Romania 2011 - Pre-trip Blog

Pre-trip July 2011

Every time this year I seem to get back into blogging. This time last year I was actually finished with the blogging escapades but for some reason this year the Romania Missions trip was pushed back a month and we still have a few days before we leave. I am sure the fact that Don Owens was organizing the trip had nothing to do with the trip being delayed but I do think the two year ban on his driving in Romania, because of the car he wrote off, expiring may have had some influence. (I don't think he was banned but it is a good story to keep perpetuating).

This year a smaller team is headed to Puciosa but we will still have three groups for VBS (Puciosa, Fieni and Vulcana Bai - in some combination of Isabelle Sr. Clair, Sue Hedner, Lindsay Hedner, Damien Burke, Katie Rossman, Michelle Ayoubi, Hannah Ayoubi, Dina Ellisor, Kayla Ellisor, Michaila Bertuccini, and Savannah Britton) and a building team (Russ and Don) and new to the mix this year is the women's conference led by Gretchen Bertuccini.

With a smaller team the bonding may be a little more stronger than with the larger groups. Don Owens has already set the example here by forgetting to take Lindsay home after one of our preparation meetings. With her parents out of town it wasn't a really big deal for the first couple of hours of being stranded. Luckily somebody else stepped into the gap and got Lindsay home safely.

So tomorrow we set off. An overnight flight to London and then after a couple of hours a 3 hour flight to Bucharest. From Bucharest we will head straight to the youth retreat stopping via Puciosa to pick up the youth (thought that would be a good idea). I am not sure whether we will break the news to the Romania youth that the 3 drivers will have not slept for 24 hours before we head up into the mountains or just wait and see if they ask why we are drinking so mcuh Red Bull.

After a few days at the retreat we head back to Puciosa for the VBS, building project and women's conference.

Our call to action is from Isaiah 6:8 - "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here I am. Send Me'"

Please pray for our travel and that the Holy Spirit would lead us in all we do and say.