We're in the middle of yet another late afternoon/early evening drive between towns. This time, we're traveling from Deva to Timisoara, our final stop before heading home. I'm so glad that this trip enabled us to travel to several towns and cities rather than staying in one place. By doing that, we've been able to get a better feel for Romania overall and meet a variety of people. The neatest thing about the drives themselves, however, has been the opportunity to see a real cross-section of the country that we wouldn't have seen if we simply stayed put in Bucharest or Timisoara. Our journey has taken us through countless small towns and little villages. Each looks similar, but it is always such an experience to come upon a new one and enjoy the "national geographic" feel--as Bruce said--of everything. This current drive is the second we've made through rolling hill country with the sunset off one side and the air filled with smoke from the wood fires of peasants in the villages. It gives the whole land a mystical feel that can't be described fully. Magical.
There is true poverty in Romania to be sure. We've estimated that the villages are about 60 years behind us when it comes to infrastructure, utilities, etc. Some of the places we've gone through still have only gravel roads. They have electricity, but many lack indoor plumbing. Most people have some small amount of livestock for sufficiency not just enterprise. The towns here are about twenty years behind. Really rather mind-blowing when you think about our busy and technologically advanced lives as Americans.
This morning, we traveled throughout Hunedoara County, visiting several sites of importance to Dani Raducanu. First was the House of Hope, a home that he and his wife started to care for children who have been abandoned or are from broken homes. They currently care for nine kids besides their own three. What a giving heart they have. They opened the home simply because they felt like that's what true Christians would do for a community they love. The government has shut them down at least once in the past, but they are thriving now. After seeing that and having a great breakfast, we went a few roads over to see a church that has stood in the village since the 1700s. It really sits in someone's backyard and has as much wood as stone in its construction, so it's wonder it still stands at all.
Leaving Baru Mare, we drove back through Hateg and on back to Deva. Along the way, we passed a true Communist graveyard. During the Soviet era, Hunedoara County was one of the industrial centers of Romania with mining, refining, steel production, etc. Now, all of that has collapsed. There is a half-mile stretch of road that is surrounded on both sides by decaying buildings, half-toppled cement structures, rusting hulks of machines, etc. It is eerie driving through there, and it really looks like a nuclear holocaust zone. What a testament to man's failure when he tries to do things his own way instead of the Biblical way.
Before reaching Deva, we stopped at Corvin Castle. Very cool! It has stood there since the 1300s--this is a very old land--and it remains in great shape. We spent about twenty minutes climbing all over it and visiting little chambers here and there.
Our time in Deva concluded with a 30-minute meeting with the President of the County. He is on par with a state governor as we know it, so it was a rather crucial and "divine appointment" meeting. He thanked us profusely for visiting his county and was very excited about the prospects of our return with teams to teach Biblical principles of business, leadership, and politics. I don't know that he was a Christian, but he certainly recognized our principles and resonated with their value. He also repeated an interesting line that we have now heard three times now. He said that we as Americans are 60 years late in coming to save Romania, meaning that we failed the country when we gave it to the Soviets at the end of WWII. Interesting. There is some disappointment here toward the historical relationship of the States and Romania, but there is also a tangible excitement about the prospects for the future relationship.
More to come...
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