We've arrived safely in Moldova!!!

All has gone very smoothly as our team has assembled from at least 5 different parts of the world. Six of us left Kerrville at 8am and 3 joined us at the airport who had come from San Antonio and Austin, TX. It took 2 hours to check in but finally all of our baggage was checked in and we were cleared to trave. United Airlines expressed fear that not all of our boxes would be able to be loaded on our flight as it was a full and small plane. Our flight from SA took us to Chicago where we left on a full flight for Frankfurt at 6:45pm. On that 8 hr. flight, some slept quite a bit, some a little and some not at all. Fortunately I was in the first group so feel pretty good (and am able to stay awake to update this blog). We had about 5 hrs in Frankfurt before boarding Air Moldova for our flight into Chisinau, Moldova. Joining us in Frankfurt were 2 from Kerrville who had gone ahead by 2 days, our daughter-in-law and 10 year old grandson from Richmond, VA, our son from NYC and a gal from England whose original plans to spend a week at a camp in Moldova had been canceled due to a flooded camp. She will spend several days with our team so we're enjoying getting to know her.

Our flight was smooth - new plane with air conditioning - and the weather that greeted us was sunny and beautiful. Most of our luggage arrived. We had checked 17 boxes in San Antonio - all but one arrived with us. Diane and Phillip's 2 boxes and his suitcase did not arrive. We filed "Lost Luggage" reports so hopefully those pieces will arrive tomorrow or the next day.

The best part of arrival, however, was to be met by Connie, the CERI director for Moldova, Russ Massey the TX based CERI director for Moldova and Shera, a volunteer from Houston joining us for the week. We also were welcomed by Boris, one of our usual van drivers plus a driver we hadn't met previously.

We had our traditional photo taken from the airport with the city in the background and then we piled in to head to the Team House.

We could smell our delicious dinner as we walked through the front entrance. Lilea and her "home cooking" provided a delicious first meal here.

We are settling into our rooms, heading to the showers and sending a few messages. I am full of gratitude and excitement. It almost feels like I've "come home". God had blessed us with happy travel, much that was donated for our work here and the sure confidence that friends and family are continuing to keep us covered in prayer as we're here. What an awesome God we serve.

Tomorrow we will have breakfast at 7:30am, attend Jesus Savior Baptist Church at 9am and spend some time getting ready to meet our translators and the children at the camp in the afternoon. It is predicted to be quite warm this week - in the 90's perhaps!!! But we'll update what happens tomorrow on my next blog.

Your encouragement is such a source of strength for all of us.