So you know that feeling you get on Christmas, after all the presents are opened (including the one you COULDN'T WAIT TO GIVE!!!), the wrapping paper is all cleaned up off the floor, the breakfast is eaten, the cinnamon rolls are gone, and reality is starting to set in that Christmas is DONE for another year? You're a little depressed, a lot sad, and at the same time a LITTLE relieved that after all the planning, your big day was a success. That's kind of how I feel at the end of camp season. Times a hundred!:)

After you watch the video of all the fun we've had, I'm sure you'll understand better. But it is about more than having fun. It is about having an up close and personal view of God's power as He changes lives, fights our battles, and reminds us that HE can do much more than we could ask or imagine. I came to Romania believing that verse was true. And God has shown me again and again, in all new ways, that HE is working and we are blessed when He allows us to just get a glimpse of what He's up to!

So enjoy! The songs are a couple of our themes songs from the summer, so they're full of memories, too. I know this is long, but hey, come on...it was the WHOLE summer! How was I supposed to choose only a few pictures! :)

Here We Go! Summer 2011!

I just looked at the calendar and it says that today is the 14th of July. WHAT??? Really? How'd THAT happen? I've been waiting for about nine months (the end of last year's camp season!) for THIS year's camp season and now it is almost here and I really can't believe it! I leave in TWO DAYS?? Seriously??? I am in disbelief. For whatever reason, it doesn't feel REAL yet. But, nonetheless, come Saturday at 7am, I will be on my way back to Lunca Bradului for the first couple weeks of camp!

If you get my prayer letter (and I'm assuming if you're reading this, you probably do!), you have the line up of camps for the summer, so I won't repeat it all. I just wanted to quickly write about our first couple of weeks and let you know how they are shaping up and how you can specifically pray with us and be involved in this way.

On Saturday we leave for a week of camp with two churches: Alfa Omega and Cer Deschis. We're expecting 60-65 "campers", who will mostly be young adults (some are even married) From what we can tell, only about 30% are believers, which presents us with an awesome opportunity, but also gives us GREAT motivation for prayer. We saw especially last year that Satan really attacks us when there is a battle for souls, and so we need God's protection and help as we head into this week. This is also the first time that we've worked with these churches in a camp setting, and that means the week will be a little more difficult as we learn more about them, and they learn more about us and our way of doing camp. So pleas pray that we will work well with these churches. Please pray also for our counselors especially; that they will LOVE their campers unconditionally, and that they will be pro-active in having spiritual conversations with them. Our goal for this week is to "bust" many popular myths about God, His Word, eternity and the Christian life. I'm excited about this week and what God will do, but also think it will be a difficult week in many ways.

After our campers leave on Saturday, our Core Team will get back in Hillary (our team van...she has quite the personality. She even has her own Facebook account!) and head for the border! Our next camp will be in Ukraine. There's still actually quite a bit of planning that needs to happen for this week (we seem to work better under pressure!) and even though we've gone to visit a few times, we haven't held a camp here before (although some of our teammates did last summer). We are, however, still looking for and praying about finding two more quy counselors. Please pray with us. Guys are just really hard to find this summer. Our goal for this week is to give to give the campers a better idea of who Jesus is, and how they can walk with them. Most are from very conservatives churches and know what it looks like outwardly to be a Christian, but need a better understanding how how to have a real RELATIONSHIP with Him. Please pray with us for these teenagers.

So that's what the next two weeks look like. After that, we'll come home. I'll have two weeks off before the next camp, so my roommates and I are taking a "Happy 26th Birthday to Kristie" trip to London (where I WILL eat Chipotle!) and Dublin for about a week. Then, we'll have three more weeks of camp!

Thanks so much for your prayers before camp (as we finish preparing!), during camp, and after camp. It is a blessing to know that we aren't alone, and that others are praying, even as we sleep! What a cool thing that is! :)

Super Superhero Week

And just like that, the VBS whirlwind has come and gone! It has hard to believe after all the planning, purchasing, preparing, and praying it is OVER! It was a fun week. I know WE learned a lot and I think the kids did, too.

One of the major issues going into the week was what the weather would do. Since we were holding VBS at the Botanical Gardens, rain wasn't really an option. We learned not to trust weather.com (seriously, it was exactly OPPOSITE of what they said almost every day!), but even though we had at least some rain three out of the five days, God gave us good trees, a few tents, and (for one especially rainy day), access to the church so we wouldn't all get sick and die. (That might be a slight exaggeration.)

Our group of kids wasn't huge (between 12-19 everyday), but it was great to see them learn and have fun doing it. They're such little sponges at that age! On the last day, as the Gospel was presented, it was so cool to see them listening and learning...and repeating things they learned earlier in the week. Please pray that God's Word will continue to take root in these little hearts. They're so small (4-7 years old), but I believe (WE believe!) that they really can understand and choose to follow Christ!

Other highlights:


*The totally awesome teens from the church that gave their week to help us! They were so sweet and patient with the kids, and the children loved them! Some of them are already involved in children's ministry at the church, but I'm praying that others will desire to be, too. They were great to work with and we really couldn't have done it without them.

*I was thankful again this week for the team that God has put my on and their willingness to serve...and their flexibility. With all the weather issues and constant changes, it could have been a tense situation. But it wasn't. Oh, and also...they're all super talented. I mean seriously. Some of THE most talented people I know. Love them.

*Seeing the kids run around in capes with smiles on their faces. How cute is that?!?


*The superheroes! They were HILARIOUS and totally rocked. I wrote the scripts but they made them work and were fantastic. I told them it was like seeing my imaginary friends come to life. The kids loved them, and (I think!) it helped them learn.

*Getting to speak more Romanian, having actual conversations, and not caring if every word wasn't perfect. I also had my first "I was speaking Romanian and didn't realize it!" moment! That was weird, but cool!

As much as I DO love organizing and keeping things going, I was reminded again this week how much I miss getting to actually be with the kids. I miss playing with them and talking with them and taking care of them. But that isn't my role here. There are other people who can and should do that. This is our goal: not to do it all ourselves, but to set other people up to succeed. And it is great to see that happen.

So those are some of the highlights. It was a good week. There are things I learned, things WE learned, and I know that we'll make changes in the future. But God was very gracious and faithful and answered our prayers.

Yep...It Is June

Soo....it is June...
Don't ask me what has happened to the last few months because it really is just all kind of a blur, but I DO know there were lots of trains and cars and funny beds. April and May consisted mostly of travel and counselor training in several places with lots of people. My prayer letter has more details about THAT! They were a good couple of months. Just busy and with lots of language study.

Ahh...language...now THERE'S a fun topic! In all reality, I have (I'm told) made good strides in the last couple of months, thanks to switching teachers and mixing it up a little. But seriously...GAH! I feel like I'm constantly climbing up-hill, and the top is rarely in sight. When I DO somehow manage to see the top, I realize how far away I am! Most of the time I wonder if I'm even climbing UP at all, or just going around in circles. I have, however, starting reading my first novel in Romanian, and let me tell you...it is PAINFUL. I have pages full of words that I've had to look up. And I'm only in chapter two. Yeah, maybe by the time I leave, I'll hit chapter four...We can hope! :)

Right now, however, language has taken a backseat to camp planning. Specifically right now, we're getting ready for a VBS/day camp the week of June 27th. It has been a lot of work, and a lot of quick planning, BUT with ten days to go, we have a location, teachers, helpers, crafts, skits and games mostly planned! Considering where we were a couple weeks ago...that's pretty amazing! :) It has been neat to see God answer many, many prayers as HE has pulled things together in ways better than we ever could. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of what He has in store for that week. Pray with us! The kids are little (ages 4-7) but I really DO believe that they can understand the Gospel and am praying that they make decisions that will change the rest of their lives. That is what makes all the craziness worth it.

One of my favorite things in preparing for VBS was getting to write five "Superhero" scripts! I had forgotten how much I enjoy writing! It was a BLAST to come up with fun, but concrete ways to show our themes and teach the kids truth from God's Word. It took quite a bit of work and a lot of time, but I THINK it is done, and I'm thankful for the chance to do something I enjoy so much!

And this is, of course, only the beginning! We do have another five weeks/six programs in July and August that we're planning, preparing for, and praying about. (Hey look! Alliteration! I must be my father's daughter!) I have to say...our team really ROCKS! I love working with this group of people and seeing God use all our gifts individually and together. More importantly, though, we serve a great God Who is strong and worthy of our trust. So I have no doubt that everything that must get done WILL get done.

The most pressing need right now is for people. We need counselors (especially guys) and worship leaders, and it isn't easy for people to give up their time and money (and vacation days, sometimes!) to be a counselor. Please pray that God would give them the desire to be there, show them that it is worth the cost, and then bless them as they see the ways He uses them.

So that's what is currently on my plate. Additionally, I've been bitten by the homesick bug again. I never know the rhyme or reason, but I've been here for almost a year and a half and I am really ready for family, friends, home, hugs, church, my car, my dog, Chipotle, Target...you get the idea. All this is normal, I know. It comes and goes in phases. The summer will come and go quickly, and I'll love it and be totally absorbed in life here. And that'll be good. I just need to make it to that point! :)

"Your emotions are not the best indicator of your ability to deal with what is on your plate; ever-present grace is." Paul Tripp <---------My reminder to myself...and maybe you, too! :)

Thanks, God

I very often have "is this really my life???" moments when I stop to think about where I am, what I'm doing, who I am. Is this really me? Am I really here? Am I really doing this? God has a sense of humor for sure! But I'm thankful.


I had several of those moments recently when I had the chance to spend a week in Ukraine. Our camp team took a trip to a town just across the border to do a Saturday conference with teens who had been in a camp led by our colleagues last summer. We're ALL planning on going back this summer, so it was good meet the teenagers, encourage them in the decisions they made last summer, and brainstorm a little with the leaders about THIS summer.

Sunday, we split into several teams and spent time in different churches sharing testimonies, preaching (not me, of course!) and fellowshipping together. On the way to our first church, as I sat in a car with Andrew and Anca, I couldn't help but wonder how a shy, scared girl from the middle of Ohio ends up in a car in Ukraine in the middle of the woods, stuck in the snow, with a driver we'd never met before...and all I could do was smile and say "thanks, God!" It was a long, exhausting day, but it was great.

Monday, my team headed back to Bucharest, but they dropped me off at at teeny, tiny airport. Sitting next to a cat and looking at my hand written ticket, I couldn't help smiling again. If you'd told a year ago that I'd be alone at an airport, waiting to get on a flight with eight other people where you load your luggage onto the plane by putting it in a pick-up truck at the door, I would have laughed at you. But there I was...laughing and enjoying the adventure. Thanks, God.

I arrived in Kiev, Ukraine (with the eight other people on my flight, and my bag, but without the cat) and was greeted by ABWE teammates David and Penny Winget. We drove six hours from there to Kharkov, a city in Northern Ukraine where they have lived and ministered for thirteen years. I really enjoyed their company and it was great to spend time with them in their home. Thanks, God.


Tuesday was March 8th, which may not mean much to YOU, but it IS International Women's Day. (Why do we think we have to come up with something "new" in the States? Why can't we just use the metric system and celebrate international holidays??? Anyway....) This is a HUGE deal in Ukraine. It is a day off work and everyone celebrates WOMEN!! Niiiiiice! :) The Winget's church holds a special banquet for ladies every year, and this year they asked me to speak. It was a beautiful event, with 35 ladies (more than in past years!) and it was wonderful to get to be a part of it. I was asked to talk about the tongue and the power of words, but it was especially a privlege to get to share the Gospel. It was one of those time when I had goosebumps as I shared what I KNOW to be truth! We are sinners, which breaks our relationship with God, but He made a way to restore that relationship through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. What a POWERFUL message we have been given!! It was a good day. Thanks, God.


I spent the next several days with the Wingets seeing their ministries, sight-seeing a little and just enjoying their company. And, because my life really IS an adventure, my time in Ukraine also included a trip to the hospital. Sigh.

I had fallen on ice the first day we arrived in Ukraine (I believe this is now called "Pulling a Kristie"), and even though it hurt quite a lot I tried to ignore it. Unfortunately, it got worse instead of better, and by Thursday of the next week (almost a week later), it looked bad, felt bad, and was starting to get numb and tingly.
After talking with a couple of ABWE nurses, it was decided that I needed to get an x-ray right away. FANTASTIC. It was quite an adventure since I don't speak Russian (shocker, I know, but I'm sure if you'd given me another week....RIGHT!), and they tried to x-ray my collar bone instead of my arm. HOWEVER, eventually we found a very kind doctor who assured me my arm wasn't broken, but that I'd messed up some nerves or something. He gave me some awesome Ukrainian pain pills (who knows!) some cream stuff, and instructed me to wear a sling for the next five days. The sling was off before I even left the hospital (like you really thought I was actually going to DO that???), but I did try to give my arm a little more of a break, and now, three weeks later, I'm pleased to say the bruising is fading, and I can sleep through the night again! Both are good things. Thanks, God. Ooooh the adventures. I think my new goal is to collect x-rays from around the world. I already have Romania and Ukraine...where should I injure myself next??? (Kidding, Mom...kidding...)

So this is really my life? REALLY, it IS!! I hope I never lose my amazement, not just at God's ABILITY to use a weak, foolish person (me), but His DESIRE to do so, too (I Cor. 1:26-2:5). The fun and adventure along the way...that's just a bonus! :) THANKS, God.

Language Lessons

There are MANY lessons I'll take home with me when I leave. I don't know what God has for me next (I know some of you are starting to wonder and ask!), but regardless of where He takes me, I know that the things He taught me here will go with me. One of the things I'm really thankful for is that I'll understand better what our missionary's lives are like. I'll be able to relate better and pray more knowledgeably cause I've been "there". So let me share at least one thing I've learned that has changed the way I pray.


I think when I read prayer letters from missionaries in the past, I always kind of skipped over the part about praying for their language abilities. Not that I didn't think it was important...I just figured that other things like special events or salvations or particular people were MORE important. And of course, those things are absolutely important! But my perspective has drastically changed over the last year. I now understand how all those other important things hinge on language and the ability to communicate well!

In the last couple of weeks, I've had two meetings with my team. One was just the ladies, and one was all of us together, but BOTH times, language learning, frustrations, defeats and (a few!) victories were a big part of what we talked about and prayed about. It is a HUGE part of our lives here. It is a normal conversation topic, an every day stress, and very consistently a tool that Satan can use to discourage us. He knows that language is soooo important to ministry! And so he loves to discourage us and make us feel like we can't do ANYTHING right since we can't even learn a silly little language. He likes to put the lie in our heads that we should be as good as "so and so" and since we aren't, we must be worthless and we'll never get it. He uses language to make us question if we're really supposed to be here. He know that language can keep us from being as effective as we'd like. (Have you ever spoken through a translator??) I'm really convinced that language learning is a spiritual battle. It isn't just my own crazy mind! :) "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12).


In case you couldn't tell (!!), language has been a personal source of discouragement for me lately. In the last month, I've hit a wall where I feel like I'm not getting it, not making progress, and can't even put simple sentences together. All this came as I hit the "one year" mark, and realized that I'm NOT where I anticipated being language wise. My pride is a little bit wounded (which is good for me once in a while!) and I feel kind of STUCK...unable to move on. Everyone keeps telling me, "Just speak more, it'll come!"...but I don't really know HOW to speak. This is the problem. Some it has to do with the way I've been taught. Some of it has to do with me not putting in the time I should because of my busy schedule, and some of it...I really do believe is a spiritual attack from Satan, meant to discourage me. At any rate, I keep plugging away, taking lessons, meeting with a conversation partner, and TRYING to talk with my friends who are patient enough to listen and decode what I'm trying to say! :) And I pray. ALOT. Because I know I can't do this on my own.

So here's the challenge: Next time you read a prayer letter and see "language" listed there, PRAY HARD about this for your missionary. Add it to your prayer list. Ask God to give them the ability they need to learn, but also to protect them from Satan's lies and discouragement. I know it is more exciting to pray about other things and see immediate results...but language is the lynch pin that helps hold all the rest together.

And (obviously) I'd appreciate your prayers as I head into a really busy time of year and STILL try to make progress in language. Sigh...some days...I tell you...some days... :)

One Year!

"My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long—
though I know not how to relate them all.
I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD;
I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds."
Psalm 71:15-17

This coming Sunday (the 30th) will mark ONE YEAR since I arrived in Romania! I can hardly believe it! I've commented to several people lately that I think there's some kind of weird vortex here or something because time seems to move SOOO quickly! It has been an incredible year, with of a few really high highs, a couple really low lows, and a lot of day to day blessings. Coming here has been THE hardest thing I've ever done, but it has also been one of the BEST things I've ever done. I'm really thankful for what God has taught me about Himself in the last year, and will spend this week thinking specifically about those things and thanking Him for who I know He is.

I was re-reading my prayer journal from a year ago and had to smile. I don't usually post those thoughts here because they're so private, but reading it makes me so thankful that it is THIS year and not last year! :) I hope also that it will encourage you to know that the hard things God asks us to do are SOOOO worth it, and that He walks with us each step of the way, even when we doubt or wonder if obedience is worth the price. I'm thankful for this reminder as well.


January 22, 2010
Father, You see my fear for this next week. I dread it, and quite honestly don't want to go. Why? I know You've called me...at least I think so. Why do I doubt? Because I see myself and not You. Let me fix my eyes on You, so that I won't grow weary and lose heart. Oh God, my heart and head are so conflicted right now. I can't think straight, can't see You or hear You. How do I do this? Will it really be ok? Can I go this far outside my comfort zone? Will you REALLY be there with me?

And so a year later...I have the answers to all those questions and can say again that God is worthy of our trust.

Thanks, Lord, for your goodness, faithfulness, patience and help over this last year. Let me bring glory to You for all You have done.

CHRISTmas

Christmas is done! Sigh of relief! :) Don't get me wrong, I really DID have a good Christmas. Actually, all of that week was really nice. And it was ALSO nice to not be working at Walgreens during the Christmas season for the first time in seven (possibly eight??) years. But I must admit, everything Christmas-y reminded me of home, so I'm glad to be moving on.


I was especially thankful this year for the wonderful team God has given me here. I can't believe that just a year ago these people were pretty much strangers to me...and now they're my family. (Andrew and Leah Postema, ME, Tom and Gela Graef)

I spent Monday-Thursday of Christmas week at "the little cabin in the woods" (as we affectionately call it!) in the mountains with Andrew, Leah, Grace(10), Rose(9) and Wayne(6) Postema. They really have been SUCH a blessing to me. We did virtually NOTHING together for four day. Games, cookies, puzzles, books...a really great way to spend time with people you love. It was wonderful. I'm thankful for "family" here I can relax with.

We came back in time on Thursday to finish shopping, baking and cooking for our team Christmas celebration on Friday. We spent all day together eating, playing games, talking, and exchanging gifts. Another really nice day.


I spent the night at the Postema's home on Christmas Eve so that I could get up with them early Christmas morning to open presents. Of course, Christmas with kids is just so much fun! Sorry, grown-ups, but we're pretty boring! :) There's nothing quite like watching a little boy open a Lego tractor and yell, "YEESSSSS!!! That's what I've ALWAYS wanted!!!!" on Christmas morning. (And for the record, that "perfect" gift was from me. OH YEAH! Points for Aunt Kristie!) We had breakfast together (yes, IBCers, those ARE my mom's famous cinnamon rolls on the table) and played with all the fun new toys before I headed home.


I made it back in time to catch my family back home (including Grandma and Grandpa!) and open presents with them! It was really fun to still feel like I was there (almost). I even got to see the brown dog bother everyone, which really IS a Christmas tradition. I'm thankful to live in a time when this is possible. It makes a HUGE difference. It was a good day.

So the holidays are done! Well...sort of! Caleb arrives on Wednesday (WEDNESDAY!! THIS WEEK!! TWO DAYS!!!), so my fun continues! :) If you got my last prayer letter, you know that he'll be here for a retreat we're doing this weekend. Please pray for all of us as we jump start back into ministry. I'm excited not just for Caleb to BE here, but for him to get to be a part of ministry that I have come to love so much.

Happy New Year, my friends! God continues to show me each year that, regardless of what He brings, HE is faithful and HE is enough. Thank you to those of you who have been praying for me especially over these last weeks. Our God truly IS Immanuel. He is with us.

Thanksgiving

It MUST be Thanksgiving. I'm sitting in my kitchen as I write this, keeping an eye on the milk on my stove that is currently evaporating. Unfortunately, I'm now well aware of the fact that this takes several hours. A year ago, evaporated milk came in a can that took two seconds to pop open. Now, I avoid recipes that call for it because seriously, who has a few hours to just SIT in the kitchen?? But it IS Thanksgiving, and even in Romania we can't have Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie. And it seems you can't have pumpkin pie without evaporated milk. (Ironically, I don't even LIKE pumpkin pie and hadn't made it until this year...)

I've been thinking about things besides pumpkin pie, though. I have so much to be thankful for this year. God has blessed me. I don't say that flippantly. I mean it and think it often. Seriously, I think I could just put up a permanent Facebook status that says "Kristie Abernathy is blessed", and that would cover me for the rest of my life.

I was asked to give a testimony Sunday evening. I shared about how I'd been reflecting lately on how thankful I am that God is always the same, regardless of where I am or what changes around me. He's constant and unchanging. He's the same God in Romania as He is in the States. I'm thankful that "if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast" (Psalm 139: 9-10). That's not just a possibility in my life. That's the reality. His hand is still here. And regardless of where I go, what I do, or who comes and goes from my life, He is here and He's the same. Amen, right?

I came home that same night to an email saying that my cousin's adorable little 19 month old daughter had very suddenly gone to be with Jesus. It was one of those times when I KNEW that even though being home wouldn't mean I could do anything more, I wanted to be there. My heart is so sad for my cousins, aunt, uncle, grandparents...why do things like this happen?? How can this be for ANYONE'S good? But even that same night, a dear friend reminded me that the same God who was with me on "the far side of the sea" was with my family back home. And I had to practice what I had "preached".

So I'm STILL really thankful that God is always the same. I'm thankful He's the same God on the other side of the sea with my family. I'm thankful that He'll be with them all tomorrow as they gather together for a Thanksgiving dinner that I know will be bittersweet. And I'm thankful that He'll be here with me as I miss them and wish SO MUCH that I was there. He's the same good God. (These words are written after a few intense days of wrestling with this. Thanks to those of you who knew and were praying.)

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends. What are YOU thankful for this year?

"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever."

Happy Memories :)

Going through all these pictures brought back so many emotions and memories. I know you don't have those same feelings, but I hope it at least gives you a glimpse into our summer and lets you see the faces of those you've been praying for.

Mighty to Save

Blogs can be such a great tool. I enjoy writing. It helps me process and work through my thoughts and feelings. Words can be so powerful! At the end of the day, though, words (and pictures!) can only do so much! I wish that you could all come and see what a week of camp looks like here. I wish you could experience the frustrations of bad weather and problem campers. I wish you could feel the spiritual battles. I wish you could see the smiles on camper’s faces when they’re playing "Peter Pan" or making up their team’s cheer. I wish you could hear us singing the same songs you know, to the same God you serve, but in a different language. I wish you could cry with us at the end of the week when you see a camper you’ve prayed for by name FINALLY make a decision to accept Christ. I wish you could join us for an exhausted, but joyful reflection on God’s faithfulness after the week is over. I wish this so much! I know, though, that no matter how much I write it will never QUITE do justice to the camp experience or the great ways we saw our God work. I think this is why is has been abnormally hard for me to write about the last two weeks of camp. I’ve tried several times without success. But here we go! Here’s a glimpse of the FINAL two camps of the 2010 season!


Teen Camp

If you read my last post, you know that we anticipated that the first week would be tough for a variety of reasons. Those of us who were working with the kids had a completely different experience than those who were working with the teens. We were kind of on our own little island (our motto was "Aloha!"), so everything I know about what happened with the teens is secondhand. HOWEVER, God did some amazing, AMAZING things in the lives of those teens! To those of you who were praying with us, be encouraged that God certainly DID answer your prayers and did more than we could have imagined! He was clearly working in lives all week and by the last day over 35 of the teens testified publicly that they had accepted Christ that week! Hold on, hold on…read that sentence again!! Over 35 teens!! How AWESOME is that! PRAISE GOD with us! He is mighty to save!


Please PRAY with us for these teens. PRAY that they'll desire to be in church and that the church would reach out to them and welcome them into the body of Christ. PRAY for wisdom for the leaders to know how to follow up with them. PRAY that these new believers would see God's power in their lives as they begin to walk with Him and that they'd be encouraged and protected in their new relationship with Him. Incidentally, we’re headed back up to this church this weekend for a “reunion” meeting. We hope to be able to encourage them to continue in their new faith and to be willing to stand for Christ even when it costs something. PRAY with us that God will use this to jump-start the church’s fall ministries.

Kid’s Camp

The kid’s program that week was a stretching experience for me personally, as well as the program director I was assisting (Anca). She had never done this job before, I had never done this job before and so we felt often like we weren’t sure what we were supposed to be doing! Our job that week included (but was not limited to!): planning the schedule, setting up and leading activities, moving tables and benches, managing conflict, sleeping with campers, encouraging and praying for counselors, handing out chocolate AND drinking lots of Coke! :-) It was an overwhelming and exhausting week, but it meant we also relied heavily on our Heavenly Father and each other. A big blessing from that week was that Anca and I were able to work together and communicate VERY well. At the end of the week we thanked God for each other and for giving us unity of thought and spirit. I’m so thankful for her continuing friendship. This was a definite personal blessing from this summer.


We didn’t have any KIDS accept Christ as Savior this week, but we DID see a definite change in the attitudes of some of the kids as the week went on (especially in these two girls in the picture). We know God WAS working on them. Please pray that the seeds that were planted in their hearts will be watered and grow. We were discouraged to see limited visible fruit, but DO trust that we serve a God who continues to work even after camp ends…thank goodness! :-)


Final Teen Camp

Our final week of camp should have been easy. That’s how it looked on paper! We only had 28 campers coming, we were ONLY doing a teen camp, and we actually had more help than we had the previous week! But for whatever reason it just WASN’T. It was a spiritually intense week and we were very aware of Satan trying to distract and disrupt. We had one camper who had to be sent home for discipline reasons (this is a good story…ask me about it!), and another boy was hurt badly enough that (after going to the hospital) he had to go home, too. There also seemed to be a spiritual apathy among the older boys in particular that we were battling all week. But I am SO thankful for the lessons that God had already taught us that summer, because seeing all this didn’t discourage us. It made us pray HARDER. And we prayed in FAITH because we had already seen that our God is capable of doing amazing things. And guess what? He did…AGAIN!! I can’t tell you how AMAZING it has been this summer to see God answer specific prayers over and over and see Him CLEARLY work in camper’s lives again and again! MAN! AWESOME!! So by the end of the week there were ANOTHER six salvation decisions (including the two girls in this picture!) and other decisions, as well, to live a committed Christian life. Remember those boys who were so apathetic? The pastor of the church where a few of them attend called OUR pastor and asked what had happened at camp…because the following Sunday they were sitting in the FRONT row of the church, LISTENING, and (are you ready for this??) TAKING NOTES!! How GREAT is our God??? Please PRAY that these kids will continue to love God and His Word even when the “camp” feeling wears off.


So please, those of you who were praying with us, spend some time THANKING God for what He has done. We certainly have. What a blessing and privilege to get to see Him work and change lives. I hope you’re blessed and encouraged by the way God used your prayers! We felt them and needed them! He heard and used them! What a powerful God we serve!! He is indeed mighty to save!

On The Road Again! (YAY!)

How funny that four weeks ago I was counting the days (and hours!) until I could leave camp and come home to Bucharest. NOW, however, I'm counting the days (and yes, hours!) until I can LEAVE Bucharest and return to camp! We're down to something like 21 hours and I CAN'T WAIT!! Let's get this show on the road!! :-) (I think it is probably a good sign that I feel this way!)

Our next camp begins on Monday! As excited as I am, I don't have an delusions about it being easy, which is why I'm writing this post. We need your prayers! Next week's camp has the potential to be the best AND the hardest camp we've had all summer. Let me explain.

*This will be the biggest camp we've had all summer! 95 campers plus 30 staff equals a totally full camp which is AWESOME!!! In fact some people will have to stay in tents! We are just THAT full! This really is AWESOME, but it also makes things more crazy! PRAY for the logistics of all of this.

*90% of the campers coming are unbelievers. Did you get that?!?! 90%!!!!! Think of the potential there! This is totally different from the way all our other camps have been, and so it means re-thinking how we do things. It also means Satan will want to keep these kids from hearing and understanding God's Word. Please PRAY for protection from spiritual warfare. PRAY that these kids and teens will come to know TRUTH this week and that it'll change their lives (and the lives of their families!) forever! PRAY also that God uses this to build up and strengthen the youth group at this church. They need encouragement. How awesome would it be to see ALL of the teens from camp become part of this body of believers?!? That's how I'm praying...and trusting God to do more than I could ask or imagine! We serve a God who is capable of all of this and more!

*This is a church we've never worked with before. Again, this is really exciting and they're already talking about having more camps with us next year! But it also means we're working with counselors and staff who aren't used to the way that we do things. And it IS different from the way most camps work in Romania. Example: the whole idea of being WITH your campers all day and even sleeping in the same room with them is totally foreign to what they've always done. This means there is potential for problems and conflicts. Please PRAY that our counselors would GET IT, see results, and be encouraged by the way that God uses them in the lives of their campers. PRAY that WE would see how to encourage them. PRAY that God would use this week in the lives of the counselors and that they would love their campers.

*We're running two camps simultaneously! We'll have one camp for kids and one camp for teens. We're super excited about this, but it DOES mean spreading our staff a little thin and again, the logistics are always interesting and complicated! :-) PRAY that God would bless BOTH camps and that we'll have the people that we need to be able to run both camps WELL!!

*On a personal level, those of you who know me will smile when I say that I am SUPER EXCITED to be a part of the kid's camp!! YESSSS!! I've enjoyed ALL the camps, but I'm so glad to be able to hang out with kids again! As I've prepared mentally, spiritually and emotionally for this camp, the Lord keeps bring me back to Philippians 2. I ask that you would pray this passage specifically for me. PRAY that I won't be selfish. PRAY that I'll look out for the interest of others. PRAY that I would have the attitude of Christ. PRAY that I'll be willing to be made "nothing" and be humble. It is easy to ACT this way, but pray that I would truly have this attitude and spirit as I do whatever is needed.

So that's how you can (PLEASE!!) pray for us over the next week. I hope you can sense my excitement in these words! :-)

We DO have another week of camp after that. Actually, this time next week we'll be on the road, headed to our next location! I've been so focused on getting ready for this camp with the kids that I honestly don't know a whole lot of details about our FINAL camp...but please PRAY for us, for our counselors and for the campers that God will be bringing us. PRAY that (as my Mom always says!) we will finish WELL! PRAY that God's Word would be understood as Ken Rudolph and Cheryl Fawcett speak. PRAY that we''ll love the campers and be amazed as we see what God does in their lives.

If you read my last prayer letter, you know that God has taught me much about the power of prayer this summer. Not only does God hear our prayers, He CARES and He answers! That's why I'm writing this post. I honestly believe that when YOU pray for us here in Romania, thousands of miles away, God hears and He answers YOUR prayers. Isn't that amazing!?! So please PRAY! We need it! And think of how awesome it will be to hear in a few weeks how God specifically and directly answered your prayers!

Three Weeks Down...

I've been home for three weeks now, and will leave again NEXT WEEK (YESSSS!!!) for more camp! But before I move ahead and forget , I want to make sure to take time to THANK God for the first few weeks of camp and reflect on the ways He answered prayer. So join me in praising Him!

Week One: Filadelfia Teens
This week almost didn't happen because a few days (yes, days) before camp started, we noticed a problem in the contract we had signed for the camp we were renting. Those were very tense days, full of negotiations and prayer, but God answered beyond what we could have imagined, and we had camp as planned! Thank you, Lord!

This was an emotionally and spiritually intense week. God did some great things in the lives of the campers, but it was an exhausting battle! Several campers were saved! The biggest challenge they left with, though, was to know, read, and study their Bibles. We've heard that since this group has returned home, they've ASKED their leaders to start Bible studies back up, even though it is the middle of the summer! Praise God for His continuing work!

Week Two: Holy Trinity Teens/Pre-Teens
For those of you who read my prayer letter, you know that this week was kind of an experiment for us. We tried (for the first time) running two different camps at the same time. Going INTO this week, (up until Sunday afternoon!) we really debated about whether or not this was best, but it seemed like something God was leading us to try. He really did BLESS this week and it was so neat to see the pre-teens open up and come alive in their own program.

Satan seemed to be especially opposed to the pre-teen camp. The morning the kids all arrived, the assistant program director for the pre-teens woke up, brushed her teeth, and realized that her tooth had (randomly!) come out! She had to be rushed to the closest dentist (and hour and a half away!) and camp had to begin without her. Just a couple days later, the program director for the teens became very sick with a high fever and was unable to lead the program for the next couple of days. Think this is just random? I sure don't.

I tell you these things because it was such a wake up call for me! I know in my head that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood", but it was just SO EVIDENT all week that there was a spiritual battle going on. When you see all this going on around you, what can you do except go to your Father in prayer and ask for His protection?? He was good, He answered our prayers, and He DID do awesome things in the lives of the campers this week, despite Satan's efforts to stop His work.

Week Three: Young Adults
After being the camp nurse the week before and taking care of sick people (yeah, that's a whole other story!), I became sick as we headed into this week. Thankfully, young adults don't need as much supervision and so I was able to rest more than the previous weeks. I was also able (along with one of my Romanian teammates) to spend good, concentrated time in prayer. How awesome to be able to see up close and personal that God hears AND answers our prayers! It really was amazing to see...it gave me goosebumps!

A couple more quick answers to prayer:
I made FRIENDS this summer! With the counselors, with the campers, with the staff. This is no small thing! I can walk into church now and actually KNOW people! Thanks, Lord!

My language abilities have improved. I understand more of what's going on around me, which is a nice feeling!


So those are the three weeks. There's so much more I could say, but this IS a public blog and some stories are better left untold! :-) This time next week we'll be headed north for our last two weeks of camp! I'm pretty excited! :-) Please, keep praying for us! Your prayers are important and God DOES hear and answer!!

To Be Continued...

Camp was awesome! Or rather, CAMPS were awesome. And our God is awesome. More to come, but for now, this will give you an idea of what our weeks were like!

The Official Start of Summer

The kids have been done with school here for several weeks now. The temperature has been in the high 90s for most of the last couple of weeks and the buses and trams are crowded and smelly. Summer visitors from the US have all arrived and are settled in. And I bought something resembling a cantaloupe at the store this week. But for me, summer will officially start next week. Why? We begin our first week of camp on Tuesday!!

Camp seemed like such a long way away when I first arrived (almost five months ago...wow!) and now it is HERE! I'm really excited and am looking forward to it, but I'm also a little apprehensive since this is something I've never done before. My main job will be supporting/praying for/coordinating the support staff, as well as helping with detail work.

Our first week of camp is for kids! The theme is "Discover the Treasure", and we'll be talking all week about the TRUE treasure...God's Word...and how it applies to our lives and daily walk. These aren't necessarily easy things for children to understand, but I think sometimes we don't give kids enough credit. They really ARE capable of not only understanding spiritual things, but applying them as well. Please PRAY that this happens next week and that lives are changed for eternity, for the glory of God.

As we've finalized plans this week, we've emotionally been up, down and everywhere in between. Early in the week we learned that an organization was going to help sponsor some of our kids! We entered the week PRAYING that God would send us just the right amount of campers. This has been a hard year financially for people here, and so the number of kids registered was much less than what we had been anticipating. This was such an answer to prayer! Later that same day, one of our counselors/worship leader informed us that he wouldn't be able to be at camp next week. Mid-week, we heard that another church was considering sponsoring MORE of our campers! You can imagine our excitement...only to find out yesterday that they decided to use the money for other purposes. Additionally, after five days of phone calls and prayers we are STILL without a guy counselor or worship leader to fill the hole. We're looking at the calendar and wondering how God is going to answer this...as we trust that HE knows what we need.

So that's where we are! I look forward to coming back next week (I'll be home for a week before heading out for three more weeks of camp), and telling you the ways that God worked and how everything was EXACTLY the way He wanted it to be...even if it wasn't according to OUR plans.

I'll leave you with a few specific prayer requests and ask that you PLEASE intercede on our behalf. We have an enemy who would love nothing more than to distract our campers and discourage our staff. Pray for God's protection. Please. The battle is real, and "our struggle is not against flesh and blood..." (Eph. 6:12).

*PRAY for a worship leader/guy counselor. Not just someone to fill the hole, but exactly the RIGHT person/people for the campers they will be working with.

*PRAY for the right amount of campers.

*PRAY for the illumination of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the campers so that they will understand God's Word and make changes for eternity.

*PRAY for wisdom/strength/enthusiasm/refreshment for our counseling staff:Ana, Miriam, Cristiana, Ionut, Radu and ???

*PRAY for our camp core team who at camp this week: Andrew and Leah, Dave and Kathy, Kristie, Anca, Felix

*PRAY for unity among staff and like mindedness.

*PRAY for our campers to be prepared, focused, and ready to learn.

*PRAY for safety for all, especially in the heat.

Finally Glad

There are days when I wonder why in the world the Lord has brought me here. There are days when I when I feel like I've accomplished nothing...and worry that tomorrow will be the same. There are days when I question how I am EVER going to be able to understand what people are saying to me, let alone CONVERSE with them. And to be honest, there are days when I would like to lock myself in my apartment and forget that I'm in another country. Today, however, was NOT one of those days, and I'm praising the Lord!

I've felt THANKFUL to be here since I first landed. I'm thankful for God's direction, guidance and provision. I'm thankful for my financial supporter's sacrificial giving that allows me to be here. I'm thankful for so many of you who prayed faithfully to get me here, and continue to lift me up before the Father. And I'm thankful for a family and church family that love me enough to let me go while assuring me that they're 100% behind me. So I AM thankful to be here. I have BEEN thankful to be here. But today, maybe for the first time, I was GLAD to be here. Which is a totally different thing. (Stop and think about it for a moment!)

It might have something to do with the fact that today was a totally GORGEOUS day. The sun was shining, it wasn't too hot and people were just out enjoying the day. As I was standing outside with the sun on my face, watching people go by, I was overtaken by the realization of how blessed I am to be here. Despite frustrations and bouts of homesickness, there isn't ANYWHERE else I'd rather be. I'm content. I feel comfortable here. I still don't necessarily understand WHY I'm here, but I'm GLAD to be here!

And so those are my thoughts for the day. "Blessed be God, because He has not rejected my prayer or removed His steadfast love from me!" (Ps. 66:20)

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!

I just wrote a new prayer letter, which I'll probably post on here, too, shortly. But in the prayer letter I said that you could see pictures of my adventures on here...so I better actually post some pictures! :-)

These are all the awesome MKs that I spent a week teaching in April up in the mountains. Romania really DOES have the best MKs! :-)


This is me teaching the kids while we were in the mountains. It really was more fun than it looks like in this picture!


I sent the kids on an alphabet photo scavenger hunt, which they loved! I was their picture for "K"!


Teaching my session on visual aides in The Republic of Moldova.


And these were my students!


As you can see I'm becoming quite Romanian!


And THIS little cutie is my new niece, Ella Rae Abernathy. She was born on May 3rd and is already so loved by her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and many other friends and family. Welcome to the world, Ella Rae!

Here, There, and Everywhere!

I'm writing something...because the longer I write nothing, the more overwhelming it becomes! :-)

The last month has been a busy one for me! I've had quite a few guests coming and going and I've done some traveling, too! It has been wonderful to see more of Romania. People kept telling me how beautiful it is (once you leave Bucharest) and I must say they were absolutely right! God has brought me to a country that has it all: mountains, woods, beaches, cities...what more could a girl want?!? :-)

The reason for my travels? I was helping with Sunday School Teacher Training in three different cities. What an honor to get to teach people who want to learn! For this round of training I was able to share a brief devotion at the beginning of the day and then observe the rest of the session. I really love what my teammates are doing! There is such a need for this, and the appreciation of the teachers is so humbling! Pray for me as I seek the Lord's will about how I can be involved in the future. I'm already scheduled to teach a session on using visual aids in Moldova on the 24th of this month! Scary!

As I write this, I'm surrounded by an assortment of bags. I'm leaving today for the mountains for a combined training conference with my team and the ABWE team in northern Romania. While the rest of the adults are sitting in sessions all day, I'll be in charge of nine kids! I have a fun (I hope!!) program planned for them and am looking forward to it...but please pray for me! I'll have the kids for 5-6 hours a day. I'm praying for good weather so we can be outside A LOT! :-)

The rest of April looks so busy, too! But more about that later...I need to finish packing the rest of the food, craft supplies, teaching materials...oh man...I'm going to look like a bag lady! :-)

Thanks for your continuing interest in God's work in Romania. Sometimes it is hard to see...but He IS working in the lives and hearts of people here. Once in a while He gives us glimpses of what He is doing.

(The video below is of me singing with a teammate in a small village church we went to on our way home from teacher training. Thought you might like to see me sing in Romanian! So cool!) :-)

Observations

I remember being amazed during my time in Germany how much I could pick up and learn about people just by watching. I didn't understand much of what they said, but by observing their body language, actions, and tone, I slowly started to learn about people. Of course, not ALL of my conclusions from my observations were correct, but many were and it was fascinating! I've always loved watching people!

I'm beginning to experience that here, too, as I adjust and settle into a routine. Yesterday, however, my observations were sad ones. I've been sitting in on (and doing crafts and such here and there) a Sunday School class for junior highers. They're fun kids and seem to like me, though I'm not sure why since we can barely communicate with each other! :-) I think I'm a novelty...the silent American girl who smiles a lot! Anyhow, as much as I genuinally like the kids, their attitudes upset me. My biggest observations? They seem to have very little respect for authority, and basically NO understanding that the Bible applies to THEM in their day to day lives. I know what you're thinking...how is that any different from kids in the US? :-) This isn't a new problem, and probably IS the case in many places back home, too, but it made my heart sad to see yesterday.

It ALSO made me even MORE eager learn the language. I want to be able to talk to them, to share a Savior with them who loves them and wants to guide them if only they'll listen and obey. I want them to see that the Bible isn't just stories, but REAL people with REAL lives who made choices just like us. I want them to own their faith and see what it means to have a RELATIONSHIP with the sovereign Creator of the universe!

Sigh...it is hard to have so much to say and yet no way to say it! :-) But God knows, and I continue to pray that He'll show me why I'm here and how to use my time. I'm at the point now where I'm having to choose between different opportunities. My observations yesterday, though, helped me clearly identify again what my heart's desire truly is: to see young people really come to KNOW our Savior and follow Him with a radical, life changing faith.

Please, Lord, show me how I can best do this, even with my limited abilities. If you can use anything, Lord, You can use me.

FIRSTS!

I've officially been in Romania for four weeks now! I can't believe it! I'm really not homesick yet, but on several occasions I HAVE missed the convenience of living in the States. Especially when it comes to cooking. No brownie mixes here! Canned soups are just a memory now. And edible frozen food is no longer a part of my life. All of this is probably for the better, but I admit I have had to adapt. I've also had to sort through my recipes and find ones that I can actually get ingredients for. Hmmm...it is almost dinnertime, can you tell? I didn't intend to sit down and write about food. Moving on!

I thought I'd share with you a few of my "firsts" in the last week or so.

FIRST time on the Metro by myself! I went to a new friend's birthday party and managed to find my way there and back by myself! I also met an interesting man with a snowboard who told me I had a beautiful face (in Romanian), which I suppose counts as my FIRST time getting hit on here! Yessss! Actually, I was pleased that he said this in Romanian first, because the bigger compliment for me was that it meant he thought I looked Romanian. That's what I'm going for! :-)

FIRST time getting lost came the very next day. :-) I was headed to church, and though I've ridden with teammates every other week, the weather was nice so I thought it would be a good time for me to figure out how to take the tram. It should have been easy. Just go three stops, get off and walk. But for me...well...not so much. I got off at the right stop, but then thought it didn't look right, so I got back ON the tram and went two MORE stops. By that time I knew I'd been right the first time. I couldn't figure out how to get back on the tram going the opposite direction (the stops aren't always marked well), so I started walking...in my nice Sunday church shoes, of course! I knew I had to turn down a side street, but I couldn't tell which one because although I had a map, the streets don't always have signs (or at least signs that I can see!) and I'm directionally challenged anyway! :-) Eventually I saw a group of women wearing skirts and decided to follow them. And guess what? They went right to the church! I'm not sure if they knew I was following them or not. But God certainly heard my prayer for help and I was only five minutes late! It was actually an amusing experience, and I'm glad I've been lost once now so I don't have to be concerned when (not if!) it happens again.

FIRST time teaching a class here! I had nine kids on Sunday night for my "English" Jr. Church. What a fun group of kids! We talked about being examples with our words, and they especially enjoyed singing "Keep Your Tongue From Evil", by Steve Green. The hardest thing is keeping the wide variety of ages (pre-school to fifth grade) all interested and engaged. This week I should have twelve kids, so we're already talking about finding some help for me. That'd be good! :-)

FIRST time paying a bill (other than rent) by myself! My very kind doorman (who speaks a decent amount of English), volunteered to walk me to the office of the building administrator where I had to pay it. As it turns out, the building administrator is the man who had come to read my water meter last week (which is a whole OTHER story), so we'd met already and he was well aware that I couldn't speak much Romanian. I paid the bill, and he tried to set me up with his sons. Oh Romania! It sounds much more flattering than it actually is. Everyone wants a green card. Ha!

FIRST Romanian dinner! I've made a new friend, I think, and the dinner was just the icing on the cake for the evening! She took me to a traditional restaurant and ordered me a traditional meal. I enjoyed it and especially LOVED the dessert! It was like donut/funnel cake covered in cream cheese and jelly. YUM!!! Let's not talk about calories! :-) It was a fun night, full of good food and laughter! Thanks to those of you who are praying I'll find friends. It IS happening...slowly. Please keep praying.

So those are some of my firsts! If your life seems dull, book a ticket to come visit me! Cause I can promise you...it NEVER is here!! :-)