Towards Transylvania

Friends and Family,

Backpacking around Europe for five weeks had its’ challenges to be sure.  After sleeping in train stations, hostels, and ferries with the same two people 24/7, one would think my wife and I have had quite enough of the peregrinators life to last us a good while.  One would be wrong…

            This new adventure upon which we will embark tomorrow, brings new challenges and new hopeful expectations.  It will be challenging because it will not be only our own bellies and bodies we will be responsible for, but also for seven other young and foolish (for following us into the unknown) students. Hopeful expectation comes from the knowledge that this time, we travel not for own amusement and wanderlust, but for the purpose of spreading His good news!

            It is to a small city in the country of Romania where we are headed, in the region of famed Transylvania, where the stories of Vlad the Impaler’s cruelty (aka Dracula) are birthed.  These ancient cruelties however are distant in mind compared to the more recent regimes that have plagued the populace.  When I think of Romania I think of two things; vampires and orphans.  I don’t know of any vampires in need of the gospel, so it is to the orphans that we will go!

            In all seriousness we are very excited to have this opportunity.  With this team of ours made of CCBCE students from Vajta, Hungary, we will be spending time in an abandoned baby hospital where infants die from lack of physical touch and love.  Also we will be visiting an orphanage every morning while in the afternoons we will be working with local gypsy children.  These things I’m sure will impact us in ways we are not yet prepared for, but we are excited knowing Whom we are going for.

            If you have a memory better than mine, please don’t neglect to pray for us that our God will fill us up with His Spirit so that we can love these children and each other in the way that He loves, without any conditions whatsoever! Pray also for our safety as we travel, and for the hearts of the children we will minister to.