A story of impact and kindness

A screenshot from a very special video. Scroll down to view...after you read my post, of course!

This post is a long time coming, as you'll understand in a minute. I don't know why I haven't posted it until now...other than life just being busy and distracting and what not. But last night, I dreamt that I posted it and it feels like maybe now is the time.

As many of you know, I was in the States this past spring to see family and friends, share about Romania in various places, recruit students for internships, and so much more. On my second Sunday back at my home church, they announced that they had a video to show, which I was eager to see because they're usually related to missions or hearing about someone's story. Well, guess what...the video was about about a piece of my story in missions!

Before I give you any other information, let's back up a few weeks. Before I left Romania to spend a few months in the States, one of the teens in the It Takes Courage 2.0 program asked me what I say when I talk about Romania. I told her that I try to talk about all of the different programs I'm involved in like It Takes Courage, the children's program in Tigmandru, the Romanian Studies Program, etc. I also try to share about the beauty and diversity of Romania and it's people and culture, among other things.

After saying all of that, she asked me a question that left me kind of stunned. She asked, "But don't you tell you them about the impact that you've had on us (and others)?" and honestly, I didn't really know what to say to that. I think I said something to the effect of, "Well, I mean, yeah...I think that kind of comes out when I'm describing the different things that I do." We said a few other things, and that was the end of the conversation...or so I thought.

Now, let's fast forward back to that Sunday morning at my home church. The video began, and I knew instantly what it was. It was full of kind words shared by some of my closest people in Romania. I was surprised, humbled, encouraged...and about a billion other things. A few of the teens in the 2.0 program had secretly worked on this video right after I left in order to finish it time for me to use it as I shared about what I do in Romania.

So...as I spoke in churches, I made sure to honor them (and their hard work) by showing this video. And, even though it's almost 6 months later, I want to share it with all of you.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to give you the opportunity to support (or continue to support) my work in Romania. I still feel very strongly that this is the place that I'm meant to be...and I continue to see the ways that God has equipped me for the work that I do here.

There are a few different ways that you can support me, if you feel led to do so...

Mission support: You can click here to give through the Church of the Nazarene for living and ministry expenses. One of the best ways to support me in this way is to select the monthly giving option as it allows me to plan better for the long term of my ministry here in Romania.

Personal support: Another way that you can support me is by giving to me personally via PayPal, which covers expenses such as food, toiletries, student loan payments, etc. As many of you know, I came onto the mission field with student loan debt, and God continues to provide for me...through your generosity...so that I can make those payments.

Prayer support: One of the biggest ways that you can support me is through prayer. As we all know, fall is a time of new beginnings, and here in Romania, it's no different. Please pray for a smooth start/transition back into a "new year" of ministries, programs, students, etc. Pray that I'll be able to find a new routine and rhythm that includes both service and rest.

A few more things before I end this post...

Timea - I cannot thank you enough for the kindness you've shown me in creating this video. I still get teary-eyed every single time I watch it. It truly was (and is) one of the best gifts I've ever been given.

Adela, Larisa, Caroline, Emi, Sheri, Raul, Roberta, Betina - Even though I've already talked to each of you, I have to thank you, yet again, for your kind words. You'll never know just how much they mean to me.

YOU: Go tell someone about the impact that they've had on your life today. Send a text message, write a letter, make a phone call, invite someone out for a coffee...or whatever way is most comfortable to you. But just go and do it...spread some kindness. You'll both feel better because of it.

Two Years

None of the photos in this post have anything to do with my two year anniversary in Romania!

Man, oh man...I'm really not succeeding at this whole blogging thing. My blog should probably be called "Better Late than Never" since I never blog about events, or my life, in a timely manner.

ANYWAYS, it's been 733 days since I left for Romania on March 16, 2015. That breaks down to 2 years, 1 month and 26 days...which is absolutely insane. I've been sitting here with this blank page open for a bit now. Actually, I started this post a few months ago, but all I could manage to type was the title. Two years. Two years since I left for Romania...and I have nothing to say. Well, we all know that's not true, it's actually that I have so much that I could say, but I don't know where to begin...

View from the office I get the privilege to use

I can start by saying that while I didn't think I'd still be in Romania after two years, I also totally thought I'd still be in Romania after two years. That probably doesn't make sense to anyone except me, but I'll leave it written there. When I left for Romania, I had no clue how long I'd be there, but I knew it wouldn't be a short term thing. I had absolutely no idea how I could possibly manage to be there longer than 6 months to a year, in regards to finances, but God has done some crazy things to put my doubt in it's place. I still have no clue how long I'll be in Romania, but I'm totally okay with that. In a strange turn of events, I kind of like not knowing. I like not having a "long term plan". It's oddly liberating. And I officially just laughed out loud because pre-Romania Casey would never, never, never have said that! It's funny how things can change in just two years.

Changes in the season leads to the excitement of flower picking in the village of Țigmandru

I'm actually writing this post while on a three week "vacation" to the States. I've done my fair share of work while here, hence the quotation marks around vacation. But I think it's appropriate to be writing this from back home because those previously mentioned changes are a little bit more obvious from this side. Changes in my hometown - I'm writing this post from a new coffee shop in town. Changes in my family - my sister just got married and had another baby...so major changes in this department! Changes in my church - we're about to start the process of looking for a new pastor. Changes in relationships - new and old friendships! Changes in myself - too many things to list ;) Some of these changes have been easier to handle than others, but I think it's safe to say that most of them have been really, really great...

So, two years down...and potentially many more to come. Whether those years are spent in Romania or America, or somewhere else I haven't been clued into yet...I'm up for it! And one last thing, thank you to all of you who have stuck around for these two years. Your support, prayerfully, relationally and financially, does not go unnoticed and I am so incredibly grateful for you, my people!

Turkey Turkey Turkey Baklava Turkey

Rocks from the beach...and an adult coloring book from the airport in Turkey.

I started this post quite a long time ago and saved it. Care to know what I typed in the text box in order to save it? "Turkey Turkey Turkey Baklava Turkey". So if that tells you anything about what I did while in Turkey...just kidding, kind of. As usual, my posts regarding particular events are delayed. I'm sure you're all used to this by now. Nonetheless, thank you for your patience.

Neither of these photos are very good, but I wanted to show the flags.
They were on almost every building we passed on the way to the resort.

One of the two (terrible) photos I took of the actual conference. 

Breathtaking, to say the least.

I spent the first week of November in Turkey for the Nazarene Eurasia Regional Conference. This conference takes place every four years and gathers missionaries, volunteers, and other various folks from the Eurasia region. This region spans from Portugal to India, which makes it incredibly diverse. We had worship services together twice a day, as well as workshops on various topics. You can read more about the conference here. This description is better than anything I could attempt to write, in regards to the basic details.

The view from the balcony of my hotel room. 

There were about 640 people in attendance. An introvert's worst nightmare. I'll be totally honest...I was nervous about attending. As a nerd, I greatly enjoy conferences, hearing from others, and gaining new information. However, with conferences come social interactions, and I'm not the world's biggest fan of those most of the time. Thankfully, I roomed with someone I know, Roberta (who has been serving in Romania for 18 years), in a very nice room. The hotel resort was insanely beautiful. The staff were so friendly, and definitely had an eye for detail. The food options were endless and delicious. I actually ate a pomegranate for the first time...ever. Apparently I'm sheltered, but I don't even care. Now I know about the deliciousness of pomegranates and I'll never go back. I ate one almost every day for breakfast while I was there. I also ate a lot of baklava, as previously mentioned. They had a dessert area with many options, and there was always a little section with various types of baklava. I mean, I had to find my favorite, which I did, so I tried them all. Okay, enough about the food. I feel like I just wrote a review for this place...oops.

Not bad, not bad at all.

This changed every day...

We arrived the day before the conference began which was quite nice. The weather was fabulous...warm during the day for sitting at the beach and reading a book, but cool enough in the evening to wear a cardigan while sitting on the balcony and drinking a cup of tea. Perfection. I spent a lot of time reading, journaling, reflecting, etc. during my time in Turkey. It was a introvert's dream. Once the conference began, we had worship services twice a day with a time for workshops, small groups, and free time in between. I found the schedule to be quite nice. Enough time for conference-y things, but also enough time to enjoy being in Turkey! And now I'll overload you with a bunch of pictures of the beach and Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Not sorry.

If you look closely, you can see mountains in the distance. 

The beach...full of beautiful rocks and stones, rather than sand.

"She loved the sea. She liked the sharp salty smell of the air, and the vastness of the horizons bounded only by a vault of azure sky above. It made her feel small, but free as well." -George R. R. Martin

No words. Just look at it. 

So aside being stunned by the beauty of Turkey, I did actually learn a thing or two from the conference. The theme was Reconciliation, and we read from II Corinthians 5:14-21 at the beginning of every service. One thing that I loved about the services was that a different field was highlighted in one way or another during each service. There were videos for every field, and sometimes someone from that field would pray during the service, sing a special, preach, etc. It was nice to see and hear from so many different people...all doing incredible things in their field. The fields include: C.I.S. (Ukraine, Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Moldova), Central Europe (my field!), Eastern Mediterranean, India, Northern Europe, South Asia, and Western Mediterranean.

I used to be obsessed with these in high school, always photographing them when I saw one.
Apparently, the obsession continues. I was also obsessed with telephone poles...another fun fact you probably didn't know.

As I've already mentioned, there were various workshops offered during the conference. The ones I attended were all very good, and very different. The first one was focused on human trafficking where we heard from three ladies who are working to fight trafficking (both through prevention and aftercare) in their fields. As the topic tends to be heavy, it was a difficult workshop, but also very good. We learned/reviewed facts about trafficking, but like I said, got to hear about what's being done within our region. There is an aftercare center in Bucharest, which I have yet to visit, but I loved hearing the stories from the work happening there. Click here to find out more about this ministry.

The second workshop I attended was related to personnel development on the field. It was informational and enjoyable. It got me thinking about different goals that I want to set for myself and my time in Romania. The third workshop I attended was called, "NCM: Holistic Development", which is something I feel very strongly about. As a social worker, I am a firm believer in empowering and educating people, and holistic development is one of the best ways to do that...Seeing the whole person and meeting them where they are at. Anyways, the man who presented in this workshop is from Bangladesh, which is where the holistic ministry is currently the most successful. He started by reading from Matthew 4:23 where it says that Jesus was preaching, teaching and healing a.k.a. holistic ministry. I could go on and on, but I won't. He talked about the Child Development Center (CDC) model, which focuses on education, nutrition, health, sports, spiritual needs. One of the things I wrote in my notes at the end of the workshop was, "what skills do I have?", which is something that I've really been thinking about. I know that God has brought me here for a reason, and I've been able to offer some of my skills during my time here, but I want to expand on this. I want to be used fully...using all of my skills and abilities to better serve others.

This has nothing to do with anything. Just a Turkish can of Sprite. 

Upon returning from Turkey, those of us from the Sighisoara Nazarene church were asked to speak about our time at the conference. Not my favorite pastime, as you know. I struggled to find something to share because I had SO MANY THINGS that I wanted to share. Seriously, what has happened to me? Most of my life, I've been at a loss for words, but since coming here it's been the opposite. Verbally, still a struggle, but sit me down in front of my journal or the computer and I could go on and on forever. I'm not complaining, just continuing to adjust. Annnnnyways, back to the point. I'll end this post with the two things that impacted me the most.

1. At the closing ceremony of the conference, we sang "Sing Alleluia to the Lord" in all of our various languages. I wish I could tell you how many languages were represented at the conference, but I do not know. Regardless, it was so incredible. So powerful. I feel like I got a tiny preview of what Heaven will be like. So many different people, languages, cultures, experiences, etc. coming together for worship. I had the goosebumps and spent most of the song just listening because it was just so magnificent. On the third day of the conference, we also sang "How Great Is Our God", which is a song that I greatly enjoy. We sang it in English, Russian, Italian, Arabic, German and French. Another incredible experience.

2. Just. Walk. Across. The. Room. For the first sermon, to introduce the topic of reconciliation, the speaker told the story of the Prodigal Son. He used the phrase "just walk across the room" to illustrate part of the message, specifically in Luke 15:20. The verse reads, "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." The point is, Jesus does this. He reconciles...while we are "still a long way off". He comes to us, meets us where we are, and embraces us.

At first, I didn't know why this message was sticking with me throughout the week of the conference. But after reflecting on it a bit, it started to make more sense. The thought of being a "missionary" kind of freaks me out. It's hard for me to even use that word to describe myself and what I do in Romania. Sometimes I get overwhelmed and feel like I'm not doing enough in my current position, but the thought of doing and being more...freaks me out. BUT! I can just walk across the room. I can reach out to people I know and show Jesus to them in our friendship. I can walk across the room to acquaintances and build better relationships to show them Jesus. I can approach people I don't know and meet them where they're at to show them Jesus. I can just walk across the room. It doesn't take much. It's a small step. And yeah, it might become a bigger step later, but I can start the process by just walking across the room. I can do this, missionary or not. (And so can you.)

In another service, a man who works with youth said the following, "Accept young people for who they are, not who we want them to be...and let God do the work". This hit me too. Related to walking across the room, and in other ways. I think it's very true for young people, but I also think it applies to everyone. To make the connection for you...I might walk across the room (to someone I know or someone new), show someone Jesus, and then realize that I can't be what this person needs (materially, health related, emotional, spiritual, etc). But that's the point, I'm not the person that he/she needs. I don't need to do the work...God will do the work. Maybe God will provide me with what they need (materially or otherwise), but initially, it doesn't need to concern me. I need to follow the promptings that I feel whether that be to smile at someone, start a conversation, volunteer to help at an event, learn a new skill to better serve others, etc. I need to listen, follow where I'm lead, and let God do the rest/work.

And before I go, here are two more photos for your viewing pleasure.

Apparently, this is how you spell my Turkish name. Airport coffee for the win!

This was not taken in Turkey. This is what I did as soon as I returned home to a much chillier Sighisoara. 

The adventure continues...

I made the graphic EXTRA big because this is an EXTRA exciting post. Are you ready? Here we go.

I am "officially" planning to return to Romania in September! 

As many of you know, this 4.5 month trip was not intended to be a one-time/short term adventure. The purpose of this trip was to get my feet wet and see what a long term adventure might look like. Well, here we are, almost at the end of the 4.5 months. I come home in about 2 weeks, which is INSANE! I'm so excited to see my family and friends. I can't even think about that right now! 

You know what's weird though...I'm also extremely excited to return for a longer adventure in the fall. I can't imagine coming home and not knowing if/when I would be returning to Sighisoara. Honestly, I would be devastated. Obviously, I miss my family, friends, home, etc., but this is where I truly feel I'm supposed to be right now. I think I've mentioned this in a blog post or maybe just in conversations with some of my family and friends, but I feel at home here. No, it hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows, but I can honestly say that it's been FABULOUS (I have to keep using this word...it applies to so many situations!). I have experienced so many new things...escaped my super comfy comfort zone...learned how to better serve others...and so much more. Remember when I talked about the peace? THE PEACE. That feeling hasn't come to an end, and I don't think it will. Many of you know that the song "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" spoke to me during the time leading up to my departure. The one line that ALWAYS hits me is, "You've never failed and you won't start now". This is the truth. 

The sermon in church today was about fulfilling your purpose. We've been working our way through the parables, and Roberta spoke about the fig tree in Luke 13: 6-9. She talked about finding our purpose by doing three things: having fellowship with others, worshipping God (every day...not just at church on Sunday), and...the third thing has completely escaped me. Ugh! That's what I get for not taking notes. BUT, she referenced I Peter 4:10, and I know I've read/heard the verse before, but it really struck me today. It says, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms (NIV)." Before I came, I was a little anxious about how I would serve during my time here. Once I arrived, it became clear that that wasn't going to be an issue. There were/are so many opportunities for me to use my gifts and talents. As someone who hasn't always been the most confident in her abilities, this is kind of a big deal.

In looking I Peter 4:10 up to type it above, I happened to read the verses before and after from The Message, which paraphrases it to say the following in verses 7b through 11: "Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!" Enough said. 

The thought of having to share this EXCITING news via social media (Facebook, blog, etc) makes me cringe. It feels a bit impersonal, and I hate that. However, I did not want to wait until I got home to share the good news. And I know that all of FABULOUS supporters would want to know this information ASAP!

Upon returning, I will be doing a lot of what I've been doing...working with teens, children, people with special needs, etc. I'll continue to work with Veritas and the Church of the Nazarene. There is also a social work student coming in September, and I will also be helping to supervise her as she completes her social work field placement/internship through the Romanian Studies Program. I'm very excited about that opportunity as well! There are so many things I want to do when I come back and so many relationships that I want to continue to build. I realize that I'm smiling to myself as I write this post...It's THE PEACE I tell ya! 

So...what do I need from you? PRAYER. Prayer for continued peace. Prayer for the goodbyes and/or see you soon's that I'll soon be saying. Prayer for safe travels back to America. Prayer for knowing exactly how God wants to use me as I return for a longer period of time. Prayer for financial support to be raised from this point on. Prayer for my family and friends. Prayer for my time at home.

I'm still talking with the folks from Nazarene Mission Corps about the financial piece...which I definitely just typed as "financial peace". Coincidence? I think not. Anyways, I don't know my official total for the year, but I will be sharing that with you as soon as possible. I'm hoping to have some type of fundraising event when I'm home in order to connect with you and share more about my adventure. Yay! Details to come...

In May, I met someone who had served as a volunteer for Veritas a while back for about 5 years (I think). We were talking about our experiences, and raising support. She put people into three categories: those who are meant to GO, those who are meant to GIVE, and those who are meant to PRAY. This struck a chord with me for many reasons. For the longest time, I was in the PRAY category...then I moved into PRAY and GIVE...and now GO. I hope and pray that you will think about which category you fit into...for yourself, but also in how you might be able to support my Romanian adventure.

And of course, I can't end this post without thanking you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. As I wrote in my last post (Insights & Investments), I would not be where I am without all of you. I truly believe that the peace I've felt is, in part, due to your prayers. The financial support has also been unbelievable. Thank you does not even begin to cover it. I look forward to sharing so much more about this adventure during my time at home as another way to thank you. Thank you. 

The time has come...

The ticket has been booked. Monday, March 16, 2015 is the day. Despite thinking and hoping that the ticket would have been booked sooner, I feel like the timing is just right. It's funny how that works...

I cannot begin to thank everyone who has supported me since the start of this journey, and those who will continue to support me as I leave and serve. I have received a massive outpouring of support through prayers, conversations, generous financial gifts, etc. It's been overwhelming in the very best way, and confirms that this is what I'm supposed to be doing in my life right now.

To give you a few examples of that amazing support...My friend Erica (and Arbonne consultant) allowed me to host an Arbonne spa party for her, and so graciously donated her commission from the purchases that were made. I have THE BEST friends. It was also great to spend some relaxing time with the ladies (and kiddos) in attendance. A lovely Saturday afternoon.

Example #2: Yesterday, my church hosted a potluck in my honor. Have I mentioned how absolutely amazing and supportive my church is? Going into all of this, I felt such a peace because I knew that I had an incredible system of support. As you may know, I needed to raise 75% of my support before being able to book my ticket. That goal was met solely through support raised by my church. If that doesn't say "we love and support you", then I don't know what does. The goal was then exceeded by the support of my friends and family. Wow...that's all I can say.

No...Maybe...Yes

I was the girl who said “no” to God anytime the topic of missions came up.

I knew what would happen if I changed my answer...my life would change drastically, and I didn’t like change. Growing up in a mission-minded church, you can imagine the number of times that I said “no” to God. Throughout the last 8 years, I’ve had to work extra hard to hold on to that “no” as various conversations and opportunities came my way. I was always happy to listen and support in whatever way I could, but there was no way that I was taking it a step further. Over two consecutive summers of serving as a counselor at church camp, that “no” became a “maybe”. Finally, a small, shaky “yes” surfaced this past summer at camp. It was prompted by the week’s sermon series in which the pastor asked if we would “choose to hear His voice every single day”. I knew that I had been choosing to ignore His voice, but that simply couldn’t go on any longer. Every single sermon and song that week was being spoken and sung to me and for me. The “yes”, although still small and shaky, was out and there was no turning back. God had a plan and once I chose to hear it rather than ignore it, I was amazed at how quickly it came together. And that my family and friends, is how I got to this point...

THE DETAILS:

Source

Where: Sighisoara, Romania

What: Serving on the Nazarene mission field as a child development specialist/social worker in the children’s programs at Veritas. Veritas provides social services, educational programs, and community outreach to the people of Sighisoara and the surrounding areas. I will also work alongside the local church to develop their skills for Sunday School and VBS-type activities.

When: In the very near future (Feb/March). I have a renewable 3 month contract.

How much: Around $6,000 to cover housing, transportation, food, insurance, language classes, etc. for 3 months

SUPPORT:

I believe that missions is best done through community, and that you can be a part of this mission that touches lives around the world. Please consider supporting me as a prayer partner, and ask that God would prepare my heart and provide for my needs. I would also ask for prayers for the people I will be working with and alongside, as well as travel safety.

The World Evangelism Fund (WEF) has provided a base for my service through the generous giving of people like you (i.e. support for the local missionary, leadership, and district development). As I mentioned above, I need to raise around $6,000 for expenses during the 3 months. Should you choose to support me financially to help with this ministry, here are the details:

• Checks should be made out to General Treasurer, Church of the Nazarene and mailed to Church of the Nazarene, P.O. Box 843116, Kansas City, MO 64184. Each donation should be clearly marked with “Romania - Bloom, Casey - Mission Corps”.

• In addition, I am in need of personal funds that are not eligible for a charitable tax receipt. Personal funds cover things such as toiletries, extra clothing, school debt, etc. If you wish to help with those expenses, you can send the donation directly to me. Remember, if you send funds directly to me, you will not be eligible for a tax deduction. Feel free to contact me with questions about personal funds, and I'd be happy to answer any questions.

I cannot thank you enough for your support, both prayerfully and financially, as I continue to hear His voice and reply with a “yes”. One of the many reasons I feel at peace about doing this is because of my amazing support system, which includes you.

More details coming soon...