Working with Adolescents in Iasi

This past weekend I spoke at at Brethren Church in Iasi, Romania (Northeast Romania near the Moldovan border). This is the group leading worship through music. I had a great time working with this group that I had also worked with this past summer in camp. I spoke on the topic of "Stop pretending and be yourself". The idea being that many teens are trying to be someone they are not in order to garner attention and popularity. I love working with this group who has such a passion for the Lord. Enjoy the singing.

Busy weekends!

To give you an idea of just how busy I can be on the weekends. Here is an idea:

Saturday morning, up and out the door by 6.30 in the morning in order to be at a small village about 1 1/2 hours north of Bucharest in Baicoi to help in a children's evangelistic outreach with friends. Even though we arrived one hour early to prepare games and crafts, the kids were already at the door of the church when we got there.

We sang songs, played games, memorized Bible verses, and held dramas.

Kids working on a Bible memorization activity

After finishing up with the kids at 12, it is off to youth group at my church. This past Saturday we started making Christmas cards and crafts that we will be selling as a fundraiser for our winter retreat.

Some of the cards

I made the one with the moose! Isn't it nice? After youth group got done at close to 9 pm--I was off to board-game night with friends.

Then Sunday came: church in the morning and then we had a special baptism service last Sunday night where 14 people publicly professed their faith through the waters of baptism, including Elena from our small group.

By the time Sunday evening came to a close, I was wiped out!

Romanian Presidential Elections: Round 2

On Sunday, Romanians went to the polls to elect a president and vote on a referendam on whether or not to reduce the number of members in the Parliament from 471 to 300 and have, essentially a unicameral government. Under Romanian law, the president must achieve at least 50 percent of the vote. After Sunday's vote, current President Trăian Băsescu (above left) led the very socialist Mircea Geoană (former Romanian Ambassador to the US) by about 3 percentage points, meaning there will be a run-off on December 6th. This is a very important election for Romania. Please see the article below from the Associated Press.

By ALISON MUTLER
Associated Press Writer

BUCHAREST, Romania - Romania's centrist president will face a socialist former foreign minister in a Dec. 6 runoff election, partial results showed Monday, in a race key to helping the country emerge from a political and economic crisis.
President Traian Basescu received 32.8 percent of the vote, while Mircea Geoana won 29.8 percent, election authorities said in first official results based on around 74 percent of the vote counted. Conservative opposition leader Crin Antonescu polled 20.3 percent, finishing third in a field of 12 candidates.
Romania's government collapsed last month amid squabbling between the two-party coalition, and the International Monetary Fund has delayed access to a euro1.5 billion ($2 billion) IMF bailout loan while the country struggles to set up a new government.
The president is key to reviving the government because he nominates a prime minister, who Parliament must then approve and who would be responsible for forming a new coalition.
Reports of possible fraud in Sunday's election emerged as far more people than normal cast ballots at 3,500 special voting centers that were set up for Romanians who need to vote outside their area of residence because they are traveling.
The Electoral Committee said more than 430,000 people voted at such locations, and witnesses claimed some were being bused there after already having cast ballots elsewhere.
Authorities said two people were arrested in the southern city of Giurgiu for trying to buy votes. There were widespread reports throughout Romania about people being offered incentives — from sugar and oil to blankets and flowers in exchange for votes.
Basescu and Geoana called the election one of the most important votes in Romania since 1989 and the fall of communism.
Basescu, who no longer belongs to a political party because of constitutional requirements, has lost some public support because of his stormy relationship with Parliament and the country's deep economic crisis. Geoana, who heads the left-leaning Social Democrats and is the leader of the Senate, favors a broad coalition government, while Basescu wants to form a government from the Democratic Liberal party he used to lead.
Romania's economy, already in a deep recession, is expected to shrink about 8.5 percent this year. The country needs the IMF loan to pay state salaries and pensions, but is unlikely to get it this year. That would force 1.3 million state workers to take eight days of unpaid leave in 2009. Unemployment in Romania, one of Europe's poorest countries, already stands at 7.1 percent, up 3 percent in the last year.
Voters also took part in a binding referendum Sunday asking if they want to reduce the number of lawmakers in Parliament and abolish one of its two houses. Basescu, who called the referendum, wants a one-chamber Parliament with a maximum of 300 lawmakers, down from the current 471.
Critics say a smaller parliament would lead to the president having too much power. Partial results showed Romanians overwhelmingly voting to reduce the number of lawmakers and remove one chamber. Parliament and the president now share power equally.

Birthday celebration at Small Group

Every Sunday night I lead a small-group Bible Study through the Gospel of Luke. We have 13 people in our small-group. It is a time to learn from one another, pray together, laugh together, and encourage one another. This past Sunday was a special day because we celebrated Elena's birthday with cake and appetizers. It was a great day!

Bucharest metro goes on strike!

Tomorrow the Bucharest Metro will go on strike. Bottom line? One big, ugly headache in the city. Everyday close to one million people use the metrou to get around this big, growing metropolis. It is not rare to hear people say that the best thing the communists did in the city was build the metrou. (I utterly affirm this acclomation!). It is BY FAR the easiest, fastest, and most eficient way to get around the city. But with drivers and metrou workers unsatisfied with wages and hours, they have announced that they will go on strike indefinitely. The above ground traffic will be a nightmare. Please pray for all of us "Bucharesteniens'" patience and nerves. We will need it! And pray for a quick end to the strike. One of my best friends works at a foundation where kids go for daycare and kindergarten education. Because of the strike, they will have no way of getting to the foundation because of overcrowded and limited transportation. As we say in Romanian: CE NASHPA!

Dracula is Dead

Here is an interview with the former US Ambassador to Romania about his new book "Dracula is Dead." Please take a look at this interview to get a little slice of where Romania is at today.

You see everything in Romania ;)

I just love life in Romania! Never boring :)

Fall Retreat in Bucegi Mountains

Just got back from a great weekend with our youth group up in the beautiful Carpathian mountains (Bucegi mountain range) a few hours to the north of Bucharest. We got on the early train at the crowing of the rouster. We enjoyed hiking, laughing, singing, and looking at God's word. It was absolutely beautiful up in the mountains and the fellowship even better. I led a Bible Study on Phillipians and several people pitched in with the guitar. It was a great time had by all. I love being up in the mountains in the fresh air and I love being on the train in Romania: always a truly cultural experience! This time was no different: we played games, sang Christmas carols (I know, but the snow got us all in the Christmas spirit), and laughed over a lot of jokes. Most of all we were able to make some new friends and share Christ with friends and non-Christians. A great weekend!..

New to Bucharest

Cinnabon is the latest thing to hit Bucureşti and I'm excited. If you have ever walked by a Cinnabon restaurant and smelled those fresh rolls coming out of the oven, you know you can't resist! I also hear a rumor that Taco Bell is coming (something I have prayed a long time for). Nice to have a few comfort foods once in a while:)

What I'm listening to:

Your Love Never Fails -Chris Quilala / Jesus Culture....I love this song! Great way to start out the morning.

Youth Group Up & Running

The fall season is up and running and our youth group has grown leaps and bounds. At our first couple of meetings we have had over 60 youth. This fall season our theme is "Authentic Christians or False Christians." We are looking at what it means to be the body of Christ in our community, how to apply the word of God in our daily lives and to be men and women who don't just talk about the Gospel, but LIVE the Gospel. Please pray for our efforts as we lead our flock to grow deeper and deeper in their relationships with Christ and with one another.

With my parents in Romania!

I have been blessed to share time with my dear parents in Romania this month. It was great spending time together and having an opportunity to talk. I truly feel that I have the best parents in the world! We got to go spend time in Târgu Mureș and eat the wonderful food of Cristina Florea--a longtime friend. Just take a look at the plate above. I was drooling over the food it was SOOO good.

Me with the Florea's (Cristina is next to me) including my friend Calin and his girlfriend Ioana
My parents at lunch with my Romanian parents, the Tamaș'

We invited some of my friends from Church over for dinner and game night!

A new beginning and challenge!

Today was our first Sunday in our new location as a church at a movie theatre up the street from where we have held church services for 10 years. Our church, Bunavestire (The Good News) has decided that it's time to move to a bigger space since we have seen our church grow a lot over the year. The new theatre (Scala) is much bigger than our old location and already we filled up the main level (500 seats) and started to use the over-flow space in the balcony (another 300 seats). Praise the Lord! Our pastor has challenged us to go out from our comfort zones to be a prescence in society, our city, and spheres of influence. We are a church that wants to be an authentic, Christ-centered community. We have time for socializing built into the service and each Sunday night we meet in over 25 small groups throughout the city for Bible Study, prayer, and fellowship. We inaugurated our new space together with Adi Gliga, a prominent Romanian praise and worship singer. We pray and hope that soon we will be forced to find an even bigger location! Thanks for your prayers and support.

Drum Bun Alex!

My good friend Alex will be leaving us to go do some of his master's studies in Dresden, Germany so we threw him a going-away party. I was the host and chef. We invited some of his closest friends and had a time of collective prayer for Alex. What I appreciate most about Alex is his willingness to serve (he has always helped us in our youth group with service projects, music, studies, etc.) and most of all his smile. Alex is one of those guys who just makes you smile, everytime he enters a room you just feel better. That, my friends, is a gift. Drum Bun Alex and God Bless, we'll be praying for you!
We gave Alex a t-shirt with some of his closest friends on it, so as not to forget us :)

My friend Simon is already a Viking fan, I think the horns are a good fit :)

More fun times with the youth!

Zilele Bucureştiului: Bucharest Days

This week the city of Bucharest is celebrating 550 years. There will be many parades, concerts, food tasting, games, etc. to mark the festivities. The churches in Bucharest are also taking part to show an evangelical presence by doing dramas in the parks, cleaning public spaces, and handing out modern translations of the New Testament in Romanian complete with testimonies of prominent figures in the city who have given their lives to Christ. Churches will also be holding an evangelistic concert and distributing food. Please pray for this combined effort to be a blessing to our city and the people.

As part of the events, Bucharest has "White Nights" where people can visit museums for free all night long and laser shows are projected onto the People's Palace as in the picture above.
In its day, Bucharest was known as "Little Paris" because of its rich character and Parisian atmosphere.

Let the Trafic Begin!

Towards the end of September, everyone in Bucureşti is returning from vacations and heading to work, school, etc. Hence, the traffic heats up. Here is a taste of what it is like. Going 13 kilometers can take 2 hours in the middle of the day. And no, I'm not exagerating.

Around Romania

Check out how we pave roads in Romania and it's no wonder why we complain!

Interesting!

I love how this zebra leads you right into the middle of a crossing street!

Anything to find a parking spot :)

Check out this interfon at a Bloc in the Ferentari neighborhood of Bucureşti

It's not easy washing windows when you live in a Bloc

Anything for "Gratar"

Take a look at how this Romanian family was able to fix up something on the grill. As I say, it's NEVER boring in Romania :)

Youth Camp at Arieşeni

Just got back from a blessed week up in the Apuseni mountains of Romania with our youth at church. Honestly, the week went much better than we thought it would. We had 45 in total and enjoyed time in God's Word, in prayer, in fellowship, music, drama, and a variety of activities and games. Our theme was "Zero Ego," looking at the fact that as humans we are extemely selfish people and how that selfishness affects our relationships with others, with our families, and most importantly, with God. Many of our games and activities helped to drive home our theme and make us more aware of what it means to be more altruist. It was a blessed week in an absoluletly gorgeous area of Romania. Every year God continues to amaze me at camps and this year was another blessed experience. Thank you for your prayers and support. God is doing amazing things in Romania, and HE is only getting started.

Water-Fight!

Me getting soaked during one of the water games

The wet slide!

If there's water, that's where you will find Mihai :)

Me with my good friend Simon

My team for "The Amazing Race." I coordinated activities for camp and had our youth divide into four teams for a 7 hour race of challenges which included: milking a cow, building a durable chair out of wood from the forest with a hammer and four nails, women carrying water on their heads for an extended distance just as women do everyday in Africa, chopping wood, etc. It was an exhausting, but fun and hilarious experience, and a GREAT challenge to go alongside our theme. We learned we still have an awful long way to go to be unselfish people.

Each team participant in the Amazing Race had to complete a challenge of chopping wood, both with the chainsaw and with the hatchet. They also had to push a car for close to 1 kilometer as a group :)

We also got to visit several caves: Peştera Urşilor (the cave of the bears) and Peştera Scărişoara. I have to tell you that they are absolutely stunning! The bear cave left me speechless, I had never seen something so interesting in my life. All the more reason why Romania is simply amazing and our little slice of heaven! It really is the most beautiful country :)