The Internet is a wonderful thing. Created as a means for Christians to mobilize on a global scale, the Internet has been corrupted for lesser purposes, such as online gaming, e-selling, etc. Because Renaud in Sibiu was without Internet for 9 days by the time we returned, we were not able on Sunday evening to look up the bus or train times to get Out Of Romania. We had to wait until Monday to find out how strenuous it was likely to be to get from Sibiu in Transylvania, in the North of the country, to Ruse, just across the river in Bulgaria. We were faced with a 3:15 a.m. train ride for six hours, followed by a three hour wait, followed by a 3 hour train ride, followed by a wait and a one and a half hour bus ride to Svishtov. All this so we could begin to think about some down time. Monday was already gone, Tuesday was going to be a write off, and Wednesday was looking less likely as a day we'd want to travel again to somewhere to "rest". (Rest? What is that?!)

As we wandered around Sibiu Monday in the area around the Piaza Maria, we ran into our two new American friends, Stephanie and Leslie from Texas. "We're stranded in Sibiu!" (Boo hoo! - It rhymes.)

"Well, we could drive ya...."

Yes!! The ladies have a lovely new VW passenger van, just registered that very day. Thank you Lord. You do all things well! Now we could get a ride directly to the ferry, and just cross the river right into Svishtov a 5:30 p.m. Easy!

We set off at 9:30 a.m. on the motor bike. (Oh no, different story - for the "In Crowd!")

We set off at 9:30 a.m., and despite bee-utiful weather and an easy drive through the mountains again, we were pressed to make it for 5:30. With 50 minutes left we still had 49 kilometers to drive! It became like an escape bid, as we zigged and zagged the potholed roads. I began to feel like I should have been hiding under a blanket. Got held up just outside a village by construction. Had to slow to 50 through a long narrow village that lined the road for, well, really, way too far. But we made it! Got to the ferry at exactly 5:30 - departure time, as the border police were having a problem with the identity card of the only other person left trying to get on. We handed over our passports, and the ferry was held up another ten minutes as we waited for the border official to go inside and put the stamp in them. Eventually he came back - no problem. We escaped back to Bulgaria. I'd called Virginia and we had a ride waiting for us on the other side.

In all of this I hear you asking, OK, but what kind of ministry are you doing? What fruit is being produced here? That's the next story! Stay tuned.