Making Lemonade Out of Lemons
I was so pumped! Friday, March 21, I flew the Hungarian airlines [Malev] flight from Budapest to Podgorica, Montenegro. Most Americans do not realize that the Alps extend all the way through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro even down to Albania. It was beautiful flying over the snow capped mountains to Montenegro. I was praying for small villages that I could see as I flew over them. The vast majority of them do not have an evangelical church!
Oh yes, I was pumped [as I call it, excited, enthused, you know what I mean] because I had big plans to visit the young people who came to the camp that I organized last summer in Montenegro in the city of Niksic. Couldn't wait to get there!
The descent to the Podgorica airport was a lot of fun as we zoomed over the tops of the mountain peaks, then the pilot made a tight bank tilting the plane in a 360 degree turn to have a lower approach to land the plane. This plane was larger than what Malev normally flies there as there was a mechanical problem with the original plane, so, we were flying a substituted plane. The pilot was making adjustments because of the size of the plane and the high altitude mountains. I loved it!
After getting through passport control and grabbing my small suitcase I rented a small Chevrolet called a Spark. Supposedly, five can ride in the car . . . I guess they were thinking of three midgets in the back seat. But, it was fine for me when I could move the driver's seat all the way back. I put my hand behind the seat to feel how much space there was between the front and back seats . . . about 2 inches.
The drive to Niksic was about one hour and I enjoyed the climb in elevation and enjoyed the view of the mountains. First stop: Hotel Onogost where we held Camp Monty 2007.
Walking into the hotel lobby I was greeted by the lady behind the reception desk, "Oh, oh, oh, it's you!!! Come in!! Come in!! You're back!! Are you bringing the camp to us again this summer? Please say 'Yes'!!" She introduced me to the new assistant manager as she told her a quick summary of last summer. Big smiles! She warmly greeted me and introduced me to her secretary. We set an appointment with the manager of the hotel to meet on Saturday morning to organize the details of Camp Monty 2008.
Strolling back to the restaurant, then to the kitchen, I found some of the cooks we met last summer and Mio. My, they warmly greeted me with Mio giving me a bear hug. Mio, a Montenegrin man, is a waiter and served us last summer. So, I announced to everyone that I had a song to sing for Mio and the others. There was much hand clapping and laughing. Then, I cranked up an operatic aria of "O Solo Mio" as I belted out the song loudly. The place came alive! Mio was in tears and everyone else clapped their hands so hard I thought that they would injure themselves. Another bear hug from Mio [will I ever breathe again]! Of course, I told them that we plan to come back for another camp, July 21-25 . . . more hand clapping and big smiles.
The value of relationships!
Oh yes, the theme is "Making Lemonade Out of Lemons". It had been raining during the week, but, it stopped for a few hours on Friday. It started again Friday evening and it continued on Saturday and Sunday. I went to the basketball courts, but the young people were not there. It was a downpour. The forecast called for rain through Wednesday, maybe longer. When it rains in Montenegro, it RAINS!
Well, my plans were drenched. I thought to myself, "I need to make lemonade out of lemons with this situation."
I worked on various details to organize for camp . . . menu, banquet plans, van rental to pick up the English language teachers and sports coaches, basketball gymnasium rental, visiting a possible indoor/outdoor site for our new program for this summer [soccer], etc.
Then, I thought about how some of my friends have done something called "Prayer Walking". The idea is to go to a town where there is no church and walk up and down the streets praying for the people. It is intensive prayer and it gives a burden for the people and their needs. Well, no prayer walking in this downpour . . . so, I slowly drove up and down the streets in Niksic praying for the people. As I thought about it I could not keep from grinning, "I am 'prayer driving'!" You know what, it was a very meaningful time as I did this for a couple of hours. I felt like I really connected with the people although I could only see very few of these people who were braving the elements.
So, I made lemonade out of lemons and got a lot done! I went down there brimmed with plans, but, God had other plans. Actually, I feel pretty good about my time there!
Yes, I am still pumped!
Eric
Oh yes, I was pumped [as I call it, excited, enthused, you know what I mean] because I had big plans to visit the young people who came to the camp that I organized last summer in Montenegro in the city of Niksic. Couldn't wait to get there!
The descent to the Podgorica airport was a lot of fun as we zoomed over the tops of the mountain peaks, then the pilot made a tight bank tilting the plane in a 360 degree turn to have a lower approach to land the plane. This plane was larger than what Malev normally flies there as there was a mechanical problem with the original plane, so, we were flying a substituted plane. The pilot was making adjustments because of the size of the plane and the high altitude mountains. I loved it!
After getting through passport control and grabbing my small suitcase I rented a small Chevrolet called a Spark. Supposedly, five can ride in the car . . . I guess they were thinking of three midgets in the back seat. But, it was fine for me when I could move the driver's seat all the way back. I put my hand behind the seat to feel how much space there was between the front and back seats . . . about 2 inches.
The drive to Niksic was about one hour and I enjoyed the climb in elevation and enjoyed the view of the mountains. First stop: Hotel Onogost where we held Camp Monty 2007.
Walking into the hotel lobby I was greeted by the lady behind the reception desk, "Oh, oh, oh, it's you!!! Come in!! Come in!! You're back!! Are you bringing the camp to us again this summer? Please say 'Yes'!!" She introduced me to the new assistant manager as she told her a quick summary of last summer. Big smiles! She warmly greeted me and introduced me to her secretary. We set an appointment with the manager of the hotel to meet on Saturday morning to organize the details of Camp Monty 2008.
Strolling back to the restaurant, then to the kitchen, I found some of the cooks we met last summer and Mio. My, they warmly greeted me with Mio giving me a bear hug. Mio, a Montenegrin man, is a waiter and served us last summer. So, I announced to everyone that I had a song to sing for Mio and the others. There was much hand clapping and laughing. Then, I cranked up an operatic aria of "O Solo Mio" as I belted out the song loudly. The place came alive! Mio was in tears and everyone else clapped their hands so hard I thought that they would injure themselves. Another bear hug from Mio [will I ever breathe again]! Of course, I told them that we plan to come back for another camp, July 21-25 . . . more hand clapping and big smiles.
The value of relationships!
Oh yes, the theme is "Making Lemonade Out of Lemons". It had been raining during the week, but, it stopped for a few hours on Friday. It started again Friday evening and it continued on Saturday and Sunday. I went to the basketball courts, but the young people were not there. It was a downpour. The forecast called for rain through Wednesday, maybe longer. When it rains in Montenegro, it RAINS!
Well, my plans were drenched. I thought to myself, "I need to make lemonade out of lemons with this situation."
I worked on various details to organize for camp . . . menu, banquet plans, van rental to pick up the English language teachers and sports coaches, basketball gymnasium rental, visiting a possible indoor/outdoor site for our new program for this summer [soccer], etc.
Then, I thought about how some of my friends have done something called "Prayer Walking". The idea is to go to a town where there is no church and walk up and down the streets praying for the people. It is intensive prayer and it gives a burden for the people and their needs. Well, no prayer walking in this downpour . . . so, I slowly drove up and down the streets in Niksic praying for the people. As I thought about it I could not keep from grinning, "I am 'prayer driving'!" You know what, it was a very meaningful time as I did this for a couple of hours. I felt like I really connected with the people although I could only see very few of these people who were braving the elements.
So, I made lemonade out of lemons and got a lot done! I went down there brimmed with plans, but, God had other plans. Actually, I feel pretty good about my time there!
Yes, I am still pumped!
Eric
posted by Eric Murphy at 25.3.08
1 Comments:
Hi dude,
how was the name of that blonde receptionist at the hotel?
Thanks,
Dennis
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