22 Days Remaining...

I keep looking at my calendar, each time hoping that we will be closer to July 20th than the last time I checked. 22 days of lazy summer until our plane leaves for Craiova. However, I can't complain because, in reality, this is not simply a time of waiting, but this is our time to prepare for the trip, which is exactly what we have been doing. We have had quite a few meetings, but it seems to me like it will never be enough time.

For example, I am on the 'sub-team' that is planning everything related to teaching English,[even though everyone on the team will be teaching English.] On this English team, we have had several meetings and lots of time planning and discussing, but somehow, there is still more to be done when we part ways. We have made lesson plans and partnered everyone up and chosen who will be teaching what level. We also made a trip to Target to purchase supplies for teaching. [We have bought every memo-sized notebook in the area.] Pray that the people we have teamed up to teach together will work well together and get a lot done at our next meeting on July 6th, we will be making and revising lesson plans.

Since I am only one one 'sub-team,' I can only give an update for my team, but I can imagine that the other teams are also buying supplies and nailing down the details of their plans.

The last blog post didn't really describe the Romanians' visit in February, which seems like an eternity ago as I sit in the warm summer breeze. It's too bad they can't experience Wisconsin now, at its peak. The team of 7 from the church in Craiova stayed for 3 weeks. They did a work project in Chicago along with a youth leadership conference there. They also took a trip to Berry Lake for team building with the American team that is visiting Craiova in a few short weeks. At Berry Lake, we played a lot of Broom Ball and Catchphrase along with planning and dreaming about what the partnership could look like. They experienced the Kalahari in the Wisconsin Dells and downtown Wisconsin. Also, they played a pivotal role in Blackhawk's high school Snowcamp at Honeyrock Camp in Northern Wisconsin. We had an unforgetable time while they were with us. In my opinion, this was an important part of establishing a partnership with the church in Craiova, because both churches have sent and received a team of students with the purpose of missions.

Since February, we have had a lot of workdays to raise money and support. At the workdays we usually did some form of yard work outside. We are thankful to all the people that offered jobs for our team to do.

Another event that we had to raise support was the Reach Feast dessert night. Reach Feast is a Blackhawk event that the all the missions teams are involved in. There is lots of dessert and a silent and live auction. It was great to see all the people that came out that night to support the missions trips. [Pray for the Honduras and Peru teams that are away right now.]

Prayer requests. We are going to need a lot of prayer as we continue to prepare for the trip.
Team unity. Pray that our team would bond and work together well
Finances. I think that we have the majority of our money raised, but pray for people waiting on last minute checks and pray that supporters would donate as they feel led.
Packing. Our packing party is on July 18th and everyone needs to have their personal luggage packed by then and we will pack the team supplies on that day.
Campers. Pray for the people that will be attending camp in Craiova. Pray that God will be already be working in their hearts and preparing them for what is to come. Also, pray that they would have the money to pay for camp, because we only have so many scholarship opportunities.

As I look ahead to the trip, I get excited, not only because I am excited to travel, but also because I have this feeling that something beautiful is about to happen. I have a feeling that God is going to work in ways that go far beyond all the planning that we have done. Even with all our thoughts and money and time, all of it is insignificant compared to God. He already know what is going to happen while we are there, and no planning or lack there of, will change that; that reassures me and makes me confident about this team, because as we go into Romania, we have the Creator of the Universe leading us onward. I think this is the start of something unforgettable and I cannot wait to experience it.

Cassidy