“Though the fig tree does not blossom and there are no grapes on the vine… yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my savior.” Hab. 3:17-18
Happy New Year, friends.
Hopefully I will get to see many of you as I will be in the States for two weeks, December 29 – January 13.
Winter is a hard time here. Very cold and gray. This will be my first winter and spring in Galati because all my previous visits to Galati were in the summer and autumn. I'm hoping that my little room will keep me warm on the coldest nights and I'll have patience to wait for the warmth of spring.
Since today is Monday I'll try to fill you in on what's been going on here… starting with the alarm at 7:00 AM, getting dressed and ready with hat, scarf and gloves, locking the door behind me and walking outside of the apartment building to the sound of morning traffic. Two blocks of walking and I arrive at the bus stop to wait with a score of others. A bus comes but it's so full that it doesn't stop. Another bus comes, also too full and by now I'm getting impatient so I wave a maxi taxi (mini-van taxi), slightly more expensive but worth the convenience. Fifteen minutes bumping along and listening to radio tunes before I'm back into the cold for a ten minute walk to the Center. I stop and chat with a friend and her two small children, in their usual spot for begging, but I can't chat long because I'm running late.
I'm greeted by a warm blanket of air as I enter the Drop-In Center and my glasses fog over as I blindly find my way to the dining room. Our 9 AM meeting hasn't started yet, so I pick up the guitar and my song notebook to select some songs. Ten of us gather for worship and prayer, Catalina shares a devotional and then we pray again, this time for specific prayer requests. At 10 AM several street kids meander in and sit down at the dining room table. I boil some water for tea and slice two loaves of fresh bread to be served with butter and honey for breakfast. When they are finished eating, they migrate to the bathroom to get washed up before beginning art with Nina.
Pretty soon it's time for me to pick up Florin from school so I bundle up and march outside. Twenty minutes of walking and I've reached the kindergarten, full of excited children, hats, coats, grandparents, big sisters and moms all coming to take the kindergarteners home. Florin comes bounding out and I help him change his shoes and socks and get dressed for the weather. We hold hands all the way home until the last hundred yards where he tries to run ahead and eventually succeeds, escaping my grasp.
Back at the Center, it's time for Bible Study and singing so I pull out the guitar again and select Cati and Gabi to help lead with the hand motions. By now, most of the school children have arrived and when the call goes out, “Come to the table!” twenty-five kids race to the bathroom to wash their hands and get to the dining room first. Little Elena says a prayer and lunch is served, hot soup followed by a plate of shepherd's pie. A rare moment of silence is shared, interrupted only by the clinking of spoons against bowls and empty water mugs falling impatiently back onto the table.
After helping to gather dirty dishes and wipe down the tables, I'm back into the cold to walk to my language lesson which begins at 3 PM. I arrive a little late, but am greeted by my smiling tutor. Simona's six month old daughter is also there to greet me until settling in her crib for a nap as we begin our Romanian lesson. After nearly two hours, my mind begins to fuzz and I smile, dress quickly and hurry back into the cold. Thankfully, Joel and Monica only live a few blocks away so I don't have far to walk.
At Joel and Monica's the six of us foreign staff members chat for awhile and eventually open up “The God of Life” by Gustavo Gutierrez, our current book for discussion. When the clock tells us it's time to stop, we close in prayer. A bus takes me home and I arrive to throw my jacket on the bed and hurry next door for dinner.
In the apartment next to mine live my sweet hosts, Neculae and Anisoara, their older son Eddie, and adopted son Christy, in the fifth grade. Neculae chats with me while I eat and I'm glad for his company. His full beard, graying hair and twinkling eyes remind me of St. Nicholas.
At 9 PM I'm finally back in my room, wondering where the day went and ready to fall back into bed. And in fact, it's way past my bedtime right now since I've been writing this letter… so until next time, may the grace and peace of Christ be with you.
Thanks for you love and support
You are a blessing to me.
With love,
Rachel
O.P. 6 C.P. 256
Galati, 6200
ROMANIA
rachel.simons@wordmadeflesh.com
PH# 00-40-236-494-938