Update from Romania, Sept. 29

OAMC staff member Bonnie Stathem

By Louise Craig

A day off! It’s Monday in Sibiu. We are staying three nights in the Impâratul Romanîlor, touted as the oldest hotel in Europe. Johannes Brahms was a guest here at some point. Did we ever need his lullaby last night!

We arrived late last night after singing in another beautiful cathedral setting in Alba Iulia. An immense Catholic cathedral stands next to an equally immense Orthodox church. We had the privilege of going into the Orthodox church. It was every bit as beautiful as we could have wished.

As in 2009, Romanian churches in the area have provided us with wonderful food. In Arad and again in Alba Iulia, we were fed delicious, nourishing and very generous meals. Between yesterday’s rehearsal and concert, we had over one hundred boxes of pizza brought in. They were larger than the small individual pizzas we see in the US, more than enough for two or three of us to share, unless you were young and still growing (or not so young and still growing?). We left several boxes of pizza behind.

We spent two and a half-hours in rehearsal and logistics set up, leaving the cathedral to run to a nearby church for our pizza party and a quick change. We needed to leave the church so they could have their mass. We returned with just enough time to line up and start.

Virginia again had the fun of playing a wonderful majestic pipe organ. There was a really old organ, but she played the ‘new’ organ, built in the late 1800s.

The length of the cathedral and location of the organ bench made for challenges coordinating between conductor and organist, so we reverted to relay conducting, with one of our staff standing in the organ loft, mimicking the conductor. A little nerve-wracking in moments but successful overall.

From the loft, we could see one man way back in the cathedral who was enthralled, directing, swaying, and just being one with the music. Ron Pestes got some great video, but you’ll have to wait to see it.

Lennon finally joined us from South Africa. The South African contingent struggled with getting visas to Romania and then with transit visas in London. Lennon was the only one who managed to make it all the way by coming via Dubai.

Tomorrow, we finally get to welcome Lev Vertylo and Viktor Bega from Ukraine. If there is one thing we have learned, it is that being flexible means so much more than, well, being flexible! Expect the unexpected and don’t be surprised at anything.

The singers deserve medals for going with the flow as schedules flex. For the most part, they have not experienced much of the stress of rethinking what happens next because the staff have handled changes so well. Special thanks to Donna Schmidt, who has managed the project with grace, determination, and huge doses of prayer. Rhonda Tilley has helped make the men look great and professional moving in and out of the platforms, even if she had to change nearly everything at the last minute because extra seats were added down the center aisle to accommodate the standing-room-only crowd last night.

I don’t want to leave anyone out so I won’t mention names, but ladies, you know who you are! Except for Bonnie Stathem, you are all learning on the job and doing it with aplomb.

Bonnie has been under the weather, so please, folk at home, send up prayers for Bonnie.

And speaking of prayers, kudos to our prayer team, led by Corleen Johnson, Brooke Stafford, Joan Fuller (I hope I got that right, Joan!), and joined by other travelers and local church members as they are available. There is worship on each bus as we travel, all of us hearing the same messages so that we are united in spirit. That unity is coming through in each song.

Today, we have a day off to get even better acquainted with Romania and with Romanians. There is much to see in Sibiu, but there is even more to see in the hearts of our new and old friends. Everywhere we go, we get to share our mission with people, inviting them to the concert. And each night, the attendance is higher than the night before. As gratifying as it is to see full houses, the best part of each night is watching faces moved by the Holy Spirit. And many of those faces are in the choir.

Thank you for supporting us in prayer. We can feel it.