A visit from the board.

Last week, Jack and I hosted two members of the Christian Reformed World Missions Board of Trustees.  The Board apparently sends its members out periodically to visit different fields so that they can better know the places where CRWM missionaries are serving and therefore make wise and informed decisions.  I think that's great and we were excited to have them come see Romania.

But we were also really curious how the visit was going to go.  Steve and Jan, the other CRWM missionaries who live in Romania (who are actually employed by CRWM, while we are merely partners), are currently on home service in the United States.  So we were asked to show the board members around the country, introduce them to Steve & Jan's partners in Târgu Mureș (some of whom we knew, and others we hadn't yet met), and also bring them to Lupeni to see the work we're involved in with New Horizons Foundation.

It went really well.  One of the board members was actually on the Residence Life staff in our dorm when Jack and I were at Calvin, so we already knew him and were happy to spend a week reconnecting.  The other board member was new to us, but we quickly grew to like him too.  Over the course of our time together we were able to introduce them some of our favorite places and people here, and they were encouraging and prayerful and delightful guests.  It was fun for me and Jack to get to know some of Steve and Jan's partners up in Târgu Mureș, and we know it was encouraging for our local partners here in the valley to be visited by caring outsiders who took the time to listen and learn.

Here are just a few pictures from our time together.

A visit to the cantina at Betel. 

A stop at the lovely Peles Castle in Sinaia. 

Checking out the construction of new walls at the Fara Limite Climbing Gym. 

Listening to a partner in Targu Mures describe visions for a work training program for street kids, 

focused on construction and agriculture.

A trip up to snowy Straja to see where VIATA camp is held each summer.

A rest stop in Horezu, where we saw some of Romania's beautiful pottery. 

The board members even joined us for games at IMPACT!

A walk around Bucharest their last morning, where we wandered by the People's Palace. 

Smoke-free.

A happy announcement (from my perspective, at least): as of yesterday, Romania is smoke-free in public places!!!

Though Romania has been part of the European Union since 2008, it lags behind in a number of ways -- for example, we still use the Romanian leu instead of the euro.  Also, until March 15, Romanian restaurants, bars, train stations, you name it, were hazy and gray.  But yesterday the law changed, and people now have to step outside to light up.

As a non-smoker and a person with allergies, I am personally thrilled.  I know for some people, this is a frustrating change.  But in the interest of public health, I am really grateful that Romania has put this into law.  And yesterday evening, as we went out for dinner with some visiting guests, I was pleasantly surprised, as person after person in the restaurant quietly got up, slipped on their jacket, and stepped outside for a short smoke.  The air was clearer than I had ever seen it inside that restaurant.  I had expected more complaining or resistance, I guess -- but nope.  The change was made, and that was that.  Hooray!

Marțișor.

By now I am a few days late, but I just wanted to wish you a happy spring!

The Romanian holiday of Marțișor might be my favorite day of the year.  On March 1st, the streets are full of vendors selling the earliest of spring flowers -- snowdrops mostly, and a few early tulips too -- and little red & white bracelets with baubles attached.  Men buy them for their wives and girlfriends, parents buy them for their children, students buy them for their friends -- and by the end of the day, every vase is brimming with flowers and every lapel decorated with a little splash of color, a little drop of hope that spring is coming, that the winter is almost over.