Bucharest is just a memory

PRAYER REQUEST: That Lisa and I can continue to bless those we come in contact with....we have no idea who that will be, or where we'll go for the next 5 days, but we'll definitely keep you posted. Also, that I can learn as much as possible about other needy ministries I can connect with people in the states who have asked me how they can help.
Please also pray for Eugenia...she had very little time to study in the last several days, and this is an important law exam tomorrow morning at 9am. (remember we're 7 hours ahead here)

Thinking I would just crash last night when we returned to the university, I walked in quietly...we're all on the same hall with small rooms, a desk and non-working TV, non-working fridge, and private bathrooms, but all the lights were on, and voices were laughing next door to Carla's and my room. We knocked on the door and Puiu opened it....invited us in. Brian and Lisa were already there and soon we were joined by Beni and Eugenia. Brian regaled us with some great Welsh jokes and then Puiu asked me if I had slept well the previous night. When I responded in the negative, Beni said something to him, and he went out to his car....came in a few minutes later with a plastic bottle of his homemade plum brandy! He also had glasses for everyone, who toasted each other with "cheers, noroc, salud" and a Welsh one I can't remember. It was a great de-briefing to a very stressful day for everyone. John peeked his head in but said they would join us but Mary had a splitting headache, so they were going to bed. When our "party" broke up, I did crash.....and slept great! (thanks to Puiu's plum brandy, I'm sure!)
This morning we all met for breakfast one more time before we all went our separate ways. We had called a taxi for the Isch's trip to the airport, so we waited till they got picked up. Since Carla's car couldn't fit all 4 of us gals' suitcases, Puiu and Dorina took one of the bags and we planned to meet up at a restaurant along the way.
The drive is always so beautiful because we're going along the Olt river and through the Carpathian mountains.....just gorgeous scenery, and we also saw snow on some of the taller peaks! I hung my head out the window with my camera for much of the drive....yes, I did wrap the camera strap around my wrist! Driving through Sibiu is always very nostalgic for me as that's where I got my daughter Gabi from.....#10 Hegel Street, to be exact. Sibiu is a beautiful city in Transylvania and I have wonderful memories of staying in a hotel right on the square and listening to the church bells.
Just at the place where the road split - one way to Arad and the other to Timisoara, we met up with Puiu, Dorina and Brian, and had a light supper. I love gulash so that was my meal.....it was spicy but excellent!
We had planned to take extra bag back into our car, but as we still had 4 hours left and not an extra inch of space, Puiu said they'd just bring it sometime later in the week. So, the final, final goodbyes were said and we set off once again. This part of the drive was a bit more ordinary......when I caught myself looking at the clock 8 times between 8pm and 9pm, I knew I was pretty much DONE! However, we still had more miles to drive, so Lisa and I began talking about all the silly games we used to play with our kids in the car......so we finally arrived in Timisoara at 9:45. It didn't take 12 hours like they said, it was only 11 hours and 45 minutes!!!!! Most of the way it's just a 2-lane road.....much like a rural road with lots of potholes! Speed limits are non-existent, passing lanes are whenever you want to, curves and hills are no exception!.... and everyone is quite polite anyway!
Dropped Eugenia off at home and promised to pray for her exam Thursday at 9am, then came on to Ligia's guest house. Terry and I met Ligia last June on our trip, and it was her father, Peter Dugulescu, who prayed in the square at Timisoara when the Revolution began.....of course there was a slaughter in the square including many children, but when Peter started to pray, the people began shouting, "there IS a God! there IS a God!" Ligia runs a wonderful ministry that her father started, "Jesus, the Hope of Romania" which has several "branches"....there is Onesimus House, where we visited on our trip....Bethany House which houses elderly and some disabled girls, and now she also has a brand new guest house where Lisa and I are staying. We each have our own room.....mine has a lovely 4-poster bed! There's a big-screen TV...I'm watching CSI now, IN ENGLISH! Phones in the rooms, coffee maker, computer and fax machine........nice courtyard where Georgi served us pizza at the picnic table under the gazebo, and a separate kitchen and dining room where we'll have our meals. This is WAY more than we ever expected and much better than the hotel we expected to be taken to. Thank you Lord....we are comfortable, and all our US phone calls are free! Yea! I thought there wouldn't be much to write about since all we did was drive today, but then God blessed us with this really fabulous place to stay! It was also wonderful to see Georgiana....we had met her also last June and she is such a loving and sweet 21-year old girl.....very quick to smile and serve. When she saw me, she got excited, ran to me for a hug and the traditional kiss on each cheek, and said "Hi Jill!" We had a great time catching up.....she's graduating high school this year.
I can tell I'm flatlining and need to stop writing so I don't say anything too inane. So, thanks again for praying for yesterday.
I'm sure more will come as I mull over what several of the people said. One comment is that though OUR "work" is finished, the Human Rights Committee's work is only just beginning....and one thing we'll all have to continue to pray for is that they stand firm on the issues. Already before our meeting was even over yesterday Marius Dugulescu had a press conference, and they were trying to put words in his mouth. (surprise, surprise! Do reporters REALLY do THAT???) With the rights for unborn children as an issue, some of the press were trying to say if Romania is anti-abortion, they may as well just return to communism! This will be a long hard uphill climb for these dear people and we need to keep them in our prayers for many years to come.
Goodnight my family and friends....thanks again for reading and praying.