Please Pray for my March 27 Open House

Location: Best-friend's living room, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA (about 4:00pm on the 23rd of March)

Would you believe it if I told you, "Welding is exhilarating!"? Well, it is, and I am going to tell you about it!

First though, please pray for me as I prepare and host an open house this Saturday. (If you are interested, the details are in the two previous blog posts...) There are two reasons I am requesting prayer. First, I believe we should pray without ceasing and lift everything to the Lord in prayer. Second, not only will this provide an opportunity for me to see people I have have not seen in some time, but it will also give me the opportunity to share clearly with people the magnificence of our great God, as was revealed to me during my travels. I pray that the Lord brings the people whom He wants to come (it is the beginning of Spring Break for many families), and that beyond my words and international displays they will be able to see and recognize the Lord God. It will also be a challenging day for me, because I will be learning how to shoe horses that morning, and then that evening or the next morning I will be leaving with a group of high school youth as a chaperone on their fifteen-hour service-trip van ride. Thank you for your prayers.

But today is Tuesday, so we cannot spend too much time talking about Saturday! Let me catch you up!

You know that I was doing some carpentry work last week. Well, yesterday I was super-blessed to spend the entire day with a family of dear friends who transformed a rainy day into a time of joyful reunion and auto repair. I learned so much about the parts of a car under the hood and how they work, not to mention making a repair on the drive shaft and changing the oil. We tore into that old Volvo, and we had fun getting greasy in the process! They also served as an interested audience for some of my stories and pictures, so we really had a great day of spending time together.

Did we weld yesterday? No. I learned welding last Saturday. In the morning, I met up with a friend who took me to join nearly twenty bikers who gather for breakfast downtown on Saturday mornings. I do not have any photos of that interesting time or their motorcycles, but you can imagine that I was in my element! Then we headed out to a garage where I suited up and learned to weld with a mig-welder. What larks! I had no idea welding was so much fun! Not only did I learn the hands-on skills, but M. taught me a lot about the process behind the welding, so I really feel rich with my new wealth of knowledge.

Outside of these "classroom" experiences, I have had the privilege to meet some American friends that I got to know in Romania, as well as friends and family members from the USA. We had a reunion of the depression and anxiety group I used to help facilitate at church, too. It has especially been a privilege to join Jesus in interceding for these people around me, a.k.a. the Church. (Do not forgot, the Church is a group of people, not buildings or names or traditions.)

So there have been many blessings, and psychologically some challenges, too. Most of that can probably be attibuted to cultural differences and just the kind of things my mind thinks of as I interact with the world around me. Nonetheless, sometimes it takes a bit of a toll on me. A couple of good friends of mine heard it in my voice and convinced me to take a brief "retreat." So tomorrow my Jesus and I have a date; I'm going to disappear for a couple of days.

Whether you make time to disappear, too, or not, make a date with your God who revealed Himself in His Son, Jesus. May your day be beautiful today, no matter what the weather is like where you are.

See Me on March 27!

Location: A deli on the northside of Indianapolis, almost 3pm on Tuesday, March 16.

(If you are unaware that I am having an open house on the 27th, please read the last post to be invited!)

So, can you tell what this is? Probably not.

This is the little camera repair place (behind raindrops on the car's window) that my dad found on the westside of Indianapolis. Even though the whole world told me that it would not be possible to have my camera fixed for less than the cost of a new one, they were wrong! Sadly, photography will not be as fun for me now, but it may help me take better pictures. You will have to be the judge!

Yes, time is flying! I have not yet been in Indianapolis two weeks, and it has been extremely busy. Some of you might think I am on vacation, but I must confess the opposite is true. I am busy as ever! My time is blessed (imagine all of your closest friends and family crammed into a couple of weeks!), but I still have to deal with culture shock sometimes. In addition to seeing many friends and family members, I am also trying to prepare for a return to Romania in May.

My time has been packed with visits! Some of them are rather unexpected, as represented by the shoes above when I was visiting with one friend and we were wonderfully interrupted by an aunt and cousins! I have had opportunities to speak and share, such as below at my Mexican church. Embarrassingly, I cannot speak Spanish anymore, though I understand it. It is blocked by my Romanian! But my Mexican friends are gracious, and through translation we laughed and fellowshipped together!

I am due to preach at the Mexican church soon, and I know of a couple of opportunities to speak, too. Please continue to pray for me that I speak only what God wants people to hear! Not only am I speaking to people, but I am speaking with people. I have met with several friends, and I will see one (whom I met in Romania) in a few hours. In addition to quality time with friends, I am also attending church services, prayer meetings, and Bible studies, and will even be a chaperone on an alternative spring break trip in a couple of weeks.

I am also learning valuable skills for Romania. I met with a ferrier to learn how to shoe horses, and yesterday I worked on some masonry-type work in a restaurant. I have earned my motorcycle permit, and soon I will learn about engines and welding and other skills. It has been encouraging to be in touch with my friends in Romania via email.

So, of course, I have been very busy, and sometimes I have neglected to sleep as much as I should. But I am not forgetting my LORD; with Him I spend my time. I just finished a discussion with a friend about faith. I have joined others in intercession as friends have adopted a baby, as a few couples are having marital challenges, as a community has fought the presence of a restaurant that might have a negative impact on the neighborhood, as folks are in the hospital, and more. I have meditated on the good news of Jesus. I have read in Jeremiah and Isaiah, listened to sermons from Mark and from Luke, and more. Daily, I pray, I am growing in Him. I pray the same for you!

I hope to see you soon. But until then, and long after that, may the peace of Christ rule in your hearts! Remember, march forward one step at a time, one brick on top of another!

Write this Down: Open House March 27th!

Location: Living Room, Indianapolis, Indiana (USA), about 5:15pm on the 11th of March.

For all of you who are in the Indianapolis area or can be in a couple of weeks, you are invited to stop in to an Open House at my church from 1:30pm to 5:00pm on the 27th of March, 2010. Please come to see pictures and hear stories from my travels during the past year. Not only can we greet one another, but at 3:00pm I will speak, giving a formal presentation, and from 4:00pm to 5:00pm I will answer questions in a group setting.

Please email me for the specific location: TheRabboni@gmail.com.

So am I on vacation, relaxing, catching up on sleep? Of course not!

I am working full-time, without a salary. For instance, today involved setting up the Open House (above) and other meetings. This morning, I took a test at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and now have acquired my Motorcyle Learner's Permit--I will take a class for my license next month. (There is a chance I may need that license when I return to rural Romania.) Last evening, I had the privilege to lead a devotion time for a college class studying International Business. Earlier in the day yesterday, I met up with a ferrier to watch and learn a bit about how to shoe horses (another skill that may be useful in rural Romania). Oh, and I finally unpacked today, did some laundry, and cleaned up my room, which allows my mind to think more clearly!

In addition to the above, I have been meeting with pastors, collegues and family members throughout the city. In the past week, I have dined with some of my best friends, and I have many more I will see in the coming days and weeks. I have had the privilege of visiting my English-speaking church (I hope to visit my Spanish-speaking church this weekend), as well as all four of my grandparents. Last night, I was able to speak via Skype with my cousin, N., who adventured with me during my first month in Romania. Tomorrow, I am due to meet up with J., my original contact to Romania. They both say "hello!"

Unfortunately, I do not have any photos to share, because I dropped off my broken camera to get repaired (I know, a shame!). Well, maybe I will post a photo I took of one of my best friends holding his darling baby girl. But even if I fail to post pictures, use your imagination. You know that my body is running hither and thither throughout central Indiana, and my mind is running throughout Romania. You know my calling: to edify and encourage the Church. So I am doing that by meeting with people here, and preparing for my return to Romania. I am in contact with people throughout the world. Most importantly, I am praying for you! Thank you for continuing to pray for me!

Hope to see you soon!

The Story Continues...

Location: My bedroom in Indianapolis, Indiana (USA), just after 9pm on the 7th of September.

God has blessed me with so many people who love me; thank you, Lord. I know not all persons have such a privilege!

I do not know if anyone is still reading my blog. Perhaps everyone thinks that the story is done since I am back in my hometown. But that is FAR from true! In a life with Jesus, it is not our physical location that is important, it is our spiritual proximity to our Father, God. Thus the story continues, and though I have not taken many pictures here, I will keep writing!

Thanks to all at my church who gave me a warm reception and welcome today. During the four days that I have been "home," I have been encouraged and blessed abundantly. I have seen many friends and family members, and I have received great hugs! However, I must confess that I miss my friends in Romania, and I feel juxtaposed between two worlds. Yesterday morning and at some point today, it was especially difficult for me to be here, and the reverse culture shock weighs heavily upon me at time, though it is likely unnoticed by most around me.

I have been busy passing from reunion to reunion, and the Lord is moving mightily. Perhaps many think I am on vacation, but I assure you that I am putting in long hours in prayer, study, and investing in relationships and the Church. In addition, I am trying to prepare for my return to Romania. Yet as Hoosier time blurs by, I am determined to keep my focus on my Jesus. So far the balance is pretty good, and my exhaustion is a "good" tired. After meeting with one friend today, I told the Lord, "I love my job!"

Please pray for me, especially those of you in Romania. I am in the "foreign" environment of "that which used to be familiar," and only by the grace of God can I enjoy it. May God be glorified in each passing moment of my life! I am praying for you, and I have not forgotten you. I bless you in the Name of our Jesus!

Almost Only Counts...

Location: Seat 21J on the plane from London to Chicago somewhere high above the Atlantic, about 3:30pm Chicago time on the 3rd of March.

I am almost home.

That is a deceptive phrase, the only certainty being the word "I". Yes, it is definitely me. But "am" is misleading, because I am lost somewhere above a great ocean, somewhere between time zones, somewhere between waking and sleeping, somewhere between American and ex-patriot, etc. "Almost" is extremely relative, as I still have several hours of this flight, the U.S. Customs rigmarole, and another flight--all of which could go smoothly or introduce new adventures. For example, my more than 24-hour day today began at 4am and included a bomb squad and a flight delay, as well as travel by car, bus, train and plane. "Home" is perhaps the most befuddling of the terms, for I have felt quite homeless for the past year, moving from one locality to another, not always knowing where I would stay next. For a long time I have defined home as "where God is," and I truly believe that. It is true that many people who love and welcome me live in Indianapolis, and I am familiar with that place and its people, but it hardly seems home. But, I am almost home...

I counted today, and I have at least passed through ten countries in less than ten months. How ironic that I declined a friend's invitation a little more than a year ago to participate in a missions adventure that would take me to eleven countries in eleven months! You may remember that I was a bit pessimistic about this final week, already worn out from months of travel and work, jet-lagged from China, and knowing that I have more transitions ahead of me. However, my week in France was worth the trouble and was full of blessings, for which I thank my Lord. Not only did I have some very good discussions of a spiritual nature, but I also got to speak to some young people in their Catechism class. Another irony was that I got to see some Taiwanese friends of mine whom I met seven years ago, and in spending time with them, I ended up spending quite a bit of time with the local Chinese community, worshipping in Chinese, eating with chopsticks, and so on! That was fun after I had just left China. It was also good to visit my former host-family from my student-time in France; they treat me very well, and I pray that God continues to draw them closer to Him everyday.

So if you are reading this, I am probably on American soil now. I will continue to blog as I can; keep your eye out for ways we might meet up. In my limited time in the States, there are many skills I am going to try to learn, and I also have to respond to jury duty summons. Yet I plan to spend most of my time in reunion with the Church and friends like you, so let me know if you are in the neighborhood! I will probably be staying at my parents' home for the majority of the next two months. I also hope to have a sort of open house so people can better understand the big picture of my series of adventures, past to future, so watch for information about that, too. Two months from now, I hope to be en route back to Romania, with your blessings as I represent the Church of the United States to encourage the Church of Romania to ever walk closer to our Lord! And as I get things established over there, I am hoping to host those of you who want to come help out, so let me know as the Lord leads you!

Please do not stop praying for me because I have returned to the USA; I doubt not that the adventures of following Jesus will continue, and no less dramatically. Please let me know how I can join you in prayer, too; it is in prayer that we gain and maintain the ground the Lord conquered!

Those of you in the USA, I hope to see you soon! Those of you in Romania and France and beyond, I have not forgotten you! Remember, we are One in the Spirit, we are One, in the blood! I bless you in the Name of Jesus the Christ!

China Pictures!

Location: My bedroom in Nancy, France (just before noon on the first day of March)

I finally finished editing and uploading my photos from China: http://picasaweb.google.com/TheRabboni Enjoy!

If you have not visited the blog lately, there are several posts I wrote while in China (some fiction and others not), and a couple since then. You can find them all below...