Ups and Downs

This past week has been one filled with ups and downs. I knew going into this that mission work wasn't going to be 100% dandy all the time, but I guess I didn't expect the "downs" so quick. The rush of being in a new place is gone and culture shock has hit pretty hard. I'm in a place that is completely different than everything I am used to. Thanks to an e-mail from the ever awesome Fr. Shawn, one of the friars at Franciscan, I was reminded that I must be patient with myself because I am in a new place and no one expects me to be fluent in Romanian or know every single thing about the culture here. I am a 22-year-old who was raised in a Cincinnati, Ohio now living in the countryside of Romania. It's COMPLETELY different.

This week, I spent so much time at the orphanage and it's been great. The kids are just so full of love. They are so funny. They always want me to stay and eat with them. So, I have stayed to eat dinner with them twice this past week. I have decided that next week, I am going to buy some soccer balls because the kids don't have any. I was shocked. We played soccer with a plastic wheel off a kids toy. That not only broke my heart, but also made me a little angry. People all over the world are so materialstic and that frustrates the crap out of me. They won't give up ONE Starbucks coffee to buy a soccer ball for kids who have to play soccer with a plastic wheel. These kids don't have shoes that fit correctly or are broken and play with empty shampoo bottles. Tell me that's fair. It's not. And that makes me SO angry. When I got back to my apartment on Thursday night, I cried because of it. But, what's so amazing about all this is that the kids still have so much joy. They get so excited when they see my car coming down the driveway. So, as frustrated as I get, when I see the smiles of the kids, I know why the Lord has called me back to Romania. There is a quote in the movie "Transsiberian" that says it all: "Is it not in the smiling face of a child that we find the true wonder of God's grace?"

I finding myself really missing the Roman rite of Catholicism. The nearest Roman Catholic church is pretty far away, so realistically, I can't get there without some serious strategic planning. I would do pretty much anything to go to Mass right now. The Byzantine rite is in full communion with the Holy See, so their Eucharist is the same as the Roman rite...if any of that makes any sense? I know what I mean, so that's all that matters. Hahaha. To put it simply, all of the Byzantine Sacraments are valid to the Roman rite of Catholicism. I am having a hard time with knowing really what is going on because I have only ever been to the Divine Liturgy in English once and it was a funeral that was when I was studying in Gaming, Austria. I have tried my best to do my research on the Liturgy, but because it's in Romanian, it makes it that much harder.

Yesterday, there was a party for George. He turned 2 :) Iulia's parents came in from Cluj-Napoca, which is about 4 hours from here. They brought a cake for George in the shape of a soccer ball and when he saw it, his face lit up and he started giggling. It was the cutest thing ever.Needless to say, it was a big party.

I know this post is all over the place, but hey. That's how things are right now.

Please keep praying for me. Your prayers are what's getting me through the hard times.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!