At the end of April, my Dad flew to Romania to join me for a week of ministry during the Parent Vision Trip. I had a wonderful week with him and I enjoyed getting to spend time with him and do ministry along side him. I asked my dad to write some of his impressions of the trip and what he learned through coming to Romania.
When I first heard about the Parent Vision Trip during the World Race launch, I thought I would like to go. I didn’t know if it would be possible, but was willing to consider it although I had never had an interest in foreign missions before. I was hoping that the trip would take place in Africa because that was a place I really wanted to visit. When I found out that would not happen, I heard that Turkey was a possible destination. That sounded interesting because of the history there, especially some Biblical history. I was disappointed when I found out that Romania would be the location of the PVT. It just didn’t seem like a very interesting place to go. But I knew that I needed to go and that I had to trust that God knew what He was doing.
My prayer for the trip was that I would find the simple joy of ministry again. In the last few years I’ve seen and experienced a lot in church that has caused me to become cynical and hard-hearted. I wanted to feel the joy again that I felt when I first came to the Lord. So I set out on my journey to Romania. I had some uneasiness about travelling overseas for the first time and by myself. I didn’t know what to expect as I travelled through three airports and security checks and customs. But I can say that everything went fairly smoothly and the flights were bearable although I slept very little.
It was so exciting to come out of the airport in Bucharest to see Amanda holding a welcome sign. I had no idea she would be there. Then we had a very long 3-hour drive to the small city of Draganesti. Like most of the other parents I slept very well that night because I was so exhausted. But the next few days were what I prayed for and more. We got to visit families in the community and bless them. We brought them bags of groceries and prayed for them. It was simple ministry, but we got to see pockets of hope in a land of hopelessness. The name of the church we served with is Hope Church. It is aptly named because the people of Romania are in such need of hope. I was reminded of how blessed I am to have been born in America. We live like kings and queens compared to them. And I was reminded of the responsibility we have to share the grace that has been given to us.
I began reading Kingdom Journeys by Seth Barnes before I left on the PVT. He is right; there is something about the journey. When we travel somewhere else, when we see the world through different eyes, when we share what we have with someone else, it brings something to life in us. I feel a stirring inside again to minister. I refuse to be burdened again by the trappings of church growth and the “requirements” of sound, lighting, and presentation that so many American churches think are necessary to draw people. I’ve watched people smile with hope in church even while a rooster next door crowed through most of the service! I’ve seen what a simple touch and a prayer can do for someone who needs to know the love of Jesus. And now that I’ve gone, I want to go again.
