Shauna in Moldova

Fail Us Not, by 1000 Generations

2010-06-03T11:56:00.001-07:00

Lyrics:
Failure doesn’t phase You, worry doesn’t win,
Loss doesn’t leave You afraid to start again,
Our sin doesn’t shock You,
Our shame doesn’t shame You at all

Mistakes do not move You, terror doesn’t tame,
Death doesn’t doom You to life in the grave,
Our suffering doesn’t scare You,
Our secrets won’t surprise You at all

There is nothing above You,
There is nothing beyond You,
There is nothing that You can’t do…
There is no one beside You,
There is no one that’s like You,
There is nothing that You can’t do…

Whatever will come, we’ll rise above,
You fail us not, You fail us not,
No matter the war, our hope is secure,
You fail us not, You fail us not,
You fail us not…

Hatred doesn’t hide You, evil doesn’t ail,
Despair can’t disguise You and tell You that You’ve failed,
Our doubt doesn’t daunt You,
Our darkness won’t defeat You at all

You’re bigger than the battle,
You are bigger than the battle
You are bigger than the battle has ever been

most commonly used words in my last few posts

2010-02-26T18:03:00.000-08:00

I made this at Wordle.net

Chickens, Goats, and Raccoons OH MY!!!

2009-03-19T22:08:00.000-07:00

I am living in a great place. And I love and appreciate my landlords very much. We've often laughed about the situation that I find myself in. The family that I rent from owns various kinds of animals including chickens, bunnies, and a goat. (They did have a raccoon in the fall. That is a story in and of itself) I have never been around so many different kinds of animals. So, you can imagine the adjustment this has been for me.
I will share a story about the goat that happened recently. One day the family's goat, Billy was just hanging out around the outside of the garage like normal. I had a girlfriend come over for a visit/walk through the neighborhood. We began walking down the long driveway only to be followed by the goat. Then, the goat started to run towards us. I was somewhat alarmed. As we approached the road, he really picked up speed and excitement. I thought, he is so excited to have all this complete freedom. I was nervous that he would be hit by a car. I hoped he would turn around and go back towards the garage, however, he just kept following us like a pet dog down the street. He started bucking/raring up. I have no idea what this meant, but I was scared. I screamed and ran to cling to my friend. Just then, the kids came running out of the house and came to rein in the goat. Just in time. Then, we went for a nice walk through the neighborhood sans the goat.

Future Blogs:

2008-11-09T13:26:00.001-08:00

In the future look for: I still want to share some pics from my time in Romania. Also, I have a story about a raccoon that will bring a smile to your face, I'm sure.

Have a great week.

How 'Bout them Titans!!

2008-11-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

I really thought the Bears had them, but they did it again! They won! 9-0 Undefeated!!! That's awesome. I have so enjoyed watching this team win week after week! It's been fun. I hope they have continued success!!!

Who are you rooting for??

Chickens, Goats, Raccoons...Oh My!!

2008-10-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

My Life Right Now

2008-09-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that I have already been in Missouri three and half weeks. Today I am moving into my new place! I will be renting space in a basement. It is a nice place where I will have my own bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living area. I am excited about the place.

Teaching is going well. I've completed my first full 3 weeks of work. I am working hard each day to get the room more ready. I am compiling test scores and data. I am staying busy and learning new things each day. I think it will be hard, but very rewarding to help kids who struggle with reading and math.

I am definitely in a time of transition. It is a busy time. I feel very unsettled both personally and professionally. Like my last post mentioned, it does feel like chaos at times. There is a pretty incredible sense of peace at the same time. I do really believe that God has me here, in His timing and for His purposes. I am choosing to trust Him each day.

To be honest, some days I would rather be at home reading, watching tv,or sleeping. Wouldn't we all? I know that God has a divine purpose for my life each day. So, instead of staying in bed, I am choosing to face each day's responsibilities one day at a time. I am in a GROWING up season. I think I finally feel like an adult. I am realizing more and more each day(even more that I did when I was in Moldova) that I am solely responsible for every area of my life. I realize this isn't some hard concept. I just feel the weight of it on my shoulders all of the sudden. I know that God is really the one(not me) in control. I know that He will provide and take care of all my needs and finances. So, I choose to not worry(I mean I will be responsible, but not excessively worry.) about my rent, the food I will eat, my car, my clothes, my job, my bills etc. I know that God will be with be and grant me the wisdom to make good choices and live a life glorifying to Him.

Whatever You're Doing

2008-09-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

Here is a song that kind of explains what I feel about my life right now. I know that God is doing a lot of stuff, but it kind of just feels crazy to me. It's all part of God's plan, so I am trusting Him and surrendering daily.

Whatever You're Doing
by: Sanctus Real

It's time for healing time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
And all I can do is surrender

(Chorus)
Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something Heavenly

Time for a milestone
Time to begin again
Reevaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will
Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything I surrender...
To...

(Chorus)

Time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out
That I've wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but now I can see
This *is* something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly
Something Heavenly

It's time to face up
Clean this old house
Time *to* breathe in and let everything out

Back to the Blog, Back to Missouri

2008-09-02T15:09:00.001-07:00

Well, I have now been home for two months. WoW....how time has flown!
It is amazing to me how smooth my re-entry process has been. I haven't really struggled with being here instead of Moldova. The transition into life in the states has been smooth and God has ordained all my plans each day. I feel at peace that the decision to come home was directed by God and that His plan is for me to be stateside at this time. That being said, I did pray about whether the Lord would have me extend my assignment to another term in Moldova or elsewhere. I began praying about the next step during my time in Moldova and then continued praying once I returned to Memphis. There were many days where I was clueless as to what God was doing and where He was leading. People kept asking me, " What are your plans?" "What are you going to do now?" Until last Friday, I didn't have an answer.
Here's the most recent update on my life:
Last week, I received a call about a teaching job in MO. I received another call from the principal asking me for an interview. I travelled to MO for the interview. I was offered the job and I took the job. This is certainly the short version. I feel very much at peace about how God orchestrated the interview and everything that led up to me taking the job. I am so thankful for the prayers and advice from many friends. God is so faithful. SO, I am preparing to drive to Missouri TOMORROW. I will unpack and begin my teaching job this week! I will be teaching 5th and 6th graders. I know that there will be many challenges ahead, but I look forward to all the wonderful ways God will use things in my life to teach me more about Himself. I pray that God will be glorified in it all!

*I intend to continue to post updates and happenings in my life whether I'm in Memphis or Missouri! So, keep checking back for updates and maybe even pictures.
Thanks and God bless.

One Month in Memphis!

2008-08-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

Today marks one month of being home for me. I cannot believe it!

My to-do-list:
(Some of things I've done during my time home so far)
spend time with family
Hold my neice
Play with my neice
Love on my neice etc.
go shopping at Walmart no less than ten times
cook
get a library card
check out books on with that card
read those books
drive
take pictures
develop pics (there are still a lot)
scrapbooking
go to church and worship in English again :)
go out to eat
go to eye doctor
get new glasses and contacts :)
make a lot of phonecalls
hopefully talk to a lot of friends and catch up
watch t.v. (and too much of it)

This is obviously just a partial listing. There is lots more to be done.
I am taking things one day at a time and trying to make the most of it.
I am in a re-entry process. This means that I am trying to readjust to the culture that I left for eleven plus months. It is a great process.

I am looking forward to whatever God has next for me. I am not quite sure where He is leading just yet, but I promise to say so when I know.
One thing is for sure. You can bet that whether I'm in Moldova, Memphis, or Missouri, I'll be blogging about my life and the ordinary or extraordinary occurances.

God bless.

6 Random Things

2008-07-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged!
Good ole' Casey Chambers tagged me and now I must share some random things to the world!

Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Random things most people may not know about Shauna:

1. I had cosmetic eye surgery when I was 4. I'm so thankful. It was not surgery to correct my vision, but rather to make my right eye look like it should.

2. I don't like hotdogs/corndogs, sweet potatoes, or pumpkin pie.(People tell me I'm not American).

3. I once ran into a volleyball net in high school while running laps in P.E. It scared me and I fell to the ground. The whole class came over to check on me. Many were laughing. Some fell to the floor in laughter. I didn't really know what happened. It was all so quick and ridiculous. It was embarrassing to say the least. Needless to say, I don't have an athletic bone in my body.

4. In high school, I worked at a franchise restaurant called,New York Burrito and also at a car dealership. Fun times!!

5. I sat next to BIG Jack Johnson on my flight from Amsterdam to Memphis! It was interesting!!

6. In Moldova, I fell off the curb into the road- hitting the pavement face-first. Luckily, I was fine and there wasn't a car coming!! There were however, lots of laughs from myself and my friends who witnessed the fall. I'm not very graceful!!

Well, I hope you enjoyed these random facts.

Hmmm..... now to tag some others:

Liz

Patty

Elsbeth

Sara

Justin

Joni

Air Conditioning!!!

2008-07-18T13:37:00.000-07:00

No pictures yet. I am still trying to figure out my pictures/computer. I think I need to get a flashdrive or just upload them on someone else's computer.

So, those of us with air conditioning are blessed. I remember sitting in my hot apartment in Moldova, riding the hot trolley around town, and walking during the hot summer weather. It is these times of remembrance that I am also reminded to be thankful for the air conditioning that not everyone has.

While I am thankful, I am so COLD. I am freezing at home,in the stores, at restaurants, and in the car! I am constantly asking if I can turn off the AC. I guess I am just not used to it. Since others around me appreciate the AC, I have now trained myself to wear a jacket, pants, sweater, or carry a blanket. Whatever it takes!!

I can even sleep through the night without the AC. I even amaze myself. It can be done.

Be thankful. Be blessed. Until next time, Thanks for reading!
Shauna

In Memphis!!!

2008-07-11T14:02:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Memphis on Monday, July 7th. It was so good to see my parents, aunt, and cousin at the airport. My cousin handed me a box of fudge rounds. OH..I WAS SO EXCITED. SO, I ate a fudge round on the way home. For my first dinner at home, I had a greasy cheeseburger, sweet heat chips, and large coke from Top's BBQ in Memphis. It was so good!!

I am enjoying time with my family, especially my niece, Montanah. I have been to Walmart a couple of times now. It wasn't as weird as I thought it would be. It seems really empty. I wonder where all the people are!!! I started a new workout routine this week. I am also cooking for mom and I. I have also been driving! It had been 11 months since I had been to Walmart or driven a car.

Last week was spent in Romania with a missions team from my home church. We had a wonderful time in Romania. I hope to tell stories and post pictures soon.

Anyways, It is good to be home!

Stay tuned for pictures.

Last Day in Moldova

2008-06-29T23:24:00.000-07:00

My students and I at my goodbye lunch on Saturday. Aren't they cute?

I have no days left in Moldova! It seems like just yesterday that I was typing that from my home in Memphis about leaving for Moldova. Now I am packing and saying my last goodbyes. Wow. Does time fly or what??

I leave on an early morning flight tomorrow for Bucharest. (I forgot to mention in an earlier post that I opted(or was persuaded by my colleagues) to take a flight out of Chisinau, instead of the train ride. The flight is only a little over an hour, so it should be easy.

God has been so faithful to bless my time here in Moldova in unexpected ways. I am so blessed to have been afforded this opportunity to live and work in another country. My life no doubt has been changed forever. How will I ever forget all the faces, sights, sounds, and smells?? I won't. I will carry this time in Moldova with me for life. I will always have fond memories of the Moldovan friends I made, the culture experiences I tried to embrace, and the students that made it all worthwhile.

I won't miss: the crowded mini-buses, the heat (no air conditioning), or the men wearing speedos as they sunbath at the park.

However, I will miss: all of my friends, students, and co-workers, all the great food, the cheap icecream and candy, my times in worship with the Moldovan body of Christ, the walking, the easy and cheap public transportation system, and so much more!!

Thank you for reading this blog and supporting me during my time in Moldova.

What's next when I return to Memphis?
I am not sure. I am praying and looking into several opportunities. At this time I am not worried about, but rather I trust God's plans.

Will I continue this blog? I hope so. I think I will turn this into a 'Life After Moldova blog'. Still thinking that through.

God bless,
Shauna

p.s. Next time I blog, I will be stateside. Woo Hoo!

The Last 48 hours & In Less Than 9 days

2008-06-28T23:10:00.000-07:00

I have less than 48 hours left in Moldova. On Tues. morning I will fly from Chisinau to Bucharest. I will spend almost a week in Romania before I fly out.
In less than 9 days I will be at my home in Memphis, TN!

I would appreciate your prayers as I say my last goodbyes and do my final packing. Please pray also for peace and calm as I travel.

Thank you!

Blessings,

Shauna

Saying Goodbye

2008-06-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

I'm in the process of saying goodbye to all my friends here in Moldova.

It's hard. It's emotional. It's bittersweet. It's necessary.

I try to say proper goodbyes filled with warm thoughts, thankfulness, and well wishes, but each time, I am brought to tears.

I didn't realize how emotional the closure process would be. I think that I will continue to cry as I pack and say my goodbyes. I am not afraid of the tears though. I just wish that I was able to hold them back long enough to have a conversation. I don't get to say all that I want to say because my emotions won't let me. Hopefully, my friends understand and can sense what I am trying to say.

Today I cried while having a debriefing meeting with my mentor missionaries. We decided that I should just send them an email to tell them exactly what I want to say. The conversation with all the words I want to say is just not going to happen in person.

I started to cry while telling my landlords goodbye. My landlady, Nina did cry. It was a sad goodbye. They have been like parents to me here. They have made my apartment such a comfortable place; a place that feels like home.

I have learned so much, grown so much, experienced so much, and changed a lot here. My life the past 11 months has been here!!

This is tough stuff. I would appreciate your prayers very much.

On a lighter note,
today one of my friends was telling me goodbye and she said, "Loneliness kills." She was saying all these beautiful and encouraging words to me. She was telling me what she hopes for my future. And she said, " I hope you get married. Because loneliness kills." I have never heard it said quite like that before.

Then, I met another friend in a park to say goodbye. We walked down(not bad) and back up(the hard part) a lot of stairs. I mentioned that I would be out of breath by the time we reached the top of the stairs. My friend who is really thin and in shape said, " This is easy for me. I do this all the time. I walk everyday."
I'll be the first to admit that I am out of shape.
After some time I said, " Wow. I am out of breath. This is hard. My friend kid you not said, " This is no problem for me. You see, if I were round it would be hard for me, but it is not hard for me. HaHa. Thanks a lot. :)

Turkey pics

2008-06-26T01:01:00.000-07:00

Turkey is beautiful!! I loved feeling the sand between my toes, looking out at the water, seeing the palm trees, and drinking cool, refreshing,fruit drinks. I didn't get off the resort premises, so I don't know what the rest of Turkey looks like! haha. I didn't swim, but I enjoyed reading and relaxing under the umbrellas! By the way, IT WAS SO HOTT!!Here are a few pics from the week.

Palm Tree
More Palm Tree
Me in Turkey! I was blinded by the light of the sun...
Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
More Mediterranean Sea

My Feet in the Sand...feels nice
Road Crossing: Be careful for turtles and squirrels
Palm Trees in Turkey (The view from the outdoor dining hall)

Updates!!!

2008-06-24T23:00:00.000-07:00

I'm back from Turkey. I don't even know that I mentioned I was gone, but now I am back. I left June 17th and returned on the 24th. I was at an All-Eurasia retreat with fellow workers from the same organization. It was an incredible time for relaxing and meeting new people. The Mediterranean Sea is beautiful! I loved all the preaching, teaching, and worship in English. I'm glad that I had the opportunity and means to go. I am blessed.

I leave Moldova for Romania on Sunday. I will miss many wonderful people and living life in Moldova for sure. It is a bittersweet time. I am sad.

On Sunday I am taking a train to Romania to meet a team of people from my hometown/church. In Romania we will work with children. I look forward to whatever doors the Lord opens there. I am anticipating.

My dad is not coming to Moldova. My parents decided that it would be the best use of time and money for my dad to continuing working, fix my car, and clean/prepare the house/room for my return. I can't wait to see them. I love them deeply. I am thankful.

I will return home to Memphis on July 7th. When I return home, it will have been 3 weeks shy from a year being in Moldova.I am excited to see family and friends. I am estatic, but nervous.

I am busy packing, visiting with friends, and trying to get everything done by Sunday. Pray for me. I am stressed.

I will try and upload a few pictures from Turkey ASAP.

Thanks for reading and praying! Be blessed.

Shauna

(Bump) Special Prayer Request (Edited)

2008-06-15T13:31:00.000-07:00

Special Prayer Request

Hello Dear friends!

I just wanted to mention here on my blog this simple prayer request:

I am planning to go to Romania and join a group from my home church before heading home in July. In Romania, we will work with children. I am looking forward to whatever the Lord has in store for each person on this missions trip and for the kids that we will meet and minister to. Sometime back(last summer/fall) my dad heard about this trip and wanted to be a part of it. He has been in prayer about it.

Well, when I heard about the trip, I wanted my dad to be a part of it as well. BUT, I also thought that it would be really sad for him to come all the way to Romania and not make it to Moldova(Moldovan and Romania are neighboring countries) to spend a couple of days with me. (Maybe I am selfish.:))

Then, a couple of months ago, he mentioned to me that he would like to come to Moldova to help me pack up, see Moldova, and travel with me to Romania in addition to joining the missions team in Romania.

Now, the time has come for him to purchase his ticket and he has struggled some to get all the finances together for this flight and other trip costs.

My dad and I both trust that if this is indeed God's will that He will provide all the resources and finances. So, we are waiting and trusting. We only want what God wants in this matter.

Please join us in prayer that we would be obedient and content with whatever the Lord wants concerning this circumstance and that we would have joy regardless of the outcome. Please pray that God would grant my father wisdom in figuring out what the available resources are.

Thank you for praying.

**Edited: My dad is planning to finalize his plans this week either way(to come to Moldova/Romania or not). If my dad comes to Moldova he would most likely need to fly in on June 26th, so it is critical that he purchase the tickets ASAP. Please continue to pray that the Lord grants wisdom and finances as necessary. God is in control.

Shauna

Last Day of School

2008-06-14T05:26:00.000-07:00

We finished our school work on the first Friday of June. We didn't have our official last day of school until the following Friday though. On this last day, we exchanged gifts and I gave the girls certificates and notes. My Dutch friend, Alida came over with her students(also missionary kids)to teach my students and I about Holland. We learned many interesting things including information about: the royal family, the money, the national anthem, and so much more. It was so much fun! The girls wanted to play a soccer game: Holland vs. U.S. It worked out great because there are 3 American girls and 3 Dutch girls. They had fun,but Holland won!
Here are some pictures from our fun day:

Dina showing us what the Euro from Holland looks like.
Team Dutch singing their anthem
Team U.S. singing the anthem. I am smiling because we did a really rough job hitting the notes and remembering all the words.

Noa guarding the goal
Me with Natalie after I gave the certificates
Elissa and I
Lauren and I
Alida, Noa, Dina, and Jada singing the national anthem. I think.
Jada is singing

Sorry it took me a long time to post these pictures.

Dinner with Landlords

2008-06-11T12:32:00.000-07:00

Last week my roommates and I had dinner with our landlords, Constantin and Nina. They are so much fun. During dinner we discussed how they met each other, what Constantin does for a living(He's an actor among other things), and things we can do to better our health. The conversation was all in Romanian and Russian with Sara translating most of it into English for Jessie and I.

We had spaghetti with sauce and meatballs, salad, and garlic bread. It was tasty. I think the sauce was a little too spicy for Nina's liking though. :)

I am so thankful and blessed to know these two. They are so encouraging, helpful, and sweet. I get the feeling that they actually care for us and about us. Nina has baked me a homemade treat before while Constantin has fixed numerous things around the apartment. They have been so patient with me while I struggle to speak with them in Romanian.

They have a daughter in college about our age. I think they treat us like we are their daughters. I am so very appreciative!

I am especially thankful that Constantin rescued me out of the bathroom last week. Did you miss that post? See the post for June 5th.

Unhappiest Place on Earth

2008-06-11T12:14:00.000-07:00

Over the last months, I've heard/read that Moldova is the unhappiest place on earth. According to the World Values Survey and Eric Weiner's new book:Geography of Bliss,Moldova is the unhappiest place on earth.(Just google it!) ( I tried to link both of these to a website, but failed. If you know how, leave me a comment.)In the articles I read about this, the main reasons listed for Moldova being the unhappiest place on earth are: the people are poor and miserable.

The reality of this is sad. I see the poverty and sadness all around me. I'm sure there are many practical and necessary things that would improve the life quality/happiness of the people i.e. clean water for all people, money, jobs, etc.. I am not an expert on social/economic issues though, so I will leave that discussion to someone else.

What I do know is that I have hope for these people in Moldova. This hope is found in Jesus Christ and Him alone. I hope and pray that more and more people would come to the knowledge of Saving Grace.

Roommates!

2008-06-10T06:08:00.000-07:00

My roommates, Sara,Jessie and I went out with to eat the other night with some other Americans we met here. After dinner we stopped to take some photo opportunities next to an old Jewish synagogue. You can see the remains in the background. Here are the fun pictures!

Jessie, Me, and Sara

Facing Fear

2008-06-09T13:43:00.000-07:00

I am not a fan of ice skating. I have never really enjoyed regular skating and I am just not good at it. Some people, like myself who can barely walk a straight line, should not do things that require ability, agility, balance. etc. Not only do I dislike skating, but I am fearful of it. I am always afraid of falling.

My colleagues and students are fans. They have encouraged me to join them each time they have gone ice skating. Each time, I could easily come up with an excuse.
For my birthday, I invited several of my colleagues,friends, and my students to witness me facing one of my fears: ice skating. I still dislike it, but I can say that I tried it one more time.

Here are some of the pictures from the day.

A Little Help
The knee pads are just for fun..and "just in case"

moral support

holding on....and still holding on

A Meeting with God In the Bathroom

2008-06-05T01:43:00.000-07:00

Notes about the picture: The top center is the window(where the green is). The door handle is on the far right.

This will be a LONG,but funny blog, so I give you permission to LAUGH during this story whenever you feel like it!

I slept in today because I can. I have finished my home schooling responsibilities with the Raatz family.( As of Tuesday, June 3rd)Yay! We are all excited to be finished!

The first thing I did when I did woke up: Went to the bathroom.

Last words I heard before going into the bathroom(approx. 5 minutes before as my roommate was leaving the apartment):
My roommate: "Shauna, are you asleep?"
Me: "Yeah, what?"
My roommate:" If Domnul Constantin(Mr. Constantin, our landlord) comes today, will you show him the bathroom door handle?"
Me: "Yeah..."

Background information you need to know:

A week or so ago(maybe longer), we started noticing that the bathroom door handle was REALLY loose and it was getting hard to close and open the door. I nonchalantly mentioned to my roommate(without too much afterthought....will become obvious later),"I sure hope no one gets STUCK in the bathroom!"

We had just had dinner last night with our landlords, Constantin and Nina(who speak NO English. We communicate with them in Russian and Romanian). We had discussed a light that needs to be fixed and a fridge that needs to be moved. We forgot about mentioning the door handle. So, anyways, Constantin said that he might come today or sometime later. We weren't sure. Constantin and Nina are wonderful people and great landlords. We knew that Constantin would take care of the problem, we just had to make him aware of it first.

We have 2 bathrooms separate from each other. One has a toilet and sink. The other has the shower and sink. In this post, when I mention bathroom, I am referring to the bathroom with the toilet.

Now, that you have all the background information....

After dinner last night, my roommate and I discussed the door handle and how we had forgotten to mention it....

DO YOU SEE WHERE THIS STORY IS GOING??

Back to me going to the bathroom...

So, I don't know about you, but I don't usually take anything into the bathroom with me. So, I am in the bathroom and I shut the door and lock it. Everything normal so far. (I guess it wasn't necessary to lock it because my roommates were both out of the apartment. I was ALONE. BUT, I think it is good practice to shut and lock bathroom doors!)

So, I go to the bathroom, wash my hands, and grab the door handle which...ARE YOU READY FOR THIS??
falls
off
and
into
my
hands!(along with all nails and apparent parts...)
Oh boy....What do I do? First, I fiddle(is that a word?) with the pieces left in the door...nothing. Then, I start to grab anything that is removable from the door. The nail that holds the towel, well, I pulled that out. Then, I went for the hinges. Nothing. Then, I realized...I AM STUCK. I opened the window. Thank God for ventilation. Then, I looked at the door. OH NO! I decided I would just try to hit the door as hard as possible. I hit the part of the door where the handle had been as hard as I could. What happened you ask? The handle on the other side of the door fell off! OH yeah...I'm really working my way out of it. Yeah right?!? Then, I just beat on the door with both hands out of FRUSTRATION and ANGER.

Realizing that I was so obviously stuck without a clue how to help myself, I fell to the floor in a sitting position. I cried out to God. "God, please help me!!" I had teary eyes, but no real tears. I couldn't believe this was happening to me. My comfort at that moment was that God was(and is) in control(even though I didn't understand or see the solution), I had a toilet in case I needed it(which, since I had just used it probably wouldn't be the case especially since I hadn't had my morning water, cappuccino...etc!) ,and if I became so parched, I could drink from the sink. I was also most thankful for the open window! What I was a little worried about was the fact that I was unsure when my roommates would be home and I could be stuck for hours. I had also read a story online before about a man who was stuck in the bathroom for a couple of days! Yikes.

I do believe that God heard my cry for help. I stood on top of the toilet to lift my head out of the window(BTW we live on the 2nd floor) which had bars on it. The bars made for a nice grip while my feet tried to remained balanced on the toilet. I looked around outside and I didn't see anyone that I knew. I heard a voice from downstairs so I waited. Then, I saw him. The son of the friendly neighbor, Gheorghe. He was on his cell phone, but I didn't care. I am desperate. Also, I knew that this son, Michael(who is probably 20 and speaks English pretty well), I later learned and I had briefly met once before when he started speaking to me in ENGLISH. Oh praise God. So, I started calling out to him, "Hello!?!" (Just like the damsel in distress, you know?) I told him the gist of the story that you've just read. All in English...Oh I am so thankful. How would I ever explain on this in Romanian? I have no idea.

At first, he was like,"Aren't your friends home?" Um, hello!!...if my friends were home, I wouldn't be standing on a toilet and leaning of a window to tell you my problems. No, my friends aren't home and I don't know when they will be home!

Then, he became really helpful and started asking smart questions. He started to understand my dilemma more. He did think my story was really funny and he had to share it with others in the home and those passing by. Thank you very much.
It took him a while to understand that I was really stuck. I picked up the broken handle and showed him that there was no turning the knob. I think he understood more clearly when he saw the broken handle. I asked him to call my landlord Constantin. Neither Gheorghe nor Michael had the number. I thought it was worth the try. Once before when I lost electricity in my apartment, Constantin had called Gheorghe and sent him up to check on me. So, I thought, maybe the two were friends. Well, they couldn't find any numbers for Constantin. I do feel like they dialed a lot of numbers though. Gheorghe and Michael suggested that I kick the door out. "Like in Mortal Kombat," Michael added. I asked him to show me what that looked like. He did some moves.Priceless. Before trying out my karate moves, I asked Michael if there was a phone book with Moldovan residents listed. There is. Great! I suggested that they search for Constantin number there. THEY FOUND IT. Oh praise Jesus.

If he couldn't reach Constantin, Michael told me that he was just climb up. Okay. Maybe that will work. There are bars on my window here, but however you think you can help. I am open to suggestions here.

If I had been outside of the bathroom, I would have all the important numbers listed for my landlords, my roommates, my colleagues etc. All in my cell phone. I don't know any of them by heart.

Back to the LONG story. So, Michael contacted Constantin and he would be on his way to my apartment and probably reach my apartment in a half hour or so. I was thankful for the time frame. I asked Michael what time it was. At this time, I had already been in the bathroom for an hour..at least.

While I waited for Constantin, I PRAYED. I think God wanted my complete attention. Well, he had it. I was talking to him about life and praying for many friends and family members(maybe you). I sang some songs. All in all it was a great meeting with God. I had cried out to Him for help and help was on the way! So thankful...

I also thought about these things: 1)This story is going to be a great blog post. 2)People that know and love me are going to find this hilarious. 3) Bathrooms are really dirty places(Even though I had just cleaned our bathroom 24 hours prior) and 4)I really need to repaint my toenails.

Then, I hear my name being called from outside. Michael asked me, "Are you lonely?"
I said, "Well, I am here in the bathroom alone and I'm praying to God." He said, "Very good!" He decided that he would stand there and talk to me, because if he were in a similar situation, he would want me to talk to him. So, he started asking about what I did in Moldova and how I felt about Moldova. I was thankful for the conversation because it took my mind off of my current situation. Then, he called Constantin one more time. I was assured that Constantin would be at my apartment within 15 minutes. Michael had to leave to go swimming. I thanked him for all his help and we said goodbye.

More waiting....Thank you, God for teaching me patience. More prayers. More singing. Then, I heard a beautiful sound. Keys turning in the door. CONSTANTIN! I hear his voice and I can see him approaching the door.(There is now an open hole from where both handles have fallen off either side of the door). He is laughing. He says in Romanian, "Oh, this isn't a big problem. Small problem." Music to my ears. He has a tool that he is turning. I am getting super excited! Then, FREEDOM!! The door is open. Oh praise You, Lord. I am free. You provided help for me. Thank you.

I have never been so excited to see Constantin...I patted him on the shoulder and said, "Thank you very much!" He is looking over the broken parts and surveying things. He says, "These are not good. " I laugh as I say, "I know!" He then moves to put the toilet seat back on correctly. It slid off while I was standing on the toilet. As he is working, he says," Girls, Girls....they need boys!" I couldn't help, but agree with him more.

Sorry this story is so long, but it is truly helping me put the hour and a half I spent in the bathroom in perspective. I'm thankful that God grabbed my attention and then showed Himself faithful. I am. But next time, God, "If I have to get stuck somewhere, can I please get stuck in the kitchen?"

Got Allergies?

2008-06-01T07:04:00.001-07:00

No, this isn't snow on the ground in May. It's the stuff from Cottonwood trees. Oh yay. Two and three weeks ago, my head hurt SO bad. All I wanted to do was lie down. I went to the ear, nose, and throat doctor because I thought maybe I had an ear infection. No ear infection. Then, I went to the dentist to see if any more wisdom teeth had come in. No more wisdom teeth(for now). The dentist said, " It's outside. The weather and the stuff outside." Okay, I guess I believe him. Sights like this picture just outside my apartment make me believe him. Thankfully, my head is much better now, BUT the ground still looks snow-covered.

June 1st

2008-06-01T06:21:00.000-07:00

The t-shirt reads: God Loves Families. (The guys in the background are in a youth group that I frequently enjoy here).

My friend Natasha(who paints BEAUTIFUL cards) and I enjoying the festivities. Yes, I know....I NEED SUNGLASSES! You can't see my eyes for my squinting. :)

Today, June 1st, marks 10 months for me in Moldova!! Woo-hoo! (I have less than one month left in Moldova. That is so hard to believe!)

It is also my dear friend, Casey's birthday! Happy birthday Casey! I hope you have a wonderful day.

Today many countries around the world will celebrate International Children's Day. Moldova is celebrating today. I just returned from the center of the city. There were TONS of people, lots of balloons, music, and free ice cream(which I especially enjoyed). It was fun to see people from the various churches that I've visited, other missionaries, and friends.

There were many organizations represented today at the celebration. The evangelical churches were well represented. Many churches passed out flags that read: God loves families.

To mark my 10 month here, I'll share a quick story to let you know just how far I've come with dealing with the cultural differences.

As I was waiting for the trolley bus, it began to rain some. It was a light sprinkle and one that caught me unaware as it was an absolutely beautiful day. I knew that the trolley buses would fill up fast as people tried to get out of the rain. After skipping out on the first two buses that I could have jumped on(they were FULL), I got tired of waiting and just got on the third bus despite how full it was. Man, was it full! It wasn't even 80 degrees today, but in those buses it is HOT. Well, it was the typical crowded bus. I will spare you all the details, but let's just say I have never been so thankful for clothes in all my life. Just when my sweaty arm couldn't stand to grip the overhead bar(I'm so short) any longer, the bus approached my stop. I squeezed my way through the people and got off. Fresh air!!

Back in the beginning of my public transportation experiences here, I would have been stressed out by the lack of public space! Thank the Lord that I have adjusted to many things here. It has made my time here much easier!

God bless you, friends,
Shauna

p.s. I am not looking forward to riding the public transportation as the temperatures increase. Lord, help me endure the heat!.

Leftovers

2008-05-31T11:43:00.001-07:00

I grew up eating leftovers. I don't have a problem eating leftovers. I actually enjoy it. I have a problem with NOT eating leftovers. My thought is: Why be wasteful?? (Especially when you have a mother who can cook!)

I usually don't eat other people's leftovers. In general, I wouldn't just go over to a friend's house and ask for their leftovers. On occasion I have stayed at someone's house and they offered leftovers. AND I'm thankful.

BUT I certainly wouldn't eat leftovers from complete strangers. The point I am getting to is this: The other day I saw someone eating leftovers. Except this individual, a Moldovan man,wasn't eating from a friend's table. He was eating straight out of the garbage dump.

It makes me so sad that people are so hungry that they will eat the leftovers and scraps that others have thrown out with the garbage. Yet, this is often the case. The other day wasn't the first time I saw someone eating from the trash. I see it often here. For this reason, if I have food that is leftover or stale, I will put it out on top of the trash lid so that someone searching for food can grab it.

BUT people aren't just searching for food to relieve their physical hunger pains, I believe people are thirsty and hungry for life. For salvation. I pray that they will know God and his everlasting life through His Son Jesus who is the Bread of Life. I pray that they would come to know Jesus, the very one who is the living water. Jesus says in John 4:14, "But whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty. The water I give will become a spring of water gushing up inside that person, giving eternal life."

Clothing Styles

2008-05-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note today to share about some of the clothing styles I get to witness living in Moldova. Although, I am sure these same trends are common in a lot of other places. These are the ones that are most interesting to me. Sorry there are no pictures. I think that would just be highly inappropriate for this blog.

Some of the styles that I see here on a daily basis:

Women:
see-thru shirts

really short shirts, shorts, skirts etc.

low-cut shirts

the long shirt with the leggings

and many others...

Men:

short shorts

the biggest thing I have noticed lately....man capris! I am told these are called 'ports'. These are the p(ants)(sh)orts that come to about calf-length on men. No offense, but I don't like them.

AND...last, but not least....my favorite(NOT!): spandex!! Yes, you read that right. Men at the public park swim/sunbath in spandex!....Oh, gross!!

Have a super weekend...and if the weather is nice and you take a stroll through the park, I hope you don't have to witness any spandex!!:)

More Birthday Pictures

2008-05-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

I think I am listening intently as my friends sing "Happy Birthday" in five different languages: English, Romanian, Russian, German, and Dutch!

Friends Singing...it was really special!

I think I am clapping somewhere in the middle of all the singing or maybe I'm getting ready to thank all my friends. They are all so sweet and kind.

I blew out all but two of the candles(24!) and made a wish!

Another's Perspective

2008-05-28T11:52:00.000-07:00

*With the permission of my roommate, I am copying and pasting a post from her blog. She put into words what I have thought about for a long time and had not been able to put into words quite yet. I wanted to share her thoughts with you.*

The Moldovan People

Often when I am out on the public transportation, or walking to the market, I find myself with a straight face and furrowed brow. It is not because I feel unwell, or the culture shock has so permeated my body that I simply cannot manage a smile. It is not even because of how awkward I feel about the way many people are dressed. It is simply because everyone else is serious too. The Moldovans do not smile at strangers. They always seem so serious and even angry. There are often arguments on the mini-buses when the driver yells at someone for slamming the door. And the cashier at the grocery store always seems put out by having to make change. I've decided that people aren't like this because they hate each other, it is because they hate life. It is a hard and almost hopeless existence in Moldova. Prices go up and up, but incomes do not seem to change. Oil, food, and clothing are all close to European prices, and trying to give your family their basic needs is more and more challenging. The concerns of life show on their faces.

And if this was all I knew of the Moldovan people, these scowls and this hopelessness, I may feel very discouraged indeed. But the people here are truly loving and kind. They are the kind of people who greet their friends with such joy and excitement that it seems as though they have not seem them for a year. I have seen my community gather around in the courtyard and try to help me find the place to pick up my package. I have heard of men closing their shops to help a nice American girl find an adapter in the market. My landlord greeted me on the street with such enthusiasm: two kisses to the cheeks, and with pride introduced me to his friend. The women selling produce always have a kind word about how my Romanian is improving. These people love each other and there is a place in their hearts and in their lives for me. My hope is that when I get to inhabit that place, I get to bring the hope and joy of Jesus Christ with me.

Visit her blog at: www.saratady.blogspot.com

Special Prayer Request

2008-05-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

~My Dad~
On his birthday last year...

Hello Dear friends!

I just wanted to mention here on my blog this simple prayer request:

I am planning to go to Romania and join a group from my home church before heading home in July. In Romania, we will work with children. I am looking forward to whatever the Lord has in store for each person on this missions trip and for the kids that we will meet and minister to. Sometime back(last summer/fall) my dad heard about this trip and wanted to be a part of it. He has been in prayer about it.

Well, when I heard about the trip, I wanted my dad to be a part of it as well. BUT, I also thought that it would be really sad for him to come all the way to Romania and not make it to Moldova(Moldovan and Romania are neighboring countries) to spend a couple of days with me. (Maybe I am selfish.:))

Then, a couple of months ago, he mentioned to me that he would like to come to Moldova to help me pack up, see Moldova, and travel with me to Romania in addition to joining the missions team in Romania.

Now, the time has come for him to purchase his ticket and he has struggled some to get all the finances together for this flight and other trip costs.

My dad and I both trust that if this is indeed God's will that He will provide all the resources and finances. So, we are waiting and trusting. We only want what God wants in this matter.

Please join us in prayer that we would be obedient and content with whatever the Lord wants concerning this circumstance and that we would have joy regardless of the outcome. Please pray that God would grant my father wisdom in figuring out what the available resources are.

Thank you for praying.

Shoe Shopping

2008-05-25T12:02:00.001-07:00

Today I went shoe shopping. It was a little hard...Ok, a lot hard! What am I saying? I have a hard time shopping for shoes in America. There are just so many shoes to choose from. Well, there are many shoes here, too. They are just DiFfErEnt!

My friend's shoes

more shoes...

I really wish that I had pictures of random shoes that I see around the city when I am out and about. There are all kinds of sylin' shoes. Most of them I would never wear. There are shoes of all colors, designs, patterns etc.

I don't think that shoes are worn for comfort here, but rather for fashion. There are lots of fancy shoes here. I am in the process of trying to find comfortable, inexpensive sandals of some sort. (I brought American flip-flops and other shoes that don't stay on my feet well from America. I had not anticipated the amount of walking I would do here. I also did not give any thought to the fact that because I drive or ride to most places in America, that I don't pay attention to how well my shoes stay on my feet.) So, needless to say, my American summer sandals/shoes will most likely not work here. These new shoes that I am searching for should be made for a lot of walking. I know that I will be home soon, but I want to wear them when I go to the retreat in Turkey next month. Today I found some for a good price, but I couldn't find the right size. It was fun looking though. So, just be warned that I may come home with some shoes that you have never seen before! Wish me better luck next time I go shoe shopping.

Day by Day

2008-05-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

I heard this song, Day by Day by Point of Grace the other day while I was riding the minibus to work. It is not an incredible thing to hear songs in English on the bus. I hear songs in English on the bus quite frequently. It was incredible however to hear a Christian song in English on the radio. As I listened to the words I thought about several things.

First of all, I wondered, "Does anyone understand the words of this song on the bus besides me?"

Secondly, I pondered the fact that God IS returning soon. We are getting closer...Day by Day. The song reminded me to focus on God as each day brings us closer to His return. The song put life in perspective for me again. I love it when God uses such simple ways to wake me up! After looking up the lyrics online and reading them, I have a few more thoughts.

I see several similiarities with the lyrics and my time here in Moldova. The song talks about a mission, world travel, and being open to what God wants. That's me. I just want to be used my God in whatever small(or big)way He chooses.

Lastly, I just really want to see Moldovan faces(any faces that don't know Christ, really) to be turned to the LIGHT so that they too may fall on their faces at His glory.

Here are the lyrics:
I'm not unhappy but I'd take the train today
If you'd let me
If you'd let me
They may be clapping for me but I wait for you to come get me
Come, come get me

Cause day by day you're coming closer
Making our way clearer and straighter
Turning our faces into the light
And I can't wait to fall at your glory
On my face down in the morning
You're coming closer
Day by day

Somebody told me I could travel the world
To find beauty
To find beauty
But to behold it I would have to keep it within me
Yeah well it's in me

Cause day by day you're coming closer
Making our way clearer and straighter
Turning our faces into the light
And I can't wait to fall at your glory
On my face down in the morning
You're coming closer
Day by day

Give me a mission if I've still got the time
Cause I'm open
Yeah I'm open
Be my vision and I'll be your delight
Cause I'm going wherever you're going

Turning faces into the light
And I can't wait to fall at your glory
On my face down in the morning
You're coming closer
Day by day

Cause day by day you're coming closer
Making our way clearer and straighter
Turning our faces into the light
And I can't wait to fall at your glory
On my face down in the morning
You're coming closer
Day by day

Cause day by day you're coming closer
Making our way clearer and straighter
Turning our faces into the light
And I can't wait to fall at your glory
On my face down in the morning
You're coming closer
Day by day

A Full Heart

2008-05-18T14:14:00.000-07:00

(I don't know why these pictures are showing up so poorly.) Here are the names of my friends. L to R: Irina, Julia, Olga, Nina, Me, Rodyca, Nelly, Nadia, Heather, Mariana, Ina, and Vica. Not pictured, but also at the party: Alida, Aliona, Ana, and Sara ...and Jessie is the bottom one, but not the top one.

I am writing this blog with a heart full of JOY.

A heart full of THANKFULNESS.

A blessed heart.

Ziua mea de nastere este pe 16 mai. (My birthday is the 16th of May in Romanian).It was so special to celebrate MY DAY in Moldova. I had a wonderful time celebrating with both Moldovan and American friends. This is the run-down of my day:
Friday morning Nancy backed chocolate muffins. Yummy. I had a short day of school with the girls. Friday afternoon I ate chili with my roommates. My roommates and I cleaned the apartment and prepared for the party.
Friday evening I had 16 girlfriends come over for pizza, snacks, cake, and ice cream. When it was time for cake they sang happy birthday to me. It was so fun because it was sung in 5 different languages: English, Romanian, Russian, Dutch, and German. Have you ever heard of such a thing? It was really fun. We had such a nice time of fellowship. I really wanted to share cake and ice cream with all the friends I have made over the last year. I have been so blessed to be a part of the lives of these special girls and young woman. They have poured so much into my life, helped me in very practical ways, encouraged me, and they have spoken wisdom into my life. I am blessed to call each of them friend.

I was blown away by their thoughtfulness on my birthday. They presented me with gifts, prayed over me, encouraged me with lots of beautiful words, and there were lots of hugs and kisses. Thank you, Lord for the blessing that each one of these women are in my life. My life is richer for having these women in it.

I am blessed.

I am thankful.

My heart is full of joy.

El Paso with the McClungs!!

2008-05-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

The McClungs, missionaries to Lithuania have been working with our team in Moldova for the last two months. It has been a lot of fun to get to know them some and spend time fellowshipping with them. One of my favorite ways to fellowship is to EAT. So, we went to El Paso, the Moldovan-Mexican restaurant here in Chisinau. I was able to eat Mexican food in Iasi, Romania a couple of weeks ago, but I had not tried this Moldovan restaurant until yesterday. So, I was looking forward to trying this place out. I was not disappointed. Now, for some this may not be close enough to the American Tex-Mex restaurants, but I thought it was super. I definitely recommend it. Here is some chicken fajita goodness:

MMMmmm...good!

Wendell and Patti (sorry about the red eyes!)

Patti and I outside the restaurant

Now, the time has come for the McClungs to return to Lithuania. Thank you for sharing life with us in Moldova. It was wonderful spending time with you. God Bless!

Happy Birthday, Heather!!

2008-05-14T13:53:00.000-07:00

Action photo: This is Sara, my roommate, Heather, birthday girl and MK, and I. The Raatz girls, my students are in front. Nancy was wiping chocolate off of Elissa's mouth and we were all watching!! The cake was yummy!
The real photo!
Happy 16th Birthday, Heather!!

I don't want to step on anyone's shoes...

2008-05-11T08:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a good day. Earlier in the day I did laundry, dishes, vacuumed under the couch, and many other little things around the apartment. Fun stuff....I know!

Later on, I went to pay my internet bill, but the business was closed due to a holiday here. I believe it was a day of remembrance- Day of Victory. I enjoyed my venture out into the city. It was a very beautiful day weather-wise, too. There were a lot of people out and about. There were celebrations in the main square downtown complete with the traditional Moldovan dancing and costumes.

While I was on the trolley bus, I stepped on a man's shoe while trying to scoot into a new spot to make room for someone else. I have been told that Moldovans take great care in keeping their shoes clean. I have witnessed this with my own eyes. While standing on the sidewalk waiting for a bus, a young lady will bend town and wipe her shoes clean with a cloth. My attitude towards the matter is quite different. My thought is,"They are just shoes and they will get dirty again because I am walking on a muddy sidewalk." So, as if I didn't stand out enough with my casual, western dress, one can definitely tell that I am not Moldovan if they look at my shoes. But, I do respect the fact that Moldovans take great pride in their appearance and how they dress-even down to their shoes. So, I would never want to offend anyone by stepping on their shoes! This is bound to happen though in taking public transportation. So, I said to the man, "Sorry(in Romanian)." His reply,"It's okay (in English)."
Wow. It brought such calm to me. I thought...It is okay! Little things are going to happen in life and I should not let them stress me out. Somehow, hearing those words in English, really spoke volumes to me about resting and trusting the Lord with all things. God is in control and He is working my last several weeks out in Moldova for HIS good.
I need not stress or worry about finances, plans, accomplishing tasks, etc.
Everything is going to be alright.

It's okay. It's okay if I don't get everything on my list done. It's okay if I have to be flexible in my plans. And the occasional stepping on some one's shoe, really is OKAY.

(Bump) Plane Ticket Home (Edited)

2008-05-07T13:15:00.000-07:00

I am planning to return to America in early July.

Please pray for my travel arrangements.Please pray that:
1) I would find the return flight home that is feasable for my budget and
2) The flight arrangement is exactly what God would have it to be.
3) For peace and calm for me in this process. This is somewhat stressful for me.

I am making travel arrangements this week. So, thank you for your prayers.

Shauna

*Edited: Thank you so much for your prayers!! My plane ticket has been purchased. It is the exact flight that I want!! It is WAY cheaper than I ever thought or imagined. God totally answered all three of my prayer requests in such an amazing way.*

Thank you for your prayers.

God bless.
Shauna

Chocolate Chips and Sour Cream

2008-05-04T03:56:00.000-07:00

chocolate chip morsels

sour cream

I try everything once. This is a phrase that I say here a lot. I would never want to offend anyone, so I will always try whatever is prepared(except the fish...I never eat the fish here...).

The other day, a Moldovan by the name of Victor, suggested to me in conversation that I should try sour cream and chocolate chips together. He said, "It is SO good!!" It sounded pretty crazy to me (not crazy as a lot of things though). I told him I would try it.

So, we had chocolate chip morsels in the apartment. Don't be fooled. We cannot buy them here. A team from America brought them in abundance and lavished them upon the missionary community. THANKS. One day I will use them to make some dessert that is right tasty.

But TODAY....I had other plans for those choc.chips.I wanted to try them with the sour cream.

Now, the sour cream here tastes way different to me than it does in America. The sour cream here kind of reminds me more of yogurt. BUT I like it. Strange, because I don't like yogurt at all(here or there). In spite of my dislike for yogurt, I have grown to really enjoy sour cream or smintina/smantana as it is called here. It has been my experience that most Moldovans LOVE sour cream. You can put it on a multitude of things i.e. bread, soup, meat... here.

ANYWAY, I tried it. It was not out right NASTY, but let's just say it wasn't good!!

Lesson: So, if you are ever in the mood to mix two random items just for kicks, don't mix chocolate chips and sour cream.

Question:
What are two things that you eat together that is tasty but unusual?? Please comment...

FrUsTrAtIoN...

2008-05-04T03:39:00.000-07:00

This is the oven in our apartment. While it frustrates me to no end, I am thankful for it!! It is a tool that helps me eat, which I like to do!! :)

One of my almost daily frustrations is lighting the gas stove in the apartment.

It is so fickle. Sometimes it will light right from the start and other times it takes many tries.

To light the stove you must first open the oven door, then you must hold in the oven knob, and lastly you must insert the igniter/match into the hole(while simultaneously holding the oven knob in because it's childproof). Sounds simple enough right? WRONG.

Just when you are about to jump for joy because the oven is lit and you release your hold on the oven knob, the flame goes out!! This is due to the fact that it is childproof(nice for those with children)and it requires a good 20-40 seconds of hold once you see flame. So, to succeed one must WAIT and have PATIENCE. Yay.

If a child can light this oven and keep it lit, then he should be renamed Baby Einstein!!

Plane Ticket Home

2008-05-03T07:24:00.000-07:00

May 1st= 9months in Moldova!!

2008-05-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

Woo-hoo! I've now been in Moldova for 9months! Two months left!

In honor of my 9 month mark I would like to share with you some of the highlights of my time here.

2007-
August- Arrive in Moldova, begin to set up house with the Raatz family, organize home school materials, living with Raatz family, meeting friends, and adjusting to culture, meet Omar Beiler and John Bueno,

September-Continue to experience new foods and new people,have many new cultural experiences, begin language study, meet my future roommate, begin riding on public transportation, school begins,

October-Spend time with teams that arrive from America, move into apartment, language study continues as I switch to a different teacher

November-The Darrins arrive!!,really begin to experience cultural shock, eat at Italian pizza restaurant in Moldova for what would be the first of many times, really begin cooking, enjoying roommate and other friends, Thanksgiving with other Americans here

December- it was really COLD, Christmas doesn't really feel like Christmas, Nice Christmas Eve/Day with Raatz family and other missionaries, surprise package from Mom and Dad, enjoy a really nice break, start going to a different church, really begin inviting Moldovans over for dinner and fun

January- is still really cold, continue vacation break, second semester of school begins, snow,

February- my roommate of 4 months returns to America(NOT a highlight....I miss you, Kelly), Andy and Nancy return to America for three weeks (again,NOT really a highlight, but a happening). So, I am somewhat lonely and bored.

March- Raatz family return, school is back in session, the McClungs join our team for a couple of months

April- new roommates arrive: family of 4, then my new roommate Sara arrives, and we go to Romania for a fun trip

Looking ahead:
May- We will finish school, attempt to get things are on my list done, My birthday

June- prepare for Turkey,and take care of a lot of things to do before I leave, GO TO TURKEY, my Dad is coming to Moldova(that's the current plan), Dad and I are going to take a train to Romania and join up with a missions team from our church, arrive in Romania

July- spend time in Romania on a missions trip, AND arrive in Memphis, TN, America!!

Well, I know it was long, but I hope you enjoyed the run down. :)

Trip to Iasi, Romania (Part 2)

2008-04-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

Here are some more pictures from the trip.
Gold VW Bug inside another mall that we went to. The sign said "2008 Car of the Year."
Easter decorations inside mall.(Reminded me a lot of the malls back home)We just celebrated Easter here last weekend(see previous post).
I didn't get a really good picture of the fairly large mall, but here's a picture from the BUSY parking lot.

Some gypsies sitting on the sidewalk in front of some stores
They had beautiful flowers on the hotel premises. Tulips are my favorite. :)

More flowers.

The view of the city from the hotel balcony

Trip to Iasi,Romania (Part 1)

2008-04-30T07:54:00.000-07:00

Monday through Wednesday, our team took a retreat/team-building trip into Romania. It was my first time leaving Moldova since last August. I was super excited to visit Romania. It was my very first time to see Romania. It felt like a different world compared to Moldova, but in many ways the countries are still very similiar. There were 12 of us traveling in three vehicles. Everyone got through all borders just fine. It was my very first experience crossing borders of different countries, too. Here are some pictures from my trip.

In Iasi, our first stop was a mall. The mall had a small food court so we ate at KFC! How exciting to have American fast food other than McDonalds.

I don't recall ever eating a lot of KFC in America, but boy was it TASTY. I had a chicken sandwich with fries.
We stayed at a hotel called "Little Texas". It was a wonderful place that was decorated with all things Texas/cowboys/Western style. The owner is an American from Texas. He opened the hotel and restaurant as business as missions.
Front of restaurant. The restaurant served MEXICAN food, of course. Oh, it was so tasty. They also served the most amazing complimentary breakfast ever. I definately took advantage of the restaurant and enjoyed all the delicious food.
The part of the hotel my roommate Sara and I stayed in.
Natalie and Lauren climbing a tree.
My new roommate Sara and I.
Elissa, Natalie,Lauren, and I
Heather, Heidi, and I.(My eyes are closed, though). They are a lot in pictures. What do you do?

Taco Night and Good Friday!!

2008-04-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

Tonight we gathered together as a team and ate yummy tacos complete with all the fixings: salsa, cheese, onions, sour cream, cheese, etc. They were delicious. This was especially exciting because you can't buy tortillas here. They do have unleavened bread/pitas, and lavas available though. Almost the same...but not quite. So, the tortillas were homemade!! There were also movies playing, fun games, and we even broke out the Wii(newer version of Nintendo, if you didn't know). Side note: I was just introduced to the Wii this week. It is fun-filled game that provides a lot of laughter and a good workout(the first time, at least). I have been so sore since I started playing. :)

The best part of the evening was when we celebrated Good Friday together. Easter is celebrated here this weekend(Orthodox calendar). We prayed, had communion, and sang songs.It was so great. It is always a humbling experience to take communion and remember the sacrifice Christ made for us on the cross. It is so incredible to me to think of His pain and blood that was shed to wash us white as snow. I am so thankful that my sins are forgiven and remembered no more. I am also so blessed to serve a Risen Savior.

Cute Baby Faces!!

2008-04-19T11:17:00.003-07:00

One Sweet Baby Girl and a little yawn!

I just couldn't get enough...of that sweetness!

Cute!!

I had a missionary family stay with me for a couple of weeks. Here are a few shots I took while babysitting. How cute are they?!?

What School Can Do To A Kid...

2008-04-19T11:03:00.000-07:00

Look at HOW FrAzZlEd she is!

So cute!!

Teacher's Pet

She had just taken her hair out of braids...thus the WILD HAIR!!! How fun!

Encouragement

2008-04-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share some verses that have encouraged me lately.(All verses are from the NCV-New Century Version)

So my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Do not let anything move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your work in the Lord is never wasted. 1 Corithians 15:58

Be alert. Continue strong in the faith. Have courage, and be strong. Do everything in love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ's victory parade. God uses us to spread His knowledge everywhere like a sweet-smelling perfume. Our offering to God is this: We are the sweet smell of Christ among those who are being saved and who are being lost. 2 Corinthians 2:14-15

So we do not give up. Our physical body is becoming older and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day. We have small troubles for a while now, but they are helping us to gain an eternal glory that is much greater than our troubles. We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see. What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18

We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us. We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We do not know what to do, but we do not give up the hope of living. We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed. We carry the death of Jesus in our own bodies so that the life of Jesus can also be seen in our bodies. 2 Corinthians 4: 7-10

Another Stroll in the Park

2008-04-13T09:43:00.001-07:00

The weather here has been so beautiful lately. I was able to enjoy a couple of strolls through the park this weekend. YAY!

I love temperatures in the 70s. It's my favorite kind of weather. Not too hot, but some sunshine and a nice breeze. What I like to call: perfect!

My Decision

2008-04-10T11:33:00.000-07:00

I don't think I have updated everyone on my decision regarding whether or not to stay in Moldova for another year or return to America.

So, I will take the opportunity now to share.

After a lot of praying, talking, thinking, weighing all the factors involved(and there were a lot), and wise counsel, I decided not to return to Moldova in the fall. (There are too many details regarding how I made my decision to go into detail here. Just know that my experiences in Moldova have been wonderful and life-changing. I had to make a decision though and this is the one I came to.) I will be staying in America for the time being. Who knows what God has in store? Only God right now. I am still seeking and praying about any further plans.

I will most likely return to Memphis sometime in early July. I will most likely be staying there for at least a couple of months. I have some ideas in mind, but that is all they are-just ideas.

I look forward to seeing family and friends, sharing about my time here in Moldova, and transitioning back into American life(although I think it might be difficult now that I have life experiences outside of America).

It is strange to think about coming home and not really having any plans. I have had a plan or known the next step since I was in high school (2002). I knew I was going to college. I knew which college. I had my degree to work towards. Since 2006, I had Moldova to plan and look forward to. Now, I have no for sure plans, but to go home. So, this is both exciting and scary at the same time. I look forward to what the Lord has in store.

Thank you for your support, encouragement, and prayers.

I still have 3 months of this exciting journey. The journey is far from over!!

God bless,
Shauna

What Do You Want To Know?

2008-04-05T14:57:00.000-07:00

What questions do you have about Moldova, me, or my time here??
Somtimes it is hard to find things to blog about or rather it is hard to know what would interest people. SO, if you have any questions, please feel free to post a comment to this blog.

__________________________________________________________________________

On a side note.... I will give you eight statements in honor of my 8th month here:

1) I am really addicted to Coca-Cola.
2) I was able to put a baby to sleep the other day-it was really a sweet moment.
3) I don't like walking through the rain and mud.
4) I am usually afraid to cross the street. (I never know if the cars will stop even though they are supposed to).
5) I wish I was on time to work more frequently.
6) I actually got at least 8 hours of sleep two nights in a row this week.
7) I ate too much cake and icecream the past two weeks.
8) I haven't had a Romanian language lesson in the past month. (I'm not sure if I will have any more either).

Rain, Rain GO AWAY!!

2008-04-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

Today I went to meet my friend at my favorite restaurant in Chisinau: The Patiseria. It is a nice french restaurant that serves quiche and great desserts.

After lunch we had planned to take some pictures around the city, BUT it started to RAIN. Nothing new about this. It rained all week. I meant to get a picture of one of the many puddles of mud, but I forgot. So, instead of taking pictures we had to go to plan b and go inside to a bookstore. Here are a couple of pictures from outside the bookstore after I was caught unprepared(yes, I forgot the umbrella) by the rain.

I can't wait for the rain to go away and the sun to come out! I am ready for nice spring weather, walks in the park, and more picture-taking opportunities.

Better Late Than Never

2008-03-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

Today I blog with not just good news, but GREAT news!! Today, I have another reason to praise the Lord! TODAY... are you ready?

drum
roll
please....
Nancy and I received our LIVING PERMITS. *8 months in Moldova and we finally have them* woo HOOO!!!

The Lord is always worthy of praise, glory, and honor, but today we CELEBRATE the fact that He is in control and that He brings all things to pass in His timing. The WAITING is over. This long process is over. I am not writing with news that we will receive the documents tomorrow or next week. I have the documents in HAND. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Thank you for your faithful prayers concerning this matter. A huge weight has been lifted and it feels really good! God is faithful.

Light vs. Dark

2008-03-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I lost power in my apartment for 24 hours. It wasn't too frustrating because for about 8 of those hours I was sleeping and for another 5 plus hours I was out of the apartment. It stayed light outside until about 6:30pm. So, I didn't have too long to sit in the darkness. I lit three candles(that's how many candles I had). The candles weren't all that bright, but they provided adequate lighting for such a short time. This experience was a good reminder of the verses in the Bible about light and darkness.

2 Samuel 22:29
You are my lamp, O LORD; the LORD turns my darkness into light.

Psalm 139:12
...even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

Isaiah 42:16
I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

At one point in the process of trying to figure out how to get the power restored I became slightly frustrated. I didn't know what to do. The Lord gently reminded me to trust Him and He will take care of all things. During the time without power, I decided to read, cook(that was interesting in the dark),and sleep. I haven't been to bed that early in a long time. :) At one point in the process,I was talking on my cell phone in English, my apartment phone in Romanian(to my landlord), and in Romanian to my friendly neighbor who was trying to help. Finally, the electric company came to my apartment at 11pm and restored power. I'm sure the worker thought I was crazy. I was clapping and saying thank you over and over.(I almost hugged the workers from the electric company) I was so thrilled to have electricity again.

It wasn't a huge inconvenience really. I wanted to check email, but that wasn't a huge deal. The main problem I had with the power being out was the darkness. I don't like being in the dark for long. I want to be able to see all that is going all around me. I think I often associate darkness with fear. Fear of the unknown.

Another thing I was thinking about was: What would it be like to live in darkness all the time? For many this is a reality. All over the world there are people without electricity. But also, for many this is a spiritually reality. Many people all over the world are living in darkeness without the hope and light of Jesus. As Christians we should be the light of Jesus to those around us.

I am thankful that I personally know the LAMP that turns my darkness into light.
I am thankful that He guides me and lights my paths. I am thankful that I know Jesus, the Light of the world.

GIRLS NIGHT!!

2008-03-15T13:55:00.000-07:00

Tonight Heidi and Heather(missionaries here) and Elissa, Natalie, and Lauren(MKs and my students) came over to my apartment to watch movies and eat lots of junk food. We watched Game Plan and Nancy Drew. These movies were both really cute and fun. We ate grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, chips, popcorn, cookies, and drank soda! It was a lot of fun hanging out with the girls. I thought I would post some pics. Enjoy.

Heidi and I

Elissa, Heather, Lauren, and Natalie

Ok, It's late and I can't decide if the Girls should be with an apostrophe s or not. Please forgive.

Sweet Hugs and Emotions

2008-03-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

Last night Nancy and the girls arrived home to Moldova. I mentioned in a previous post to pray for Nancy after she received news that her mother had gone to be with Jesus. Well, Nancy returned to the states and Andy and the girls joined her in the states a few days later. Andy returned to Moldova a week and a half ago. Last night the girls returned! It was so good to see Nancy and the girls. The girls are so full of life and energy and we exchanged some very sweet hugs. Today after our first day back to the books(since Feb. 19), I even received more hugs! Very sweet. I'm glad that everyone is back in the country and we can continue on with our normal schedule. I think the girls are very much ready to be back in the swing of things as well. Everyone is tired from the emotions over the last three weeks, but glad to be home. Thanks for praying for the Raatz family.

The airport is a very emotional place for me. For one thing I am always so nervous in airports and definately not relaxed. On the other hand, I am so touched by watching all the families reunite after someone has been out of the country for a long time. It never fails. Each time I have been to the airport to pick someone up or drop someone off, I am moved to tears. It's those bitter-sweet kind of tears.

New Shoes

2008-03-08T14:36:00.000-08:00

These came all the way from America...
Thank you to my parents for sending them and a dear friend who purchased them. I like them a lot. I first saw these shoes online back in October and I wanted them. I never lost the desire to have these shoes. Now, I have them on my feet here in Moldova. My mom thinks they are ugly. We have opposite taste in shoes! I had only seen them online. So, she saw them before I did. She told me that they were so ugly. I said, "Then, I know that I will LOVE them!" And I do. They are fun and I am excited to wear them this spring/summer! The picture doesn't do them justice. So, check them out online at:
http://www.skechers.com. They are called: Dimple and they are in brown.

Celebrating Women's Day

2008-03-08T13:55:00.000-08:00

I feel special....

Today is Women's Day in Moldova. I received a phone call today wishing me a happy holiday and many blessings. When I went to the market today, I had several people wish me a happy holiday. I received flowers from my fellow team members. I received chocolates from another friend.

Information about Women's Day from a friend's blog:

IWD(International Women's Day) is now an official holiday in Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The tradition sees men honoring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.

Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate their achievements. While there are many large-scale initiatives, a rich and diverse fabric of local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more.

WOMEN'S DAY IS A BIG DEAL HERE. This isn't a holiday for moms only. This isn't Valentine's Day. This is a separate holiday. This is for all ladies. The flower markets were jam-packed. There was at least one flower per couple walking down the street. The girl was holding the flower(s) or they were both holding flowers probably because they were taking flowers to their moms.

Tonight I went to youth group. They had some special skits,songs, and games. During one game there were three boys who had to go around and give compliments to girls. If the girl liked the compliment, then she would sign a piece of paper. The boy with the most signatures won the game. So, one boy came up and said to me in Romanian, "You are like a very pretty flower." How nice. I signed his paper. I don't think he won the game, but it was a nice compliment!! (Why don't we have this holiday in America??)It felt kind of like I was 15 again and we were doing a special Valentines Day service at youth group or something. It was really funny.

After youth group I went to a nice restaurant with a few other girls. We tried to go to this fantastic Italian restaurant that has great pizza and good dessert, but they were too crowded. At the second restaurant we had to wait several minutes for a table to open it. Everyone was out celebrating and the places were packed with people. Overall, It was a very fun and special day.

7 months in Moldova...and counting.

2008-03-03T03:55:00.000-08:00

March 1st marked seven months in Moldova for me. I still have days where I cannot believe I am here(even though the signs are all around and obvious). There are still days where I miss the comforts of home. And everyday I am thankful for this once in a lifetime opportunity. Everyday I am aware that this time is part of God's plan for my life.

I wanted to jot down a list of things that I havent' experienced in 7 months. Some of these are obvious, but it's my list.

It's been seven months since I've:

sat foot on American soil

driven a car

held my neice

attended a church service where the entire service was in English

eaten any American fast food other than McDonalds

seen my Memphis/Millington/Missouri family and friends

picked up my cell phone to call my mom at anytime of the day

eaten my mom's cooking

been to Walmart

listened to K-love

used an American dollar to pay for anything

drank water out of the faucet

So, this is just a partial listing....I could go on, but I won't. This isn't supposed to be a sad, Shauna-is-homesick-today-kind-of-post, but I just wanted to share what I was thinking about. I think it's interesting to see the little things that we give up to experience something else. If I was still in Memphis, I wouldn't have experienced the richness of what God has wanted to show me and teach me in the last seven months...and counting.

In the last seven months I've:

flown overseas for the first time in my life

taken public transportation for the first time in my life

immersed myself in a culture and a language other than my own

used a foreign language in conversation outside of a class in school

made many new friends

lived in an apartment for the first time ever

learned to cook (something I didn't know I could do)

learned to appreciate all the comforts I've been afforded growing up in America

faced my fears on a daily basis

boiled water to drink for the first time ever

experienced God's faithfulness and mighty hand at work in my life and those around me

Thank you for reading and God bless!

The Coming of spring and joy

2008-02-29T11:16:00.000-08:00

Here's a picture of my two pins:

Tomorrow, March 1st marks the first day of spring in Moldova. This will be celebrated by "Martisor." People wear these red and white pins on the left side of the chest beginning on the first day of March. It is common to give these pins as gifts. Exchanging them with friends is a sign of friendship, respect, appreciation, and love. I have had two very sweet friends each give me one, so I will proudly wear mine starting tomorrow.

You can read more about this tradition here: http://www.marisha.net/martisor.htm

and here: http://www.haverford.edu/newsletter/march05/moldova.htm

and here: http://www.moldova.org/pagini/eng/59/

It's really a fascinating and interesting tradition.

Thankful for My Friends in Moldova! (Part 1)

2008-02-28T15:51:00.001-08:00

Me with Ana

Me with Aliona, Ana's sister

Me with Adriana, my language teacher

Me with Alida, a Dutch teacher

Me with Alida again

Kelly, my former roommate and I at the airport before she flew home.
(our last picture as roommates)

Kelly and Tanya at the airport

Zooming Out

2008-02-25T11:07:00.000-08:00

"Worship is zooming out and refocusing on the big picture. It's refocusing on the fact that two thousand years ago,Jesus died on the cross to pay for the penalty for my sin. It's refocusing on the fact that God unconditionally loves me when I least expect it and least deserve it. It's refocusing on the fact that I have eternity with God to look forward to in a place where there is no mourning or sorrow or pain. Worship is forgetting about what's wrong with you and remembering what's right with God. It is like hitting the refresh key on your computer. It restores the joy of your salvation. It recalibrates your spirit. It renews your mind. And it enables you to find something good to praise God about even when everything seems to be going wrong."-Mark Batterson, from the book: In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day

Yesterday I zoomed out as I stood singing in church. I am really getting the hang of singing the songs in Romanian. I don't get it all right, but man I give myself an 'E' for effort. I was able to lay down all the events of my week and the world around me and just focus on who God is. It was wonderful. We must have sang songs for nearly an hour, but honestly I think I could have sang for another hour. I was most excited and surprised when we sang, "Shout to Lord." This is my favorite worship song of all time. The Romanian words of the song pierced my heart just like the words in English do. The part of the song that gets to me every time are these words:
Forever I'll love you, forever I'll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have in
YOU!

Indeed, what a promise we have in Him. I am so thankful for this! I was really refreshed as I zoomed out and sang these words yesterday.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

A bonus at church: There was a Turkish Christian who shared his testimony about how he and his wife converted from Islam to Christianity. Powerful stuff. Besides his powerful story, I was surpised by his English. He shared his story in English and then the pastor translated in Romanian to the congregation. What a joy it is to hear English in church. I don't think I fully understood before I came here how much English really is the universal language. It is amazing how many people speak it and speak it well here. It never ceases to amaze me. It is times like these that I am so thankful I was born in America. :)

Speaking of Turkey...Did you know that I get to go to Turkey in June? Yep. I'm really exctied. I will be there for retreat.

What I Like About Moldova....

2008-02-20T12:07:00.000-08:00

This is a partial answer to a question I am frequently asked.

I like Moldova because: (In NO particular order)

1. It is fairly easy to get anywhere in the city. They really do have a good public transportation system.

2. The people in general are kind and friendly.

3. It's not too hard to find someone who wants to speak English.

4. It is easier to get out and walk. There are really nice parks here.

5. McDonalds...enough said.

6. All the little cafes there are to discover.

7. The way people greet one another(when meeting friends)is really nice.

8. The chocolates.

9. People say things so beautifully.

10. This is where God has be for this season in life.

Please Pray

2008-02-17T10:30:00.000-08:00

Nancy, the missionary wife with whom I work just found out some very sad news about her mom today. She was previously scheduled to fly out in the morning to spend two weeks with her family.Now this news. I am staying the night with the girls as Andy is taking Nancy to the airport in the morning. Please pray for Nancy and the whole family this week. The kids are having a pretty hard time with all of this.

Here is a link to her prayer blog for more specifics from Nancy's own words.

http://raatzmoldova.blogspot.com/

Thanks,
Shauna

I Have a Friend Named Bob

2008-02-09T08:52:00.000-08:00

I have a friend named Bob

who likes to disappear. But when I want him back -He's right behind my ear!!

My students like to do this little hand trick. I think it's fun, so I thought I would take some pics of them. The words of the hand trick are listed with the pictures. Bob is the top of a thing of chapstick.

For Mom and Dad

2008-02-02T10:57:00.000-08:00

Robbie, Shauna, Debbie, and Rex

Mom and Dad celebrated 31 years together on Jan. 30th! Congrats! Love you!!

This pic was taken at my send-off party before I left for Moldova.

It's really hard to put into words what I want to say, but hopefully this will be a small tribute to my parents and a huge THANKS and PRAISE to the Lord for being who He is in our lives.

For 31 years, my parents have loved and served each other. They have experienced many trials and many joys. Their love still remains strong after all these years. The Lord gave them two miracle babies and now their newest joy, Montanah (Robbie's daughter).

I praise God for who my parents are and for the privilege of being their daughter. I am so blessed to see them live out their faith for Christ. No matter the struggle, hardship, or circumstance their faith has not wavered.

My parents are two of the most fun people I know. They make me laugh.:) I think my parent's ability to laugh is so important to their happy marriage. Another key reason my parents have a strong relationship is that their marriage is based on love and in that they accept each other unconditionally.

What I love about my dad: My dad is honestly hands-down the hardest working man I know. Very rarely do I hear my dad complain. My dad is a huge people-person. He has such a love for people and a big heart. He would go an extra mile and then some for a complete stranger. My dad has a huge laugh! I am so blessed to have an earthly expression of Fatherly love from God the Father. I have a taste of the Father's love for me in the way that my dad loves and cares for me.

What I love about my mom: My mom is the toughest person I know. She takes care of so many things(i.e. cooking, cleaning, shopping etc.) so that the rest of us can have life a little easier. She does so much for us despite her many health problems over the years. She struggles with quite a bit of pain in her day to day life, but I very rarely hear her complain. She is very caring and encouraging. She loves to talk with people. I am blessed to see Christ at work in her LIFE. This is evidenced in the way that my mom has joy (is found in Christ, not based on circumstances) despite her pain. It is very apparent that God is always at work. She's a trooper!

My parents live out a great example for my brother and I through their actions, faith, and words. They have always shared openly with my brother and I about their life experiences and mistakes. We learned a lot from them, including some really funny stories!

God bless you, mom and dad! Don't ever forget what God has done in and through your life. If you were to look back over your marriage and life together, you could never count all the blessings. He has been faithful. Prayer changes things. May you have many more years together. I love you.

Shauna

Fixin' to learn me some English, ya'll!

2008-01-25T16:06:00.000-08:00

This blog was prompted by this comment from one of my students this week: "Hey, you can learn Romanian and English while you're here (in Moldova)!" This comment was said in good fun and was followed by laughs from all, but it got me thinking.

From the time I first walked through the 'Gates of Opportunity' at my college, I've heard this question over and over again, "Where are you from?" This question undoubtedly was asked in reference to my southern drawl. My reply was always, "TN." The next comment was always something in reference to my accent or "I thought so." Now, I know I have an accent and I'm sure it was pretty strong when I first left TN for MO. In those early days of college I tried to deny it by asking, "What accent?" In all reality though, I heard all sorts of accents on my college campus.

Even now as I am working and living with other Americans from northern states, I can hear their accents as well. My student mentioned above would say that she does not have an accent, but that I just "talk wrong."

So, during school yesterday we decided to have a little fun and we made a list of just some of the word endings that I say differently or with a southern accent/drawl. Here are the word endings and a couple of examples. See if you can identify!

Word endings:
ail as in mail I say mail like this: Did you get the male(or mill)?
ill as in hill I say hill like this: We climbed up the heal.
eel as in peel I say peel like this: I am going to pill these potatoes.
ull as in full I say full like this: This bag is too fool.
eal as in heal I say heal like this: The Lord has hilled us!

As a teacher, these were very important realizations for me and a good reminder to make sure that I use correct pronunciations and enunciate my words. I don't want to leave any endings off my words like we tend to do at home. For example, I hope you enjoyed this blog. I am fixin' to go to bed....

Thanks for the Mail!!

2008-01-21T11:48:00.000-08:00

I have enjoyed keeping in contact with so many of my friends since being in Moldova. I love all forms of communication: emails, snail mail, phone calls etc. I wanted to say thank you so much for keeping in touch. Your letters, emails, and phonecalls mean so very much to me. These pics are of a few of my dear friends that have been very faithful in their letter writing. (Just because your picture isn't here doesn't make us any less of friends. :))There are many more, but I don't have space or pictures of each and every one. I just wanted to take some quick minutes to say thank you and let you know that you really do make my day any time you contact me and let me hear from you and how you're doing. It helps me feel like I'm not really on the other side of the world!!

Winter in Moldova

2008-01-07T13:01:00.001-08:00

Today I woke up to LOTS of snow outside. This is the most snow that I've ever seen! I've definitely never had to walk through this much snow in my life. I am trying not to complain. I am trying to convey the significance of this new experience for me. I decided today after falling 3 times that I hate walking through snow. Hate it. I took a picture for my friend Liz and I thought I would share it with everyone. I'm in my nice, warm coat with a sign for Liz that reads: Hi Liz! I'm in Moldova and it's Snowing!!! My student Lauren and her friend made it. This picture was taken moments before I slipped and fell on the ice that is buried beneath the mounds of snow. I also thought I it would be fun to keep you updated on how many times I fall on the ice here. Total times I fell today: 3. Total times I've fallen so far this winter: 5. Yay for Winter in Moldova.

Freezing in Moldova!!

2008-01-05T13:20:00.001-08:00

The temperatures have been dropping like crazy lately. As I stood waiting for my bus for 15 minutes the other day, I decided it was finally time to purchase the Moldovan winter coat(the one I have just isn't cutting it). This was quite the purchase for me. I have been searching for a coat for about 3 months. I haven't been able to find exactly what I wanted. I was also trying to find the right deal and get a good coat for my money's worth. So, I found this coat on Friday! I am so excited. It is longer (which is what I wanted). It is brown so it matches my boots. AND it has fur(which will help protect my head against the harsh wind)!! The nice gloves are a Christmas present from my roommate and the hat is one that my roommate knitted for me! I love it. I am sporting the new purse I bought, too. I needed a purse as well. The little blue-jean purse I was tagging along doesn't have a zipper,so this will be much better. This purse is much bigger than what I prefer, but this is about all you can find here. They like big purses. I was joking with my roommate that I left the apartment looking very American and I came back looking pretty Moldovan. I think I blend in a little better now. The temperature outside right now is about 5 degrees. This is definitely the coldest place I've ever lived. I'll be well prepared for the winter weather now!!

Christmas in Moldova (No, this isn't late...Christmas is Jan. 7th here)!!

2008-01-05T13:15:00.000-08:00

The Raatz' Christmas Tree. Quite the difference from mine and Kelly's! It was really pretty. For Christmas, my roommate and I spent the night with the Raatz family. We had a wonderful time the next morning opening our stockings from Santa :) and watching the girls open all their presents. It truly was a wonderful time and it definitely felt like Christmas.

My Christmas gits, stocking stuffers, and cards. Thanks for the Christmas cards, friends! Some of my gifts included: headbands(which I will need to wear to church here), gloves, movies, a wonderful necklace, notebook, and a wrap. My parents sent a special surprise package. I didn't know anything about it until Christmas morning. I almost cried. It was really special. Thanks Mom and Dad! Thanks also to the Raatz who made my Christmas extra special. God Bless!

me and my roommate kelly by our "charlie-brown-christmas-tree"

I'm sporting the polka dot pjs!!

Scroll down to previous posts for more Christmas Day fun!!

Fun Photos from the Wax Musuem in Moldova!!

2008-01-05T13:05:00.000-08:00

Me with Albert Einstein at the Wax Museum in Moldova
(It only cost about $1.50 to tour the small Wax Musuem)
What fun!!

Shrek and I

Donkey, Me, and Shrek

Goals-2008

2008-01-01T05:37:00.000-08:00

(Happy New Year in Romanian)
It's 2008! Wow...how time flies. I had a wonderful year in 2007. The highlights: Nannying for a family in Branson from Jan-May, Graduation Ceremony in May, Becoming an aunt in July, Coming to Moldova in July-present to teach and work for the Raatz family. God has been so faithful!! I look forward to His faithfulness in 2008.

I always make New Year’s resolutions. This year is no different. Before writing my own, I wanted to take a look at the most common resolutions Americans make.

Popular New Year's Resolutions (according to usa.gov):
Lose Weight, Pay Off Debt, Save Money, Get a Better Job, Get Fit, Eat Right, Get a Better Education, Drink Less Alcohol, Quit Smoking, Reduce Stress Overall, Reduce Stress at Work,
Take a Trip, and Volunteer to Help Others.

Wikipedia’s definition: A New Year's Resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to a project or a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous. The name comes from the fact that these commitments normally go into effect on New Year's Day and remain until the set goal has been achieved.

MyGoals.com has some great tips about achieving goals/New Year’s Resolutions.

The challenge is actually following through with the goals we set for ourselves. The key is having a plan. I plan on putting my plans together later on today, but for now here are some of my goals for this year:

1)Exercise. (this a must every year) Let's see if I can actually make it happen this year! :) Exercising 2 or 3 times a week-every week.
2)To love others selflessly. To set aside any motives and just love people!
3)Instead of judging others, gently encourage and inspire others.
4) Trust GOD in all things instead of being so quick to worry.
5)Say no to distractions in order to use my time wisely. This will require much discipline.

Here's a verse I want to cling to this year:
The Lord says, "My thoughts are not like your thoughts. Your ways are not like my ways. Just as the heavens are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. "Isaiah 55: 8-9

I have no idea what all the Lord has planned for my life in 2008, but I choose to trust Him and to be still and know that He is God. His ways are higher than mine. He is in control. I'm so looking forward to what He has in store.

Christmas Day Fun (Click on the Image to make it bigger)

2007-12-29T14:28:00.000-08:00

Everyday Life: A trip to the grocery store and other thoughts

2007-12-29T05:42:00.000-08:00

I realized today that most of my blogs are very simplistic. Not a lot of deep thinking here. I'm just writing about everyday life. This is where I am right now. I am over culture shock, but there is still a certain amount of adjusting that it takes, I believe, to live in a foreign country. Most of the adjusting isn't due to drastic changes in life, but the little differences. I think that sometimes my blogs aren't very exciting on the surface because the day to day stuff in my life just isn't that exciting(blog worthy). My days include: riding the public transportation to and from the Raatz, where I teach the girls, teaching the girls (excitement depends on the day!), eating, cooking, reading, language lessons, church on Sunday, and the occasional trip to the grocery store. I try to go to the grocery store only when it is completely necessary. Just going to the grocery store takes a lot of my energy.

I thought I would fill you in on what an experience at the grocery store is like for me. I try to catch a ride to the grocery store when I know others are going, but this is not always the case.If I am going to the store on foot then I like to go to the grocery store on Saturdays. I have a nice, quiet walk through a park on the way to the magazin(store). This store is more modern and has a lot of things to offer the customers. Just about every time I am there the store is pretty crowded. Thank goodness the baskets are a lot smaller than the ones back home. There would be no where to walk. I usually have a very basic list consisting of the essentials: milk, butter, bread, eggs, cheese, and some kind of meat.

Being in the store is overwhelming for me. 1)There are people everywhere 2)I am the foreigner that stands out 3)I am bombarded with voices speaking Romanian, Russian, and who knows what else....most of which I cannot understand and 4) I am trying to figure out exactly what I am buying(the writing on the package could be in Romanian, Russian, English, Arabic, Dutch, or something else.) I have found certain brands that I really like of certain products, so that makes those purchases easier anyways.
The most exciting part(s) of the experience: 1) sometimes there are songs in English over the speakers. Imagine my excitement at hearing Elvis! 2)I usually get to witness one heated conversation in Russian between two frustrated customers waiting not-so patiently in the forever long line.
Record time from my apartment to the store and back: One hour!

Today was no exception to my usual grocery store experience. Like many of you back home probably experienced on Dec. 23/24, that is what I experienced today. You see, most Moldovans don't celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25th like we do. Christmas is officially Jan. 7th. (they go by their old calendar). New Years is a huge deal though. It was evident today by the fact that there were no available carts. There was an increase in customers and the volume of items in their carts. As I scanned the carts around me, I noticed lots of alcohol, cakes, sausages etc. They are getting ready to celebrate big. In fact, New Year's is so big that most places will be closed on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day! (Nothing was closed on Dec. 25th. It was just a regular, work day here.)

The most stressful part of the grocery store for me is paying. I always hope that I am able to get by with the Romanian I know when asked any questions. It always works out fine, but I don't always know exactly what the cashier has said. The stress is amplified by the fact that I am trying to bag my own groceries, pay, and keep hold of my purse at the same time. Interesting.

So, I am not a frustrated shopper, just an overwhelmed shopper who still needs time to fully adjust to the shopping experience.

I am not bored though with my non-exciting(on the surface)day-to-day life. I take time to find things to laugh about, to ponder life, to try to figure out what other people are saying around me, and I like to analyze situations and guess what people are thinking.

I don't want my time here to fly by without taking time to soak all the differences in culture in. Five months have already come and gone. I still have 5 plus months left. I want to find ways to enjoy the walking, the riding in the public transportation, the fact that I can't understand everything being said, but that I have learned so much, the fact that God has blessed my time here so richly, the fact that God has called me here, and certainly the fact that God cares about and is present in the everyday events of my life.

Dentist Visit #2

2007-12-22T12:43:00.000-08:00

So, I went for another dentist visit on Friday. I had another wisdom tooth pulled. Two in one week. How fun. Once again, it was a quick procedure with no pain. Even now, thirty something hours after...I am pain free! Only a little soreness.

I was more ready for the initial shot( to numb the gum) this time. I still cringed and had a death grip on the chair, but I was a BIG GIRL. The dentist and assistant are very efficient and got right to business. As soon as I sat in the chair they were ready with the shot. They were speaking to one another in Romanian and I was preparing myself for the shot. They started laughing. I was thinking to myself, "You (the dentist) have a needle in your hand getting ready to stick it in my gum. I think this should be a really serious moment. Could we stop the laughing please?!?" Then, the dentist says, "nu opriț(no stop), OPEN." He was laughing because he had tried to say,"OPEN" in English, but instead said something completely different in Romanian. Once my gum was numb, it took less than a minute to get the tooth out. The dentist is a very kind man and he says to me when he sees me, "Relax, don't be afraid." Now, I have reason to believe him. He has gained my trust. Both of these wisdom tooth extractions have gone smoothly and I have suffered no pain. I am thankful that I was able to have these minor issues taken care of. I originally went to see the dentist because my teeth/head have been hurting for awhile. I thought I had a couple of cavities. Little did I know.....Anyways, I hope that these recent procedures have alleviated the cause of the pain in my ear/head. Please pray that once the soreness goes away, I will have no other headaches etc. Enjoy the pics.

First BIG Snow!!!

2007-12-15T15:18:00.000-08:00

So, it snowed really big here last night. I took a few pictures for you to enjoy. I actually walked for about an hour in it today. It is really strange to be around all this snow. I don't feel very used to it being from TN and then MO for college. This is a lot of SNOW in my opinion. It is beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy it from inside, but I trotted through it today just for fun and to go to this expo where they were selling all kinds of arts and crafts from different countries. I bought a fun t-shirt that has the words" Where is Moldova?" on the front and a map on the back. I thought it would be fun to wear back home because everyone asks, "Where is Moldova?" At the USA booth, I bought some canned tomato soup. I think I will be making tomato soup with grilled cheese pretty soon! So good... Also, at the expo there was a SANTA and he would walk around to the different booths and wish them a Merry Christmas! (Crăciun Fericit! )He is a rather interesting looking Santa, so I thought I would take a picture to show as well. Enjoy!

Tator Tot Casserole

2007-12-15T15:06:00.001-08:00

I did my mother proud(I made my mother proud!)!! I attempted to make her version of tator tot casserole last week. I had to tweak the recipe a little as it is hard to find some items here. I actually made homemade cream of mushroom soup since we don't have the canned soups here. I was so excited that I figured out how to make homemade soup! I cut up the mushrooms and everything. I was so excited to find something very similar to tator tots here! Up until recently I hadn't seen any tator tots here, but the week before last I saw them here. They're actually called Croquettes and they tasted more like mashed potatoes than tator tots, but they give the same look. I took it as I sign that I was suppose to make tator tot casserole. Anyway, it turned out great. My roommate and I were pretty excited about it. Here's a couple of yummy pictures. This experience moved my confidence level with my cooking skills up to an eight out of ten. Yay for cooking.

Dentist Visit

2007-12-15T07:36:00.000-08:00

On Friday, I went to the dentist to have one of my wisdom teeth extracted. I went for the initial consultation on Wednesday. I thought I had a couple of cavities that were the reasons for the tooth pain I've had lately. One of the dental assistants spoke English, but I had a translator along as well. Apparently my wisdom tooth was growing in wrong, needed to come out, and was causing pain in the neighboring teeth. So, at the visit on Wednesday the dentist wanted to pull my tooth out. You can imagine that I was a little reluctant. I needed some time to process this. So, I scheduled the appointment for Friday. Nancy went with me on Friday to help with translating, but the dentist also knew some English. The worst/best part of it was the shot they give to numb the gum. Just a quick ouch and that's all. I am thankful for the shot because I didn't feel anything, but pressure of course! It was a real quick procedure. The dentist and assistants were very professional and the facilities and equipment were very similar to what I'm used to in America. Just in case you were wondering, it cost about 35 dollars. I am happy to report that I've experienced no pain, just some soreness. I am resting and eating lots of soup. Guess what? The dentist wants me to come back and have another wisdom tooth pulled next week. I have another wisdom tooth that needs to come out. Hopefully, I can get a picture up here if me in the chair at the dentist office.That would be fun.

Thanksgiving in Moldova

2007-12-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

So, I had a nice Thanksgiving here complete with two celebrations, turkey, and all the traditional fixings. By the time the second celebration came around, I could hardly move I was full, so I didn't each much at the second shinding. The food was so delectable-I especially enjoyed the green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, rolls, turkey, and stuffing. I basically got to hang out with most all of the Americans I know here. It was a good day. It felt so much like Thanksgiving usually feels that I didn't miss home all that much. The turkey was Moldovan and had lost its life the previous day-skinny thing! I thought I would share a couple of pictures. Enjoy.

Harvest!

2007-11-24T03:38:00.000-08:00

Harvest Time! In the churches here they celebrate the fruit of harvests and crops. They decorate the church with all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Then, there is a HUGE meal... Lots of interesting foods. I wish I had some pics of the foods that were part of the celebration. I'm not sure what everything was that I tasted, but it was all edible and some of it was even tasty. Some of the churches give away the food to residents of the community. The best way to describe all of this is to say that it's kind of like our Thanksgiving celebration. Yay!

The Apartment (Part 2)

2007-11-24T03:16:00.001-08:00

washing machine...

and dryer!!

OurKitchen....

The Apartment (part 1)

2007-11-13T13:20:00.000-08:00

Living Room. Sitting area for company. This is our tv and book shelf.

Fold-out couch...

Maybe I will post pics of different rooms in the apt. each week. Maybe that would be fun.

Cooking in Moldova

2007-11-13T13:00:00.000-08:00

So, if you know me well at all, you know that I am not a cook. I have never had to cook for myself. I had my mother's wonderful cooking through high school, the school cafeteria(which I actually enjoyed)in college, and then the wonderful kitchen of Nancy here in Moldova. So, now that I am in an apartment, I am learning to cook. We do not have a microwave, so I am really learning to cook! So, last week I made chicken pot pie. It turned out pretty good. I think I shocked myself and my roommate. So, due to this exciting new development of learning to cook, I took a few pictures. Hope you enjoy....we sure did, well the taste that is. (oh, I made some 'K's' out of the dough for my roommate, Kelly). This cooking experience was especially interesting because at the time we did not have any measuring cups. It was all guess work, but everything turned out just fine. I won't even tell you how long it took me to prepare this dinner, but let's just say that I hope my cooking gets faster. Overall, this cooking experience was probably a 7 out of 10. It was definitely a confidence booster.

An Update: New Haircut

2007-11-09T13:03:00.000-08:00

So, I have some access to the internet in the apartment now. I am very behind in my updates. I am going to try and update at least once a week-maybe more until I get caught up. So, my hair was getting longer and harder to deal with. So here's my new haircut/style. Hope you enjoy the before and after pictures. Have you ever gone to get a haircut in another country? Think about this for a second....think about the words you use for a haircut... words like: highlights, layers, shoulder-length, trim,(esp. girls) etc. To say the least it was a very interesting event for my roommate and I. Thankfully, the hairstylist did know some English words like: color, highlights, cut etc. My roommate also helped a lot since she knows more of the language than I do. We were pleased with the results of our first "haircut experience" in another country. It was fun!

Living Permits on the Way...

2007-10-31T04:40:00.000-07:00

We just heard word that we will indeed receive the living permits. Just in Time! Praise the Lord for His faithfulness. Thank you for your prayers.

Living Permits

2007-10-24T04:31:00.000-07:00

Just an update to let you know that we still do not have living permits. In order to stay in Moldova we need our living permits! Please pray with the Raatz family and myself that we would receive our living permits. We would like to continue ministry here in the country the Lord has called us to. Thank you for your prayers!

The Latest on Life Here in Moldova

2007-10-13T14:22:00.000-07:00

Hello friends and family! I have now been here for 10 weeks! October is just flying by. An update on our living permit situation: We are still in the process of receiving our second document. I'm not sure of the reasoning, but they have decided not to grant us the necessary document. Please pray that the Lord will grant us favor and that the paperwork would be signed, stamped, and processed in a timely fashion.
More news: I will be moving into an apartment this week. Please pray that this transition is a smooth one. I am excited and nervous at the same time. This will be my first experience living in an apartment. I have found a roommate-another American girl working here in Moldova. This is a blessing. So, we will share the apartment and wait for the other missionary associates to come to Moldova.
I appreciate all your prayers and faithful support. Hopefully, I can update this blog soon with some pictures and some exciting stories. For now, I only have time for a quick update. Thanks!

A Quick Update

2007-09-29T14:19:00.000-07:00

Ready for church. (This was about a month ago..) We had our first team here. We all had our hair "fixed".

2 months in Moldova…
Can you believe it has already been 2 months? Sometimes it seems like the time has just flown by. Other times, it seems like I’ve been here for ages.

As I reflect back upon my time here thus far, I can see the Lord’s hand and his blessings. For this, I am so thankful! I still have a smile on my face! This is a good thing.

I feel like a lot has happened since my last post. I went to harvest in a village here. The best way to describe this is to say that we had a meal similiar to our Thanksgiving meal. Here, the Moldovans take time to celebrate and thank the Lord for the harvest of crops. I have also spent more time with some American girls that I met here. This has been really encouraging and good for me. I have also gone to youth group a couple of times. Here, youth group is for teenagers and young adults until they married. Youth group is really great. The worship is more contemporary. There are also young Moldovans that have learned some English and are eager to practice speaking. I have met more Moldovan girls my age. I am excited to build relationships with them.

I think that some culture shock has set in, but I am just praying through it. This is the definition of culture shock that makes the most sense to me: the reaction experienced on exchanging a familiar culture for an unfamiliar one. It has been said that anything one struggles with in their home country only intensifies once they on the field in an unfamiliar place. I have found this to be true.

I will have new challenges and trials here. I will have many more opportunities to step out of my comfort zone. I will experience aspects of the culture here that can be frustrating at times(i.e. crowded mini buses). I might even have to change the way I think about things, but the Lord holds my hand through it all! For this, I am so thankful!

Thank you for your prayers and support!! I really do appreciate everyone's prayers, support, and encouragement.

A few more pics...

2007-09-11T09:25:00.000-07:00

First Day of School(4 weeks ago!) First Trip to Mickey Dees. Not smiling??

A couple of pics from the center of the city, Chisinau

2007-09-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

Statue of Stephen Cel Mare (Stephen the Great)

The arch of triumph...

A Lesson on Courage

2007-09-10T12:53:00.000-07:00

Today was my first language lesson. I was so excited about beginning my study of the Romanian language. The excitement was overtaken by the intense fear that I felt about traveling in the city alone to get to my lesson. My outing would take about 3 hours to and from with the lesson included. I would spend about an hour on the minibus and then another 30 minutes or so walking (good exercise). I don’t even travel (on foot) in the city alone back home….with good reason! I kept hoping that something would come up so that I didn’t have to go to my lesson today. i.e. the lesson would be cancelled by my teacher, I would need to work on school stuff, etc. Nothing came up. I even asked the 11 yr. old to come along with me. She didn’t think it sounded like fun (what 11 yr. old would?) I even bribed her with a candy bar. It was to no avail.

Sensing my fear and resistance to this new step for me, Andy and Nancy prayed for me last night and again before I ventured out on my own today. Even though I know that God is with me and I believe in his covering and protection, I still tend to make myself sick with worry. This frustrates me so much. I want to completely trust God and surrender the situation to him. Instead, I give into the flesh and listen to Satan’s lies about everything bad that could happen. When I walk in fear instead of faith, I am paralyzed by the fear.

Today, holding back tears I left our protective gate of the house and my comfort zone to have a lesson in courage. Andy and Nancy both were so encouraging and reassured me of the confidence they had in me. This helped somewhat to build my level of confidence which was zilch. Andy also said, “John Wayne used to say courage is saddling up and riding in spite of the fear (paraphrased by yours truly).” The Bible also tells us that faith is the evidence of things not seen. I know all this, yet I still struggled today.

What it boils down to is that I had to step out and muster up what little courage I could in order to build confidence, grow, and experience God’s faithfulness. A verse that comes to mind is…When I am weak, He is strong!! Today I lacked much. I was extremely weak in faith, but in spite of my fearful self, the Lord blessed, guided, and protected me. Thanks be unto God.

Lesson: Sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do. Lesson: The only way to grow is to step out of the comfort zone. Lesson: If I had not stepped out today, I could be in this same place of fear 1 month down the road. How this blog ends: I ended up doing just fine. No one spoke to or bothered me the whole trip. People here don’t smile, make eye contact, or talk to strangers often. It’s the Moldovan way. I was able to stop the bus driver both times where I needed to get off. I didn’t get hit by a fast moving car or even a slow one. None of my worries came to fruition. Not one of them. This builds confidence for the next trip and the next trip. Praise the Lord.

The Things We Take for Granted

2007-09-01T10:14:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday at church there was a lady who stood to testify. She was crying and holding up her Bible. It was translated to me that she was praising the Lord for the Bible which she was finally able to get. She had wanted one for a long time. It was a very humbling moment for me as I realized how precious the Word was to her. I thought to myself, "Am I that thankful for the Bible I have? Do I simple take it for granted that I have always had immediate access to my Bible?" It was a convicting thought. One that I took to the Lord for sure. It really made me think about how blessed I am. I should treasure the Word more than I do. So, the next time you read the Word, which will hopefully be everyday, think about the precious words you have daily access to through His Word. Hopefully, your heart will be filled with gratefulness and thankfulness like mine has this week as I pondered this young woman's testimony.

------------------------------
A side note: At the service I was delighted when the song "Days of Elijah" began to play. I love this song. Too bad I can't remember the words in English. It's really hard to recall the words you know when you hear them in another language at the same time. It was a wonderful and exciting moment. That's for sure!

God Bless.

2007-08-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends, (This is from Sunday, but I am just now able to post it!)
Hello! I hope this finds everyone doing well and enjoying life. Sorry to hear about the hot weather most of you are enduring right now. I don’t believe it is quite as hot here, but it is rather warm. It’s probably in the 90’s. The temperature here is in Celsius, not Fahrenheit….and I forget what numbers must be added and then divided…..I think it’s 30 something degrees Celsius.
Anyway, today I attended my second Moldovan church service. It is very different, but good to be able to FREELY worship amongst other members of the Body of Christ. I was able to recognize a couple of the songs again today. Two of the praise and worship songs were: God is good…all the Time...and I Could Sing of Your Love Forever. Do you remember those? Well, I can usually recognize the tune of a couple of the songs, but I am never able to recall the words to the song. It’s frustrating, but I am learning to worship and praise God in spite of the language barrier between me and the fellow church members. After all, God can understand my English words (and that’s what matters)!! Today we had two sermons, as opposed to the 6 we had last Sunday. If there is more than one minister in the service, they all must share a word with the congregation. Today, Andy Raatz the missionary with whom I am working preached and a Russian minister also preached. Andy, of course, had a translator translate his words to the congregation, but I could understand his words perfectly. It was great to hear a sermon in English again. Hopefully, I will be learning some Romanian words soon. This will be helpful except when the speaker is Russian, of course. Many people here speak Russian as well. So far, I know 4 Romanian words: yes (da), no (nu), water (apa), and car (mas(sh)ina).

There are all kinds of differences I could write about…the food, the driving (scary!), the people, the market, etc. While, there are so many differences in the culture here, one thing for sure remains the same; the only hope for the people of Moldova is Jesus. Just like the only hope for America is Jesus! The people here may not smile often (except for the Christians) like a lot of Americans do. The people here may dress differently (Some of them show a lot more skin than I am used to seeing). The people speak different languages. The people eat some different foods than I am used to. The people here may not know how to drive or may drive crazy (ok, that’s the case many times in America, too!). With all the similarities and differences between Moldovan culture and American culture, one thing remains the same: God sent His Son Jesus for these wonderful Moldovan people and ALL PEOPLE. Praise God for His great Grace that reaches beyond the barriers that separate various cultures and countries. Praise God for His Saving Grace.

Will you pray with me for the people of Moldova, the people of America, the people around you that need to know God’s wonderful Son, Jesus and His Saving Grace?

Thank you so much for your prayers, support, and friendship. May God Richly Bless You and Your Family.

2 weeks in Moldova: Adjusting to Life in Moldova

2007-08-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

Hello friends and family. Well, I've survived(and enjoyed!) my first two weeks here. Last Wednesday, to mark my first week here(the excuse we used instead of saying "to get out of the kitchen!")we did what any hungry Americans would do when in search of good, American food, we went to McDonalds! I don't usually eat at McDonald's(in America) but once in awhile, but boy was it some tasty,comfort food!

I'm not really doing anything special to mark my second week here. Just checking my emails and preparing for school on Monday. I will start homeschool with the Raatz girls on Monday. Please pray that I would have peace and calm as I prepare for this school year. This is a new thing for me. I've never homeschooled children before. Don't get me wrong, I am way excited about all the learning we will do together. I'm just a bit nervous.

John Bueno, Assemblies of God World Missions Director and Omar Beiler, AG Area Director are in Moldova for a conference this week. I'll go to dinner with them and the Raatz on Friday night.
I am excited to meet them both and fellowship with them over some great food. :)

Tonight, I met an American woman a couple years older named Tanya who works here with another Christian missions organization. It was great to meet another girl my age. I think we will actually get to hang out and become friends. Yay.

One quick story:
So, today it rained pretty hard. When it rains really hard here some of the roads are completely filled with standing water that has no way to drain/run-off(The drainage system must not work properly). The roads here are really rough, with potholes and bumps etc. So, Nancy is driving along and I'm riding along and I realize that it feels like I'm on a water ride at Silver Dollar City. Really....if the car didn't have a roof shielding us from the pouring rain it would have been like a real ride! Just thought you might enjoy a story about the joys of living in Moldova. :)

Life is really good here. I believe I am adjusting well. Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and support. God bless each one of you.

I still don't have immediate access/availabililty to the internet, so please me patient with me as I try to keep up with correspondence.

Enjoying life in Moldova,
Shauna :)

Arrival in Moldova!

2007-08-05T04:52:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Moldova approx. 7pm on August 1st. It was a long trip over that included little sleep, going through security numerous times, walking all over airports, waiting in lines, and showing a boarding pass/passport over and over again. I felt extremely tired and pretty sick to my stomach most of the trip, but the Lord helped me to be a real trooper! The whole experience was really new and included a lot of firsts for me, since I've never been overseas. God is faithful! We made our trip with no major problems and we were able to claim all of our luggage. That is a miracle in and of itself.

My time here thus far has been really good. I've kept really busy and I'm very aware that I am really in Moldova. The food is good! I've had chicken, potatoes, corn, and lots of bread. Some of the more common foods during meal time are bread, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, and deli meats. Not bad. I've also had a nice bed each night and a hot shower each day. Not bad at all! There's no air conditioning at home or church, but I am getting use to it. Today was church. It was good to be with the Body of Christ even though I didn't understand what was being said. It makes me think about Heaven and how all of God's people will worship together forever. It is a very different experience, but very good. Instead of just one sermon, there were six sermons today. Every minister that is a guest in the church must share a sermon. It's a cultural thing. There were several guest because the church was ordaining a deacon. There was also special music in between sermons. We also had communion. We had the bread like normal(like I'm used to), but we all drank out of the same cup. That was a little different! Also, a cell phone went off in church...even in Moldova! We had Moldovan pizza and coca-cola (hot and without ice) for lunch. Good. I've been drinking lots of water! Very good, cool, filtered water! There is also mineral(gas) water which isn't as good and it has quite a kick to it.
This will be all for now.. I am journaling all the details....
God bless you all,
Shauna

I'm off!

2007-07-30T14:10:00.001-07:00

I'm leaving on a jet plane....don't know when I'll be back again....

Just a quick note to say...I HAVE NO DAYS LEFT in Memphis. I'm leaving tomorrow morning.

Thanks for your faithful prayers and support.

I plan to keep in touch with everyone.

God bless!

Shauna

Raatz Family

2007-07-25T18:34:00.000-07:00

I am preparing to leave for Moldova. It is a somewhat busy and exciting time. I will be flying with the family on Tues. Please pray for safe travels and that things go smoothly for both me and the family. I am excited about this journey and I'm blessed that God has ordained this missionary associate position for this season of my life. I can't wait to see what God has in store for us and for the people of Moldova.

Thank you for all your prayers and support.

Check out these sweet pictures! ( I am thrilled that I figured out how to upload them!)

Miracle of Life

2007-07-25T18:04:00.000-07:00

We have a new member of the family, Montanah Leann.

She arrived 07/23 and is beautiful.

Thank you Lord for the blessing she is.