Tales from Our Fairytale: Chisnau, Moldova

One. More. Flight. We arrived in Munich, Germany at 8:00 in the morning, local time, which meant it was around 1:00 in the morning back home…talk about a long day! We literally ran through the Munich airport and security (well, no running there) to arrive about the same time our flight to Chisinau was scheduled to leave. Luckily, when a group of 17 is late, they wait!

We flew out at 9:15 for one last, two-hour flight from Munich, Germany to Chisinau, Moldova, arriving at our “final” destination around 12:15 (we still have a 4 hour bus ride ahead of us to get us to the village we’ll be staying in for the week). Sleeping last night on the plane was pretty much impossible, so I passed out on this flight. I slept for about an hour and a half and read the remainder of the way.

I’d have to say, going through the security at the Chisinau airport (alone) was a little scary. We didn’t want to go through as a group so that we wouldn’t draw attention to ourselves. They asked us a few simple questions, but it was still a little nerve racking knowing we weren’t under the security of our own country. We’d simply say we were visiting a friend and it was our first (or second) time to Moldova, they’d stamp our passport, and we’d head on out the doors.

The people’s biggest difference I have noticed is their cold personality. There aren’t a lot of smiles being flashed among the locals. But we give them nice big smiles anyways – a little taste of Texas!

Once we got to our lodging for the first night (called the Pentecostal Union or the PU) we were all ready to do anything but sit! We’d been doing enough of that for the past 12 (plus) hours.

Jeff and Robin are partners with Richard and Jennifer, and they were all with us for the afternoon. Their team/organization is the one hosting us.

They had lunch with sandwiches and chips set out, but I just could NOT eat. I felt like that was all I done since we left the states on Thursday morning. We just fellowshipped for a while and then a group of us went for a walk close to the dormitory.

We checked out the local pharmacy and then walked through the outdoor market as well as an indoor supermarket.

We headed back for a few hours of down time before dinner, but weren’t allowed to fall asleep so that we would be able to sleep all night – but we were exhausted!

We had a pizza dinner at 6:00 and followed pizzas with a local dessert called placenta – pronounced pluh-chen-ta – that I gave a try! It was like an apple pie (or cherry pie) quesadilla.

A team meeting followed dinner where we learned more about the local people and about the villages we would be living and working in.

I am having NO luck with my cell phone, so I won’t be getting to talk with Brad or my parents. I was able to talk with Brad twice today (once it was about 8:30 there and around 4:00 here and then again at 1:30 there and 9:30 here). So that helped, but missing him is definitely the worst part!

I’m looking so forward to all that God is going to do this week, but I’m hoping the week flies by so we can get back home!