Thought that you would like to see a picture of my karazy outreach team.
Right to Left : Daniel (formerly known as Jong Kyu), Lauren, Will, Jordan(back), Wendy, Stacey, Nate, Natalia, Me...
Hello Everyone
Round 2 shall now begin. Ok funny story, this always happens to me. I just finished writing an amazing super cool exciting update, and all of a sudden right before I press send the flippin power goes off at this internet cafe.... Unbelievable. Shall I start again?
Well right now I am in an internet cafe in Demetrigard Bulgaria. I feel like I have been in Bulgaria for a very long time since we stayed in Sofia, Hissary and now here. In Sofia we had a 2 day holiday and stayed at a hostel with this women who treated us like we were her kids, she even scolded us when we were out too late. It was quite amusing. In Hissarya we stayed in this rented house and we worked with local missionarys who are also with YWAM. While in Hissarya we worked with several different gypsy villages and the local church.
For the past 2 days while being in Demetrigard, we have worked at 2 different orphanages. Yesterday we went to one orphanage that was for mentally sick kids. It was a lot of fun, but it was really hard. Because think of working with those kind of kids where you are, and then add the language barrier. For 2 hours I ran around with a little boy, who I fondly refer to as Lloyd...since I couldn't ever figure out his name. I ran around with him on my back in the scorching 38 degree heat. I wanted to put him down and just leave him, but the only time he smiled was when I was running around and skipping and such with him on my back. And I realized, what am I here for, if I don't even show this kid love the way he needs it right now. BUt it was a lot of fun, it definately took me out of my comfort zone, some of you may know my gag reflex and bad smells and how I gag at the thought of bad smells. Well this kid peed on me during the ride, and how I did not even make a big deal about it I do not know. But it was really funny, cuz after we left the orphanage we are riding in a flippin hot van and everyone was asking where that pee smell was coming from....I pretended it wasn't me. :)
That night some of our people walked us around a gypsy village. Random children would run up and hug me and try to hold my hand. IT was really weird becuz they would bypass the other people and head for me. The children are so beautiful. When we passed one house this women came running at us, shouting 'sofia, sofia!'. And she was pointing at me. I was like I am not sure what was going on. Well it turns out that when I was in Sofia, this women was at a very touristy place and she was sitting on the street begging for money. And I hadn't had any money at the time that I had seen her, but I shook her hand and I gave her daughter my sandwich and coke. And like she remembered me becuz I was one of the only people that had shaken her hand and made an attempt to communicate with her. It was just something I would do naturally, I never knew that I would see this women again. But it was really cool to just see such a simple act of shaking someones hand had a major impact. She was practically crying as she told the story. And while she was telling the story I was holding her naked dirty baby. Let me just say if you plan to live in the real world and plan to help people in need...antibacterial soap is an amazing invention :)
Then that night, we got taken to a gypsy wedding. I walk up first and next thing I know this women who I can only assume was the brides maid grabbed my hand, pulled me through the whole crowd to the middle of the dance floor so that I could meet the bride and groom and take a picture of them. Next thing I know the microphone is being shoved in my face...they wanted me to make a speech. So I say 'congratulations on your wedding.' Blank faces stare at me, so then I was like 'Opa!' and ya the dancing and music began again. IT was such a weird thing. THen the next thing I know is I am back with the rest of my group and they are seating us and serving us drinks. IT was such an amazing time, I wish I could have stayed longer. If any of you ever get the chance to go to a gypsy wedding I would advise that you take it. The gypsy culture is an amazingly diverse and beautiful culture. No one can really define it, especially since there are so many different kinds. And basically every country in Europe has a gypsy population. Someone asked me if I had gypsy in my blood, becuz apparantly I have personality traits of one.
Today we went to another orphange, did a program and chilled with the kids and played this game with some of the guys where I think violence is the name of the game...hitting someone with a volleyball :) They were ages 9-18. It was a really good time. Then on the way back to the city we took a mini bus (which is a 15 seater van.) Have you ever seen 27 people in a 15 seater van? Flip its funny.
But ya on a serious note I would like to ask for your prayers on our final leg of this outreach journey. All of the 6 outreach teams are facing major opposition it seems. All of our teams are running out of money. our team has about 300 euros left. But apparantly when we go to Turkey we still have to pay for visas...and it is 3 times as much for a Canadian to get a visa than an American....what the crap is that? BUt ya as soon as we enter Turkey I believe that we will probly be out of money. And we still have 3 countrys left. But God will provide. All of the other teams are in the same or worse boat.
Also medically there are some challenges. On our team Natalya, her brain tumor is now growing. She is choosing to stay on our team til the end, but please pray because she is losing her vision and has constant headaches. Lauren another girl on her team, her Grandfather whom she is very clsoe with is dying, and she will most likely go home for the funeral. On the Africa team, a 3rd person now has Malaria. On the far east asia team, one of the team leaders while in Mongolia had to be air lifted to China because he had a very serious case of Pneumonia. While he is doing much better, please continue to pray for him so that he may join his outreach team again. On the South east asia team, one girl has been in the hospital in Bangkok for more than a week, and had to have an emergency appendix removal surgery and will be remaining at the hospital for the remainder of outreach along with her team leader. Another girl on that team has an unknown sickness and has to have more tests and will be staying in Thailand for another week with one more girl from the team. The remaining 5 team members all had to switch their ticket dates and stay in Thailand longer but are moving on to India today I believe. Please pray for us all! Its obvious that someone (not gonna mention any names) is intimidated by all the good things that have occured the past few months. But its ok, I know that we have an amazing God.
Other than that God has just really been teaching me to be real with him ya know? So many times I pray and do devotions and yet I am only scratching the surface, so this next phase of outreach I shall be focusing on going deeper and getting more real with him. Anyways thanks for your prayers and support!
Love Angee (Gela)
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