I’m Home From Romania, II

Tonight I will have officially been home for one week. Time really flies. I can’t believe that the same amount of time that I have been home is the same amount of time we spent at each camp. A week at the camp seemed so short, but it also seemed so rich and drawn out. It really is hard to describe in words.
Our first camp was spent with teenagers in the mountains in the small village of Mărişel. The scenery was breathtaking and the accommodations were very nice. We had rented 2 big cabin-like buildings for the camp.

The first day or so I felt out of place. I felt like I didn’t have a purpose. ASCOR (Association of Romanian Orthodox college students) did such a wonderful job of putting on the camp. A few of the Americans had hands-on workshops in the afternoon. Allison led a workshop on making macramé bracelets. Fr. Andrew led a workshop on making replicas of the cathedral made by St. Innocent in Alaska. Deborah led a workshop of making “God’s eye” a craft of the Mexican Indians. Chris and I didn’t have a workshop to present I helped ou Allison in her workshop.

The Romanians ran the camps so perfectly without us that I was tempted to feel like I shouldn’t have even come. However, Fr. Andrew reminded us what the OCMC had said in training. Our number one purpose was to love. That’s it. If we did that, we would have a huge purpose. Fr. Andrew also talked to us about the ministry of presence. Sometimes just our presence can be ministry in of its self. I think that fact that American Orthodox made the effort to come to Romania was enough itself. Many Romanians don’t even know that there are American Orthodox. It brought us together in solidarity.

This made me feel a lot better. I spent time just loving people. I talked with the campers. Many of them spoke English. I played and laughed with them. I also really enjoyed the opportunity at the first camp to stay up late and talk with the ASCOR students and to share my testimony. I felt like we really bonded.

I enjoyed many things about the first camp. I enjoyed the hike into the mountains and seeing the countryside dotted with the traditional Romanian hay stacks. I loved the skits the teenagers put on based on Bible passages. I loved seeing the eyes of some of them open up to God.

 

 

 However, I received more than I ever gave. I learned from the ASCOR students what it meant to be humbled and to serve others. I had been focusing a lot of Philippians Ch 2 that talks about “consider others better than yourself” and “do nothing out of selfish ambition.” The Romanians really put it in practice for me. It was a beautiful witness to see Orthodox young people so active in their faith. It really humbled me.

There is one very special person that touched me more than anyone else. He was the Romanian priest working at the first camp. However, a whole blog will have to be devoted to him alone. Stay tuned for more…