Bucharest airport

While I was at the airport waiting to catch my plane to Vienna, a group of US Army personnel came onto the concourse. There were probably around 200 of them, all wandering around. Some of them went to a pay phone to try and call home. I went up to three of them and just handed them my phone and asked if they wanted to call home. It was a great experience to watch them call and say hello to loved ones back home. When I gave the phone to one women, she just looked at me and said, "Really, I can use it?" She was calling her girls back home in Alaska. No pictures though, I just wasn't thinking!!! DUH!

Last day

There were several American here working with Project Ruth. This morning we went to an historic site where they placed houses from all over Romania from different eras. Here I was reminded of Anatevka. I kept looking for Tevye and the fiddler on the roof.

Inside one of the houses. this was a one room house.

another house with a thatched roof.

This Roma man was there for 30 minutes trying to rip apart a mattress looking for money inside. he finally walked away with nothing. This was taken right in front of the church building.

The other side of the Danube is Bulgaria. We were taken to a restaurant in Romania on the Danube. Very good fresh fish. I had carp, but they spell it a little differently here. Here it's spelled crap. Okay take your best shot!!

Thursday June 3rd, 2010

Long day of class. Right now I have 5 preachers from 3 different church backgrounds (Brethren, Baptist and Pentecostal) trying to put together one worship service. HA. This is fun to watch and listen to even if I don't understand Romanian!

tin roofs

This photo came from 2006 notice the tar paper roof.

This is from yesterday. Notice that not only is there a new tin roof, but they also building some extra rooms on to the house. No building codes that's for sure and yet the church sits around 10 minutes away from the center of Bucharest.

Oti took Sorin and me out for dinner tonight to a Romanian restaurant in Bucharest. While we were there, several people in traditional Romanian costumes started to dance. Enjoy the music and the dancing.

This is the inside of the restaurant. Very European.

We had a wonderful experience in class today. Iosif mentioned that this was his last class and was going to be able to graduate now. And that in writing some of the papers for this class he realized that he can live a more dedicated life for his Lord. He asked for pray, so we all gathered around him and prayed for him. It was a very moving and also a joyous experience....

Transit strike

I found out yesterday that Nicolae had to take 5 different buses to get here because there was a transit strike going on. only the buses were working. The trolley and the subway systems were shut down. We start at 8:00 AM with breakfast and then go until around 6 PM after dinner. That means he has to leave at 6 in the morning and doesn't get home until 8 at night. What a commitment on his part. I wonder, would I have that same dedication? Especially for a week long class? I do know this though, I better make sure that what I have to teach is worth not only his time, but the rest of the classes also.

JTS

Romania Tuesday June 1

Here is what I had for breakfast. make sure you take a really good look at all the items on the table. Maybe tomorrow i'll explain more about it.

My class. See I am teaching. Well I'm there anyway.

Here is everyone in the class.

Left to right.

Nicolae, Alexandru, Ion (sitting), Iosif, Petrica, Sammy (sitting), Sorin my translator/interpretor.

Notice the water pipe that she is drawing water from. Also notice the dirt street. This was taken in 2006.

Now notice, no more free water, but a paved street.

Class is beginning to take shape now. Everyone has settled down to where they feel very comfortable to ask questions if they need or want to.

Nicolae comes from a Pentecostal church, Iosif, Alexandru, Sammy and Sorin come from Baptist churches. And Petru and Ion come from a Brethren church.