Latest Challenge-Romania Missions Trip

As many of you know, I went on a missions trip to Romania during the Summer of 2004.  After that trip I came back a changed person.  Part of my heart was left with the children who will spend the rest of their childhoods growing up without parents to love on them.

For the past five years, high school students at ICSV have been working in Romania with senior adults, single mothers, and children.  This year I am a part of the team that will serve, but I am not going with them to Romania.  I am serving as the administrative assistant for the adult in charge (our high school principal).  To date, we have approximately 22 students and 8 adults going on the trip.  They will leave on the Sunday of our Easter Break (April 17) and not return until the end of the week on Thursday.  Students are learning how to work together, raise financial and prayer support, and become leaders amongst their peers.  In order to finance the missions trip, those going to Romania need to raise approximately 9,000 Euro.  While this is a huge amount of money, I know that God will ultimately provide (He did for me!).

If you'd like to hear more about this, please let me know and I'd be happy to share more specific details.

Kids Will be Kids

Every year in the spring the gelato shops open back up for all to enjoy.  One of the shops near the school serves free ice cream (gelato) for a few hours on their first day open.  Check out the fun times that 4th and 5th grade had getting free gelato!

Our amazing German teacher who helped
each student order their gelato

Just for the Fun of It!

A few weeks ago some friends and I drove 7 hours (one way) to Venice, Italy in order to experience Carnival.  It was CRAZY!!!  First of all, who gets to say that they drove 14 hours in one day (I drove back) in order to visit another city (country) for a few hours.  Second, who gets to say that they have been to Carnival.  Not too many people I would assume.  With that said, it was a wonderful, crazy, exhausting, and crowded adventure.  Not one that I will probably do again any time soon, but well worth it for the memories (and not too expensive either since 9 of us went).  Enjoy some of the "interesting" pictures below.  Make sure to check out some of the Carnival outfits!

Proof I was there :)

I Haven't Forgotten the Prague Pictures :)

I know that I promised these a month ago, but life has been crazy busy.  The past few weeks I've been working on a really important curriculum project for my school and it took up a lot of time.  Thankfully it is now finished and I can focus on my next project..."Administrative Assistant for the Romania Missions Trip."  (more details to follow)  Enjoy some of my favorites!  For those of you on Facebook, I posted all my pictures a few weeks ago, so check it out.

Famous Prague Clock (a bit smaller than I originally thought)

Beautiful stain glass inside the Cathedral

My travelling buddy :) (my momma)

Cathedral inside the Palace

View of the city from the Palace

The Amazing Race Stairs!!!!

The Jesus Doll...People believe that this doll can heal you and they send
different dresses for the doll to wear (the doll has thousands of dresses).

John Lennon's Wall

Lover's Locks...put on a lock, throw the key in the river,
and you will come to Prague again with your love

Charles Bridge

My Dad's Favorite Birds!!! (just kidding)

This mole was EVERYWHERE!  Incredibly adorable...I now have
one hanging from my mirror :)

My Sister's New Favorite Store

How Quickly Does Time Fly

It's crazy to realize that I have been in Vienna for 7 1/2 months!  Looking back on the triumphs and challenges God put before me is not only amazing, but also overwhelming.

As I was searching the internet for some kind of cool picture to add to this post, I noticed that most of the images about a journey focused on the person...not on the publisher of our journey.  Take this one for instance:



Since I didn't agree with that saying, I decided to make my own.

Throughout this journey God has taught me many things, but one of the lessons that sticks out the most is trust...Trusting that He knows what He's doing and all I need to do is follow Him!