Blogs from Oradea, Bihor, Crisana, Romania, Europe

Un nou oras al tarii noastre care se lasa descoperit si care ne-a impresionat prin arhitectura si reamenajarea cladirilor sale. Am ales asupra pensiunii Phoenix, curata, AC, minibar. Pret 100ron-o noapte.... read more

Thursday, May 28th to Saturday, May 30th. Our stay was short but nice in Oradea. There were three reasons we picked Oradea to be our exit point out of Romania. One, it was close to Budapest. Two, Tages really wanted to visit the popular Bear Cave. Three, Oradea has the only strictly vegetarian restaurant in Romania. We had read a vague discription about a camping ground in Oradea and we figured we would get to Oradea and figure it out. We didn't have internet access in Sighisoara so we were not able to plan as well as we usually do. We arrived early in the morning after our terrible train ride so we felt a lack of sleep and a bit of confusion. The taxi drivers at the train station were more aggressive than in Sighisoara ... read more

Hello Everyone, This is our last day here; we've not had internet connection since Monday to blog, thus you haven't heard from us. We've had a great couple last days. On Tuesday I went with the nurse to various homes to visit elderly people in the little outlying town of Lunca. It was amazing to get inside their homes and listen to their stories. (through a translator). The houses were very, very poor. One room in the house serves as kitchen, livingroom, bedroom. The room was probably about twelve by twelve. The house was made up out of two rooms, but two families live in it. The lady had a terrible toothache, but no access to a dentist, doctor, painkillers, or antibiotics. We were able to provide her with some medication. There are animals in every ... read more

We spoke to the women's group this morning. I spoke on Galatians 6:9 "Do not grow weary....." and on the first chapter of James which again speaks of perseverance and how God loves the widows and orphans. These women all have taken orphans into their homes. Jane spoke about being refined as silver from Malachi. God allows us to go through trials so we can reflect His character. We couldn't talk with the women as it was through an interpretor, so don't know the response. I am sure we'll hear sometime. We then did groceries with our driver, a middle age man who has lived in the States for many years. Jane offered to buy him a coffee, which totally offended him. He instructed us to the cost of coffee; how he could buy a quarter ... read more

Hello Everyone! Easter Monday; more planning and meetings this morning to get ready for the projects, starting tomorrow. This afternoon we went with Peter on a tour of how his journey to Romania started back in 1990, one year after the fall of Ceauscecu. He described the horrible conditions in the staterun orphanages, with kids lying in their own excrement, two in a crib, eyes glazed over as they never received human touch. A few years later they adopted their little girl from that orphanage and then returned to run an orphanage, later on to be broken up into permanent foster homes. Peter could hardly talk he was so emotional as he shared about losing his own dad when he was young, and how he wanted to help those who did not have mothers and fathers. ... read more