the deBron experience

Well, I thought tonight I would have photos but the day was non-stop and I never got that far. Wow! first off, I slept in - and I didn't even go to bed late!!! (i.e. I was in bed by midnight) I thought that would give me lots of rest to get up for my 9 a.m. meeting with group leaders. I was asked to facilitate a small fellowship group during the course of the conference and felt this would not be too onerous. I must have been jet-lagged, because when I woke up and looked at my watch, it was 10.30 am!!! I managed to get up and over to the 10.45 am morning meeting, and there wasn't a break since then and now (10.30 pm)
My small group, it turned out was responsible for helping with clean-up after lunch, so as soon as we finished that it was time for the next activity: the De Bron experience. And what an experience it was! Basically, it was one of those team-building group get-to-know you events with multiple stations and activities that might appeal to a variety of people. The activities ranged from the mildly pleasant - eating a Dutch cookie hung from a string while blindfolded - to the simple - pin the tail on the donkey - to the absolutely horrendous - putting your face in a pan of flour and pulling out a wrapped candy with your teeth! Remember, people, most of the new recruits here are between 18-25.
Anyway, my group was pretty good but not as competetive as the German men's team that won. In fact, we didn't even finish all the activities but it provided some good chances to chat. My small group consists of 2 of the Canadian girls I came with - SuJan and Jenilea, a girl from Kazakhstan who is going to work on the ships, and another girl, Dana, from Romania who is going to - guess where! - MOLDOVA!! Iryna is from Ukraine and didn't arrive until later in the week.
In fact, later in the day, at our target field meeting I also met the other girl going to Moldova; Claudia from Switzerland, with whom I have been exchanging e-mail. So it was exciting to meet both of them and they have both been to Moldova before and cannot wait to return on a long-term basis as their previous experience was short-term. So that is encouraging. And - Dana, being Romanian, will also be at the training seminar in Hungary and so she will help me to begin learning Romanian. She is a real sweetheart and very enthusiastic.
"My girls" -from left to right: Iryna - from Ukraine, going to work on the boats; me; SuJan- Canadian, going to mideast Asia; Masha -first OMer from Kazakhstan, going to the boats; Dana -from Romania, going with me to Moldova; Jenilea - from Canada, going to Israel

The other really good news and answer to prayer today was that there are arrangements made to take our extra luggage that is over the prescribed weight of Sky Europe. That was the one thing that I was really concerned and a bit anxious about. So - praise the Lord! We will be flying from here to Budapest on the Friday evening of next week. At our target field meeting we met the others who will be at that seminar - a group of about 20.
So, it has been a busy day but a good one. The message this evening was about the nature of God, from Isaiah 40. He is great - and He is gracious and loves us. His arm is strong to crush his enemies, but tender to hold the lambs close to his heart. We need to know this God and to trust Him to give strength to us to face whatever comes. I wish for all of you to trust our great God in whatever He is calling you. His grace is sufficient and He will complete what He has begun in your life. He loves you - and I do too.
Thank you for your prayers. Elaine, my address is Barbtherev@yahoo.ca. And anyone else who needs it, please feel free to send e-mail. Thanks so much for thinking of me - and I will keep you all in my prayers. Did I mention that deBron is beautiful? Oh... some of the guys this afternoon thought it was so beautiful (and probably had so much flour up their noses) that they jumped in the canal and went swimming. I'm sure the cows in the field on the other side must have wondered what was going on. At the evening meeting the announcement was made that there is to be no swimming in the canal, which is quite polluted. That got a laugh - the staff couldn't believe that they would ever have to make that announcement.
OK - hopefully tomorrow I will figure out the picture thing. Pray for me to find time to do that.