As Mihai opens the door, he presents us with a giant bowl of homemade pastries from what he calls, “the black hole.” He wouldn’t tell us where they came from exactly, but he said that we would find out soon enough. We were so excited and they were delicious! Mihai told us that after supper he was going to visit a little lady down the road in our village and we were welcome to go with him if we would like… We could hardly wait! We had heard nothing but great things about this lady named Marishca!
After supper was finished and the dishes were all washed up, we bundled up and headed out around 8pm. Mihai said it was about a 10 minute walk from the house, so we made our way into the heart of the village. He picked up his phone and made a quick call, said something in romanian, hung up and said, “Marishca is excited we are coming to see her. She loves guests.” The thermometer read -6 degrees fahrenheit, it was freezing cold, dark, but peaceful and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was a beautiful night. I think it ended up being approximately a half mile walk, but I just walked and prayed and thanked the Lord for the journey He has me on this season. Its crazy to think that this time last week I was soaking up the african sun in 98 degrees, and now, here I walked the street of a little romanian village, in 2 feet of snow. You never know what life will throw at you.
In the distance we could see a really bright outside light on and Mihai said that was our destination. We continued to walk in the direction of that light, and as we emerged from the darkness, I noticed just how cold it really was… My beard was not far from being froze solid! I was so in awe of our walk through the village and what the Lord was saying to me, that I had somehow forgotten just how cold it really was.
We finally reached the house, and were greeted by a little 91 year old woman dressed in what I would have expected. She was wearing a scarf on her head, a very worn, and tattered sweater and a long black skirt. She invited us in very excitedly and as we entered into her little romanian home, she grabbed each of our hands and kissed us on both sides of our cheek. We each took a seat in the potbelly stove heated room, and she kept putting her hands together and praising the Lord for bringing us to her home.
Finally when everyone was properly greeted, we settled down and she set at the front of all of us with the biggest smile on her face. Mihai and her exchanged a few words in romanian and then he asked us if it was okay if she sung to us… We for sure were not about to turn that down, so before we knew it she was holding what seemed to be a old red hymn book, and she began to sing…
It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever heard in my life. Marishca finished her first song and then asked if we would like to hear another one. We all shook our heads yes and she again exchanged words with Mihai. He told us that the second song was talking about 1 Corinthians 13, also known as “the love chapter.” She began to sing and as she started into what seemed to be the second verse, she stopped and began to weep. Through her tears she lead into song once again, but this time it was different. Mihai said that this was a different song and was called “the way of the cross.” Our hearts broke right then and there. Kevin placed his arm around her shoulders and a couple people in our group began to cry. God placed the song “Hosanna” on my heart right then, and I thought of the verse that says “break my heart for what breaks Yours.” My heart broke. When she finished the song, she began to talk to Mihai once again, and he translated for us and said not to worry, Marishca was not sad. She was weeping because she remembers what the Lord has done for her. She remembers the days when she was a slave and how the Lord was faithful in bringing her out of those days. Wow. I just set in awe.
I asked Mihai if he would ask her to share her testimony, and without hesitation she began to speak. She told us that growing up she had always lived in the village she still lives in today, Sistarovich. She had gone to church all her life, but it wasn’t until she was 32 years old that one day she was out in the woods by herself. Suddenly the Lord spoke to her as clear as day and she has never been the same or looked back since that day. She talked of her family, and how her husband had passed 22 years ago. She had three children, but one of them has passed on. Praise the Lord though, she has 8 Grandchildren! We asked her what she does during the day, and she said that she takes care of her cats and chickens, and at night time she sings praises to the Lord and reads her Bible and sits and cries. Mihai also visits her every evening to make sure she is ok, but that’s about all she does.
She asked us if we would sing a couple songs as well, so we sang “in Christ alone” and “amazing grace.” After we finished, we said a prayer over her, and she gave us what all Grandmothers love to do… she gave us more candy 🙂
Before long it was time to go, so we took a few pictures and said our “see you laters.” We were all excited because she said she will make us donuts soon and that we will see her some more before the month here is over. We can hardly wait!
She kissed us each on the cheeks once again, and we made our way out into the cold night air for the journey home. As we walked, my heart was overfilled with joy and thankfulness and the Lord spoke to me and said, “Dusty, my son. Who do you want to be? You have to make a decision if you will allow me to truly change you, or if you will return home at the end of this race in the same condition you entered it. You have to decide.” He spoke so clearly to me through that little lady’s story. I am so blessed to have been able to meet Marishca. I hope this story touched you.
Now I have a decision to make and you have to make the same decision too…
Love yall.
P.S… I have a video of Marishca singing… I will post it as soon as I can get good internet… It will bless your heart…
