Normal

Today I realized that things happen in my day that seem perfectly normal to me, but that most people would find rather odd. For example, it is not unusual for someone to say to me, "Look! My teeth fell off!" Or, "Oh, my arms are so dizzy." (meaning tired) And of course, there is the recurring, "Miss S, you're beautiful." I like that one. ;) There's also the one finger wave, the tying of "choose," dancing with a man who comes up to my hip, singing to a puppet...

What made me come to this realization? It was the boy standing in line who slowly narrowed one eye while focusing in with the other and raised his upturned Spidey wrist to shoot some web at a target only he could see. Instead of giving him a funny look, I thought to myself, "That looked like a good shot!" It's ok, I happen to like my standard of normal.

I have been wondering for a while now what will be normal while I am in Romania. There are still lots of unknowns, but the pieces are coming together. Over the weekend I found out the names of the family I will be staying with and was approved to volunteer with the group that works in the hospital. (Hence the need for the shot records.)

I will be staying with the Cerlinca family. In the house will be husband and wife, along with their late teens son. The room I stay in has two beds, so if another volunteer is there at the same time I might have a roommate. I will eat most of my meals with them and am hoping to help in the kitchen and learn about Romanian cuisine.

The hospital I have been hearing so much about is called Brasov Children Hospital and my supervisor's name is Sarah Berchtold. I have gotten an email from her and found out the organization she works for (well, actually she is the president and one of the founders) is called Firm Foundation. Please look at their website! (listed to the right) I am so excited to be working with this ministry! These girls started out by purchasing diapers with their own money for the babies at this hospital and now have a full volunteer program. They chose their name from a hymn written by Robert Keene. The lyrics are below. Oh, and they speak English!

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!

What more can He say than to you He hath said,

To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus still leans for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no, never, no never forsake!