Sunday, July 25, 2010

Hey y'all! Johnny Lerdahl here. I feel quite honored to be writing this blog, however, I haven't looked at any of the other posts so I might repeat some things. Yesterday we had our get-together at the coffee house and that was an awesome time hanging out with the kids(I say kids but most of them are probably either my age or older than me) coming to camp. They weren't serving coffee at this coffee house but it was a pretty legit place to be. There was a stage where we performed out activities such as: the worship played some hits, a number of students did a couple of funny skits, and Zack, Cassidy, and I shared why we came to Romania and what were excited for most about camp. The funniest moments were definitely when Lief accompanied Zack on stage while he sang, "Apologize" by One Republic, and when Kevin was doing a skit with Malachi, Rosvan, Amy, Bianca, and Sheri and he was up there singing his heart out and yelling, "What the crap!" Oh, and I guess it was slightly funny when I was singing, "Hit Me Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears, hopefully that video will make its way onto Facebook. Our next adventure was eating dinner at Galaxy, a fine dining establishment. Right as we sat down at our table there was a flash of lighting and instantly the power went out...for the duration of our meal. And of course, the power came back on right when we left. It was kosher though because we had a nice romantic, team-bonding, candlelit dinner. But how could I forget! Before we went out for dinner we visited the City Center where they have fountains lit up and choreographed with classical music...tightttt. God has been working in amazing ways on this trip and hopefully you'll hear about them in blogs to come;) I'm pretty crunched for time here since we finna leave for camp any minute here, we're really excited! We all love 16 hour bus rides. We miss y'all lots and we love the feedback that you've been giving us it really keeps us going.

SHOUTOUTS!!!

Zack to... The Fam--Hope the dells is going great!
Thomas--Hope everything is going awesome for you and we are all enjoying your comments they are pretty funny.

Tess to Kenzie: Girrrl I miss having you here so much. Let's just say...soapy has returned! Hahahah it was so funny i was like ayooo soapy! Brought back so many memories. I loveee you and I hope you're doing good :) Ps Zack is really mad because you said he's the 2nd best hugger hahahah.

Cassidy and Megan to Emilia: How is your new apartment? Can't wait to see you!

Cassidy to Kenzie: aww that was such a sweet comment. miss you so much! like tess said, we found soapy again...hes still the same soapy!

Megan to Kenzie: Thanks for the shout out! I miss you! See you when we get back home lady:)

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Some links to videos! Enjoy!

You might have to friend Lief Erickson on facebook to see these - though, I'm not sure.

Zack's Group Hug: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=996771090667&ref=mf



Midday Update from McD's: http://www.facebook.com/lerickson#!/video/video.php?v=996673092057

Lake in the Park 10 Second Dance Party: http://www.facebook.com/lerickson#!/video/video.php?v=996770202447


More vids and pics to come! Keep looking today!

-the team yo

Here's Tess: droppin down a funky update from Mickey D's!

We've been meaning to post this since yesterday at this time... anyway.. here is our blogpost from yesterday! Today's will be posted within a couple hours! -Lief

Tess from July 23:
Helloooo everyone! Tess here, writing from McDonald’s in Craiova. Haha so much cooler than the one I work at back in the States. We are enjoying some ice cream and shakes before we head over to the city park tonight. Since our last blog post, we have experienced our first night in Craiova, at our host families. Most of us slept well, but some are still dealing with a little bit of jet lag. For the most part, though, we all got a full night’s rest. We spent most of the day at the church. We had team time first, read all of the blog comments (loove those, please keep them coming!) and did a short devotion. Then we dove right into planning for camp. We split up into teams, dealing with different parts of camp. Lots got done, and the plans are really coming along. After exchanging money, we headed over here and are about to leave for the park. We will spend most of the night there, playing group games and meeting a lot of the people that will be coming to camp with us. This will also be an awesome time to invite people to come to the camp who might not have heard about it before. We’re all wearing our blue camp shirts and not looking like tourists at all walking around the city in the same shirt…Haha after the park, we will head back to the church for a late dinner and then go back to our host families for the night. Tomorrow will be another day spent planning, with a coffeehouse at night. We are all feeling great, and are really excited to be here. Zack wanted me to include this: When asked if he could “make doing the camp song dance motions look cool”, Johnny Lerdahl responded… “I can make anything look cool.” It’s great to see everyone over here stepping up and doing anything they can to help the team. Some things you can be praying for are:
-A good night’s rest tonight and tomorrow especially, as it is our last full night of sleep before we leave for camp.
-For any last minute preparations, that they are made and organized well.
-Health of the team members, especially a select few.
-The success of the coffee house that we are doing tomorrow night.

Thanks so much for all of your support and comments! It really means a lot to all of us. Keep praying and leaving comments, you are awesome :)

Love, Tess

Shoutouts:

Jenna to Ben and Dan: Have fun with the cousins this weekend! Say hi for me :)
Nikki to Erica: I knew you'd get the job! So proud of you! You'll do great with those kids!
Amy to Erica: I second what Nikki said! So excited for you!
Lulu and Martha to Alonso and Julio: That's a deal. Tonight? Pick us up at 7?
Amy and Jenna to Olan and Jessie: Thanks for the poem! We're working on a formal reply...meanwhile we're still feeling laughing effects of Lief reading yours this morning :D You're both crazy awesome.
April to project life group: We miss you! Hope you are having a great summer!
April to Anne and Audra: Wish you were here-Everyone is asking about you!
Elli to Mom: Good luck mom in the Waunafest run! I love you.
Megan to Hanna: Hey lady, here is your shout out...hi.
Emily to Mary: Once upon a time a girl was tied to some tracks and a train was coming...but then a guy with Dr. Pepper showed up...
John to Jimmy: I have yet to see any flat tops here, I might just have to represent
Cbass and Tess to Mollie: Keeeep singin Bob! You're doing great Bob! lalalalayellow submarinelalalala
To Matt Tolly: We found your Romanian twin. His name is Andrei. He looks and acts exactly like you! Haha he also giggles when you tickle him...
Amy to Alyssa: Thanks for all the encouragement! I can't wait to talk to you when I get back! Yes, I completely agree about the GPS haha I'm not a fan of detours... :) LYLASFEAFRTEA!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Live from CRAIOVA it's MALACHI!!!!

Hey all yalls we have just eaten lupper (that is like brunch except lunch and supper) at a good Romanian restaurant and are back on the bus some Romania’s say an hour away some say 2 and ½ hours away so we will see. I want to thank you all for your posts to us it is very encouraging to us to hear form you. So far today we have seen the People’s Palace (largest building in Europe, built by former dictator Ceausescu during communist regime here - HUGE) and the fountains leading up to the palace and pretty much on the bus the rest of the time. Tonight we will be staying with our host families and we can’t wait, bit we're just getting to the church for time with Romanian students, worship, and dinner. So hope all is well with family and supporters and we will posting as much as we can. ;-) love you all

Malachi Braughler


SHOUT OUTS!!!!!!

Amy to Dad, Mom, Abby: Love you all!


Amy to Alyssa: Lylasfeafrtea! The big red pen is the no doubt the best. Love you!


Lief to GEOFF: how's Madison this time of year? This week you can actually creep the google doc from the UNDERGROUND again! :)


Nikki to Seth: Hope your talk went well! I’m sure you rocked it. :)


Kevin to my family—Dad, Mom, Madelyn, Ryan, Jacquey, Mitchell & Jenny: You are my favorite. Thank you for being awesome. Love you!


Julio & Alonso to Lulu & Martha: Our play date was fun. We should do it again sometime. we’ll buy dinner?


Ground Control to Major Tum: Take your protein pills and put your helmet on.


Eric to Leah: Go Indians! I’m learning Romanian already J Keep having fun in Cooperstown!


Elli Hutchinson: Mom, dad, family and friends I miss you guys so much. Love you all. P.s. Ian happy early golden birthday big brother!! Sorry I cant be there for it


Zack to the Fam—Hope you have a blast in the dells! Have lots of fun and ice cream for me!


Zack and John to Thomas (I guess). Hey bud. Hope the Bruthahood goes well tonight, but not too well, since Brett’s gonna be there.


John to Leah: Ayy! Hope you’re keepin it real, don’t watch too much svu without me and maybe you can catch up on some sleep!!


To the Pankratz fam: Hope everything’s going well! Miss you guys already. Love yah :)


Jenna-Family: Love you all thanks for the post tell Caneel to behave


Hunter- Hey Kenz! Thanks for being supportive of my trip. Make sure you tell dad, mom and the kids that I love and miss you all. All the Romanians say hi and that I’m very lucky to have a sista like you. See you in a couple weeks!


Emily to Dad- Thank you so so so much for the daily cards. Everyone thinks it’s the cutest thing and I love them! You are the BEST. I love you tonNEs (p.s. Lief didn’t understand our inside joke about that being metric)


Megan to Catie- Hope you had an amazing birthday! Tell Minnie I say “hi”! Love ya Catya – meganzo


Sheri to my Family: I wish you were here to experience this! It is fabulous. Love and miss you. J


Lief, Nikki, Mal to Tootles: BIG HUG delivered successfully. Time to brush your teeth, isn't it?

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Quick update before hitting the hay (and hard) - How GREAT is our God

Family and Friends -

I just wanted to send a quick note (since I was finally able to find some wifi) to let you know that we have safely arrived in Bucharest, the capitol of Romania. Thankfully our flights were mostly on time and we made it here in record time (leaving Blackhawk at 2pm Tuesday, arriving in Bucharest 18 hours later). British Airways was pretty good - most people got a bit of sleep overnight and the food was not half bad. We had some momentary turbulence on both segments, some that seemed pretty major - but it just added to the excitement of the trip. We also had a run between gates in London, and we were the last one's onto skyway as they closed the gate- prompting a rendition of "Hold that plane! It's okay - I'm a limo driver" (shameless Dumb and Dumber reference).

The only hiccup in our travel has been that of 23 personal bags and 15 team supply bags, only 5 bags did not make the connection in London. Unfortunately all 5 were personal bags (Eric, Larry, Taylor, Amy, and Cassidy)! However, even as I write to you, two leaders are en route to the airport to pick them up as they arrive on the evening flight from London. Everybody should have their bags when they wake up tomorrow. Speaking of what's happening now - the entire team (save myself and the two retrieving bags) is sound asleep in the dorm bunks at the Bible College. We arrived at the college at 6:30pm and walked a few blocks to a large mall complex to enjoy some very delicious and appreciated pizza (who thought the first food we'd eat in Romania would be PIZZA?! This is a youth ministry trip after all! At least it wasn't McD's right?). After that, Daniel Vieru (the youth pastor at our partner church) welcomed us and shared a little bit of his/our history and hopes for our trip and camp. We closed singing "How Great is Our God" - two languages, worshiping one God, together - a beautiful way to complete the long journey here. At 10pm - students went straight to bed - providing what I've decided was the quickest and quietest "lights out" experience I have ever seen. Yes - sleep is very much necessary tonight - and with that, I'll leave you all until tomorrow morning (hopefully a student post and a new batch of shout-outs!).

Thank God for his goodness and grace today - and thank you all for loving us so well! Noapte buna and love from Romania!

-Lief for the 2010 Bhawk Romania Team!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Day 1 from O'Hare Airport!

Hey it's Amy and Megan! Blogging to you from O'hare! We are waiting in the airport to go to London. We are really excited to leave and be in Romania!

Today was an eventful day! We met at Blackhawk to say goodbye to everyone and then got on the bus to drive to the airport. We watched Narnia (Chronic WHATcles of Narnia) and Amy introduced some 10 second dance parties! Also we had to make a side trip to Toys R Us, which was a fantastic detour. Our new mascot is Ricardo the one eyed Peruvian neon puppet lizard! He is amazing.

And of course, we already miss you all back home, but...WE ARE ALL SO EXCITED TO SEE EVERYONE AND FOR CAMP!!

Shoutouts!
Amy: I love you Abby!! I miss you already. Keep practicing the Eagle Song. Ah I should have given him an oreo.
Megan: Happy Birthday Eve Catie!
Love you Mom and Dad!
Shane, stay out of my room...
Lief: RAHoule!
Malachi: Franswa!
Jenna to Olan :)
Emily to Mary: Thank Georgia for me :) and thanks for your pretty blue skirt!
Hailey to the Creator of the Weaver
Hunter: Hi!
Cassidy: Mom, Dad, RIGSBY <3
Kati and Taylor: Noodles
Johnny: I love you Brett <3
Kevin: A shoutout to my supporters - financially and through prayer! Thank you!
Zack: Ditto Johnny's shoutout. I hope the pool was fun!
Sheri to my lovely fiance Bradley: I miss you A LOT. I love you always.
Eric to Joel, Paul and Mark: Thanks for hooking us up with sound equipment at the last minute.
Pat to Audra and Anne: Mow the lawn! :)
Nikki to Jimmy Johns: Why did you put Roast Beef on my veggie sub?!?!
Lief (again) to his beautiful wife: thanks for virtually packing my whole bag for me! What would I do without you?? Also - give a big hug & buttrub to Eli & Jack for me (they're dogs, people, come'on)!
Team Shoutout: To our supporters, families, friends and Blackhawk staff that gave us a lovely send away party! Thank you for your support and your prayers!

Monday, June 28, 2010

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