It was a rainy, cold day in Romania as I sat in my top bunk, reflecting on my time here and thinking of possible blog ideas. I was not more than 2:48 minutes into a song when I looked and saw a slimy, bald, skinny TAIL. As I leaned to the side, I saw a little mouse body attached to that gross little tale. Hardly a second passed before it started to CHARGE across the side of my bed TOWARD me! I jumped as much up as I could and tried to make a noise. My mouth felt paralyzed. I finally squeaked out, “There’s a mouse, there’s a mouse, there’s a mouse!” I climbed down as fast as possible and placed my computer somewhere safe, all the while doing my best to not hyperventilate.
I went downstairs, still in shock from the events that had just occurred, and told my leaders. They savagely replied, “Kill it! Do whatever you have to do, take shoes, bats, whatever it takes to kill it!”
A moment later, one friend rushed into the room with a big stick in hand, ready to kill. When I started slowly pulling my blankets off, the room erupted in screams as the mouse was revealed. Before I even saw the mouse I was screaming. I tried to look around the blankets and actually SEE it. As I leaned side to side trying to see it, a little brown ball flew out of nowhere. My screams before were nothing compared to the shriek I let out then. I jumped away, still never clearly seeing this mouse. It had leaped off my top bunk to the ground. To this moment the location of the mouse is unknown. There are holes in the walls so that sneaky slime ball must have squeezed through one.
I thought sharks were scary, until I watched that mouse jump off my bed near me. Horrifying. At that moment, tenting looked like it might be the best option.
Update: I ended up sleeping on the ground. I know what many of you are thinking, “aren’t you closer to the mouse now?” Well, yes, BUT if the mouse runs across me in the night and I am on the ground, I can jump up and run. If it runs across me and I am in my top bunk, I am stuck! I just washed my sheets and have returned to sleeping in my bed.
As I sit (outside, far away from mice) reflecting on this scarring moment, I am reminded that God calls us to uncomfortable places. Living in a house with people I just met a month ago, with mice running across my bed, speaking to complete strangers who speak a different language about Jesus is not the most comfortable place to be. Yet in those uncomfortable places, I have become watchful and aware of God’s blessings and mercies to us that are new every day. I have seen how intentional God has been in placing the right people around me at the right time.
The mornings have continually been harder for me. But this morning as we walked to the church, this little boy on the street gave me a high five. It is moments like these that make everything worth it. I think I would fly to Romania just to have that moment.
As I prayed over an old Romania woman this week, I couldn’t help but think, This is why I have come. If for no other reason than to for 30 seconds get to be with and pray over this woman. It was slightly uncomfortable, I was slightly nervous. In that uncomfortable moment, I got to lay my hand on and pray for a old Romanian woman! I am so blessed. After my teammate and I prayed, the woman brought over to us her other friend to be prayed for!
Everyday is filled with joys and pains. Life can be uncomfortable, hard, and messy, but in the midst of that, God is pouring out His blessings.
God, thank you for your mercies that are new every morning. Thank you for showing me your deep love more and more each day. Thank you for being there in the uncomfortable times and the comfortable times.
