Is it chemicals or water...?

The fact that we haven't had extra time to "blog" should be an indication that life is full and we've settled into somewhat of a routine. That's positive because it means we're adjusting. But I often find that my frustration level is heightened not only because I lack the ability to fully communicate, but I also don't fully understand the culture...

Case in point: I was home with the kids when our doorbell rings. I answer the door and a young man in a long white lab coat with a name badge starts talking to me. I tried to understand what he was saying but he was talking too fast. I decided to tell him, "Sorry, I don't speak Romanian" (in Romanian). He promptly called his colleague who spoke a tiny bit of English. She said, "We spray for insect". She also looked quite important with her white jacket, and meanwhile a number of things are going through my mind. Now since we live in an apartment I thought that maybe this is a normal spraying that the apartment association (yeah, I guess they have one) requested. In fact she told me that "So and so from downstairs had requested them to come". That may have been so but what she didn't tell me was that it would cost me NOW! See, we have to pay an additional monthly fee on top of our rent just for the upkeep of the building. I concluded that the spraying was part of that fee. Nevertheless I hesitated letting her in to spray because I didn't know what chemicals they we using even though she insisted they were safe. Well she came in and started spraying for maybe 1 minute and then it dawned on me that nothing in Romania comes without a price, even a double price at times. I stopped her and tried to ask in my broken Romanian if all the apartments were being sprayed. When she told me it was only for those who wanted it I knew I had made a mistake. I said no, I didn't want it and thank you very much but she wanted me to pay her for spaying my entry and hallway! Not only that but she wanted about 500,000 Romanian Lei ($17)!! I said no, that she never told me what the prices were and that I hadn't understood her. She insisted that I had to pay for the chemicals. We went back and forth and she bumped the price down to about $10. I held my ground but my very inquisitive neighbor must have heard the commotion and came to my aid. She doesn't speak any English but I communicated to her my frustration and she took my defense. As I listened to them argue back and forth (Romanians are much like Italians in their use of waving arms and raising of voices) I wondered how long this could continue. Meanwhile I'm still holding Naomi, while Daniela and Lexi are standing behind me and our dog continues to display her displeasure from time to time. As is common in most countries where bartering is used, I decided to give her about $7 and that was it! She took it, turned around, and left. Nothing further from her. Then I began to worry about the chemicals. What had she used, was it really safe for kids?! About this time my neighbor returns pushing her way into our apartment as if the secret police were waiting outside. She proceeds to tell me that I should never let anyone into my apartment (isn't that the same lecture I usually give my kids?!), that those people should never have gotten into our building and that they were very expensive and..and..and..........She then wanted to know why the kids weren't in school (they have spring break this week) and suggested that we go for a walk. I suppose I should be happy to have neighbors who "care" (in other words they're watching me!). Someone else laughed when we told him this story. He said they probably just sprayed water!! That's Romania..... you never know who you can believe, but I'm not comfortable playing a cynic. I wish I could have laughed off the whole situation like I'm laughing now but again my frustration level met the language/culture limit. I called Catalin feeling oh so vulnerable and he reminded me that I should never let anyone in the apartment! OK now I really feel like a dumb kid and my relatively safe world is not feeling very safe.

One good thing though......my floors are really clean after wiping up all the "chemicals"!

On that note I'll say goodnight and wish you a happy and blessed Easter!

Shannon

Busy week

What a busy week! A flu epidemy that is sweeping Romania hasn't gone by without affecting us. Except Shannon, everyone in our household has been or is currently sick.

This past Wednesday we had a group of 24 show up for bowling. As we mentioned before, we started an expat meetup of English speakers. The group has grown very well, primarily due to a large French influx. Why are they coming to this group since they are French? Good question, but we're glad to know them. At the last meetup, when we talked about bowling, the French issued a challenge to the rest. So we called the game France v. World. Needless to say, despite the national hymn singing that took place during playing, the French took a beating. We had three 4-person teams compete on each side, and World won every single one of them. A rematch game will be scheduled soon... for further humiliation :).

The team playing the French was of Romanian-American origin. It is our prayer that as we begin to know everybody a little better, we will have opportunities for sharing our life story and faith. Please keep us in your prayers in this regard.

Love from Romania.

-C

First preaching engagement

Today, Sunday, was my first preaching engagement, but unfortunately I was the only one able to go to church as all of our kids were sick and Shannon stayed home with them.

This church, started in the basement of the clinic that I am helping to manage, is made up of about 30 people, mostly new believers. After the message, I was invited to return (they must have liked my message), so I will be speaking there again in May.

We are requesting your prayer this week as follows:

- Wednesday night outreach - meeting with a group of 10 or more for "bowling outreach" (BFJ - bowling for Jesus). This is a group of internationals living in Bucharest that we are trying to get to know better, such that we're able to effectively make Him known.

- Clinic management issues - the mission clinic where I work is in need of additional international patients to help offset the costs of providing free medical care to those in need. We're meeting regularly with the doctors now to create an outreach strategy.

- Catalin's dad - he is back in the hospital following a bleed which decreased his hemoglobing/hematocrit to an alarming level. The anticoagulation medication predisposes him to nasal bleeds, some lasting over a couple of days. Actually, I will have to donate blood since the hospital is in short supply and can't transfuse him.

- Consultancy work - a new private hospital in town approached me for management consultancy work. This is a great blessing indeed as this work would provided some much needed additional funds, both for ministry and living expenses. Pray that all will go smoothly and there will be good relations developed with the hospital's top management. Additionally, this work would provide us with an invaluable network for the purpose of advancing better training of healthcare professionals in the country.

- C

The reality of funerals

I dislike funerals, and yet I've not come away from a single one without learning something. Funerals offers such a stark and naked picture of life.

Tonight I went to the "viewing" of an elder in my old church, who also happened to be the dad of a friend I escaped with 16 years ago. Forget the quiet, solemn, often motionless viewing that usually happens in the US. Viewing for a believer in Romania is wailing, and is preaching out loud, and is praying, and is singing slow songs, and is testimony-sharing, and... did I say wailing?! And all this does not happen in the neat viewing hall of a funeral home, but in the home of the deceased. It is customary to bring the body of the deceased in the house, where it will be kept for up to three days, with people watching over it throughout day and night until burrial. The house is then open for everybody else to come visit with the relatives, and perhaps even stay the night.

The burrial of a believer is a beautiful thing because of the eternal hope we have. The hope and knowledge of being in God's presence. This brother in Christ was an evangelist at heart and singlehandedly started several churches in villages surrounding Bucharest. Tonight, an entire church was here giving testimony to his life. Member after member stood up and shared how this man was instrumental in introducing them to the salvation knowledge of Christ. What a superb testimony of a life lived for God! No one stood up to say that he was a great tile setter, which he was, or that he was a dedicated employee, which he was, but they stood up to say how he's touched their lives, one by one. - Lord, may our lives be well lived for you also! -

So, yes, I dislike funerals because they totally remind us how vulnerable we are. But then, feeling vulnerable is so nearing us to God....

- C

Going back to Romania.

The Bulgarian white, green, and red flag.

The Bulgarian customs entrance for trucks.

The mighty Danube...

The buildings up close and personal.

Giurgiu, the town on the Romanian side of the border.

Keeping warm inside the wagon.

We're going to Bulgaria, la, la, la....la, la....

Bulgaria... land of the LEVA

Today we had to cross the border into Bulgaria so we can renew our visa. It has been almost three months since landing in Romania and in order to not be fined upon exiting the country next time we had to get out before our initial 90-day period was up.

So we went to Bulgaria, a drive of only one hour away from Bucharest. We arrived in the little border town of Giurgiu and took a train across the border to the city of Ruse. Why drive there so we can take the train? First of all, because our car is still not in our name since we don't have a long-term visa. Secondly, because it costs an arm and a leg to take a car across the border: there are international insurance fees (a.k.a. greed card for car), then there are 'disinfection fees,' and then there are border-crossing fees. And on top of that, add the harrassment from the guards. It wasn't a problem for us, being US citizens, but the border guards seriously questioned all Romanians. "Why are you going?", "How much money do you have?", "When are you coming back?", "Who do you know there?", "What are you bringing back?" - these are all questions suspiciously asked of Romanian citizens. Had these same questions been asked in a professional manner, they would come accross a bit differently. The picture was that of an Old West sherriff taking care of his town. Better yet, as if the border guard is the parent and the travelers are his children. The paternalistic and dictatorial relationship between guards and travelers was so obvious. Unfortunately, everyone seemed to adopt a very submissive attitude, as if not to upset the mighty guards. Is Romania a free country? The country's Constitution states so, but its enforcing authorities are in somewhat of a confusion.

Our road to Ruse, Bulgaria, was uneventful. Though we arrived in Ruse at 14:30, could not leave the train until 15:00 because of passport control. Half an hour later we were standing in front of the return trip train, only to go through the same protocol of being checked. The half hour we had in the train station was spent walking from one end to the other and being 'befriended' by a very friendly Bulgarian who even offered to take us back to Romania by car if we wanted. For a fee of course.

Going to Bulgaria, we crossed the mighty Danube river twice. It is a spectacular view from the suspended bridge, as we see the sun reflecting in the muddy waters. At the point of crossing, the river seemed to be about half a mile across. Pretty huge.

On the way back to Romania, in the train, we witnessed an active case of the plague called CORRUPTION. A few seats away from us, an older lady was returning from Bulgaria with some things purchased there. As the customs officer and the border guard were making their way throuh the wagon, they made a point of stopping in front of every seat. When they realized this person was returning with some items purchased abroad, a discussion ensued. To get away from the other travelers, they continued their little bargaining on the hallway where I happened to be standing due to seating shortage. As this lady was begging and attempting to struck a deal with them, she said a cash number not to their agreement and was immediately asked to reconsider. At one point, the customs officer turned around and walked away, though very smoothly and briefly he motioned a number five in the air to his colleague. Soon after, a deal was struck and the customs people got their bribe. Why did this have to happen, we wondered. Perhaps because most people don't know what the rules and laws are regarding purchases made abroad. And also perhaps the customs people are not at all too friendly to help explain these things either. Nevertheless, it could also be because in the end it is still cheaper to bribe a customs officer than pay an import tax.

-C

We LOVE winter!

Who wants to go for a ride?