On the weekend i went to Kellie' s farewell. Kelly has been such a great pal. She has been to Romania a few times but arrived only a little before me this year to continue and focus on her language study. She is now heading north to work among the Gypsie people. She will be missed =( but we are all excitted for her and the work she is going to be able to experience up there. I love meeting so many people from all over the world all here doing different things but all for the same reason "love for God and others". I'm becoming more and more aware that God places us in all diferent parts of the world and places so as we will seek him. I came here for reasons, but I know God had other reasons in mind, humility being one of them, but also He has blessed me with so many relationships.

See ya Kell!! Sper ca, Ne vedem curand!

A few years ago I started studing massage therapy and it became a bit of a hobby. I have missed my table at home and for a while have been looking for where I could possible get one here in Romania. So now I'm very happy as I found a place that ordered one in for me all the way from Germany =) I hope I can put it to much use here for the next two years. I also have a new pet Labrador, his name is Charlie. If he could be real that would be even nicer, but he's an ok comanion for now =)

After drying off from the water fight, they settled a little and listened to Bible stories read by an american and then translated by one of the Staff. A popular salam sandvic was on the menu for snack before the kid's headed home for the evening.

Summer Program at Potter House

The Summer Program has started at Potter's House. I attended last Tuesday as i usually do for the arvo, and for a month they are having summer teams from The US, Ireland and Nrth Ireland come and help run programs. This arvo they had a water fight. I was a happy spectator and decided to be the photographer, an inocent and noble escape plan i thought =) Yeah they had a good time.

Franklin Graham is comming to Timisoara the weekend of the 6th July. Posters are up and about at nearly every bus stop I've seen. Some of my team mates are involved with the outreach festival together with lots of different churches that are getting together to help organise it. My apartment is just down the street from the Fotbal stadium where it will be held. I hope to be able to go and see it, It's an excitting advent.

The Timisoara Grubs.

Well that's what trams remind me of anyway. Grub 6 takes me into town and Grub 8 takes me out to Potter's House. And here are som random wild flowers growing on the side walk. Not bad for volunteer weed flowers I thought!

The Day Centre is a place run by Romanian Staff and with volunteers from Newzealand, USA, Australia and other places. Its a house set up for people who are living on the streets are welcome to come and hang out, have a shower, a feed, and numerous other activities. This last Sunday was Children's Day and day out in the near by forrest was organised. I was invited along and have to say though wet in the morning turned out to be one fun sunny day =)

Setting up started and us girls were given the job of peeling what seemed to be hundreds of carrots and trying to peel another hundren onions for the fab vegi soup that our Yanky wonder woman cook Carrie stirred up in the somewhat larger then normal pots. Old, midage, family's and children all came along for the day all with different life stories and backgrounds.

Following lunch we had a few entertainment songs followed by a passage of Scripture being read and explained (cant say that i remember any of the talk as it was in Romanian of course).

The Soccar games at no surprise were part of the core of the program. And comantators were provided for both Romanian and English speakers. Although I think the Romanian gave a slightly different description of the matches played in comparison to our Friend from Scottland!!

Oportunities for karaoke were quickly snatched by the crowd. We were able to enjoy lots of different styles of singing one boy got up and sang a traditional style type song. Romanians are traditionaly musical people and many can play instruments or sing pritty good I'm told.

The Forrest day

Other games like badminton, basketball shoots, adventure in the forrest (water bomb war), and table tennis matches were going on thoughout the soccar games as well. Also a builder from Newzeland (building a home for boys) challenged the crowd in nail hammering competions. As did we all but the oldies in particular enjoyed the cakes being sure to get more then one piece if posslble. Thanks Carrie =) The day then ended with the anouncement of the Champion Soccar Team and of course the silver trophy. Was an inspiring day meeting new friends and seeing in action the love and respect the staff and homeless people have for each other.

Day out with the Kindergarten

Friday Morning's i get to hang out with a kindergarten class. Usually the 3 year olds. Today they invited me to the Botanical gardens for a picnic and also because it was Children's Day this weekend. My first time to the botanical garden. We sat and ate and drew chalk pictures on the pavement. Then we went for a walk followed by more card games, food and one boy who made a friend with a giant snail (he got a little concerned each time the snail got too far out of his shell "nu!!! stay!").

Botanical Park =)

Had an early morning tram ride friday morning. My destination was the botanical park. After relooking at my city map a few times and previously been shown where on the map it was located by my host family the prievious day I felt confident enough to know sort of where to find it. I found it ok, but still cant believe its taken me untill now to get there! Its great, so much room and grass and trees. A great little escape from the cars and city.

My one problem though was WHERE WERE THE TOILETS. A very importand landmark to know. I thought I found them but they where locked to my great disappointment. I tryed to splatter out a few Romanian words to a few ladys for directions but my language didn't work.....so i found another lady and hope was sparked once again as she understood what i was looking for (i wont mention that she talked english) but then I was disapointed again as she led me to the same small locked doors i had previously just been to. So anyway to cut a long story short, the doors arn't suposed to be locked "its not correct" as the lady said. So alas I ventured back into the city for my hunt for a loo.

Here's me and my new little fellow aussie friend Zoe ejoying Adi and Jen's Civil service last saturday. Zoe has one of the biggest smiles and cackle laughs i've heard on a girl her age not to mention one of the most social not yet 2 year old i've had the privalage of getting to know =)







In this group picture is a Romanian laddy in a red top to the left. Please pray with us for her recovery as she latter that day had a quad bike accident and the last i heard is in a critical condition in a hospital. It's been nice to hear from some people from home that have already been praying for her. I was only at her weding not a month ago helping in the kitchen.

Saturday the 24th May was a special one for team mates Jen and Adi. These two on this perfect sunny spring like day had their Civil Service (signing of the register) so lawfully they are legally married =) This service I learned must come before the "walk down the aisle day" and that day for Jen and Adi is still yet to come in September some time.