Dan

A BIG PRAISE - all our boxes that we shipped from the States arrived today! Six boxes were Dan's favorite study books, and 4 boxes of my books to give to the counseling center here. But the few things we brought from our house in the States are beginning to make this place look like we live here. (A BIG THANKS to Rosemarie who helped us pack many of the boxes.)

A couple of years ago, one of our friends commented, "This apartment looks like no one lives here!" I told them, "Well, no one does except the few weeks when we are here." So, we kinda "camped out" in a lovely apartment. But this time we decided we'll be more effective if we have the basics we need to actually live here.

It's still kinda busy here and NOT like a home. Dan reads with LST Readers in the living room, and Rosemarie reads with others in the middle bedroom which we made into a study. We had only planned for Rosemarie to read with readers from past years. We had no idea so many people would want to read with LST. We did no advertising, but Adolf told people and signed up a bunch of fine people! God is at work here!

I had a small attack of "homesickness" today when I started unpacking some of my things, felt some regret at giving up so many of my earthly treasures. But I quickly pulled myself out of it by thinking about the joy of helping so many people here, and thanking God for using us as His tools in His hands.

Andrea, Zoli, and Lilla (22 mos.) came over last night to bring us 6 small plants that Andrea "started" for us early last Spring...so that I'd have plants in my apartment. She knew it'd make it feel more like a home. We do love it here, and know we are greatly blessed to be able to answer God's call to serve Him here. -- Anne & Dan

Posted by Anne at 01:21 PM | Permalink

After being here 3 weeks, we took a day off! I'll have to have some help to add photos ; > ) Saturday, we drove an hour north on an excellent European Union highway to Tusnad Baile, 2,400' elevation. Leaving the major highway, we drove up the winding road through the tall, dark forests to the top of the mountain. Reaching the top, we began to descend through the thick forest into the basin of the ancient inactive volcano to St. Ann Lake. It is the only intact volcanic lake in Middle Europe (some guidebooks say in all of Europe). There is also a small chapel in good repair dating back to the 823 A.D.

Dan was content to sit and read in the shade of a giant silver spruce. Rosemarie, the world traveler, talked me into taking a swim. Much to our delight, the top 12" layer of the lake is pleasant, and cools off as it gets deeper...makes for nice swimming! Once, in water up to our shoulders, Rosemarie was standing in a column of cold water. Three feet away from her, I was standing in a column of warm water. Springs?

Having been warned to stay away from the middle of the lake where people disappear (what do we look like - Olympic swimmers?), we did not even swim out into water over our heads. However, I must admit we felt quite adventuresome!

Later we drove to the Outdoor Sekeley Museum with houses. furniture, clothing, farm equipment dating from centuries ago up through WWII. All the buildings were taken apart at their original location and put back together in the park 30 minutes from St. George. It was a very special day which made up appreciate these wonderful Hungarian-Romanians all the more. If you ever see this beautiful land, you will truly feel how great is our God! In the beginning when He created the heavens and the earth...He made Romania one of the loveliest places on earth. -- Anne, Dan and Rosemarie

Posted by Anne at 12:47 PM | Permalink

Thursday evening our small living room was packed with about 12 LST Readers and their families! Since many knew each other, we had a fun evening just eating and visiting. Our menu featured Texas chili, Hungarian corn chips, and Hungarian whipped cream cake. All the women were asking, "What is the chili recipe? We have to learn how to make it!"

Anne went online to find which spices are in chili. Well, you can forget that! Every recipe Anne found named a few spices and "chili powder mix." There was quite a bit of laughter before it was all over, but no chili recipe!

The adults and children sang Hungarian folk songs for us. Dan and I sang our much requested love song we learned at Sooner Youth Camp in 1955, "Tell Me Why." Even though they knew the party was to last an hour, most of our guests stayed until after 10 p.m.!

As our guests left for home, we let each choose a small gift from the U.S. We still had a few ACU Reunion A Cappella Chorus tapes. Those went first! God is blessing us with building warm relationships with our Readers and our long time friends here in this lovely little city. BUT THEY ARE ALREADY ASKING ABOUT SIGNING UP TO READ WITH THE LST TEAM THAT IS COMING IN THE FALL. WE HOPE SOME OF YOU CAN SOON TELL US WHO THAT IS GOING TO BE! Isn't that a wonderful problem to have! Phil. 4:19 reminds us, "My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." -- Anne, Dan and Rosemarie
P.S. Stay Tuned! Tomorrow I will write about swimming in the only intact volcanic lake in Middle Europe!

Posted by Anne at 12:16 PM | Permalink

Wednesday was the day for Adolf to drive us eastward through beautiful farmland to visit the Covasna Country Red Cross Camp for underprivileged children. Nestled in the foothills of the Carpathian Alps, 100 children run, play, make friends, building their self-esteem as they succeed in many different activities.

When we asked Raul, one of the campers, "How do you like camp?" He replied, "I love it here!" To our question, "And, what about the food?" he replied with big brown eyes glowing, "We have soup and bubbly mineral water, meat, fried potatoes, vegetables! Every meal we get mineral water and soup!"

Our hearts filled with joy as we watched the staff treating the children with respect, kindness and love. All the staff are volunteers who are becoming our friends. Some of them are first time LST Readers now. God is good to bring us together with so many kind-hearted Hungarian Romanians!

Thursday, Andrea, Zoli and little Lila (22 months) had us over for a delicious lunch! More about that later. They have always been a great help to us, but this year, more than ever, they are truly taking care of us in many, many ways. We came to help the people of St. George, but they are the ones who are helping us! This is a beautiful example of "Cast your bread upon the water, and it will not return unto you void." Ecclesiastes 11:1 (I like my version better - "Cast your bread upon the water, and God will return it to you with butter on it!" -- Anne, Dan and Rosemarie

Posted by Anne at 08:54 AM | Permalink

People keep asking, "Why did you move to Romania?" The short answer is, "God called us to serve Him in St. George, Romania." The longer answer is - People are the same all over the world...we all want a comfortable life, a family that loves us, true friends, work we enjoy. The "good life" that so many are chasing after never quite fills the deep longing within. Is contentment just going to be around the corner when we have...the new car, the better house, the Right mate...whatever it is that we think will make us happy?

In Ecclesiastes 3:11, we find "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men." To have a good relationship with God is what fills the emptiness that so many live with day in and day out. We believe God has sent us here to help people learn how to fill their emptiness with Him.

Today, Tuesday, there is another funeral. One of our friends went to the Nursing Home Saturday to visit her mother only to be told that her mother had been sent to the hospital Friday. No one had notified the family. Rushing to the hospital, she discovered that her mother had died two hours earlier!

The day Reka learned that her baby's heart had stopped beating, 3 other mothers in the St. George hospital received the same news about their baby. Now, while Reka is dealing with her grief over her miscarriage, one of her mother's best friends died suddenly.

Huba's father's cancer is spreading. The doctors give him no hope. People are asking, "What is going on? This is such an unusual summer...so many deaths. I don't understand!" Please, pray for these hurting people. God is opening doors for us to help many find the answers to their questions.

ON THE BRIGHTER SIDE - Adolf figured out how to read with those on the LST waiting list. We will interview each one, and assign them to a small group based upon their English conversational skills. There will be the VERY, VERY Beginners English Group, and the New Readers' Group. We discovered ONE beginner's workbook here from which we'll make copies!

Adolf, Reka and 6 year old Dorothea took us on a successful mattress shopping trip Sunday afternoon in Brasov - a city of 300,000, only a 30 minute drive from St. George. The center of town has beautiful ancient buildings dating back to 1141 with sidewalk cafes, a park full of flowers, modern play area for children, very tall trees, delightful places to walk.

On the Southwest edge of the city is The Shopping Area. At least Six huge mega stores have anything you can imagine. Sam's, Walmart, Home Depot can't even begin to compare with them. I was like a kid from the country walking around staring at all the "stuff!" (Many international companies have now located in Brasov. Salaries are triple, quadruple what people in St. George earn. But all the typical problems of big cities are also in Brasov, and the cost of living is higher. Most of our contacts prefer the simpler life in St. George.)

We thank God that the health of all three of us is good, that Rosemarie and Dan are enjoying reading with all these good people, and that God is using my counseling skills to help the deeply wounded. We also thank our God "every time we remember you. In all our prayers for you, we always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel...." Phil. 1:3 -- Love in Him, Dan, Anne and Rosemarie

Posted by Anne at 12:26 AM | Permalink