EU - and EU Opportunities

Today marked a new event on my calender: Since Romania is in the EU, it is now possible to send boxes to Romania hassle-free.

We do business with a bus company (similar to Greyhound in the US) that embarks from our area to Romania every Wednesday and Saturday.
Up to now, we have utilized their services to transport folks. Today I sent 6 packages on a trial run.

Iris is a German nurse who has been serving in Romania since 1991 and has adopted two Romanian girls. Her brother sent her a gift.

A missionary in Scottland, Fred Stonehouse, sent a large box to the Romanian Bible School where he teaches itinerately. Fred and my folks have know each other. They were members of different mission societies, but both worked in Bavaria not very far from eachother.
So this cooperation has been carried over to the next generation.
Fred's daugther Laurilee is a teacher at the Black Forest Acadamey, a Christian Boarding School here in our town Kandern that was founded over 50 years ago to serve missionary children.

The son of a brother with whom Matthew and I worked closely with while starting the church in Weil am Rhein (1976 - ) was in Romania last summer with his youth group. He is a youth pastor about 20 miles from here. I understand that one of his vehicles broke down, and this family he has sent 4 packages of groceries to through me, took the whole group in for 3 days till the vehicle was road worthy again!

This trial run will be interesting for us, as if it works out well, it would offer the opportunity to send boxes between our truck loads, especially if smaller quantities have specific individuals as destinations.
They charge roughly 0.65$ per pound, and it goes into the companies depot in various cities along their route.
The recepient has to go to the depot to retrieve the shipment.

To send Iris's package by mail would have been 23$. I payed 6.75$ this morning!

It is our desire to serve and encourage our faithful brothers and sisters serving the LORD in Romania - and by being able to respond more rapidly, we can benefit their ministries when the situation calls for it!

So we are greatful to the LORD for providing more opportunities which in turn are providing more flexiblility - improving our usefulnes for HIM!

Do pray with us that these much desired goods will reach their eager recepients on Monday!

Mark