So we’ve been here in Romania about 3 weeks now. During that
time we’ve been working at a women’s home called Jubilee with women with
disabilities (ranging from major learning disabilities to emotional issues) who
have aged out of orphanages. Some of them seemed like they had no issues at
all, and could even speak English, and some would only hum and rock themselves.
I have to be honest, the first day I was freaking out. I do
not do well with smells, body fluids, and am not a huge fan of physical touch-
I was not in my ideal situation. Our first day at this home we were dropped off
by our driver who did not speak English, with no direction, to be received by
these wonderful girls who communicated through broken English and a lot of hand motions. Looking back I am
truly amazed at how God opened my heart, and how much I truly came to love
these women.
not do well with smells, body fluids, and am not a huge fan of physical touch-
I was not in my ideal situation. Our first day at this home we were dropped off
by our driver who did not speak English, with no direction, to be received by
these wonderful girls who communicated through broken English and a lot of hand motions. Looking back I am
truly amazed at how God opened my heart, and how much I truly came to love
these women.
The first several weeks were spent playing games like uno,
drawing, going for walks, doing hair. As I learned more about these women and
what they had been through I felt God tugging on my heart to share my testimony
with them. Finally on our last day alone with the girls I roused my courage and
spoke. I had so many doubts of whether they would listen, or be able to
understand, or how much I should share, and thoughts of “who am I that I should
have anything to say to change someone’s life,” but I knew these doubts were
not of Him, so I spoke anyway.
drawing, going for walks, doing hair. As I learned more about these women and
what they had been through I felt God tugging on my heart to share my testimony
with them. Finally on our last day alone with the girls I roused my courage and
spoke. I had so many doubts of whether they would listen, or be able to
understand, or how much I should share, and thoughts of “who am I that I should
have anything to say to change someone’s life,” but I knew these doubts were
not of Him, so I spoke anyway.
All I can figure is that God gave me words. They sat with
tears in their eyes as I told them my story, and how through all the sin and
shame God’s loving arms had pulled me back and gave me hope, and how He wanted
them to know He loved them, his little girls. One girl in particular sat crying
after I had prayed and I asked her what was wrong. She said that she was sad
that I had such a hard life (seems ironic they felt sorry for me). I talked to
her about her life, and asked if she’d ever asked Jesus into her heart. When
she said no, I wasn’t quite sure what to do. I had never actually had this
conversation. I asked if she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart and start a new
life, and she said yes! I’ve never felt the happiness and joy I felt as I led
someone to my best friend Jesus.
tears in their eyes as I told them my story, and how through all the sin and
shame God’s loving arms had pulled me back and gave me hope, and how He wanted
them to know He loved them, his little girls. One girl in particular sat crying
after I had prayed and I asked her what was wrong. She said that she was sad
that I had such a hard life (seems ironic they felt sorry for me). I talked to
her about her life, and asked if she’d ever asked Jesus into her heart. When
she said no, I wasn’t quite sure what to do. I had never actually had this
conversation. I asked if she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart and start a new
life, and she said yes! I’ve never felt the happiness and joy I felt as I led
someone to my best friend Jesus.
I had been questioning all the work we’ve been doing, all
the games and time we spent. All the hours washing dishes, pulling weeds,
braiding hair. At that moment I realized that if this one life was the only
life I touched all year, it was all worth it. God’s not willing that any should
perish. So I’m going to continue to pour out my heart, serve in seemingly
pointless tasks, love and share my story of what God’s done…
the games and time we spent. All the hours washing dishes, pulling weeds,
braiding hair. At that moment I realized that if this one life was the only
life I touched all year, it was all worth it. God’s not willing that any should
perish. So I’m going to continue to pour out my heart, serve in seemingly
pointless tasks, love and share my story of what God’s done…
if only for one…
