Thursday, August 27, 2009

Romania: T-minus One Month...



Head 5,751 miles due east from Colorado Springs and you'll hit the small town of Resita, Romania nestled at the south western edge of the Transylvania Alps. Actually, with about 80,000 people, it's really more of a city, now that I think about it.



That's what I've been doing a lot of these past few days. Thinking. And thinking. And more thinking. What have I signed up for? What have you donated money (thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou) for me to do? Am I going there to build something? Teach? Lead a camp? Counsel? ...Sing?

The truth of it is, yes, all of the above. 2 students, 2 teachers, and one brave principal are going to a K-12 Christian school in the city to help, learn, serve, and work with the teachers, staff, and students in whatever ways they need.







This is, hopefully, going to be the opening chapter in a great story between two schools from different cultures sharing one faith. After all, that's what it's all about, right?

Stay tuned! More to come...

mbh

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Lessons From Cleaning Your House

Ok, so I was in my garage when a cop car pulled up and a police woman made a b-line right to me. She said that they had gotten a 911 call from my location. Here's a snippet of the conversation:

"Uhhhhh...I didn't call 911..." I said trying to maintain a smile.

"Is there anyone else here?" the officer said sternly.

"Uhhhhh....nooooo..." smile fading.

"Well, we tried calling back and no one answered." she said with a hint of concern and doubt.

"Huh. I've been working in my garage and cleaning windows and the siding on my house. Maybe something short circuted." I offer.

"Can I look around inside?" she said again filled with doubt.

"Uhhh....yeah, of course. No problem."

We head upstairs from my garage and it is at the top of the stairs that I realize I still have my gun (and ammo) out from cleaning it earlier in the day.

I pause before we enter my house and say something like, "Uh...just to let you know...I have my gun out because I was cleaning it..."

Visions of the cop throwing me against the wall, handcuffing me in rodeo breaking time, and shouting phrases like, "DON'T MOVE, SCUMBAG!" and "WHERE'S THE BODY?!?" filled my head.

But she just said, "Okay." and slowly moved her hand to the top of her gun, resting it there.

She walked around my house, which was in the process of being cleaned and reorganized. Clothes were strewn everywhere because I was getting ready to donate them to ARC, which is innocent enough. But when a cop enters your house due to a 911 call, add a gun laying out in the open and clothes everywhere you get more of signs of a struggle-thing happening. Not good. Soooo not good....

Her cop reasoning must've been pretty good and she was convinced that I was not a threat or hiding anything nefarious. She thanked me for my time and said I had a nice view.

I was still in a state of shock, thinking of all the ways the scene could've appeared, but said good bye and sorry for the trouble.