Category: Travel
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ARFO Summit 2019
A trip to Bucuresti is always daunting. I tried to find every good excuse not to go to #ARFO2019… to no avail. So I went. I didn’t know anybody there per se. I had talked on the phone with the organizers of the ARFO conference… so I had to meet them in person too. I…
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Călătorie
De ce mi-o fi frica de noapte in țara mea? …Logic, nu are sens. Am petrecut trei zile in București. Am zburat singura la o conferinta. S-ar părea ca foarte rar mai facem lucruri separat sau singuri, eu si Conrad, in ultima junatate de deceniu. Acum ma întorc cu trenul noaptea la Cluj. Toata lumea…
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My first American pen-pal
…still inspires me to share my heart. Here is my response to her recent encouraging note. Thank you for the words of love and encouragement, mama Gloria! Indeed, meeting you in Galați at 14, was a most blessed connection that changed the course of my life. I was just thinking about how I myself changed…
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A pocket of time
It was not without sacrifices, to travel for just a little over a week across the world, to hangout with family. But after two years of staying away, prioritizing local trips and exploration, reconnecting with family became imperative. For our own emotional health and for strengthening the family ties between fast growing cousins. I could…
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I’m giddy with excitement
We’re flying to Austin tomorrow. The other day was mom’s 60th birthday and we go to celebrate together. There comes a season when spending time with family becomes a priority above all else. It’s been two years since we crossed over the Atlantic. There’s a time to wait, a time to mourn, a time to…
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Traveling, changing and openness
When someone leans in to receive your story, to listen to your heart, they make room for richness and blessings. How often do we keep silent because there is nobody willing to slow down and look at us openly? I am reminded lately of the power of vulnerability. The seeds planted over time, the people…
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The power of vulnerability with preteens
Last year we joined a wide age range kids camp. It’s was chaotic. Much like our classic community, Tohu vabohu. Formless as it was before God brought order into the world. The adults were caught off guard, without clear boundaries in such a diverse social setting. And we left the camp last year as if…
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What is ROM
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” — Romans 12:2 My sister in law asked if she could read more about this conference we went to. Based on our conversation afterward, it sounded very intriguing to her. But there are no brochures. It has…
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Ohrid
The tall mountains of Macedonia are rolling stubbornly in the clouds. There’s a blue haze of heat and humidity layering the peaks, in darker and lighter shades. We left Ohrid. Jackie is sleeping, dreaming of hugs and laughter. She has adopted an army of aunts and uncles. She has had memorable connections and conversations, has…
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Not my merit
Is it the merit of the child who asks or the parent who gives? When we pray and God answers, how powerful do we feel? We take comfort in the fact that the Creator of the Universe is our Father, so generous, quick to forgive and slow to anger, so very loving… but it’s not…
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Bethel
We all survived a week of flexible schedule. Nothing started or ended on time. We went with the flow. The pullbacks were gentle and could have driven some timely, organized people crazy. It’s odd that an entire group of 40 adult didn’t bring forth at least one people to react negatively to this extraordinary lack…