I told some of you before coming here that I would send a monthly update... so here's monthly update #2! I can't believe I have only 5 weeks left here, but I'm determined to make the best of them (even though I definitely feel homesick at times...) Things here are going really well, and I've loved developing personal relationships with each of the children over the past two months. It makes me more excited to go to the orphanage each day, because I just love each of them, and I love spending time with them!
Some of the sweetest moments here come from watching these children develop. I've become particularly attached to one 5-month-old who is just beginning to smile and who laughed this week for the first time! (At least I like to tell myself that he shared his first smiles and first laugh with me...) A couple of other one-year (ish)-olds are learning to walk, and it's fun to be there during this exciting time for them, too! If only Romania wasn't closed to international adoption, I would find a way to take them home with me! I continue to learn so much from the wonderful, wonderful kids that I get to be with every day. As I have been here, I have come to know that our Father in Heaven loves every person on this earth, and I've been blessed to be able to feel that love for a few of His children, for which I am so grateful! I am so grateful that God trusts us to care for each other and learn more about His love and the way that He cares for each of us as we do so.
I am also so grateful for the great group of girls that I am here with. I have definitely learned so much from interacting with them each day. It's so neat that all people have different strengths (and weaknesses), and we can just help each other fill in the gaps and learn from each other's strengths (without comparing them to our weaknesses, which can be discouraging-- I know that one from experience :) ). Even though we all miss our families quite a lot, it helps that we have all have people who love and care about us here, too.
It's also been fun to learn the language as I'm here. Some days are more encouraging than others, but it's nice to be able to communicate with people in their own language (even if it's very simple conversation with broken grammar...) As in everything here, I'm learning how important it is to rely on the Lord's help and not become prideful. When I rely on my own merits with the language, I feel more discouraged and overwhelmed, but I know that the Lord helps me if I am humble enough to recognize that. I also need to make sure that I do my part!
Last weekend, we took a five-day mid-semester trip to Brasov, a city in central-ish Romania that dates back to midieval times. My favorite parts of that trip were visiting a midieval German church and a castle from the late 1800s/early 1900s and hiking though a canyon full of waterfalls in the beautiful Romanian mountains. Such a neat experience!
I hope that your summers are going well-- I'd love to hear back from any of you if you have time! Happy 4th of July a day late (or, for you Canadians, Happy 1st of July four days late)!
Some of the sweetest moments here come from watching these children develop. I've become particularly attached to one 5-month-old who is just beginning to smile and who laughed this week for the first time! (At least I like to tell myself that he shared his first smiles and first laugh with me...) A couple of other one-year (ish)-olds are learning to walk, and it's fun to be there during this exciting time for them, too! If only Romania wasn't closed to international adoption, I would find a way to take them home with me! I continue to learn so much from the wonderful, wonderful kids that I get to be with every day. As I have been here, I have come to know that our Father in Heaven loves every person on this earth, and I've been blessed to be able to feel that love for a few of His children, for which I am so grateful! I am so grateful that God trusts us to care for each other and learn more about His love and the way that He cares for each of us as we do so.
I am also so grateful for the great group of girls that I am here with. I have definitely learned so much from interacting with them each day. It's so neat that all people have different strengths (and weaknesses), and we can just help each other fill in the gaps and learn from each other's strengths (without comparing them to our weaknesses, which can be discouraging-- I know that one from experience :) ). Even though we all miss our families quite a lot, it helps that we have all have people who love and care about us here, too.
It's also been fun to learn the language as I'm here. Some days are more encouraging than others, but it's nice to be able to communicate with people in their own language (even if it's very simple conversation with broken grammar...) As in everything here, I'm learning how important it is to rely on the Lord's help and not become prideful. When I rely on my own merits with the language, I feel more discouraged and overwhelmed, but I know that the Lord helps me if I am humble enough to recognize that. I also need to make sure that I do my part!
Last weekend, we took a five-day mid-semester trip to Brasov, a city in central-ish Romania that dates back to midieval times. My favorite parts of that trip were visiting a midieval German church and a castle from the late 1800s/early 1900s and hiking though a canyon full of waterfalls in the beautiful Romanian mountains. Such a neat experience!
I hope that your summers are going well-- I'd love to hear back from any of you if you have time! Happy 4th of July a day late (or, for you Canadians, Happy 1st of July four days late)!
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