The jet lag is real!
This first weekend in Romania has seen the team going through orientation, preparing and planning for the first week of VBS, and trying to catch some hours of sleep despite the time zone differences.
Romania is a thoroughly European country, with all the amenities, services, and cultural distinctive. There are some familiar brands (most notably Starbucks and McDonalds) and the team has had the opportunity to enjoy both in this different part of the world.
The language is very different from English, but has some similar cognates — especially for native Spanish speakers (Romanian is closest to Italian, and has Latin roots in common with other “Romance” languages). We have stumbled through some very simple phrases, but are heavily reliant on our generous translators!
The Heart2Heart Team is led by Jen Schroeder, a missionary originally from Kansas, who has been in the country since the late 1990s. Shortly after communism in the country fell, Heart2Heart was able to begin their efforts to reach the desperately underserved orphan population from cradle to high school. Jen has been involved in the efforts to proclaim the Gospel of Christ in both word and deed since nearly the very beginning of H2H.
Jen is joined by Nicu, who is a dynamic leader for the Southern Romanian outreach team and an orphan himself who came to Christ in large part through H2H’s efforts, his wife Melissa, an American missionary originally from Atlanta who has been in Romania for over a decade. Also on the team is Yuli (Romanian), Corny (Romanian), Jenny (American), Sarah (American), and Marietta (Romanian).
After hearing from Jen and the team, we were able to go over the VBS game plan more thoroughly and buy last minute supplies that we’d forgotten, before enjoying some free time and a decent bedtime.
Then, on Sunday, we packed up our bags for the week, leaving any nonessential items behind at the team house, and headed to church. Enjoying a bilingual Romanian-English service, we met Romanians and Americans alike at Alfa-Omega church on the other side of Bucharest. We were joined by a departing American team from Florida, and spurred on to the work we have ahead of us. The pastor encouraged all of us from 2 Corinthians 5:20, ““We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God,” (2 Corinthians 5:20).
1 - Live as a new creation (v. 17)
2 - Live as an ambassador (v. 20)
3 - Live as Christ’s ambassador (v. 21)
These words ring true for us as individuals and as a team. Despite the dizzying differences between each member of the team and the context in which we find ourselves, we are united in our common pursuit of Christ and his call on our lives.
After church, we headed over to the mall to enjoy some modern Romanian culture, especially Romanian shawarma, and some light shopping. From there, we drove to Nenciulești in about 2 and a half hours, and settled in for the week and a half ahead of us.
In general, we have already begun seeing how God is going to be working in and through this team of students. We have been empowered by God with supernatural energy and focus as we attentively learn more about Romania, missions, ourselves, and ultimately about the God who empowers His people to be His hands and feet.
Would you continue to pray for all of us students and leaders as we ready ourselves for the work ahead?
Thank you!
This first weekend in Romania has seen the team going through orientation, preparing and planning for the first week of VBS, and trying to catch some hours of sleep despite the time zone differences.
Romania is a thoroughly European country, with all the amenities, services, and cultural distinctive. There are some familiar brands (most notably Starbucks and McDonalds) and the team has had the opportunity to enjoy both in this different part of the world.
The language is very different from English, but has some similar cognates — especially for native Spanish speakers (Romanian is closest to Italian, and has Latin roots in common with other “Romance” languages). We have stumbled through some very simple phrases, but are heavily reliant on our generous translators!
The Heart2Heart Team is led by Jen Schroeder, a missionary originally from Kansas, who has been in the country since the late 1990s. Shortly after communism in the country fell, Heart2Heart was able to begin their efforts to reach the desperately underserved orphan population from cradle to high school. Jen has been involved in the efforts to proclaim the Gospel of Christ in both word and deed since nearly the very beginning of H2H.
Jen is joined by Nicu, who is a dynamic leader for the Southern Romanian outreach team and an orphan himself who came to Christ in large part through H2H’s efforts, his wife Melissa, an American missionary originally from Atlanta who has been in Romania for over a decade. Also on the team is Yuli (Romanian), Corny (Romanian), Jenny (American), Sarah (American), and Marietta (Romanian).
After hearing from Jen and the team, we were able to go over the VBS game plan more thoroughly and buy last minute supplies that we’d forgotten, before enjoying some free time and a decent bedtime.
Then, on Sunday, we packed up our bags for the week, leaving any nonessential items behind at the team house, and headed to church. Enjoying a bilingual Romanian-English service, we met Romanians and Americans alike at Alfa-Omega church on the other side of Bucharest. We were joined by a departing American team from Florida, and spurred on to the work we have ahead of us. The pastor encouraged all of us from 2 Corinthians 5:20, ““We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God,” (2 Corinthians 5:20).
1 - Live as a new creation (v. 17)
2 - Live as an ambassador (v. 20)
3 - Live as Christ’s ambassador (v. 21)
These words ring true for us as individuals and as a team. Despite the dizzying differences between each member of the team and the context in which we find ourselves, we are united in our common pursuit of Christ and his call on our lives.
After church, we headed over to the mall to enjoy some modern Romanian culture, especially Romanian shawarma, and some light shopping. From there, we drove to Nenciulești in about 2 and a half hours, and settled in for the week and a half ahead of us.
In general, we have already begun seeing how God is going to be working in and through this team of students. We have been empowered by God with supernatural energy and focus as we attentively learn more about Romania, missions, ourselves, and ultimately about the God who empowers His people to be His hands and feet.
Would you continue to pray for all of us students and leaders as we ready ourselves for the work ahead?
Thank you!