Report from Ski Camp

Dear friends and family,
I just wanted to say "Thank you" for praying for me while I was at camp. I had a great time and met a lot of people there who I hope I will remain in touch with. I snowboarded every day for four days. We had a great worship time every morning and evening, with small groups at night. We talked about identity, what we find it in, and what is a realistic view of identity. We played lots of games, went sledding, had a ski/snowboarding race, not to mention my favorite part, just hanging out with people my age. I had a friend here say that my Romanian had gotten better since last week befor camp. I talked in Romanian almost non stop, which was pretty hard. Some of the people I met live in Brasov, so I plan to see them often. It's been pretty hard not having any friends here (my only good friend that I met 2 years ago moved to Germany), so I was really excited to meet some people my age there.
As some of you know, I turned 15 at camp. I was slightly nervous about celebrating my birthday away from home, but it turned out to be really fun. The leaders woke me and my roommate up by singing "Happy Birthday" in English, Romanian, and German. I got a Snickers bar and other candy, plus everyone kept wishing me a happy birthday throughout the day. I won't forget my 15th birthday for a long time.
Abigail

The Word of God

I think it's Alistair Begg's church that has the statement on their bulletin:  "You have exalted above all things your name and your word," from Psalm 138:2.  I know that's true. I know it is powerful, sharper than any two edged sword. It is light. It is truth. It is life. Yet...there's this unbelieving part of my heart that questions the power of the Word.  It shows in how little I include God's Word in my prayers, conversations, thoughts.  I've been confronted lately with my own unbelief. I've also seen the opposite.  We meet weekly with people from our Bible Study group, Ed with the men and I with the women. Last week we were reading an article by Phillip Yancy, quotes by Tozer, Lewis, Wesley, and Grudem.  I underlined parts of all of them and was struck by their reflections and applications. Then, my friend Monica said, "I like reading what others have to say. I think it's helpful. But the Word of God is what changes hearts."  Wow!  You have to realize that Monica wasn't a believer 2 years ago, had never read God's Word, and certainly didn't know it's power. For her to know and then quote, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God," is evidence of God's work in her heart.   

A few weeks ago, my friend Angela came over to visit. We drank tea and talked about what she's been reading in Luke. She liked how Jesus talked about loving the poor, lame, blind. I asked her if she thought in our culture the gypsies would be included in those Jesus commanded us to love. She thought for a second and said, "Maybe."  That's a stretch for a Romanian who has been taught from birth that gypsies are beneath them.  They are liars, thieves, dirty, and uneducated.  And they can't be changed.  That's another story in itself: the gypsy culture. So,  that somehow led us to the subject of life under communism. She told me stories about waiting in line for soap and making it from pig fat when there was none.  Can you imagine that smell?!  She described what it was like in high school when every fall, all students, employees, and families were required to harvest the crops on the collective farms. She was grateful that her crop was corn and not potatoes. That was the worst, especially on the back.  They got to keep nothing and except what they could hide in their pockets, and worked for 3-4 weeks to bring in the harvest for the government.  She said that Ceaucescu asked each city head for the bushel count. They always lied. If it was 200 bushels, they said 300. Then Ceaucescu told them to bring in 500 the next year. I asked how that was possible. She said, "It wasn't. They lied every year to make themselves look better. Ceaucescu didn't really believe them, either, it just made him look good, so he went along with it."  A culture of deceit and deceit rewarded. 

 It's really hard for my American mind to imagine what they experienced, but listening to their stories helps me understand them. I asked lots of questions and she answered for about an hour. Finally, Angela said, "That's enough. I like talking about the Bible much more than Ceaucescu."  

We walked in the park yesterday, Angela and I, and stopped to eat some pastries that she bought. It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for an outside visit. We sat, ate, talked, watched the kids on the playground. Then she pulled out her New Testament from her pocket and started asking questions about Luke. (She really likes that book.) I sat there, thanking God, that this dear friend of mine who had never really read the Bible until a few months ago, is hungry for it.  

"May the Word of God dwell richly in my heart from hour to hour. So that all may see I triumph only through His power."

Abigail

Our red-headed, almost 15-year-old sporting her new ski jacket before leaving for camp.

Today, Abigail left for ski camp. It's her first solo Romanian event, and she left excited mixed with a big dose of anxiety.  She'll also turn 15 at camp, so that's a pretty big deal. We keep shaking our heads when we think that Abi could be driving if we were in Mississippi. It's probably a good thing we're not!  

I was thinking today about our kids and thanking God for each of them, praying for them, worrying a little and then trying to turn that worry into prayer.  One of the things that I'm so thankful for is their adaptability.  I dropped Abigail off today at the home of a girl whom she'd never met before. She rode with her and her dad and 3 other girls to a place she'd never been before, a ski resort about an hour away.  She'll spend the better part of a week with strangers, who we're praying will become friends, speaking a language that we're praying will come with greater ease. That's a pretty big deal. I'm not sure I'd have done that as a 15 year old. In fact, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't.  

The other day, my dad asked me how to respond to people in Kosciusko when they ask how I am. I said, after some thought, "Grateful."  Not always, but overarchingly. And I'm learning to sacrifice thank offerings (Ps. 50). I think our kids are learning this, too. It's not necessarily fun to not have a friend group with which to hang out. It can be lonely to be at a school made up of family members. It's really challenging to relate to people in another language, especially when you don't know them.  Katy observed when filling out college applications that living in Romania has left lots of holes: no clubs, awards, or teams to fill time and a resume.  But...  I think they'd each say their lives are full.  We give thanks for the friends God's given us. For our team. For our family. For Skype that lets us keep in touch with family. For the Romanians who love us, are patient with us and include us graciously in their world. For kids who are adaptable and adventurous. 

Speaking of adventurous, Abigail, you'll notice in the picture, has colored her hair red. Enough said.

So, if you read this sometime while Abigail's at camp, please pray for her.