Expect the unexpected!

HEY 

Friends, loved ones, prayer partners,

and random people who like to creep!

    It has been one of the craziest, most exhausting weeks of my life, and one of the hardest goodbyes I've had to say. To be honest for the last week I've forgotten that the life in America exists. I've had to eat food I find disgusting, take showers in stinky egg water, eat with only a spoon, use nothing but a hairband and brush to style my hair, stay off Facebook and music... And NOT SHAVE.... 

But I couldn't be happier. 

We spent the whole week at Tocuz (an orphanage with about 50/60 orphan kids.) 

    We were up from dawn to dark every day with the intensity of flying by the seat of our pants because unlike in american church camps nothing is planned in advance. 

   Plus we were limited in supply's that you would normally have around a camp like buckets, ropes, craft supplies and so on..   (here we are making buckets to play water games with out of the empty water containers.)
But nevertheless energy and ideas i would normally never think up would spring up at the weirdest points. 

   Like one day we had craft time, but I had forgot about the other group so we used up all the crosses and stickers. So when the other group came in we didn't have a craft. and after looking at the leftover stuff we brought all we had left was balloons, feathers, and eyes... What can you make with that?? But right out of the blue it hit me... Turkeys or chickens (take your pick) so that's what we did :). Throughout the whole week it was like that.  It was only by the power of the holy spirit that I was able to make it through each day.

 (Just so you have an idea about how tierd we were- this was taken 1/2 way through day 1)

Some how when ever I wanted to just sit and not get up, something clicked and magicly it was like I had already had 2 cups of coffee (which by the way there hasn't been any... So drink lots for me). The language was still one of the more difficult obsticals to over come.. But I found a solution ---physical activities.

   Playing with the kids was one way I could always make them smile! Chasing the little boys and tackling them (picking them up, holding then so other kids could tickle them) after they would try and tickle me. That was what ended up with them wanting me to sit by me during chapel and hold my hand on the way to dinner. And I'm proud to say I can count to 10 in Romanian. The little girls and I would swap, I taught them some English words and they taught me Romanian. By the end of the week I could pick out certain words in conversations Like beautiful, go, run, sleep and even line and listen. Plus by that point the kids knew that if they wanted to tell me something they had to act it out or bring me to the translator lol. I had one little boy who while we were face painting he really wanted the spiderman mask all over his face so when I didn't understand he disappeared for a bit only to come back dragging the translator to tell me. 
I might as well explain the face painting... so the last daz we wanted to do something reallz feallz fun so we heald a carnival. This had all sorts of differnţt stations and the leaders got to dress up all silly and wear weird makup and all around just look funny!

 Anyway....The thing that I loved the most was how happy the kids were. How even with 2 pairs if clothes they wouldn't be afraid to climb a tree or splash water in each other. And the little girls would walk down the halls at the top of there lungs singing "God I so good,God is so good, God is so good he's so good to me" that was probably my favorite part. It was so.. I dont want to say touching because it was was more then that. ..Umm lets try the word inspiring.. to see how in the mist of so much tragety and heartbreak, loss and devestation that they clung tight to the promises God gives! It reminds me of the verse in matt. I think were Jesus tells his disiples they need to be like childeren when it comes to faith.

   I wasnt lying when I said it was the hardest goodbye Ive had to say... Right now its all about leaving the rest up to God, because as much as I wanted to take them home and cuddle them I couldn't. God brought me here for a time and purpose hes planned out way in advance and even as short of time as it was, he used it to shape these kids life in some unseen way. So as I hugged them and cried knowing I'd never see them again [at least here on earth] all  I could do was pray, all I STILL can do is pray. Then after a few moments of REALLY, REALLY tight hugs I would whisper in their ear one little phase... Hezuse Lou bitzy bahn - or Jesus loves you Andre, or violeta, or victor... Whoever it was and I would look down and see them crying and it was one of the hardest things I've had to do yet. But I would kiss there cheek and Hug them one last time and then walk away. Tomarrow I go and to another camp were I will meet more kids make more relashonships, but after a short time i will also say goodbye. 
   So my prayer request is this.... that I continuously trust God has his hand on Each of these kids, each of his children. Along with that it will be tiering and the leaders will need energy and focus. Pray specificly that as im here God will change my heart and open my eyes to what they have neglected to see. He has me hear for some other reason rather then to just help... so as I seek for it, that I will be open to anything he throws at me. 


anzwayz.. untill later 
Peace out! Love Jac