Life in Romania

For those of you who don't know...this summer when we were in the states, our house was broken into and we were robbed. He mostly took stuff that belonged to the family staying at our house but he also took our church offering and a few other things of ours. It was a teen age boy from our church who had been in our home many times. Well, Baron was summoned to court in Jan and he also went yesterday. It is his job to "prosecute" the thief even though the thief is out of the country and not present at his own trial. We could pay a lawyer to do it but we wolud be out a couple hundred dollars and we will most likely not recoup any of our losses. So, Baron is going and he takes Laurientiu with him to make sure he understands everything. I wish I could go Baron tells me it is a comical sight. First, you show up at 9 and just sit and listen to all these cases waiting for your case to be called...you swear to tell the truth while holding a big metal cross...no I'm not kidding. So, here is just one of the cases he heard. A 17 year old and a 26 year old on trial for robbery. Baron's friend tells him the 26 year old is known to lead a band of young thieves all over the country and out of the country. Here is the story, the 17 is going to take all the blame b/c the ring leader convinces these young men they are minors and they will not do any time so you take the blame b/c I will have to go to jail. The 17 year old was in the house alone in the dark at 11 pm and the 26 year old was just sitting in his car and this kid knocks on his car window and asks him to help him take some stuff out this window and put it in his car so he does and he holds the stuff in his car for 2 days. The judge asks the 26 year old, "don't you think it is kind of strange or suspicious that at 11 at night this kid wants to hand you stuff through the window of a house?" He replies, "no, not really." They go back to court the same day that Baron goes back so I am curious to see if the judge will judge fairly or just go with what story they gave and only charge the 17 year old.
After sitting and waiting for 2 hours Baron is finally called. He brings forth his evidence, at the last court date the judge wanted him to gather info, receits so she could be sure that the value of the stolen items were correct. He gave her the info and that was it. He goes back in March.
On a different note, Baron has had opportunities to talk with some of the young men at his soccer outreach on Monday nights. Pray for open hearts and that God would move in their lives and show them their need of salvation.