After a few days of being removed from ministry due to a relentless flu bug going around, I was thankful that I could spend the first day back in action with a very relaxed ministry task—Cracking walnuts.
This may seem like an odd ministry assignment, but it is just one small part in the process of changing lives. Mark and Florina are wonderful missionaries in Romania who are committed to leading people into spiritual, emotional, and physical transformation. On top of being a part of church planting, Florina has started her own non-profit called Spero designs.
In their pamphlet is says, “ Spero designs, an economic development initiative working under the umbrella of the local church, provides an avenue to financial stability for women in Southern Romania. The women work from home, making hand-crafted products, while relying on the support and guidance of other members of the community initiative.”
I personally LOVE this non-profit. 1. Because I believe one of the best ways to alleviate poverty is through creating job opportunities. 2. I love to knit and crochet. 3. I was able to spend quality time with one of the ladies working through the non-profit.
There is an extremely high unemployment rate in southern Romania and over 25% of the population lives below the poverty line. I am thankful for people like Mark and Florina who are choosing to combat that statistic through creating jobs. They are inviting the women to join in the battle instead of fighting for them. Their dignity is restored, and they have an ownership in the victories. My team and I purchased a few products and Florina shared how that helped the women not only meet their November goal, but also even surpass it by a little. She said there was great celebration that morning when they found out.
One of my favorite moments from this past month was when we were able to visit a widow named Mia, who works through Spero Designs. We walked into her humble apartment and she had hot chocolate, bread and peanuts on a plate for each of us. Her handmade crafts were sprawled out all over her bed and she was mid-way through crocheting an Angel ornament. With a huge smile she welcomed us in, and we spent the next several hours listening to stories of her life, her family and her testimony. We were also caught of guard when, in mid sentence, she started face timing her son (who is still single, she said) so he could meet the three beautiful Americans sitting in her home. We all had a good laugh and my soul was filled with our time with her.
All in all, I have been really encouraged by what I have seen here in Romania. God’s people are creatively and passionately revealing Kingdom to those who are blinded by tradition.
That leads me back to why I have spent many hours cracking walnuts this month. Florina and Mark decided to grow walnut trees (which takes five years to grow and produce nuts!) so they could bag and sell them in order to financially support Spero Designs.
Would you help me encourage these missionaries and the women working for Spero Designs? Would you check out their facebook page, or their website on etsy and consider purchasing one of their products? It would arrive just in time for Christmas, and would help someone in the process of becoming financially stable!
Facebook.com/sperodesigns
Etsy.com/shop/SperoDesignsRomania
Thanks everyone!
Megan
