Gosh I love autumn. Everything seems to just slow down a bit, get more cozy, and weekends have that little bit of extra sweetness to them when (American) football is on tv. In comparison to the rest of the year, the rhythm seems to change from a variety of events and outreaches to a more steady pace of meetings and projects. As October winds to a close, I think of the past several weeks less as a chronology, but more so as a colorful mural of blessings and moments.
Events of the Fall
Although this stretch of time has been more of a steady constant, it has not been without its own special and exciting moments. For one, we had the pleasure of getting to celebrate our friend Jacqueline’s graduation from med school. It was a very special occasion and the culmination of several years of hard work and many long hours of study. Additionally, Oradea has the annual addition of holding FestiFall, which is a week-long celebration in downtown that commemorates not only the autumn season, but the city’s birthday. It is always quite the event, and there are many wonderful concerts, events, and festivities to enjoy. Both of these were joyous occasions and special opportunities to celebrate with our friends a special milestone as well as the wonderful city Noah and I have been blessed to call home for the last three years!
While not a more widespread cause for excitement, the fall also marks the moment of the year in which trips to Arieseni pick up for the pre-winter preparation season, as well as the first loads of wood making their way to Salem to heat the furnace. These both represent particular triumphs for us this year, as we’ve made a breakthrough in our orchard in Arieseni (the plants are finally living… praise God!!) and our furnace, who you may remember we lovingly refer to as “Bobby”, underwent some necessary repairs and is now ready for the winter. Certainly there is a good deal of work ahead, but it is good to be returning to these routines and to see God’s faithfulness in the practical things!
Blessings of the Past Weeks
I mentioned the “mural of blessings” earlier, and that really does seem to be the right description of how I’ve seen and will remember these past weeks. As work continues and life moves along, there have just been a few specific and beautiful things that the Lord has placed His hand on and brought life to as of late. They have certainly been a blessing and encouragement to me, and I hope they will be the same to you as I recount them!
Blossoming Discipleship at Salem: This has been a cool aspect to see going on in the church, and one that has the fun feature of taking place both in youth as well as in the church as a whole. Recently in our meetings, Ted has been unfolding his vision of equipping the church for greater involvement and empowerment in discipleship, and together, we have been brainstorming ways to see this vision come to life. Thus far, the result has been the forming of the Leadership Training Group in the church, which has now met several times to receive instruction and training to help bolster the strength of small groups, mentorships, and peer-to-peer discipleship in the church. On the youth side, we have begun seeking out couples in the church who have a heart to begin mentoring and discipling students in a deeper way, both directly in the youth ministry and outside of it. Additionally, we are now to the stage where some students are beginning to grow out of the youth ministry, and young adults have gradually been coming into the church as well. Conversations have begun as to how to foster a thriving young adults community in addition to the youth community, and it will be very exciting to see how this group, along with several others, begins to take shape in our church! It certainly is a very exciting season at Salem!
Noticeable Growth in Romanian Language: Language learning is one of those weird up-and-down processes… sometimes you feel like you’re an absolute poet, and other times you feel like you’d be content just to gesture and grunt for the rest of your life. For the last few months, even with the weekly help of my tutor, I’d felt more like the latter. However, in about the last month and a half, something clicked… ya know… in the way things sometimes do for no discernable reason, but we take everything we can get! I’ve noticed in the last few weeks a significant uptick in my ease of understanding as well as speaking, which feels like a huge place of growth! One day in particular felt particularly exciting in this regard, as I was invited by an older couple in the church (I’ve taken to calling them my “Romanian Grandparents” over the last couple of years) to have lunch after service. They are incredibly generous folks, both with their food, their time, and their words. Unlike most of the youth I serve, they only speak Romanian, so visiting with them always presents a great opportunity to practice! For three hours, we sat, ate, and talked, all the while proceeding in Romanian! It wasn’t perfect or pretty, but we got on on rather smoothly, and I couldn’t believe I was keeping up! That afternoon was a blessing in multiple regards, and I am so excited to be feeling as though I’m making progress toward a more complete understanding of the language!
Chances to Walk and Learn the City: In addition to knowing the language more, I’m also getting greater opportunities to learn the city I live in. I’ve always loved walking around, and by know, I know all the primary areas like the back of my hand, but having a car has given me greater access to all of the city – both to drive through and to get out and walk through. Especially in the crisp autumn air and the lovely color, I have loved getting to see more of the city and realize its significance to me. Oradea is unquestionably beautiful, but there is also a particular peace and grace to the city that is all at once lovely, refreshing, and wholesome. I quite love this little place in which I live, and I relish each opportunity to meander through it to see it and feel it all the more.
Breakthrough in Taxes: This may seem an odd and unworthy note of mention, but God be praised for the small and practical victories as much as in the large and exciting ones! I filed an extension earlier this year, and frankly, taxes are just complicated. I was determined to try and do them myself this year, and as I approached the deadline, I was stressing HARD. Yet, on one of the final days before that dreaded deadline, I found a tax service which specializes in expat tax services and had every form that I needed. I cannot describe the weight that came off my shoulders when those taxes were filed and done with. Once again, God be praised in the mundane things!
Excitement For a Trip to the US: Turning attention to the the end of this year – I’ll be coming stateside! I’m so excited for an opportunity not just to spend the holidays with friends and family, but to also get to see so many of you who have supported this journey all the way along! I’ll certainly be coming eager to catch up, and undoubtedly with stories to tell and the plans for the future! Things look like they are trending towards being long-term here in Romania, and I’m excited to get to lay out what that looks like in person! This will be quite a trip, covering Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Montana, and California between November 20th and January 12th. I am currently working to set up times to meet with as many people as possible, so if you would like to touch base, I would love to see you!
As one could imagine, there is a lot that goes into making such a trip to close out a year. As the preparations for the end of the year come together both here in Oradea and in the US, I would love if you would hold some specific points in prayer with me:
Prayer Points
1). Practical preparations for the US – Tickets have been purchased, but there is still much to do in setting up meetings, preparing materials, and coordinating with churches. Pray that the Lord would bless the preparations and open the doors to meet with as many people as possible, especially in the craziness of December!
2). End of the year at Salem – In preparing for the time in the US, I am also responsible for ensuring that things are covered here while I am away. Youth, small groups, Christmas events, and heating all have to be accounted for, so please pray that everything will be covered and cared for properly with no gaps in between!
3). Presence in every moment – It is easy in moments to get lost in the excitement or preparations for the upcoming trip. There is still much to attend to in the three weeks leading up to the November 20th departure, including our regular youth meetings, small group planning, key work trips to Arieseni, and most exciting of all, baptisms! Please pray with me that every moment would be taken to the full, and that I’d have the ability to prioritize what most needs to be prioritized in each day.
These past weeks have been such a blessing and a joy, and I know that there is only more of that ahead in the final months of this year! I’m so thankful for every day, no matter which side of the planet it is spent on, and to those in the US, I can’t wait to tell all the stories of how faithful and good God has been in this beautiful country of Romania that I have the privilege of calling home. Rest assured, there will be more news to come soon!
Thankful as always,
– Nathan
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