After days spent careening down the roads of Moldova in a van we dubbed the Mystery Machine, yes like the one from Scooby Doo, I am going to attempt to paint a picture of this month’s amazing ministry. Just like our crazy drives, the time here has gone by way to fast, was full of ups and even a few downs but by far my favorite adventure yet.
My team spent the last three weeks with the Luca family. Andrei is a pastor and teacher with a huge vision for the community of Ocnita. Then there is his amazing wife Larisa who works nonstop at all hours while also raising their two sons Eric and Mark. Every day this power couple has amazed me with the passion they have for building the Kingdom. And the driving force behind this amazing family is pure selflessness. They just say yes to helping and God equips them as they go, it is as simple as that.
I could go on and on about the Luca’s and what a blessing they were, so if you want details just ask! As for my team we got to dive in on all the fun too. We started off playing a lot of sports with the people and kids, which was a great way to build relationships and create fellowship. This is also how I sprained my ankle after a night of hoops and that has been quite the challenge. Everyone that knows me is aware that I love hard work and I am always moving. So God’s little whisper about me being still, He made it happen.
Everyday things like getting water from the well and walking to and from the church got a whole lot harder. I had to rely on my team a lot more and provide a lot less then I can stand, but in return I got the chance to ask for help and witness the amazing caretakers they truly are!
As we settled in we also started teaching English to the youth group at the church, House of Prayer. We would play games and sing songs with an incredible group of boys and girls that come from some really tough situations. But that is exactly why I am here. I am praying to be an encouragement to these people who could have given up, but instead chose to have hope and smile through painful upbringings for the glory of their savior.
It doesn’t stop there either! We spent five days in a tiny village cooking on fires and freezing the nights away in our tents. That’s where we met Neusa. She was our elderly neighbor who showed us a little love goes a long way. We would cook her dinner only for her to return the blessing with homemade soups or fresh grapes. We would pray with her and helped her harvest and clear a field of corn. We were so happy to help, but it wasn’t until Neusa cried as we said our goodbyes that I realized, this is what ministry really looks like. It’s about lending a helping hand, giving more then you receive and serving without the desire for anything in return.
There has also been manual labor, the sharing of testimonies and we have even got to sing at church on Sundays. Like I said, this month was one for the books. I can only hope we were as much of a blessing here as the people of Moldova have been to us. And I pray that each and every one of you realizes you can live like this too! All we have to do is wake up with an open prayerful heart ready to live out whatever comes our way, ready to give more then we think we have and striving to work harder then we have time for, because,
We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Philippians 4:13
Say yes to life. Whether it’s screaming out loud or whispering for you to join in, just do it.
