Hum Hum

Hello everyone! Leah here, with an actual update from our first full day in Romania. As many of you know, this is my first year going on the Romania trip. Last year, reading the blog, many things went over my head because I had never experienced Romania first hand, so to catch you all up, I am going to share some things I have learned about this country in the short time that I have been here:

  • Soup always comes before lunch but is never the actual lunch, so you have to make sure to save room for the main course.
  • The McDonalds’ here have a meal here called the “Big Tasty” which is basically just a bigger and tastier Big Mac.
  • The sound dogs make is not “woof” or “bark”, but “hum hum”.
  • The toilets have two buttons for flushing: one big button, one small (I bet you can figure out the rest yourself).
  • The people here are absolutely amazing.

The thing that has amazed me the most while being here is the hospitality of all of those who have welcomed us into their homes, church, and lives. Every person I have encountered has gone out of his or her way to make me feel comfortable and loved. Although it is overwhelming to meet dozens of new people, with names that are not very familiar to us, it is a good kind of overwhelming. One that brings hope for strong relationships and joy through the laughter we share. I know it might sound cheesy, but laughter does sound the same in every language (unlike dogs barking).

Last night we had a bonfire with the Romanian leadership team. As we sat around the fire, Dan asked people to share what the relationship between Blackhawk and Open Roads has meant to them, in honor of our ten-year anniversary. Although I am new to this experience and can’t fully grasp how people have been impacted by it all, it sparked excitement in me. I know that everyone experiences this trip differently and that fact scared me coming into the trip. I heard from many people about the phenomenal relationships they have built and their urge to return year after year, and I wondered if I would experience that myself. But each moment that I am here, that fear melts away a bit more.

One of the coolest moments that I have experienced so far was both at the midweek church service and the evening bonfire when we sang songs in both Romanian and English at the same time. To some it might have sounded like a jumble of sounds and words, but even with different languages, the intentions of everyone were the same; lifting their voices to worship God. It gave me chills every time.

We ask that you pray for us to continue having moments like these that encourage us, but also challenge us to grow in our relationship with God and others. Please pray that we are able to build relationships despite the language barrier. And finally, pray that even though all of us will experience this trip differently, that we would be able to see our worth on this team and make the most of each moment.

Shout out to Nikki: yesterday there was a cat and I meowed at it and it came to me and it is now my friend.

Shout out to Malcolm Buisch: Sorry it’s one day late, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Shout out to Nicky for having a whole lotta swag

Shout out to Jay: Love you bro <3

Shout out to Movie Soulmate: Morning babe

Shout out to Mom Metzger for the two kinds of Dramamine that I will use on the NEXT bus ride 😉

Shout out to Bria’s mom: She remembered her retainer!/Shoutout to Kip’s mom: He did not…

Shout out to Ali Pollard: We appreciate your extensive comments. However, the leaders have not yet performed the Ziggy Challenge :/

Shout out to the Hershbergers for lending us Hawaiian shirts. They have gone to good use.

16 thoughts on “Hum Hum

  1. It is such a joy to read the blog entries and feel the energy of the team! Thank you for letting us be a part of the journey your on through your words and pictures!!
    KiP: The good news regarding the retainer is I found it before Chase!! Love you!

  2. Ahahah darn, although I guess there are some more important things happening there than a dance challenge …

    The work story for today is simple, we had a residents picnic and guess what song came on the playlist!? None other that “In My Feelings” Now, I know what you’re thinking… “Ali. Drop it.” BUT, what if you think of it as God asking YOU if you love Him? Are YOU always going to be with Him? 🤔 We know He’s always there for us, but it takes us being willing to see Him and recognize how much we need Him. Just some food for thought as you guys continue to work non stop on relationships and camp and throwing bread and waxing legs(?) He’s ridin’ 😂

    Leah that was a beautiful blog post, thank you for sharing your heart.

    Noah, I know songs are important to you so here’s a playlist of what I listened to after reading Leif’s blog post yesterday: So Will I (100 Billion x), Into the Deep (Citipointe, not Adele), Only King Forever, and Lion and the Lamb.
    Today I’m feeling more Bruno Mars (if you were wondering) but that’s less churchy so we don’t need to go into that on the blog 😜

    Hazel says hi, kind of, I haven’t fed her so she’s pushing the phone out of my hand to get my attention. I’ll count that as her saying hello.

    Love y’all, but Noah the most, sorry.

    ✌️

  3. Great post, Leah! “Laughter is the same in every language”…wow. #truth ❤️
    It’s so cool to hear about how impactful the trip has been already. Can’t wait to hear more! We’re praying for you all as you get ready to start camp – for supernatural energy, connectedness, and opportunity.
    Tell the picture-taker no rush, but I’d like to request a close-up of my girls beautiful faces at some point. Pretty please?? 😬 (Great “back of the head” and “small and blurry in the background” shots of you 2 so far though…haha! 😁👍)
    Thanks for the shoutout too, Leah, and for not making me sound like a grammar-nazi. 😉 Love and hugs to all!! xoxo ❤️

  4. Just landed in San Fran. There’s a lot of busy traffic here…

    I went to freshii for lunch the other day. My food would have been vegan but I decided to add chicken. I also decided to try one of their juices to see if it would taste any better. It didn’t.

    Brianna: I accidentally took both rolls of blue painter tape with me in my backpack 😬

    Very commendable blog post, Leah. I hope you can take over egg shaking this year at WeMad Worshy. 🥚

  5. God is doing truly incredible things with all of you right now in Romania! Leah, the soup before lunch and the “hum hum” notes made me laugh. Those chills that you get during intense, meaningful worship are the best! I’ll be praying for all of your amazing relationships and the wonderful work that God has called you to do. Keep on loving and laughing!

  6. Good to hear things are going well!

    Kirstin ~
    1) Hannah’s really upset with you and says she will never speak to you again. By the way, I do believe it is your turn to feed the cat.
    2) Rest assured, we’re having zero fun. Absolutely no funs. At all. We just sit around the house and stare blankly at one another.

  7. Wow Leah you told the story of the day, the joint worship, and your discoveries was wonderful! I had chills just reading it! Thank you for that.

    We are continuing to pray for you all and will absolutely pray for the things you asked for!

    We miss ya Luke but are super happy that you are exactly where God wants you right now. Praying for you and your heart!

    Love and hugs to you all!

  8. ❤️

    Romanian word of the day: “veveriţă” (squirrel) – find the nearest equivalent animal in your vicinity & greet it accordingly. 👍🏽

  9. Sounds like you guys are having a blast; keep it up! Leah, please publish more animal sounds in the next blog post? Love you so much and are praying for you!

  10. Just throwing a couple emojis in here so Mel has to do them: 🤪🧐💩💃🏽🤸🏻‍♀️

  11. Thanks for the update, Leah — so great to hear about all you’ve been learning and doing. Avery and Addy are sleeping over and they send their love to you and Hannah. We love you and we’re praying for you! xoxo Nana and Papa

  12. Shout out to Matt Gartland! Your mama misses you. I hope you are getting some good sleep and having a wonderful experience in Romania. We are enjoying our quiet house without you but it does make me a little sad to walk past your empty room, especially since you didn’t make your bed before you left! Dad and I are praying for you every day as well as the rest of the team. Can’t wait for the stories of how God uses all of you and how each of you has grown.

  13. Today we chased a tennis ball and tore it to pieces. Then we played keepaway from the people. After that we hung out on the porch and watched the kids ride their bikes down the big hill. It was a good day. Hum hum!

  14. Hey Leah, Hannah and Team. Leah, great post. I want video proof of a dog saying “hum” because I stilll don’t buy it 🤣. Mom and I are headed to the farmers market to eat Stella’s spicy cheese bread and cinnamon rolls in your honor. The Radicals have a playoff game tonight which we are going to hit up so we will think of you. Keep in mind, I’m a bigger Bachelorette fan this year than Mom is, so you may want to direct all related requests to me. Praying for y’all – (GA language prep) Much Love!!

  15. Love reading all these posts! Thanks for taking the time to write them :).

    Adia!!! We all miss you and love seeing you in some of the photos! Ruby says hi. She refuses to do without you. She managed to push to mostly-closed door open to your room last night and snuggled happily under your comforter.

    Praying for you and the whole gang!

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