Morning Routine

It feels good to be back into my morning routine. I enjoy being up early when the city is quieter. Most mornings on my way to school I pass an older man who lives in my bloc. Since I've been gone most of the summer and not heading to school early I haven't seen him since May. This morning our paths crossed and he asked about my summer, vacation, and my return to Bucharest. As we were parting ways, he said that Bucharest is a better place when I'm around. It started my day off with a smile. Seeing him this morning was a blessing.

Come Again

I recently purchased a new portable phone because the one I had been using had an unfortunate, constant buzz during any conversation. After multiple attempts to try and remedy the situation, I decided to switch to my corded phone. I hadn't remembered how frustrating it can be to be forced to sit still while talking on the phone. There's so many possibilities of things that can be done during that precious time.

So, last weekend I sought out a new phone. I was amazed at the tissue paper packaging (saved for future use) and the sheer number of direction books. I'm guessing when purchasing a product in the US you might get two booklets-English and Spanish. Along with this phone came separate booklets for Romanian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Slovenian, Polish, and two I couldn't determine. Sadly there was no English booklet.

Growing Pains

I love learning. In fact, it's one of my top 5 strengths. I value the desire to learn in so many areas of my life. I can tell I'm growing, but it isn't always comfortable.

I spent the first part of August learning in Poland during our Europe Area Conference. Our first day was dedicated to a time of prayer. What a neat way to spend a day together--corporately seeking God in our lives and bringing encouragement, healing, and support to those we serve beside.

We spent time in whole group worship and teaching and had some small group teaching times as well. Our team (ReachGlobal missionaries serving in Bucharest) was able to spend part of an afternoon learning each other's strengths and how we can best capitalize on those strengths as a team.

For me, this conference was also a time of reconnecting with missionaries serving around Europe that I rarely see. I'm blessed by the people I serve beside in Europe! They challenged my thinking, helped me see my heart more clearly, and offered support in so many ways. Another highlight was spending time with some great kids at the water park one afternoon.

I returned to Bucharest exhausted and expectant. I can't wait to see what God does in my heart and through my life this year. I'm looking forward to seeing how He leads as I look ahead to the 2010-2011 school year. It's exciting to have renewed friendships and to look forward to staying connected in spite of the distance.

Among the Hidden

It's now been a few weeks since my return to Bucharest. As I use public transportation to get to/from school, grocery store, church, IKEA, etc, I'm faced with situations that I don't normally confront in the US. Nearly every day I'm asked for money by multiple people on the streets. This creates a certain level of discomfort as I try to decide what to do. I realized recently that the poor, homeless, and lost are those hidden in the US. I don't think I was asked once for money in the 5 weeks I spent in MN. I didn't see anyone sniffing a bag of glue or sleeping on the street. It isn't comfortable to be faced with the dilemma about whether to give money, but I find I'm thankful for those opportunities. It keeps me face to face with the realities of this fallen world, thinking hard about how I can give, and thankful for the way God meets my needs. It's a challenge for me as well to think about how I can continue to do the same when I'm in the US.

Day 2-why I love USAA

I arrived in Bucharest late Thurs night. Friday, I set about the task of cleaning my apartment (removing the layer of dust that had settled even with all the windows shut) and unpacking. Since I buy milk in bulk and had some juice on hand too, I managed to get by without needing to go to the grocery store.

This morning I decided that I wanted to eat more than cereal and macaroni and cheese. I grabbed my cloth bags and headed out the door. My first stop was to buy my transportation pass for the month. This went off without a hitch, but left me with only the equivalent of $2 in my wallet. I had planned on taking the tram to the grocery store and using the ATM there but happened to see one right near the ticket stand. And it's a good thing.

My pin was rejected twice. Thinking that perhaps it was an error with the particular ATM I was using, I walked toward another bank, but found the same thing. At least at each of the ATMs my card was returned to me. I started walking back to my apartment trying to think through options. I figured my bank wouldn't be open--perhaps not until Monday. I didn't want to call and wake up my sister (who has my financial/banking records). I could exchange some US dollars, but that didn't seem to be a great option.

I decided to try calling my bank. Amazingly, I was able to change my pin over the phone using an automated system. I grabbed my bags once again and decided to walk directly across the street before getting on the tram--just in case it really hadn't worked. It had. I got cash, went to the store, and returned home with groceries to 'fill' my fridge.

I'm adding this to my list of reasons I love banking with USAA. They make banking from overseas into something easy instead of a huge frustration and constant headache.