Starting here at Romania things have gone a little differently than I would have expected…ok I won't lie it's gone a lot differently than I could have imagined.
We've been here in Romania for about two weeks and a lot of it hasn't been what I thought "ministry" would be about. It's consisted of doing office work, cleaning, babysitting and doing yard work. Sure I've had some more ministry-like days but that didn't start until I started to see we can show great love in small things as well.
Office Work…my first day in ministry. I was asked to sit at a computer all day contacting other churches to help partner with our contact, Hope Church. Sending out emails asking churches from the states to join the children ministry here in Romania in supporting them in prayer and encouraging them with letters and Skype dates. I didn't realize at first how much of an impact that could be. Later on I saw, that it's a way they have been able to build up there children's ministry.
Cleaning and babysitting…My team for the most part of a week spent our time with a family cleaning and babysitting. "House wife" duties as we jokingly called it. I wasn't super excited about sweeping and moping floors. I started to pray the Lord would guide my thoughts to him and be a cheerful servant. The prayer for clarity started to come and I learned we were getting these rooms ready for a team from Texas that was scheduled to come and partner with this missionary family. We actually got to meet them later that week and I learned that the church they are from; prayerfully and financially help support our contact's ministry. We served them with a nice place to stay while they came to serve the missionaries here. What a great display of love's full circle.
Pulling weeds…now that was the hardest for me to see as a ministry. Like most people, I'm not the biggest fan of pulling weeds. Especially midday in the summer. I wanted to believe they were just handing off work that they didn't want to do, but I realized we were helping with the next crop that would come in to help support their family with food and even food for the missionaries that come in to help just as we were doing.
Now mind you, I didn't realize all this as quickly as I type these words. It was frustrating and even discouraging at times. I kept thinking "why would I come all this way to clean and do office work." Then the Lord reminded me of home. It's not all about the preaching and singing each Sunday. It's about cleaning the church, working in the nursery, doing follow up through the office and serving the Lord. We serve in all capacities. I'm thankful to learn this lesson so quickly on the race. We can love greatly in small ways.
As this month has continued we've been able to help out in bigger ways with English Classes, Evangelism, and reaching out to people in Draganesti. I'm excited to serve in all of these ways in the coming 10 months.
Thank you to all of my supporters, this journey keeps stretching me and pushing me to levels in my relationship with Christ.
***I'm in need of $1,300 by the end of November to stay on the race. To meet the goal of $15,500 to be able to stay on the race I need to have $5000 of funds in my Mission Account by the end of December. Would you be willing to Donate? Please pray and consider partnering with me and this journey. Click on the "Support Me!" button. Thank you!!!****
