Our tenth and final Global Outreach team of the summer is officially back home in the US! Team Eastern Europe worked hard for 2 weeks while getting to have fun as a team and serve the church. Now that they are home, let’s pray for them to get good rest, process their trip, and continue to lean on God in every moment. We ask that the Lord would use this experience to encourage a lasting heart of service to their community locally and abroad. Ask a team member about their experience and listen in to all that God did in and through them over these last two weeks!
It’s hard to believe we’re already at the end of this trip! Today was all about wrapping things up—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We started the morning with breakfast and team devotional, and later by a time of debriefing where we reflected on everything God has done over the past days.
After that, we cleaned up the place where we were staying and had the chance to say a big “mulțumim și la revedere” (thank you and goodbye) to Tibi and Genica—our amazing hosts—and to the local pastor whose church they’re a part of. Their kindness and hospitality truly made this place feel like home.
It’s really cool to think about how many people will be impacted through the work done on that campus—whether it’s youth camps, retreats, or other events, we know God is going to keep moving there.
After packing up, we drove back to the city to stay closer to the airport. And our flight got moved to the later time. Later in the evening, the church we worked with treated us to a super nice thank-you dinner at a restaurant, and Cristi (the missions pastor) came along too. We got to try so many traditional Romanian dishes, and let me just say… papanași for dessert was REALLY GOOD.
After dinner, we took one last walk through Old Town Bucharest, visited some shops for souvenirs, and saw a few more cool things on the way back. We ended the night with card games in one of the hotel rooms and bought a ridiculous amount of bottled water—and really confused the hotel staff just for sure.
hey! it’s me again! karina:) today we started the day with katya’s devotional about the joy of the lord.
then me, danyelle, chris, claire, vincent, and katya started working with pavers on the driveway.
and levi and nate was priming the basketball court prepping to paint it. chris had to put sunscreen on his butt because he got burnt yesterday. it was so hot… we were hot for jesus!! i got more tan on my arms than my legs lolz
katya screeded most of the sand that we had to level out, go katya! and putting the pavers down we finally finished the driveway with the pavers! that was our biggest accomplishment!!
me and katya decided to make traditional ukrainian food for the team. for lunch we made borsch with garlic bread and for dinner we made young potatoes (boiled potatoes with garlic), cabbage salad and chicken drumsticks. as you can tell we like garlic!
later during debrief we were talking about certain things that we were going to miss… and my favorite was when vincent said he was going to miss the ciao juice
we had an awesome day!!! we will miss this campus dearly!!
Today, we started off the morning with a yummy breakfast — I had Coco Bobbles! Then, we had a great devotional from Rebecca, one of our field workers. She gave a timely devotional on God’s supremacy and how He transforms our lives.
Then, it was time to get back to work again! Chris, Katya, Vincent and I were back on paving the driveways…again. But, we did finish two of the rows and we are on the last one! Even though it is tedious work, the Lord has been faithful in the conversations and reflections around the pavers.
Nate, Claire, and Levi were priming the basketball court to paint over the concrete stitches.
Claire helped Rebecca with some tasks around the house that we are staying at.
Everyone worked hard until lunch, and then we were off to the town!
We decided that we were going to go to a monastery in town, but this time, nuns live there! They were so nice and showed us around their home and the churches on the monastery.
Then, we went to go explore a little bit and went a defense tower and castle ruins that was connected to Vlad Tepes (Dracula). The tower had ALOT of stairs, but the view at the top was worth it.
After this, we went to town to attempt to find a gift certificate for the managers of this property and were very unsuccessful. Gift cards are apparently not a thing here. But, we were also dying of thirst, so we stopped for ice cream and drinks, which was refreshing.
After, we came back for dinner to eat some European pizza! It was very yummy and we got to eat with some people from the church in our town. This was an amazing opportunity to get to know those who serve here more and they were so funny! One of the guys looked like Matt Peña and we made jokes about it during dinner.
Then, we all went outside to watch the sunset and had great conversations with one another.
Overall, it was a blessed day and it is hard to believe that we will be home in a few short days. Thank you everyone for praying and supporting us.
Hey everyone, today was a pretty fun day back working on the property! We started our day by sleeping in a little extra today and we all felt rejuvenated from the extra sleep.
We were all pleasantly surprised to wake up to homemade crepes from Levi! He made the best crepes I have ever tasted! Such a blessing!
We then did devotions led by Vincent and it was quite an awesome devotion on encouragement.
Today, we were back to working together on installing the pavers back into the driveway. This was a long process with some challenges and hot sun. We got alot of them done throughout the day and I even had a little friend join me during the installation!
The local camp dog named Luna came to see what we were doing and it was super cute!
Nate and Danyelle made chicken quesadillas and grilled cheese for lunch. We then spent the afternoon getting as far as we could with the pavers and gathered for dinner.
For dinner, we had porkchops and stir fry made by Nate and Danyelle. It was so delicious!
We ended the night by playing some board games and getting some much needed rest.
Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement! God bless, Chris
hellooo! i, claire, am going to recap our day for you! i am only blogging the exciting days apparently, lucky me!
we had to start the day early because we were driving an hour and a half into the city to go to church! i did fall sleep the WHOLE way there. we got to attend a service with the church we are serving for! the service was the longest i have ever sat through- two and a half hours. there were definitely some pros and cons to this though. a pro is that so much happened during this time. we had a few different periods throughout the service for worship which was so beautiful. i loved worshiping at different moments throughout the service rather than just the beginning and it was in another language! it was beautiful to still feel the Holy Spirit when you can’t understand the language. we were able to have a translator but with the service in the church it was really hard to understand which did make the long service a little difficult.
during this service there was a moment where they acknowledged the children who had finished Sunday School for that year (they get a two week break and then go back in their next age group) but all the kids got to go up for acknowledgment and to be prayed over which was really beautiful, and some of the kids sang a worship song after which was SO CUTE. i almost cried.
after church we ate lunch and then got a tour of the church by one of the pastors who is actually in charge of the missionary part of the church. he is such a cool guy and shared with us how they use this space to serve refugees. during the tour we ran into some of the refugees working on things like cooking, and because katya and karina speak ukrainian they were all able to have a conversation! it was so beautiful watching them communicate. the women cooking lit up when the girls came up to them and talked to them. it’s always nice to feel understood and have someone who understands you.
it was amazing to hear how God is using this church to reach others. he also told us of other stories regarding how they got called into this ministry and the struggles they have faced. it was really beautiful to hear their testimony and how God has worked in their community.
after this tour we explored the city. we walked thirty minutes from the church and explored “old town” which is not equivalent to an “old town” in California. it was very busy, the building were old but made new for businesses and restaurants. it was really cool seeing the culture, and it was a different part of the country than where the castle was so the culture was different. we walked around a book store, around some shops, got some coffee, and then got mediterranean food. we got “kabobs” which were like Gyros and they were really good. then we got gelato… again. but it’s so good! i loved it.
this time i stayed awake on the ride home! danyelle, vincent, rebecca, and i had a great conversation! SOMEONE said that they know i’m not feeling good if i’m not talking. i’m not sure how to take that one…
then we made it back home, levi shared a devotional on rest- perfect for today- and we did our daily debrief.
it was a great day, i got to see the Lord move in this country and spend more time with my team! ~Claire
Hello everyone from Eastern Europe – Nathan here, bringing you today’s update from the field!
We’re officially one week into the trip, and today was full of stories, sweat, surprises, celebration, and even a scoop or two of gelato. So grab your coffee (we definitely did) and enjoy this peek into our Saturday!
Waking Up and Warming Up
The day started like most: with sleepy-eyed travelers wandering downstairs, lured by the smell of coffee and the kindness of our GEM hosts, Matt and Rebecca. These two have been a true blessing, constantly serving, encouraging, and keeping us fed and focused.
A Special Birthday Shoutout
Before we get too far… today is Levi’s birthday! Most of us had quietly signed a birthday card earlier and made sure to congratulate him on surviving another trip around the sun. Celebrating with him was a highlight, we’ll come back to that!
Morning Devotions: A Word on Perseverance
At 9:00 a.m. sharp, we gathered for our daily devotional. Each team member was assigned a day and came prepared with a printed devotion. Today, Karina shared a timely word on Perseverance, a fitting message for this mid-trip moment. She quoted Max Lucado:
“God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.”
Amen to that, Karina. What a needed reminder as we balance physical work with spiritual focus.
Work Assignments and… Dishes!
After devotions, Matt laid out the day’s assignments. A quick note: at the start of the trip, we all signed up to do dishes three times. Today, Levi and I had this responsibility. So for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we were responsible for doing all the dishes.
Work Teams:
Group 1 (Me, Levi, Karina): Concrete basketball court repair
Group 2 (Katya, Vincent): Bench sanding and staining
Group 3 (Danyelle, Chris): Paver driveway repair
We worked hard through the morning, and the projects are really shaping up. We also owe a big thank you to Tibi and Genica, the caretakers of this property. They not only care for the land but make us feel incredibly welcome here. They brought us lunch today, chicken and potatoes from a local restaurant.
Birthday Celebration Time!
At lunch, we surprised Levi with his birthday card, a vanilla cake, and some of his favorite sweets (thank you Danyelle!): chocolate with marzipan and nerd gummy clusters. Levi, we’re all grateful to celebrate you today. We are so glad that you are here and able to celebrate with you.
Shopping (a Cautionary Tale)
After lunch and a quick dish-washing shift, Levi and I had finished our morning work, so we headed to the store with Rebecca. For those who know me well (looking at you, Lisa), you know it’s dangerous to take me grocery shopping, I always come back with more than we need. And yes… pickles were not on the list.
We visited Kaufland, a German-style supermarket. It was quite the experience; you have to insert a coin to unlock a shopping cart (which you get back when you return it), and you weigh and label your own produce. Thankfully, they use pictures!
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
After unloading, we all rallied around Danyelle and Chris to help with the paver driveway. For the first time this trip, all ten of us worked on the same project. It was an awesome moment of unity, laughter, and accomplishment.
Dinner… and Cabbage Confusion
We wrapped up work around 6:00 PM and were served dinner by Tibi and Genica at 6:30. Tonight’s meal: steak, mashed potatoes, and… cabbage. A lot of cabbage.
Unsure of how to serve it, Rebecca looked up how to make homemade coleslaw. Later, we wondered, perhaps they mix cabbage into the mashed potatoes? Still unsure, but hey, we’re rolling with it.
Gelato, Police, and Laughter
Just when we thought the day was winding down, Matt surprised us with a trip into town for gelato at “Gelateria Ciao Toscana.” Amazing flavors, everyone picked two or three. A sweet way to end the day!
On our way home, we had an unexpected moment of humor: a police checkpoint. All the men were in one van (looking very suspicious), and the women were in another. Surprisingly, the police waved us men through and pulled over the women. We pulled ahead and waited, watching the scene unfold before us. It appeared as though they were only stopping white cars (their car was white). They let the women go shortly after, but it made for some good laughs and storytelling.
Evening Reflections
Back at home, we tackled dinner dishes together and then gathered for our evening reflection. Vincent led us with the question:
“What keeps you going?”
It was a meaningful way to reflect on the day. I also had the opportunity to share my personal testimony, how God has been faithful throughout my life.
Final Thoughts
To our friends and family, thank you for praying, supporting, and encouraging us. This group is amazing. Every person is giving their best, staying positive, and working hard in a ministry that will have ripple effects far beyond this week.
We feel your prayers. Keep them coming. And please, keep commenting, we read them and they bring light and a taste of home. We love hearing from you.
We miss you. We love you. And we’ll keep persevering.Until tomorrow, Nathan
Today was another busy day for our team! Katya and I spent way too long sanding off benches. We fixed the warped planks and coated them with a nice stain. Jennica was very impressed with our work!
Levi had finally had enough with the colony of ants squatting in our room and did a deep clean of the floor.
Chris and Danyelle started to work on the driveway again, meaning that they spent all morning in the sun weeding and making the dirt even.
Levi and Claire cleaned curtains and the basement.
We had a nice Mexican dinner prepared by chefs Rebecca, Claire and Levi. They shooed everyone away from the kitchen to keep it a surprise.
We finished the day off with a nice team walk. Our hotel dog, Luna, decided to tag along. We checked out some new homes nearby and got barked at by 50 different dogs all at once. It was a pleasant trail with a beautiful view of a large field dimly lit by the sunset.
Today was an eventful day! We woke up bright and early to grab breakfast and pack a sack lunch for an hour and a half drive to a castle. This ornate castle is located in the beautiful Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe. It served as the summer home for the king and was a beautiful mix of German renaissance and gothic architecture full of spectacular wooden carvings and art.
After visiting the castle the group took a coffee and pastries break at a little cafe on the castle grounds. Fueled with caffeine and ready to hit the road, we made our way to the street markets to shop for souvenirs.
With our souvenirs in hand we made our way down the hill to an old Orthodox monastery. The Monastery was founded in 1695 by prince Mihail and was named after the great saint Catherine’s monetary on mount Sinai in Egypt.
To cap off the day and do our debrief we all got burgers at this awesome burger shop there.
God has truly blessed this group. We had so much fun today and cannot wait to update you all on our next adventure
Blessings, Levi
hey! it’s claire, and for todays adventure i thought i would bring everyone to my crib (house)! It started with a long drive to the mountains and then a short hike up a steep hill and then we arrived… to the Castle! AKA my vacation home! i was feeling kind of generous so i decided to give everyone a tour, and the castle is so big it took more than an hour to only get through 2/3 floors! Sheesh.
after that exhausting tour i decided it was time for lunch. we ate lunch in front of the neighboring castle just down the road, it’s where my guests stay and the group shared a conversation with jokes and witt. i would like to say i had the best come backs… but this is a pretty clever group.
after lunch we walked about one thousand miles around the town that the castle is in. out of everyone i think Danyelle spent the most money, obviously on gifts that she just “had to get” for her family and friends. i also got a few souvenirs for my family but not as many as she did…
then we went to a Monastery! we got to witness the culture and practice of Orthodox christianity followers and were able to witness a bell ringing/drum ceremony which was very beautiful.
about one thousand miles later and a bit more shopping we went to a place called Umami for burgers and fries. the burger was about the size of my face and also came with two handfuls of fries, and i definitely ate the whole thing.
then of course i fell asleep on the way home and i heard one of my group members say in the car that they could tell i was asleep because it was so quiet… wow.
because yesterday was my birthday but i was sick, i’m claiming this day as my birthday and it was a pretty cool way to celebrate! a great day exploring. i slept all of yesterday and woke up ready for action today!
Today was a really full but meaningful day! We kicked off the morning with some breakfast and a team devotional led by Chris. He shared about humility, and it was such a great reminder as we started the day—to serve with humble hearts, not just with our hands.
Afterwards, we all got split into different jobs. Nate and Levi kept working on the basketball court, filling and repairing cracks—it’s coming along slowly but surely. Meanwhile, Danyelle, Vincent, and I were on road duty. First, we helped repair part of the path, then later removed a bunch of paver bricks in another area that need to be fixed soon. We also got a chance to clean some windows—inside and out—which was oddly satisfying and definitely brightened things up!
Also—side note—it’s Claire’s birthday today!! Sadly, both she and Vincent weren’t feeling too great. We’re hoping some good sleep will help them bounce back tomorrow.
A big shoutout to Karina and Chris who were in charge of meals today! They absolutely crushed it. For dinner, they made chicken Alfredo from scratch, with garlic bread and Caesar salad on the side. SO good. And the best part? They played the Ratatouille soundtrack during dinner—it felt like we were in our own little five-star restaurant.
After dinner, we wrapped up the night with team reflection. Everyone was pretty tired, so most of us went straight to bed, but a few stayed up and played some games to wind down.
It was a long but super sweet day—lots of work, lots of laughs, and lots of good food. We’re excited to keep going and see how God continues to use this time!
