Romania [also known as the “Graveyard of Missionaries”]: where my iPhone 6 costs more than most people’s cars, where you see horse drawn carriages multiple times a day, where one of the World’s most prevalent populations of witchcraft and Illuminati resides, and where only 0.2% (YES, 0.2%!) of the population is considered Evangelic Christian. Walking around Romania, you can visibly seem the darkness and heaviness on people’s faces. We’re often asked why we smile so much and why we’re so nice and happy all the time. Wow! What an honor it is to show people a fraction of the Father’s heart and what true joy and light from Jesus looks like!
Hearing that Romania is the “Graveyard for Missionaries” seemed slightly daunting at first, BUT how incredible is it that we serve the King of Resurrection who breathes life and makes dry bones come alive…even in the Graveyard of Missionaries!!
“Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off. Therefore prophesy and say to them: “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the Promised Land….I will put my Spirit in you and you will live. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done it.”” –Ezekiel 37: 37:11-14
Before sharing what God’s been doing this past month in our ministry, I wanted to share a fun announcement!! This is my new team (Team Beloved)!!! At the beginning of September, I switched teams and became a Beloved!! It’s been such an honor to serve with these women of God! I am so, so excited and honored to get to do ministry with and grow with these women for the next few months!!
I’m blown away at the magnitude of how much God has used my team and my squad this month! This month alone, my squad and I got to be the hands and feet for 10,000 lives here! Our month has been filled with a variety of ministry projects and lots and lots of personal growth! My heart is overflowing with love for Jesus, my team, and the people here. I am so excited to give you a tiny glimpse into what we’ve been doing here:
My team and I split our time between two Romanian cities: Dragonesti-Olt and Craiova. Dragonesti-Olt is a small village with one grocery store and one restaurant (known for selling expired food 🙂 ). Our entire squad (all 44 of us!!) live in a little home (also known as the “sorority house”) in Dragonesti-Olt. My team is the only team that gets to leave the village for a 4 days a week. We packed our backpacks and traveled an hour to Craiova to serve at a brand new church that was planted while we were in Craiova! Craiova is a somewhat major city that is full of beautiful architecture and quaint European Cafes.
This month, my squad and I have given out over 10,000 New Testament Bibles to people all over Southern Romania! While doing this, we prayed for countless people to give their lives to Jesus and for physical and emotional healing! We also had some extremely fruitful conversations with people about spending eternity with Jesus and a life and relationship with Jesus brings salvation, redemption, hope, purpose, identity, joy, and light.
This is Victoria! While handing out New Testaments in the village neighborhoods, I got to share my story with her and tell her about Jesus. During our conversation, she told me that she wanted to die because of her physical and emotional pain. Victoria has severe arthritis and has no access to doctors. She also has been extremely lonely because she doesn’t have any family around. Jesus is so sweet for bringing her into my life! I had the honor of laying hands on her and praying healing over her.
My team and I got to visit the gypsy kids every Saturday! The gypsy community in Eastern Europe is heavily despised and looked down upon because they are seen as untrustworthy, lazy, and dishonest. These kids were the complete opposite! They were full of energy, warm hugs, and genuine smiles. When our little van pulls up in the gypsy community, the kids chase our van and then run and jump into our arms the second we get out! We played games, sang, danced, shared Bible stories, and shared Jesus’ love with them. It was truly an honor to wrap these kids in our arms and show them a tiny drop of the Father’s love!
[More pictures of the Roma Children at the bottom of this blog 🙂 ]
This picture shows one of my favorite experiences on the Race so far! My team and I went to a hill overlooking Craiova to pray over the city. While praying in a field among numerous cows and farmers, a small storm cloud came over us (not the city, not the entire hill, JUST my team!). It started sprinkling over us and God gave me a beautiful verse in Isaiah:
[“You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it; I, the Lord, have created it.” (vv. 45:8]
Envisioning salvation springing up, in a country where 0.2% of people are true believers of the Gospel and where missionaries come to shine light in the darkness but lose hope and quit after less than a year in the field, is such a beautiful picture of Jesus’ sovereignty and unwavering love for us.
My team and I got the honor of praying healing and restoration over two people whose physical bodies are broken. The woman we got to pray for lives in a nursing home because she has a severe case of Alzheimer’s. She also has been battling depression because of loneliness. Beni, our host, is the only person that ever visits her…until my team and I visited her!!
The man above was hit by a car 6 years ago and has been in a wheelchair for years. He (finally!) got surgery a couple weeks ago. Both people were overwhelmed to tears by our visits and prayers!
There are countless other ministries my squad and I have participated in this month! God is springing up salvation and resurrecting dry bones in Romania!!! I am so fortunate to be a part of it! Thank you for partnering with me and being a part of every single one of these ministries!
“…And breathe entered them; They came to life and stood up on their feet – a vast army.” – Ezekiel 37:10
My squad and I got to spend our 3 off days this month in Greece! It was such a gift to find fellowship and rest together!! I got to spend my mornings watching the sunrise and worship Jesus! It was absolutely beautiful!!!
“From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” ~Psalm 113:3
Today, my team and I arrived in Svishtov, Bulgaria. Please pray for our time here and that the Lord would use us in mighty ways!!
