Successful Arrival in Romania

Jet lag is slowly easing and boxes are finally being unpacked in our new home in Romania.  It has been a long week of travel and moving for us.

Last Friday evening, we arrived at the Des Moines airport having already checked in online and presented our three bags to be checked.  We were told it would cost us over $400 for our bags even though this was the return trip on a round trip ticket, and there was no charge for two bags on the trip to Des Moines!  After fervent prayers and a fruitless call to customer service, a kind supervisor sorted out our dilemma and charged us just over $80 for the extra bag.  Praise God! We finally left Des Moines, flew to Chicago and boarded a plane to London.  After a six-hour lay-over in Heathrow Airport, we flew to Budapest, Hungary where we fell into bed about midnight local time.  The next morning we took a transfer van to Debrecen.  There we picked up our car and a few small items, paid the car insurance, met with a few friends, and attended a prayer meeting at the Debrecen Open Bible Church.  Tuesday morning we packed our tiny car to the brim with all our stuff and began the five-hour drive to Gherla, Romania.  We prayed for safe travel and realized when we reached our destination on dry roads that snow had fallen behind us the entire way.  Praise God for watching over us!

Waiting for our flight out of the Des Moines airport

We were welcomed to Gherla by Pastors Simi and Gabi Hosu and their two sons.  After helping us unpack our car and showing us around our new home, we were all invited to have pizza at a church member's home.  The next day, Pastor Simi and his son Elias took us to the internet provider's office to sign up for phones and internet.  Unfortunately, foreigners without a residency permit cannot sign a contract for service.  Pastor Simi and Gabi graciously signed the papers for us and we now have phone and internet service.

Our new home in Gherla.

Thursday evening we attended church and were welcomed again with much love.  Both our Romanian friends and we are expecting great things from God in Gherla in the coming two years.

Gabi translates for us as we greet the people.

We praise God for his goodness to us, for the safe trip, for the kindnesses we have received and for the many people who have helped us.  Thank you to everyone who prayed for our trip and who continue to pray for us.