One year ago, today.

I got on a plane headed to London, and then another to Johannesburg, and then another to Lilongwe, Malawi.  Tomorrow morning, I'll board a plane going to Munich and then Birmingham, and eventually end up home in Wales.  It's strange how much a place can become home in the span of one year.  But Wrexham now is home-friends, the community of churches, Just Across, the proliferation of discount stores downtown, Bellevue Park and Clwedog Trail, Erddig are all now a part of who I am.  And hopefully it will become even more of a home in the next year.

When I left Port Orchard last year, I was really struggling with the concept of what it meant to be at home anywhere I went.  But over and over again, I've sensed God saying to me that my home is where he is.  And since God is everywhere, my home is the whole world.  I may have mentioned it before, (and I apologize if I have and you remember it) but one of my favorite quotes relating to that is Mark 10:29-30 where Jesus says that anyone who goes away from friends and family for his sake and the gospel's sake will have the whole world for their father and mother and sister and brothers (along with their troubles as well).  It makes me smile, every time.

Anyways, I wanted to highlight eight of my favorite posts from this past year...and after that, sleep!

27 July, 2011- Safari

23 September, 2011- Before Everyone Gets Here

9 December, 2011- December 2011 Playlist

2 January 2012- Goals for 2012

5 March 2012- INTP

1 May 2012- Hlas (The Voice)

4 May 2012- Sitting in the Park

19 June 2012- Just who do I think I am?

 

Satisfied. Blessed. Frustrated.

Yesterday, with two day to go before we leave the country, Anna, Kristin and I spent some time talking about our time here.  I asked the question, "What three words would you use to describe how you feel about our time in Moldova?" 

My answer was satisfied, because we did many of the things that we wanted to do, like working with local churches and ministries, and learning about the culture and the language.  I'm also satisfied that we eventually found the balance between doing and being-with some weeks having too much to do and others having too little to do.

Blessed, as this is my second time to come to Moldova, and I feel so happy about that! I loved my time here in 2006, but I fell even more in love with the country and the people this time around.  There are new friends that I hope to continue to know when I leave, and friends that I've gotten to know better this time around!

Frustrated. *sigh* There are times when I long for a more settled life just so I wouldn't have to say goodbye all the time.  I wish that I had more time to invest in the people of Moldova and to understand the culture in a deeper way, and to actually have the time to learn the languages. But I don't have the time.  I return to Wales in a day!

Speaking of which, see all you folks in Wales soon!

One Week

I tend to think that I've got a pretty good imagination.  Fairy tales and other fantastic stories are my daily food.  Okay, maybe not quite that bad.  I do love imaginative stories though.  Anyways, the point is that we've only got one week left in Moldova, and I find that pretty difficult to imagine.  When I first visited Moldova in 2006, I enjoyed my time here.  Now, I've found even more to love about Moldova-the people, the culture, the food, the city.  I won't say that I don't want to leave, because I am looking forward to being home in Wales, but at the same time, I'm not looking forward to going.

This past week has been our last full week of ministry.  Next week, we're spending time evaluating our time here, enjoying the city and getting ready to go back to the UK.  So, this week has been full of recurring ministries (like English classes and Freedom home) and a few new ones.  On Wednesday evening, we spent some time with a youth group from New Life church and shared about evangelism.  I was excited for us to be able to share our stories and encourage other believers to be bold and courageous in sharing their faith.  On Thursday morning, we helped out at a local orphanage by sorting and organizing a craft cupboard.  All of us greatly enjoyed serving in such a practical way!

The photos: talking about the Engel's scale on Wednesday evening, and the finished, organized, clean cupboard!

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