Alba-Iulia was our home for the second month in Romania, and while we spent time doing ministry around the city and for the refugees, the most memorable part was building relationships with our church community and Romanian family. So, I wanted to share them also with you! Multumesc for all of the memories!
4 Friends:
Abby, Carina, Rahela, and Daniela are four young friends that I met and spent time with while partnering with Flacara Inchinarii (church in Alba-Iulia). The four have been close for many years, were baptized together, participate in the youth program, and serve in the church by worshiping with flags.
The Trifas:
Adi and Laura are a couple that our team became good friends with during our time in Alba. They are best friends with the Robert and Daria, and together serve at the church with the youth, scouts, and serving members coffee on Sundays. Adi is an amazing photographer and Laura is a really cool macrame artist. They hosted all six of us at their house for dinner, kindly drove us where we needed to go, and always loved on us when serving together and hanging out! It was a blessing to serve the church and community together!
- Prayer Request: strength to serve the Lord and our church!!!
The Dendius:
Robert and Daria are best friends of Adi and Laura. They love to hike and spend a lot of their time serving their church with the youth, scouts, and making coffee. We would often find Robert working at Meron (a coffee shop that we frequented), and showing off with his amazing foam art. During our time together, we also found out that Daria is pregnant…YAY!!! And were able to watch a sweet video, during which I finally realized, after a month together, that she is an outstanding painter. Both spent a lot of time with us, and we even partnered with them to pack boxes to send food to Ukraine. After which, Robert went with the team to transport the goods across the border and bring refugees back to Romania. Daria and I also shared of love of London!!!
Prayer Requests:
- To be more and more helpful for our church community
- To have more opportunities to talk about salvation
- Health for our family and our baby (on-the-way)
- God’s protection and favor over the things we have to do
The Wilsons: Sam, Alex, Mailo, and Liam
Sam and Alex were such a blessing to us during out time in Alba. They hosted us twice for dinner and games, and were so sweet to share testimonies of their life with the Lord and His faithfulness, as well as knowledge of languages, crocheting, and home-schooling. What a sweet couple; who so clearly love each other, their boys, and their community. Also didn’t hurt that I still love the UK since my study abroad in England, and they both retained a bit of their accents 🙂
Prayer Requests:
- That God will continue to transform us more and more like Jesus and that we can all (including out kids) fulfill His calling for each of us.
- His guidance in every new step we have to take
- For a house (trusting God, but there have been a number of roadblocks)
The Dimas: Mike, Alisa, Chris, and Abby
The … were so sweet, and definitely an integral part of the church, like many that we were able to meet and work with. Mike is an elder at the church, and served by speaking and leading worship through singing. He also translated some for us, and served the Ukrainian refugees in the area. And he always brought brought us joy through his passion for the Lord and people. Chris joined our team for two nights playing volleyball, and we had a blast. He also plays the piano on the worship team.
Abby was one of my young friends, and she always brought a smile to my face, and would chat with me whenever we were able to meet up! She loves London too, and hopes to one day become a piano teacher or criminologist. … I interacted with the least, but I can vouch for her genuine heart, and her amazing baked goods!
The Romans: Daniel, Lavinia, Daniela, and Denisa
Although I didn’t spend a lot of time with Daniela’s family, they could always be seen behind the sound board at church making sure that everything during the service ran smoothly…and were always quick to help rotate in and out mics when they decided to stop working. Daniela was really sweet, and was always either smiling or laughing, which was a true joy!
Prayer Requests:
- Grandmother who has cancer
- Daniela’s back
- Daniela’s future
The Alexanrus: Vasy, Sanica, Patric, and Carina
The first weekend at church in Alba, this sweet family was sharing their testimony on stage as part of a project they formed called, … It was so cool to enter into the church on this day, and find that there was intentionality to have every family of the church known. I didn’t get the chance to speak with Vasy and Sanica much, but was able to find that they were committed to serve and both have a great sense of humor, which they have passed on to their kids. Vasy shared his giftings of teaching and Sanica her gift of cooking sarmale (of which she made 2000 in one weekend for the church)!
Patric was busy with school and soccer, but was able to be at most of the youth events, and I was able to get to know him through a team prayer walk, walk for life, preparing for the church yard sale, and a couple evenings of volleyball. Carina was quiet, but it’s not easy to miss that she is a good friend. Always welcoming me with a warm hug, and joining in with singing and dancing during work breaks!
The Domutas: Iulius, Elena, Rahela, Abel, Mircea, and Mihai
I never met Rahela’s family, but spent time with her and the girls. She was always happy to share and I am glad that I was able to see the four of them share their talent with flag dancing.
Prayer Requests:
- Iulius – memory of car accident two years ago
- Rahela – important exam this year
- Mihai – concentration at school
- Family – to have strong relationship with God
The Lupeans: Florin, Lavi, and the boys 🙂
Florin was our host this month, and did an amazing job of making sure that we had everything we needed and connecting us with the rest of our new family through the church! It was a blessing to serve with him! He and his wife Lavi poured out so much love and kindness on us, treating us above and beyond. One of our main stops was at Meron, where Florin is a partial owner. That become a sweet spot for us to have coffee and sweets, celebrate birthdays, and hang out with the Alba family! Definitely a couple who values serving others!
Prayer Requests:
- Wisdom in how to raise the boys and guide them through life (great responsibility to raise them for God’s glory)
- As a family, to know and seek the plan that God has for them and always remain focused on the things above
Andreea:
Another of my good friends, who invited me to The Walk For Life, and who I had the joy of hanging out with at church, volleyball, and coffee. Such a gentle and kind soul, with plans to become a doctor. Love you Andreea, and praying for you!
Andra:
Last, but certainly not least, Andra spent the most time with our team chauferring, singing, dancing, serving, translating, coordinating, and eating good food together! Andra is Robert’s sister, and good friends with both Daria and Laura as well! She loves to run, travel, and hike with the crew. She serves the church with kids school, youth team, and at the coffee bar. In her own words, “People are my passion, so serving them is also one of my passions!” She went to school for Machine Construction and Industrial Engineering and currently works as a materials buyer for and American Company called Envipco.
Andra brought a lot of life and love to our group that I cannot even express. And when we told her that she didn’t have to do so much for us she would say, “I want to bless you guys. You never know what will await you in Africa.”
Homecoming!
Last Youth Night!
Volleyball Time!
Walk for Life!
Thanks for sharing the heart warming stories and how quickly relationships can be formed. Wonderful to see how the love of Christ is working us Romania.
Thank you for sharing so generously the love and joy of Jesus you experienced with and through so many. I am very encouraged to see such strong, servant families in Romania. Praise too for the many ways they are helping those suffering in and from Ukraine. May His Kingdom continue to grow over the world!!!
I love that you’ve met so many fascinating people around the world…and that you know their stories. Thanks for sharing, and for the reminder that God is working everywhere… all the time.