Flashlights and Other Potentially Useful Items

It was never shameful to learn from any teacher things that are useful to know.
-Leon Battista Alberti 

As many of you know, I made a last minute trip to Romania for the holidays. Of course, with any visit to Romania comes attending church - like everywhere else in the world - but interesting things seem to happen in foreign churches that an American wouldn't typically expect (see the post 'Lovebirds' for a good example). This trip was no exception.

Since it was the Holidays, church happened many more times than normal. On New Year's Eve my family and I bundled up, tromped through the snow to church, sat in the barely heated building, and watched our breath emerge from our mouths as we tried to decipher the Romanian words flowing from the Pastors mouth. Slowly the light outside the windows faded and I found myself drifting off into thoughts of warm sunny beaches only vaguely aware that the youth group was getting up to sing. Then, all of a sudden, in the middle of a song the entire church went pitch black.

I have to admit that my first thought was not anything like it should have been. Instead of solemnly thinking "Snap. However shall church continue? The power went out! This is a horribly awful development and will most surely ruin my New  Years Eve," I found myself feeling quite happy and thinking "Yessssssss! Yes! Yes! Yes! However shall church continue? No one can see! Pastor can't read his notes! We get to leave early!!!" (I know, I'm not a very good candidate for Missionary Kid of the Year). The youth group's songs instantly sounded more cheerful, and for a few seconds I found myself full of an uncontrollable hope, pleading with the lights to stay off so that we could move on to our New Years celebrations.

That's when I heard the rustling. The youth group had stopped singing and in the silence I heard a sound that was somewhat familiar, although I couldn't quite place it. It sounded almost like my sister trying to find a tissue in the swimming pool sized bag that she calls a purse. I futilely looked around and right as I glanced towards the side of the church where the females were sitting, I saw it. A soft glow penetrating the darkness.

Someone had pulled a flashlight out of their purse.

Then I saw another light, and another. It seemed like everyone had a flashlight stored away conveniently in a purse or a coat pocket. The worst thing was, no one was acting as if this were abnormal! Needless to say, the hope that I was feeling only moments earlier ebbed away with the darkness. Of course everyone would have flashlights. Of course.

Then, the power came back on.

I couldn't really expect anything else, and really part of me was glad that church could continue (I'm not that horrible of a MK). It just made me wonder, what other potentially useful items are hidden away in the pockets and purses of Romania?

I'll probably find out next time I go to church with my family.
-Matthias