While in the Ukraine last month we were supposed to teach in the schools about all of our World Race adventures. We made it there 2 times and then the government stepped in and kicked us out. They threatened to deport us if they caught us doing any other type of ministry. We tried many different things but no one would take us because of the close government watch we had. So our ministry was to the Beautiful family we stayed with. We would pick plums, help cook, clean the house and paint a playground. We loved our Ukrainian family, but we also had a lot of down time and very limited ministry. We were sad to leave but excited and hopeful about our ministry in Macedonia
Saying that………
our month in Macedonia is not what we expected it to be.
We have been working with a young man named Orhan, who is starting up a ministry for Roma street children called “Childrens Hope.” We have participated in meetings, observed Roma communities from afar and watched movies on poverty. All of the hands-on Ministry we were hoping to have was once again limited and many of us have felt useless and frustrated with all the spare time we have had over the past 2 months.
Yesterday we took up a money collection to buy clothes and shoes for people in the Roma (A.K.A gypsy) communities. We then bought the clothes and went to the community to distribute what we had purchased. I went in with the mindset of “this is just going to be another day of not getting to interact and actually minister to these people.” We all had low expectations.
But then we realized that our ministry this month was based around just this ONE DAY!!!
When we first arrived they seemed very angry and we did not feel wanted. Then after watching a lot of yelling in a language we can not understand and large hand gestures and pointing (at us)…we were unexpectedly invited to sit and drink coffee. We sat on buckets covered with a piece of cardboard while the children tried to teach a game that involved 2 balls on a string ( a much harder toy to master then we thought). They brought us turkish coffee and laughed at us while we tried to play with their children’s toy. Half of our team ministered to a few of the men ( who were muslim) and had discussions from the bible. Simone, Emily and I went off with the kids to pet horses and goats, sing songs, have relay races and try to communicate by using our hands (something we have mastered this year). The children were beautiful, full of smiles and showed us great kindness.
Before we left we were invited into one of their homes, made of cardboard and plastic bags for diner. These people have NOTHING and yet they are offering us the only diner they have. When they insisted we all sat on the ground to eat a delicious meal of bread and stew praying to ourselves that they would be blesed back 10 fold. One of the little boys then brought SImone and I perfume and gave it to us as a gift.
I only spent 2-3 hours with these people and they touched my heart. It was more hard to leave them than it was to leave some people after working with them for a month. Their hospitality and friendship humbled us. Even though we only got to spend little time with these people they will never be forgotten.
