Happy Easter

We woke up this morning to sunny blue skies and clear mountain air in Lupeni. We're staying at the home of Zoli & Ildi and will soon accompany them to Easter services here in this mining town in the southern range of the Carpathian mountains, surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Naturally, Johnny B. Goode & Blessed Bill headed out at first light, accompanied by good hostess Ildi, to look for places to go uphill, as John & Bill do most days, with a promise to return in time for Ildiko's breakfast.

Yesterday morning each of the six of us awoke in a separate place, having spent the night in a home stay with members of the Deva congregation. We gathered at the templom at 10 AM and climbed the 500' Citadel Hill. At the top, we gathered inside the cell where David Ferenc was interred and died, and held a short but moving service. We held hands, stood around the commemorative marker, sang "Find a Stillness" in two languages, and people shared their personal reflections. Then we headed down to a feast at the templom.

I found myself walking with Bill and Arpad Tofalve, my 72-year-old host from the night before. Halfway down, we turned off the main path and set out to find the place where Roger had helped Bill do a vertical ascent some years before. Naturally we got lost and spent some time bushwahcking down a steep path, picking our way from rocks to roots. Arpad kept saying (in German) that there were better. less steep ways. But we came through fine and got down to a wonderful feast with lots of food, drink and laughs. Too soon we had to end the party to drive to Lupeni, but we'll return Monday morning for a second Easter service with out Deva friends.