This month looked a little different than what we had originally expected. We were under the impression that we would be working with gypsies, and helping to bring restoration between Hungarians and Romanians. In true World Race fashion, it didn’t look anything like what we had imagined. Our month consisted mainly of street evangelism, in other words, passing out flyers for Pastor Zjombor’s church.
I know God can use anything, but it was a little difficult trying to hand out flyers when I couldn’t even have a conversation with most people since they speak either Romanian or Hungarian, and I speak English. Aside from my own personal, selfish frustrations, Pastor is an amazing man of God. He is full of so much passion for the Kingdom, and his heart to seek restoration between Romanians and Hungarians is so pure and beautiful.
I am starting to believe Christians [myself included] have put a box around what evangelism is and what it is supposed to look like, and went into this month thinking with my traditional mindset.
It didn’t help that I had just come from being in Africa! The very last thing I wanted to do was evangelize, mainly because of the crunchy experiences I faced in Ghana and Nigeria. It was in my momemts of frustration though that God really began to open my eyes to what evangelism really means in His Kingdom.
There is a new term I’m embracing more and more on this race: Jesus with skin on. Jesus said whatever we do unto the least of these, we have done also for Him. And what we don’t do for the least of these, we haven’t done for Him. The Lord told me by just loving people, I am revealing His Kingdom. People don’t need anyone else telling them to repent or burn for all eternity. People just need love. Love is what truly sets people free. Love is what brings Kingdom down to earth. Jesus’ greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all of our heart, all of our mind, and all of our soul; the second, He said, is like it, to love our neighbor as ourself. We are supposed to love people as we love ourselves. It is not our responsibility to judge, criticize, or make accusations about people. Sadly, I haven’t done a good job of living this out in the past, but this race has definitely changed my perspective. God says the way we judge others is how He will judge us. I am realizing the only thing I should be concerned about is loving people. The only thing He asks of us is to love love love His children.
So that’s what I set out to do. To just love people.
About the first week after ministry started, a divine intervention took place. The kind when you know that you know only God could orchestrate something so amazing. I was walking in the city with Andy and Bethany down the main street, when a girl approached Bethany. She overheard us speaking English. This led us into why we were in Romania. It turns out that this girl had met another racer about a year ago and knew exactly what we were doing! Such a small world. Such a God-kind-of-thing that happened.
Since that day a beautiful friendship has formed, and I know she is the reason God brought me here. I can see the woman God has created her to be, and I can see the woman she is becoming. At only 17 years old, she is wise, confident, and so determined to live out her dreams. Definitely NOT characteristics I had at that age. I feel so blessed that I was able to have even a couple weeks to learn more about her and just laugh and be silly. We drank coffee together, talked in the park, and clutched arms underneath her umbrella on a rainy day. I know even though I have to leave Romania, that this is not the end. This friendship is only the beginning.
And so, more and more, I’m understanding it truly is all about relationship. Jesus walked with His disciples, ate with His disciples, and simply did life with His disciples. Call it evangelism if you’d like, but to me, it’s just treating them the way Jesus would.
It’s just Kingdom.
