roma (gypsy). For many, the main mode of transportation is still horse and wagon. It is common for boys like in this picture to go around neighborhoods collecting scrap metal and other things found in the trash to re-sell.

Many streets in this district are unpaved

Classic Beauty & Modernization

Probably the most beautiful architecture of Romania are the painted monasteries,

like this one (Voroneţ)...

and the old Orthodox Cathedrals, castles, and fortresses.

It's not like the(former) twin towers of New York, but the World Trade Center Plaza of Bucharest is still a modern building.

Glass is being used more and more in some of the newer
architecture in Bucharest. I'm happy!

The city contracted with Mercedez-Benz for new city buses

Casa Shalom (House of Peace)

One of my favorite things to do in Bucureşti is visit children's homes and orphanages. The other day I visited Casa Shalom, which houses orphan, street, and abused children in a beautiful foundation on the outskirts of the city. The foundation is led by Becky Dan-Walsh, an amazing woman of the Lord who has dedicated her life's service to impacting Romania's lost children for Christ. Even before the fall of Ceauşescu, Becky was visiting Romania, smuggling Bibles. Once Romania's doors opened to the West, Becky has been reaching out to Romania's thousands of orphaned and neglected children. Her foundation, Casa Shalom, provides food, shelter, mentorship, and a Christian education for children from all sorts of backgrounds. Many of the children used to call Gara de Nord, the city's main train hub, home. Today the foundation is in the process of building a second dormitory in hopes of housing even more children. When I visit, I sing with the kids, play games, pray, and simply talk with them about how things are going. Please join me in praying for these children, for their future and relationship with the Lord. And please pray for Becky to have wisdom and God's protection as she fervently serves the needs of these precious children.

Marius & I playing the piano together. Before coming to Casa Shalom,

Marius was living in the orphan ward of Bucureşti's Cotroceni Hospital

Simona & Vasile...Simona was brought to Casa Shalom by her mother
and Becky took Vasile from the Cotroceni Hospital in Bucureşti

The new dormitory going up

Casa Shalom's main building

Of course, this being Romania, we had to play a
game of fotbal (soccer).

A Saturday at the Mountains

So what do us Romanians do when we have the chance? Well, we take a day-trip up to the mountains! Since many of my friends and I knew we were going to be EXTREMELY busy in the next month or two, we planned a trip up to the mountains last Saturday. I drove a car full of people and we took the cable car up the mountain for a picnic, songs (thanks to Cat and Felix for playing the guitar) and just all out fun. We hiked (or I should say Oana slid) back down. We played some volleyball and hiked up to the Peleş castle nearby since we had the time. It was a fun day of fellowship with friends and youth that I work with on a weekly basis. And boy did we all need it! Here are some pictures:

Here's our crew!

Cristina, Marta, Naomi, & Raluca

Two of my Romanian brothers: Catalin & Felix

Oana wanted to show off her new gloves...kind of wild

Oana & Felix: aren't they a cute married couple?

Felix pastors a small church plant in a suburb of Bucureşti

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas....

On Romanian National Day (December 1st) the city of Bucharest turns on all of the Christmas lights around the city. I love Christmas, so I am expecially excited to see all of the lights going up. Since Romania will be entering the European Union come January, much of the lights have an EU theme. Traditionally, new years is a much bigger holiday and celebration than Christmas in Romania--and since Romania has been working for over 10 years to ascend to the EU, I am told this year will be our biggest new year's celebration ever. I have a lot more to say about what the EU will mean for Romania, but I'll save that for another post. For now, enjoy these pictures of Bucharest--"the city of lights." It definetely adds some much needed color.

The EU theme is prominent in the lights overhanging the central boulevards

This is the clock tower in Piaţa Universitate, that is

counting down the days until Romania enters the EU.

A busy bulevard in northen Bucureşti

Adolescence Conference

On Saturday I participated in a special conference for adolescents in Bucharest with youth from around Romania. The theme of the conference was In the world, but close to Him! In other words, how do we as Christians, live in this fallen world, but remain close to Christ? I was impressed by the practicality of the seminars and messages from Romanian pastors. Many of the youth were challenged to be active members of their community, reaching out in Christ-likeness to their friends, neighbors, and colleagues. I know that I certainly learned a lot, especially regarding ways in which Christians can help relate to their non-Christian friends, while still keeping Christ at the center! Progress was made!!!

La Mulţi Ani România!

La Mulţi Ani România...or simply, Happy Birthday Romania! December 1st is Romanian National Day and it marks the 1918 unification of much of modern-day Romania (though what is today the Republic of Moldova [formerly a part of Romania] was seized by the Russians during World War II). Consequently, this is a major national holiday and cause for much celebration. It also marks the beginning of the Christmas season here in Bucureşti. The decorative lights are simply beautiful (check back for pictures to be posted soon). Here are some pictures from all of the hoopla of the day of the Romanians. I hope you celebrated :)))....

As you can expect, massive crowds turned out for the festivities

The National Parade included old flags of the Romanian Kingdom

Military soldiers in the parade

The Romanian Coat of Arms