The air was brisk. The snowy crystals that covered the ground in the early morning still lingered in the chill of the afternoon. We all piled into a gigantic van and headed toward the dump. I knew what was coming. I had been to a dump to deliver water in Ecuador, and the experience rocked me to my core. I knew that this would be different, but just as hard.
After stopping to buy food which we then organized into ten bags, one for each family, we pulled onto a dirt road which led us to an empty field littered with garbage. We filed out of the van and walked on a tiny path towards the train tracks. The ground was frozen beneath us and all the trees were covered in a thick layer of frost, the sound of dogs barking echoing through the field.
We approached a tiny shack and were introduced to two men who don’t speak english. We were not told their names, but it didn’t matter to me. I didn’t need to know their names in order to love them. I knew from the moment I saw these two men, that this would be a hard experience for me. The area didn’t look like a dump persay, but it was almost worse in a sense. It was almost as if these makeshift houses were just hidden away in different parts of the field, one popping up when you least expect it, and invisible to those passing by on the highway or the train tracks.
I prayed as I walked. I couldn’t think of anything else that I could tangibly do for these people. I was not one of the lucky ten who got to place the bag of food in their eager arms, so I all I could do was pray.
Please Jesus, fill their lives.
Take away the hunger.
Give them hope.
Give them joy.
Send someone to tell them how much You love them.
Let them know that Your plans are ALWAYS good.
Let my heart break even more for them, Lord.
I need to see them the way you see them.
Give me Your eyes.
And He did. The very next house we stopped at was a family with two daughters, and all I saw were beautiful princesses of the King. I didn’t see their tattered clothing or their dirty faces or their matted hair. I only saw the joy fill their eyes as they were handed dolls and stuffed animals that they probably have never gotten the chance to play with.
I wished so desperately in that moment that God would gift me with the knowledge of Romanian. I wished so desperately that I could tell them how breathtakingly beautiful they were.
As we loaded back into the van after visiting all the families, I tried so hard not to cry for them. Everyone kind of resumed their happy chatter and all I could do was stare out the window and pray life over them again.
I don’t really have an eloquent ending to this, because right now they are still out there in the freezing temperatures, and they still will be out there when I leave in 16 days. And that’s just not okay with me. And it shouldn’t be okay with you either. However, I will not give satan the satisfaction of dwelling on the hurt and the sadness of this situation, but I’ll instead look ahead to the amazing glory that God can and will be shown through these people. I have to trust that He will take care of them, because the truth is, He loves them infinitely more than I can.
Please, please pray, not just these people in Romania, but also the people in your city, the people in your neighbourhood who are in a similar situation. Because, if we bein’ honest, there are broken, hurting people everywhere. And maybe it’s time to stop hoping someone else will get up and do something about it… Just a thought.
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If you are able to sow into this ministry, I am still in need of $4,080.38 and would love to partner with you. Please prayerfully consider it.
