So this week, it’s finally starting to hit me that we are leaving for our big outreach. I can’t believe it’s already happening. It seems like just last week that I was getting off the plane in Bucharesti, confused, lost and illiterate in the Romanian language, and now I’m getting ready to leave it. I’ve come to know this base as home, this city as mine, and the staff and students as family. Now, I’m just moving to a new country for 6 weeks with my family. I suppose that’s a good way to look at it.
The team going to the Philippines includes Sarah (staff), Ana, Robert, Leah, Natalie, Emiliya, George, and myself. Four nations, eight people, and a new country and culture that none of us have ever been in before. It’s unbelievable the things God can do for us! We leave on October 25 from Constanta on a bus that goes down through Bulgaria and arrives in Istanbul, Turkey sometime very early in the morning on the 26th. We are then taking a flight from Istanbul, Turkey to Doha, United Arab Emirates – then after a short layover, we fly to Manila, Philippines! My whole team is so excited and there are several people who have never been on an airplane before 
On Monday, my team went to Bucharesti to pick up some VISA’s and apply for more. It was a long day of driving and visiting embassies. We were out the door at 6 am and we made it home a little before 9 pm that evening. It was definitely a long day and we hit a few bumps with the VISA’s, but it just causes us to rely on God even more! We know He will provide for us and He always has the best thing planned for us. All things work together for good for those who love the Lord.
So far, this week we have been spending the class time as team time. We split into our teams after worship or intercession and we are busy until lunch time. Today, my team worked on games for teenagers and we all decided to pick a topic and share it with the teenager groups we will be working with. Just a short 15-20 minute message. We are using material from the lecture phase of the DTS. I think our meetings are going well. Actually, I think we have an absolutely wonderful team.
So, this week has been pretty busy. We are all trying to cram everything we have to do into our waking hours. We are finishing book reports, team time, outreach preparation, small groups, one on ones, packing, cleaning, work duties, preparing messages, teaching and devotionals, and amidst this chaos, we are still managing to find time to eat, sleep and enjoy each other’s company. It’s a little nuts, but that’s what makes it so great My favorite part about this last week so far is that no matter what everyones schedules are or how busy everything gets, we all still get together at the dinner table every night. It’s nice to just slow everything down and just talk over a warm meal.
It’s still so hard for me sometimes to wrap my head around what is really going on right now. I wake up some mornings and think “I can’t believe I’m waking up in Romania, learning about God and I’m getting ready to go to the Philippines to share God!” Maybe it sounds ridiculous, but I just really can’t count the blessings God has poured upon me in my time here. He has really been so good to me and I am so thankful for everything. Praise Him!
And all God’s people said ….. Amen!
Only By His Grace,
Melissa
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