ATL Part 2 and Intro to Romania!

So much has happened the past month, I can barely keep up!

During the second half of ATL month, we had a bought of food poisoning before heading off to a volunteer opportunity with Colegio MesoAmericano in Chimaltenango. I absolutely loved partnering with this school! The teachers and staff were incredibly kind and thankful for in-person volunteers. If you are ever interested in helping teach English to Guatemalan students (either in-person OR online!) you can look up more information here: https://mesoamericano.edu.gt/contact/ After the great experience of partnering with this school, I looked a lot into teaching English as a second language, and it is something I’m praying about as a option for my future after the race!

After a week in Chimaltenango, we ended our ATL month with coming back together as a squad and hiking Pakaya—an active volcano 🙂 We even roasted marshmallows at the top!

From there we went to Guatemala City for a mini-debrief. We discussed how ATL month was for each of our teams. We celebrated and prayed with our Squad Leaders–Mikay and Chach–before they went back to the US.

Then we were off to Romania!

We were all pretty sleepy during the nine-hour layover in Switzerland and took naps 🙂 This past week, our teams went to Craoiva, Romania and met Raoul at Hope Church. Hope Church is a community dedicated to growing and impacting people with the hope of Christ on a local, regional, and international scope. They want to fulfill the spiritual and physical needs of people according to the teaching and practice of Jesus Christ in Matthew 9:35-38. They work to meet these needs spiritually by preaching the gospel and offering discipleship to new believers and physically by supplying a number of resources such as food, after-school programs, and housing. In order to fulfill their mission, they use the 3P’s strategy (People, Partnerships, and Projects). They recruit, equip, and raise up people in the ministry, such as missionaries and other workers. They establish partnerships with churches, organizations, and people everywhere who share their values; and they initiate and develop relevant projects with the goal of fulfilling the spiritual and physical needs of the people in their community.

I love Hope Church and everything they stand for. Upon first getting to Craiova, we were able to help in their youth group with worship, games, and hanging out with the youth. Team Bible Bums will continue to stay in Craiova and help in this area. (I added a few pictures above of the city and the botanical gardens which were BEAUTIFUL). My team–Team Abide–was sent out to Drăgănești-Olt, which is where we are currently.

• Romania feels very new and different after being in Spanish-speaking countries for four months. Also, we are moving from warm to cold culture. There are a lot of cultural differences, and it will be fun to learn! But please pray for grace for ourselves in the adjustment period.
• Moving from a big city for a few days to a small town was a bit of another transition. Pray that we will find ways to be useful to the ministry here, and that we will manage our time well.
• Prayers for our team to continue challenging and growing each other, and for us to have grace for each other.
• Praise! Thank God for structure and that we will be in one place for five weeks! After ATL month, I’m really excited for this time to dig into one place. Pray that God will work in the structure and routine.
• Pray for youth in Craiova and Drăgănești to see the hope of Jesus

“I will go before you
And make the crooked places straight;
I will break in pieces the gates of bronze
And cut the bars of iron.
I will give you the treasures of darkness
And hidden riches of secret places,
That you may know that I, the Lord,
Who call you by your name,
Am the God of Israel.”

Isaiah 45:2-3