Romania...again

After months of procrastination, I finally logged onto my blog to realize that my last update was 3 months ago! If it wasn't because of the inspiring piece from Gela's blog, I probably would have waited another 3 months.

I know the title looks familar but then again I was back to a familiar place with familiar faces. Before I even signed up for Project Compassion, I already registered myself for a Habitat build in Oarja, Romania. I believe God had special plan for me because he knew that I would want to finish what I started. I was in Oarja from 4-15Jun for the second time and went back to the same apartment block that the youth groups worked on, for the second time! I worked on the same apartment and completed the plastering. It took me two weeks but when I walked out of that room, I was proud. God truly is amazing. Everytime when I worry that my passion for Habitat may diminish (kinda like my mom used to tell me that my intensity for anything is like a 3min egg, in and out and over in 3 min!), I find myself more passionate about Habitat with each build.

We had a really diverse group this time ranging from 17-62 years old with a good mix of guys and gals! And I was really thrill to have Ava (an old friend and ex-uni-roommate) to join this trip. We shared a room and it was just like old time, gossiping at night but minus the drinking (well much less drinking anyway!). What really strike me as a blessing is to look at the 4 young men that volunteered on this trip. They were between 17-20 years old. They could have spent their summer partying like what most young guys do but instead they traveled all the way to a small town in Romania to help build houses. I know God is telling me that there are hopes and if we open our eyes and our minds to see them, they are everywhere!

There was a minor incident, the young men were tasked with using sledge hammer to break the frame of the old door way so they can fit in the new door. Well...we can all guess what happen with guys and sledge hammer. When the sledge hammer was passed, it accidentally dropped on one of the guy's big toe and he was wearing tennis shoes. The lucky thing was that the toe nail didn't fall off but there was blood everywhere! And of course, I learn something new from this incident. Other than never to work with a sledge hammer and to make sure you wear hard work boots on site, that if you ever break a toe nail and blood is clogging under it, all you need is a tiny drill and you can puncture a little hole through the nail and release the blood. Apparently you won't feel a thing since there are no nerves on the nails! The downside is just that it gets pretty bloody. Oh and duct tapes work wonder in keeping dirt and water from the wound!

Our Romania team was awesome and everyone got on well. Our team leader was organized and totally cool, thanks John! Our local hosts were the best. Alex coordinated everything perfectly and Cristi was always the joker. Being there for the 2nd time was like home coming for me.