Update (finally)

Greetings friends and family!

I didn’t realize how long it had been since I had posted an update, time just blurs past out here!

The past month has been great! Each week I have had a different group of kids, usually ages 10 – 15. Each group brings a different dynamic of attitudes, maturity, and how much fun they’re willing to have. Overall, each group has been a great experience, though in different areas.

A typical week will start on Sunday at 2 pm, and end on Friday at 2 pm.

Sunday: The group arrives at around 2 (ideally J ) and us leaders then separate them into their different small groups that they are in for the week. Once all their luggage is put into their rooms, we take them off and do ice breaker games, energizers, and get to know you games. After an hour or two of this, all the groups come together for large group energizers. Dinner is then served at 7. After dinner, Ilie, the camp director, introduces the camp, lays out the rules, etc. Then the kids go to bed.

Monday: We meet the kids for breakfast at 8:30, and then let them go and get ready for the day. At about 10/10:30 we meet up with the kids and hike up to the ropes course. The first day at the ropes course consists of low ropes elements, i.e. elements that are close to the ground. These elements require teamwork and thinking outside the box type strategies to get through. We leave the ropes course around 5 and go to dinner at 7. After dinner the leaders perform a bunch of crazy and fun skits, and then it is bedtime.

Tuesday: Same morning schedule, and back up to the ropes course at 10:30. Tuesdays we do high ropes course elements, which involves climbing boards suspended from cables, jumping between platforms, and walking across suspended logs. Most of these elements are 7-8 meters off the ground (22-25 feet) and a good number of the kids will have fears to overcome. Watching someone who is shaking as he climbs the ladder, but comes down glowing after he conquered the element is one of the most rewarding parts of being a leader out here. Tuesday evening we stay up at the ropes course and have a fire that we roast dinner and s’mores over.

Wednesday: After breakfast on Wednesdays we start with orienteering (navigating with a map and compass) around the woods here. In the afternoon we go on a short hike out to some small cliffs and do some rock climbing with the kids. This is another area where you see kids conquering their fears growing in the process. Wednesday evening is a game night with a few different competitions that the groups compete against each other with.

Thursday: We start the day with a short hike and do an ecology section where we talk about nature, how to take care of it, etc. This can be about how to pack a backpack for a hike, how to treat a campsite, campfire safety, or etiquette around other hikers. Thursday afternoon we do arts and crafts with a few different stations where kids can make things, and then we do an economic lesson where kids can buy crafts that other kids made, and the money will go towards a fundraiser. Thursday ends with a big dance party!

Friday: In the morning we take our small group out somewhere quiet, and do a “closing ceremony” with them. During this time we talk about the week, what the kids learn, where they struggled, and where they excelled. We then read through a list of ways that we can all work on to change and live better in our own lives, and they each choose one of these and promise to work on it. At the end they are all given a bracelet to symbolize and remind them of this. All of the groups then gather and watch a slideshow of pictures of the week. After this we send them off home.

By the end of the week I am usually exhausted, and the rest on Friday afternoon and Saturday is very, very welcome and appreciated!

A lot of people have been asking me what I have learned this summer, or where I have seen God. One of the things I have really grown in and been learning is to live in the present. Too often I look ahead to the next big thing in my life, counting down the days until whatever happens. I have really been learning to stop rushing through life and enjoy it. And in enjoying, look for God in the small, quiet moments. Some of the passages that have impacted this growth are Elijah encountering God in cave; not in the earthquake, fire, or wind, but in the small whisper in his ear. Hezekiah talks about trusting in God no matter what, and living out your life for Him and knowing He is with us. Jesus words about the Lord caring for the birds, and how much more He will care for us has impacted me as well. Perhaps the simplest yet most impactful is the phrase: “Be still and know that I am God.”

All of these phrases and passages have had a huge impact on my life, especially in the context of being away from home and often getting lost in worry about the future. But God is good, He is patient, and He continues to guide me.

Thank you for reading, and God Bless!

– David Vanderhooft 

The first few weeks.

Where to start? The last 2 weeks have been a whirlwind. After 30 hours of sleepless travel, I arrived at the apartments here in Lupeni, Romania (the “i” is silent; pronounced “Lupen”). I met the other interns at the Bucharest airport and we were then driven out here by 2 full time volunteers; Janelle and Felipe Silva. Jack and Kelly Organ, Jack being my supervisor, had a delicious homemade meal waiting for us. After hours of cramped seating and “meh” food being able to stretch out and relax with a full stomach felt great! The next day Jack met with us and gave us a tour of Lupeni and a brief history of the area and how communism had affected this area and its people. The first few days here were packed with getting to know everyone else on the team.

Sunday Monday morning we drove out of the valley up onto Staja mountain where the ropes course is located. Jack had all of us interns go through the different challenges at the ropes course so we would know what the kids would be doing and better be able to facilitate them. Doing this what a great time of team growth and trust as we had to help one another cross elevated ropes, perform trust falls, and lead one another through the woods while blindfolded. At the end of the week we had 3 days with a group of 5th graders that came out for an end of the year field trip. It was a blast putting into practice what I had learned the past few days. Watching the kids explore and trust one another through the activities was a joy. Very, very excited to be working with youth out here, and can't wait to have more updates on working with different groups as the weeks go on!

This past week and this coming week I have off as Viață doesn’t kickoff until next week Sunday. This past week has been a blur and yet so incredible. I have had the opportunity to explore God’s creation; from the peaks of mountains, to hidden waterfalls, to exploring a cave! This next week I will visit some other cities and see more of the country. As great as this exploring has and will be, I am so excited for next week when the program kicks into full gear and I will be able to work full time with the youth out in the wilderness!

As mentioned earlier, a huge blessing here has been the other interns. Last night we got together to have an English worship service and do/discuss a Bible passage together. The passage we read was from Luke when Jesus washes His disciple’s feet. We all agreed this was a very fitting passage for our situation out here, as we are here to serve the kids. It was very encouraging to be talking with the others about this, discussing what this may look like, and praying over one another together.

Thank you again to everyone who is supporting me through prayer, encouragement, and financially!

God Bless!
David 

Another Adventure

Once again I find myself being led into the missions field by God. It's been 3 years since my last excursion overseas, but in the meantime I have found myself serving God and being stretched by Him in so many ways. From working with my church youth group and Youth for Christ to being challenged by friends and life circumstances, God truly never stops moving; for which I am forever grateful. He has taught me to continue to trust in the hard times, grow ever closer during the easy, and seek His will in all ways. However, I am far from done learning and growing in this, I'm only 22!

All this leads me to this next adventure in Romania, where I will be serving with New Horizons Foundation. I will be at a summer camp in the mountains leading groups of teenagers in hiking, orienteering, on a ropes course, and other team building activities. While I will not be doing explicit evangelism, the goal of this camp is to instill Christ-like and Biblical ideals of trust and community in these youth. And its all through camping and wilderness, which is right up my alley!

For those who read this, I will be posting updates as well as where I see God and the areas I need prayer in. Thank you in advance for the support I have already been given prayerfully, through encouragement, and financially! I could not have made it here without all of you choosing to walk alongside me!

My flight out of MN leaves at 11:25 am Thursday morning, less than 48 hours! WOW!


God Bless!
David