June is a
special month, I think. We pioneered ministry
for ourselves this month; we’re going to countries new to the World Race and
working with missionaries who’ve never heard of the World Race. As I
said, Lunchbox has the privilege of being in Romania for a longer period of
time.
We have
almost five weeks here in Timişoara, and it is filling up quickly!
Our
primary ministry is to Casa Olarului (The Potter’s House) which is a part of a
non-profit foundation whose purpose is “[to improve] the lives of children from
families with difficult economical situations and decreasing the social
exclusion of children and youth.” The
Potter’s House is a day center for “children from disadvantaged families” and
they’re gearing up for their summer program.
meantime, the kids come in the afternoons for lunch, help with homework, Bible
lessons, cultural lessons, arts & crafts and old fashioned fun and games,
like “ducks and hunters”, a game at which I am pathetic. We haven’t been much help when it comes to
Romanian language work, but I sure did learn quickly how to count to ten.
We’ve
only been there since Tuesday (and I wasn’t there this afternoon, ‘cause you
know, too many cooks spoil the broth) yet already, the kids have taken to
us. Apparently, I was asked about by
name. But I’ll tell you what, I’m pretty
sure I’m enchanted, if not in love, with them already; even though already, I’m
beginning to see which ones are going to be a challenge to work with. But I love ‘em and like ‘em even when they’re
behaving like brats.
Gosh, it
sounds a lot like Unique Learning Center in the good ol’ District of Columbia
to me. I guess I’m not as far away from
home as I think I am, huh?
June 15, we’re at the Potter’s House in the afternoons during the school
week. This meant our mornings were spent
with the children at Manna, a ministry that serves disabled children and youth,
most of whom are wards of the state. We
took them to the city zoo and they’re special, and I mean that genuinely and
not in the way we use the word as a euphemism for the challenges they face.
group we’ve taken numbered less than ten. During the first outing I spent most of my time with Cristina, who is
blind in addition to whatever else ails her. I had several Office Space
moments when some of the staff reminded me that she can’t see as I did my best
to describe to her – despite her blindness – and let her touch some of the
animals. We had fun (she had more) on a
seesaw that even I long outgrew.
During
the second outing I spent most of my time with Nicoleta, who came with during
the first outing. She’s thirteen years
old and a kind, helpful soul. I never
would’ve guessed that she’s got some extreme anger issues by the way we swung
back and forth on adjacent swings, or help the little ones eat their snacks. As we helped them get seated in a minivan,
Nico gave me a hug and kiss on the cheek and said, “I love 
you.”
Wow.
I have
four more weeks of this goodness. I keep
busy simply by being with some long-lost younger brothers and sisters (who have
told me my eyes are beautiful, hah). I
get to spend the next four weeks with some of the most gracious, kind, and just
plain nice long-term missionaries I’ve ever met.
. . . You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy will
follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of
the Lord forever.
– Psalm 23:5-6 (NIV)
Oh
snap. My cup is brimming over – for this
month, the remainder of the Race, for the rest of my life, from everlasting to
everlasting. Goodness and mercy
following my tail forever; living in His presence for eternity.
Amen.
