This month my home is in the small town of Draganesti -Olt Romania. It's a small village town with people of many kinds and all different walks of life. The streets are filled with street dogs, missionaries, farmers, gypsies, beggars, elderly, children playing, and families hand in hand. It's a quaint little town that I've loved calling my home this month.
We live across the street from a couple temple looking buildings. Gypsies live there. It's mostly big families, but they traffic girls in and out of there regularly. It's known as a "gypsy brothel." There are a lot of gypsies that also live in the countryside. They come through town with their horse and buggy daily. It creates a heavy presence near our house. God knew what he was doing. We've got a group of young adults passionate to share the love of Christ living in one building, and then you've got Gypsy brothel homes across the street. The battle will we won.
There are 4 teams here this month. This is very rare! Normally each team is split up in separate areas of the country and we don't get to spend time together during the month. This town and ministry could accommodate 4 teams and it's been such a blessing…. AND a challenge 🙂 We live in the "mission home" where missionaries stay when they come to Draganesti. It's a big run down house with beds, a kitchen, and running water. We've got all we need! It's been refreshing to see the faces of my squad mates at the end of each day, but it's also been a challenge with 30 people living under one roof. There is NO place to sit alone. Alone time this month doesn't exist. I've found myself getting up at 3am when everyone is sleeping so the knew introvert in me can have some quiet time 🙂
With 4 teams here there is a lot to do! The local church here in town is very invested in the community and has each team doing different projects around the town. When us racers walk the streets everyone knows we are the "church people." We have taken over this place, and we're carrying Jesus with us! What a gift!
My team is split up this month. Jake, Jacob, and Alysa and I have been working with Marian and his family, while Alli and Anna are working with another family helping them with household chores.
Marian, his expecting wife Andrea, and two small children, Naomi and Joseph Timothy live here in Draganesti as missionaries. Andrea is from Germany but has lived here as a missionary since she has been married to Marian. They are a young couple that I have grown to LOVE! They live in a small apartment right now, and have been blessed with a large property a few blocks away with a house that needs a lot of renovating and construction before It's livable. The boys have been helping Marian with the construction of the house while Alysa and I have been helping Andrea with anything and everything she needs. Some days that means babysitting the kids, deep cleaning certain rooms of the apartment, running errands, packing boxes, or doing garden work at the knew property.
They are a BEAUTIFUL family with beautiful hearts. I have loved every minute of investing in this family. I feel like one of them! Andrea and I have formed a really special bond. She's become like an older sister. We have "girl talk" and when we get giddy about something we do the fifth grade squeel and hug. It's priceless! Marian, her husband, told me that its rare for Andrea to get this close to a team member that comes in. They are used to teams coming in and out but he's never seen Andrea bond with someone so fast. Praise God! I'm thankful for my sister Andrea and I PRAY that he will bring me back here someday. Marian is hilarious and loves his wife and children so well. Going to "work" everyday is never a struggle. I enjoy each and every day with this family and I'm truly going to miss them terribly when we leave. While we were driving today Marian prayed out loud that God would open the doors to bring me back to visit someday. I received that in Jesus name 😉
We have a few days of great warm weather, and the rest of the time has been rain, cold, and LOTS of mud. With all the mud and dirt getting blown around the house we live in, it gets dirty very quickly… not to mention 30 people living in it! I love to clean. It's my therapy and escape. I've loved getting home from ministry, putting on my head phones, and serving my squad by cleaning the place. It's my Jesus time and "alone" time and I'm SO grateful for it!
It's nearing the end of month 8. We're all exhausted and feeling the anxiety of coming home, but still wanting everything The Lord has for us. With all of us living under one roof, and the Gypsy brothel across the street, we are experiencing a good amount of spiritual warfare this month. We all are continuing to heal from past wounds, fight the good fight, and press forward, and when you put 30 passionate Christ loving people together for a month you can bet the enemy is going to stir things up. We've been praying over the house like crazy and claiming that Jesus and ONLY Jesus is allowed to fill this space. Please continue to pray with us!
I'm terribly sorry for my lack of communication this past month. Writing is becoming challenging for me. Please pray that God would continue to stir in my heart so that I can share my journey with you in an effective way. I so badly want to share with you and I APPRECIATE you all more than you'll ever know. I've got 3 months left. I'm determined to make them the best yet. Please continue to fight for me and WITH me. Lets finish this journey TOGETHER!
