Romania: Drăgănești-Olt

Fields of sunflowers turn their faces on the

train ride into town

Outsiders turn heads and stop conversations

But when we stop to talk, everyone is so kind

Everyone is also surprised when we tell them everyone we’ve talked to so far have been kind

Many grocery store ice cream cones

Only one temporarily stolen shopping cart

Bible study in a coffee shop

Well not a coffee shop. A bar with a lotto in the back that happens to have coffee

So much space and time

Purple flower crowns

A beautiful river walled in with cement

Ripe cherry trees with the sweetest fruit I’ve ever tasted

So much space and time and conversations

Some harder than others

Honey straight from the comb

Being welcomed into families and at tables

Feeling like I’m receiving more than I’m giving.

Romania: Craiova

honeysuckle and roses line the streets

pigeons crowd fountains and outside restaurants

The heat burns stronger in the city

Where there was too much space now there is none

English club, Kids club, Games, Worship, Testimonies, Youth nights, One-on-one meets,

Search for purpose turns into search for rest

Botanical Gardens beauty turns bitter after tragedy

How to comfort those that are hurting?

The young adults shrug and say “isolated incident”

Faces of Roma kids running off with melting ice cream

Juice straight from the orange

I take a picture of a baby kitten with its parents

Romanian woman points to the kitten: “If you like, take!”

I tell her that’s kind but I’m not here for long

Not here for long

For six months I’m off to a new place every five weeks or less

Part of me thought this was long-term ministry

It’s not

It’s short-term trips back to back to back

It’s the beginning of month seven

I’m tired

Albania: Vlorë

Bitter sweet seeing and saying goodbye again to friends within a week

Vespa freedom rides under the stars

Hotel rooms with broken AC units and water stains

Humidity makes waterfalls drip from their sides and puddle the floor

The sandy shallows of the Adriatic beach seem to stretch on forever

I walk into light reflected and expanded in the water sunset soft

Tourism touches every part of this city

It’s beautiful

People relaxing on vacation with their families

But then I think

So few of these people will stay here

I start looking for the people that stay

Waitress at Big Scoop that gets every complex order perfect

Man from Italy that rents scooters

When I ask if he likes Vlore or Italy better, he laughs

He came here for the economy

Little girl that came into Mulleri coffee shop

She begged and ran a sandwich out to her family

She didn’t eat any of it.

When she comes to our table again

Sierra takes her on her lap and gives her markers

She colors all over journal pages and herself.

A beautiful moment

Before leaving again

I thank God

For the small moments.