Below is a blog from a guest writer: My mom!! Chris and DeeDee (aka Mom and Dad) came to Romania along with 11 other Racer's parents to do ministry and see first-hand what the life of a racer looks like. These are her thoughts on the experience.
I have read team Joyous Noise blogs throughout the race.
God has grown, disciplined, transformed these women to where they don't see life, ministry, worship, community, their relationships with God or others the same. They are radically different from time they started the race until now. It is amazing!!!
Thank you Jesus for working so mightily in these girls lives.
We got to see it first hand with the Racers we were blessed to meet and work along side in Romania. To not only read about how God has shown up in the race and in their lives but to see it in their faces, their eyes, the way they worshipped, the way they do community and love each other and the people they were serving.
It was such a blessing to work alongside them as we served the people of Draganesti. The church in Draganesti is a Spirit filled oasis in the middle of Southern Romania. The faith of their pastor Raul and his wife oozes out of the members there. We were able to work alongside the Racers and their parents with the church in Draganesti for a few short days. It was Easter Sunday (on the Orthodox church calendar) the day after we arrived. We were able to join the main Draganesti church and two other smaller churches nearby for the worship that morning. They are exiles living in a land of unbelief. Yet their hope, faith and love were readily apparent, even with the language barrier.
We had the privilege to stay with Roxanna and her 18 year old daughter Ada. Ada just got her drivers license. Her English is really good (from watching American movies) so when she picked us up at 11 pm the night before Easter we were able to tease her from the start! Roxanna’s husband left her after she became a Christian and then her only son died suddenly of a heart problem when he was away at university a couple of years ago. Yet her faith is vibrant and alive. She is an IT teacher at the local high school and spreads real light for Jesus in her realm of influence. We were humbled by their faith and hospitality!
On Monday after Easter it is a national holiday, so the church had a picnic is a grass-covered opening in some woods not far away. The whole church was there with lots of friends and relatives. What a great environment to do evangelism!! Love people, play with children, attempt some terrible soccer and eat. This is the church at her best. Having good clean fun and fellowship with the love of Christ at the center! We spent 4-5 hours there and when we left the church stayed another 2-3 hours. Oh how God works through such displays of love and fellowship. It is a great witness to how Jesus takes us from individual broken people to a redeemed family of His!!
We got to talk with the Racers about coming back to the U.S. in just a few short weeks. I was able to do a 2.5 month trip right after university and later we were in New Zealand for 12 years and no matter what length of time you serve overseas, re-entry back to life in the states is hard. The world racers will have had 11 months away. They have been personally shaped by God with hearts broken by what they have witnessed in the lives of who they have served – just read their blogs. They will be changed forever – they will view life, ministry, worship and more through the eyes of what they have experienced and it will be impossible to step back into the life they left. They have changed. They will be invited by the Holy Spirit to find a “new normal.” We need to support, love and encourage them in their transitions!
We have learned so much from our daughter Sarah – she is an amazing transformed young woman – the money spent was well worth it just to see her beautiful face and again hear, not just read, how God has been molding, shaping, tearing down walls, pushing her out of her comfort zones but getting to witness it first hand. She knows her identity, a daughter of the King, unconditionally loved, completely accepted, & fully forgiven. To know that from the core of who she is at 24 is truly a God thing and wouldn’t have happened as quickly if she had not been on this trip.
We look forward to see how God is going to use Sarah, not only in these last two months but in her future wherever God leads her! She has our blessing to follow where she feels called and led by God! Hey and who knows there could be another parent trip in our future as well !!
