Thanksgiving Msg: Many Firsts - 50th Birthday, too!

Yes, it is unbelievable! A wise guy, George Glover, said many years ago that we wanted to get me over here before my 50th! Well, we accomplished it, George! At least, the Lord did! PTL! The 25th is the big day and we made it by 8 weeks! Just squeaked in to make it!

So, what’s happening??? I have experienced many “firsts” since I wrote last. Got my first sickness over here – was laid low for a while with a sinus infection. Had to visit the doc and get some antibiotics. No prescription is even needed for them in the pharmacies! Different! Am feeling much better and have my energy back. Had my first visit from the States of Mike Webb and his daughter, Rachel – it was great to see them, to catch up on things and to have them here for awhile. Of course, he brought some goodies with him. Thanks, Mike! Received my first package in the mail – a lovely gift of some long underwear – and the postal service wanted to know if it was for personal use. Hello! I even had to write them a letter stating that – “this underwear is for personal use”!! What else do you do with it?? Go figure!! Made my first batch of American cornbread and my first Romanian prajitura (cake). Don’t worry, folks – it has no lapte (milk) or faina (wheat)! The recipe is in Romanian (language, language, language!) and I’ll have to share it with you sometime! First vocabulary words to master always need to be foods! Remember that! May even make my first turkey over here to celebrate an American Thanksgiving. We will see!

Progress is being made with the language. PTL! I am so thankful to have a private tutor. Alina is terrific and she even understands me when I string all those words together! So, I understand more each day and it is coming along and for that I am eternally grateful. There’s a long way to go, but at least I sense progress. Regarding ministry in the hospital, I have no plans of doing anything there until after the New Year. I want to have a solid 3 months of language under my belt before starting anything and hope to continue the tutoring even after that. I heard from World Vision that the equipment will be arriving in Romania on December 17th, so that’s just perfect and will be real Christmas gift!

So, Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Thanks for all your love and prayers.