Oana and Romona taught me a very important lesson today.
It was the first day we’d met – and already we were friends.
Oana ran across the room to me with an adamant look on her face.
Grabbing my hand – we ran down the hallway and collected Romona.
Beaming with an excited smile, Romona grabbed my other hand.
Before I knew what was happening we were bounding down a flight of stairs and outside.
Stopping by the office – the girls mumbled something quickly to one of the girls working there.
She translated with a smile – and told me the girls were taking me to get cheese at the store.
“Okay! haha” I laughed. Oana looked at me and seeing I understood wasted no time. We were off!!!!
The ladies began talking back and forth and to me as well.
Naturally I understood very little of what they were saying, but I pretended + spoke to them too.
They asked if I was cold and made sure my feet weren’t getting too muddy on the road.
Holding their hands – in broken Romanian/English we discussed birthdays and hairstyles.
It struck me rather funny that “this is my life”.
“Here I am, walking down random Romanian street in October, to buy cheese at the market, meanwhile, holding hands with two Romanian women I just met – who just so happened to have been orphaned as children.” What?? They don’t know my life. They just met me!!! – but already they chose to trust me – already they loved me and brought me along to be part of their adventure. I couldn’t help but wonder, “Where and when in my life would I ever walk to a store holding hands with two women I don’t know just because?” I wasn’t sure how to answer this question – but the Lord spoke this to my heart “Christy, healing is in My hands…Be my hands!”
When we got to the store – the ladies were very excited to tell the owner about their new American friend. One lady in the store tried to talk to me, but the girls quickly explained to her I spoke “English”. I laughed deep on the inside at how comical this was – and smiled on the outside. Oana picked out her block of cheese and received a generous amount of change from the clerk. Counting her change she darted down the aisle quickly and returned with a bag of puffy chips (like cheetos, only off white colored). Realizing she had more change – she disappeared again. This time she returned with a big packet of hot chocolate. Not wanting to waste any valuable change – she assessed her options – conferred with Romona and made one final purchase – a piece of gum. Yes, just one piece. I chuckled as we left the store and the girls excitedly packed their goodies into Oana’s jacket.
Once again we wasted no time – Romona took my hand and we were off…heading back to the center – stopping only briefly to wave at a cute old Grandpa from the village whose face lit up like Christmas as he hauled wood in his front yard. (The girls thought it was funny that I stopped and later shared this with workers at the center.) Oana caught my attention as she handed directed something toward my mouth. It was a piece of gum. “You! You!” she said, motioning for me to eat this piece of gum. Not wanting to consume her treasure, I said, “Thank you Oana, for you, for you!” This time Oana and Romona turned to me, “No! You! You!” I took the gum and thanked them…what a special gift and treat I received from these women – one I didn’t deserve.
These women taught me what Paul speaks of in Philippians, to “look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others”…the preferred and honored me in this moment…but wait, I thought I was the missionary here? Dear Jesus, thank you for teaching me once again what it looks like to love and serve with Your heart through the actions of others! Love, love!
