Hi all! This is Alli’s mom, Debbie. Alli asked me to “guest write” her blog this time. My guess is that this was her way of encouraging me to reflect on my experience taking part in the Parent Vision Trip in Draganesti-Olt, Romania with my husband, Randy.
So, I could easily and quickly knock out a blog focusing on my sensory experiences of Romania – the beauty of the bright yellow fields of canola; the sight and sound of hundreds of sheep bleating in the fields with a lone shepherd watching them; the odd, conflicting early morning sounds of a rooster crowing and the clip clop of a horse’s hooves alongside the sound of a car racing too quickly down a narrow street…so many sights, sounds, and smells that led me to fall in love with Romania (and I did!). I could talk about Randy and my joy at hugging Alli at last, and getting to spend five glorious days with her (and believe me, there was JOY!) … but I think I need to use this opportunity as a bit of a confession.
I am distracted by first world problems.
When I think over even just this past year, it was full of concerns like – how is my morning coffee going to taste? Why do I have so many wrinkles? What am I going to watch on TV and why in the world has my remote control stopped changing my channels? How am I going to fit in going to the gym this week? Clothes, music… you get it. I mean, my goodness, I broke my coffee carafe and had to wait two days for a new one to arrive from Amazon…. It was tough going, people. Ask Randy.
Yet, oddly intermixed with those distractions was a deep frustration with my effectiveness as a believer. People who know me know that I have struggled with wanting to share my faith more, yet not doing it. … with wanting the joy of taking part in the Spirit’s work of bringing someone to Christ, but somehow not knowing how. And always that first-world-problem distraction noise pulling me away.
And then I went on the Parent Vision Trip.
I was pulled away from first world distractions. I got to immerse myself (in a small way) in the experience that Alli and the other racers have had for the past eight months. And what I saw in Alli, in all the racers, and in the missionaries in Romania (not to mention the other parents!) was a single-minded commitment to serving God. I saw young adults embracing God’s leading in their lives with joy and wild abandon. I saw Christ’s love shining through their eyes and glowing on their faces. Hands lifted in praise to God, and heads bowed in worship. I witnessed first-hand how the racers joyfully walked out in faith, relying on the leading of the Holy Spirit, to speak to people they had never met and offer a smile, a prayer, an invitation to welcome Jesus into their lives. I watched the racers offering all they met a glimpse of Christ’s kingdom being realized step-by-step here on this earth. And I got to participate in this! On Wednesday of the week, we walked throughout Craiova, relying on the Holy Spirit to nudge us as to whom to talk to and invite to a church event that was occurring the next day. I saw a young man walking somewhat dejectedly down the sidewalk and felt God’s leading to speak to him. With Alli’s encouragement, I awkwardly said hello in what I hoped was Romanian (but was probably Romanglish). He stopped, and we chatted for a bit, allowing me to hear a little of his story, and then I invited him to the event the next day. When I saw him walk through the door at the event the next day I was filled with amazement at the working of the Holy Spirit! He and I talked for over an hour, and I was able to tell him about Jesus’s love and sacrifice for him. What joy!
Later, I was lamenting to Alli that I wished I could be in full-time mission work. I was already worrying about going home and getting distracted again. … to which my wise daughter chided me by saying, “Mom, ministry is everywhere. It’s about walking intentionally and closely with the Holy Spirit and being willing to have your day interrupted whenever the Holy Spirit nudges you to talk to someone and share Christ’s love.”
She is right. I’m home now, and working hard to keep first world distractions at bay. I am relying on God to help me listen to the Holy Spirit’s leading, so that I’m willing to stop in my “oh so busy” day to smile, listen to a story, offer to pray for someone, or do whatever I can to share Christ’s love and move someone even one step closer to accepting that life-changing, transformative love for themselves.
Will Randy and I ever return to Romania? We sure hope so. But there is mission work to do in my own backyard and with God’s help, I’m jumping in.
