FAST - WEEK 1 - HE GOES BEFORE US, HE'S THERE BESIDE US

Hi all

First week completed and not only have we survived we have had an awesome time  and feel truly blessed. Tired, yes, challenged, yes, but so encouraged by the response we have received from the mums and children with the English classes, and the willingness to open up and talk from the teens in our discussion groups (now known as TGI Thursday - Tarlengeni).
Yes admittedly there were one or two very small moments of regret when the chairs were being thrown round the room and the fists started to fly (and boy did they fly!) that we had to stop and eject a couple of people from the English classes, but they weren't regrets that we were here but regrets that we had to eject them.
 Our challenge to ourselves for this week is to keep everyone in the room for the duration of the sessions and to try some one-to-one sessions with the most challenging (and, have to say, in need of most love).

In between our sessions we have helped Liz and Alina with the games, songs and feeding programme which has included peeling and mashing potatoes for 84 - and seconds - and thirds, playing pass the parcel and musical chairs and my particular favourite, watching Stan lead 'Our God is a Great Big God' in Romanian. (And yes Susie and Celia, he did do all the actions!).
Today at the FAST church it was a 'Churches Together' followed by a bring and share lunch. Sue was in the kitchen and Stan was putting out chairs - some things never change wherever you are :) And to Stan's delight - not a quiche in sight.

We've put some photos on which we hope will help you to see what we are seeing.

Highlights this week

• Getting cuddles
• As we were leaving Friday hearing one of the boys shouting 'Stan - stand up, sit down, look, listen, quiet' (that afternoons lesson)
• Scouring the second hand shops for a sofa - and getting two (due to Stan's persistence for a discount)
• Walking round the village Saturday afternoon and seeing the 'Non-stop funeral parlour' - see photo
• The meal at La Fortuna with the 14 Glaswegian men - Sue has never been so spoilt
• Watching Stan doing his caveman bit with the log-burners in the Mission House - he is in charge of lighting them when we arrive and is getting very protective of his log pile
• Seeing the horse and cart with a car wreck on top of the cart, horse power!
• The advise to Stan when walking in the forest (a) - the bears aren't a problem this time of year, it's the wolves, and (b) - just run faster than your wife

Prayers this week - please

• Continue to pray for Daniel and Ema - Daniel's sister-in-law died this week and his father is very poorly so at present Daniel is away. They are torn between their family and the work at FAST so please pray for peace for them both.
• The Women's group on Thursday (postponed from last week)
• That the children, teens and mums continue to come
• For Liz and Alina who manage the Mission House programme usually on their own
• For the group of young people from Outlook Expedition arriving on Wednesday that they will be prepared to 'muck in'
• That God will continue to bless the work of FAST and protect those working in Tarlungeni and Zizin

With love and thanks for your prayers
Sue and Stan xx

Sacele village

Sacele forest

View from the Mission House window - Tarlungeni

View from the window - Mission House Tarlungeni

Training a new horse

Cheeky Beni ''Stan - look, listen, stand up, sit down, quiet''

Horse power carrying broken horse power!

Ion's 'small' lunch sandwich

Dinner with the  lovely men from Glasgow

Waiting for seconds

Alina serving lunch

One of the new sofas coming up the stairs

Trying out the new sofas - plasterwork courtesy of St Andrew's boys - and Jay

Liz approves!

Stan, Alina, Sue and Liz

One for Johnny - non-stop funeral parlour

Ramona with her 'Smile Jesus Loves You' sticker

The second sofa coming!

Mission House

Andrei bringing the sofa up the stairs - on his head!