Romanian Visit

Happy Thanksgiving! In keeping with the season, we are so thankful that God doesn’t show us what’s going to be happening in our lives too much in advance. This month, as was last, has been a whirlwind. While Lance was at the Missionary Medical Intensive (MMI), the opportunity came up for us to take a trip to Romania. During his training I booked our flights in conjunction with a team from our church, and he was home for about a week after the MMI course before he left for a 13 day trip to Romania. I joined him a week later for the end of the trip, and the boys stayed with Lance’s mom. We returned this past Monday before Thanksgiving. 

The reason for the trip was two-fold: 1.) it gave Lance and I the opportunity to see our future surroundings, meet some people we’ll possibly be partnering with, and better evaluate what needs to be shipped over and what can be acquired there, and 2.) a team of construction workers from our church were able to help with a building project in which Ken and Monica Luse (our future senior missionaries) are involved. A church there has offered to let the Luses live in some empty rooms behind their sanctuary in exchange for remodeling it into a livable apartment. It’s a huge job and the team was glad to be able to serve them. 

Lance, along with his dad, went a few days before the men and helped with the work as well as saw some of Iasi, the city where we’ll be living. The team of 4 men from our church arrived Sunday and worked all week, leaving Saturday. I came mid-week and we (Lance, his dad and I) left Sunday evening. It was a whirlwind of a trip but priceless from the meetings we had and what we learned by just being there. We were able to make some important decisions about what to bring and not to bring and the best way to get it there. We were also able to meet with two couples we hope to work with in the future and who will be an invaluable help as we get settled into Romanian life and culture.

Thank you for your continued prayers for us and this ministry, 
Ruth, for our family.