Day of Rest

Very pleasant weather today- not quite as hot and a little breeze. Mrs. Dinu prepared a special lunch for us today on our day off without the children. The soup (we have soup at the beginning of almost every meal) was a clear broth with light colored meatballs. Not sure what the meatballs were made of, but I don't really care because the soup was delicious! The entree was similar to Cordon Bleu with rolled chicken, ham and cheese. It was dipped in better of some type and fried. Romanians use mostly sunflower oil, so the fried foods do not taste as heavy as ours do. Sorry if I talk about food too much, but so many people have asked me about the food. Plus, I like to cook and talk about food!

We feel very refreshed tonight and excited to meet our new group of campers at 8 am tomorrow morning. This group is made up of 8-12 graders. Mary knows them all and I believe most attend Bible study at Casa Nuestra with NOROC. We've tweaked the schedule and curriculum to be age appropriate for teenagers. Sharon and I will again serve as clowns. I like everything about being a clown except the hot costume! (sorry-no more whining.)

This afternoon, Sharon, Marty and I walked into the village for a little snack. I bought a real Coke and a chocolate hazelnut bar. Drank 1/2 the Coke on the walk back to camp, but saved the chocolate for now. Divine! Hoped to get a glimpse is my new little shadow in the village, but didn't see her. We walked in the street with horse and donkey carts or the occasional car. Very nice. There is a calmness here - a relaxing slower pace that I'm very comfortable with. As we strolled along, ladies were hoeing in the garden, feeding chickens and chatting with neighbors. All of the houses are fenced from the street, enclosing the entire yard. Every house has a garden and most have chickens. There is the occasional "summer home" or tourist b&b, and those buildings are more contemporary than the residents' homes.

I should tell you about the owners of Camp Sunshine (or Camp Sunlight, depending on who's translating!). They are Baptist and very special people. Mr. Dinu was persecuted during the communist reign for teaching the Bible. He lived under the threat of death for over 10 years. After the end of communism, he started a foundation to build this camp for children to hear the Word. Supported by churches all over the world, he and his wife work very hard here, year 'round, sharing God's Word with children. Because he and NOROC are involved in some of the work, he and Mary have become friends and work together for the betterment of children's lives. They support each other and respect their different denominations. What a model for faiths around the world! Mr. Deru usually organizes his own camp sessions, but because of his respect for NOROC and Mary, he let's us use the camp facilities for a week each summer. NOROC pays a very fair rate, per child, for use of the camp, meals, etc.

Mr. Denu is here all day, helping with the children and he leads the boating/fishing excursions every afternoon. Mrs. Denu runs the "house" part of camp - rooming, kitchen, etc. They are very respectful of the other's role. When someone asks Mr. Denu about a question about a bedroom, for example, he says, "you must speak with my wife about that." Mrs. Denu is in the kitchen by 4 am every morning, preparing menus and the days meals.