Romania 2008 ~ Making Memories

"Making Memories" was my motto in Romania. It fit every situation and described the attitude I wanted to have. God called me to Romania, and He paved the way for me to go - I didn't want to miss a thing. I wanted to take advantage of every opportunity I was given to interact with people and form relationships, lend a helping hand, and experience the culture. My little motto was quickly picked up by my room mates, and it became a quick way to remind ourselves (and each other) of the mindset we wanted to have. Every experience - from the wonderful times to the embarrassing cultural and/or language blunders - was about touching lives with the love of God and learning the lessons He called us to learn. By keeping this perspective we were able to keep a good attitude, laugh off the embarrassing or trying moments, and make great memories.
Pre-trip and travel
From the very beginning it was clear that God was calling me to Romania. I didn't realize what a walk of faith it would be for me, but it has been awesome to watch God provide for all my needs - everything from money to a new passport. As awesome as it was to watch God move, it wasn't easy to wait on His perfect timing. There were several times I doubted God's call as I waited for the money to come in and traveled to Chicago for a new passport after finding mine had expired. Thankfully the Chicago Passport Agency issued me a new passport in only 3 hours, and the money I needed came in through the generous support of my family and friends. As each obstacle arose, God provided a way for me to move beyond it. Nothing stands in His way "for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." (Romans 11:29). He is faithful!
Travel to and from Romania went quite smoothly. Our flight route took us from Akron/Canton through Detroit to Amsterdam and finally to Bucharest. All of our luggage arrived safely with us, minus 1 bag which came a few days later. Thankfully the bag contained donations and was not needed immediately. Sighisoara is 5 hours away from Bucharest, though the drive took us 7 hours due to an accident we encountered on the road. We arrived in Sighisoara at 12:30 am after a little over 24 hours of travel. When we arrived, we were grouped according to our host families and taken to our individual "homes" for the next 3 weeks.
To learn about the various experiences I had and people I met in Romania, keep reading below!