Our day had been filled with children’s little smiles and giggles, hair braiding, eating sheep stomach, laughter, and wonderful fellowship in a small Roma (gypsy) village. As our new friends drove us back home that night, we marveled at the stars in the midst of the Bulgarian countryside and chatted about our day. Suddenly, softly, our friend Evelyn* began to share her story with us in tentative, broken English.
This is part of Evelyn’s story. May it change your life like it changed ours!
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When I was nine, my father had a heart attack and died. I had two brothers, and my mother raised us all on her own, but when I was fourteen my mother married me off to an older man. He hit me, and was very mean.
When I was fifteen years old, I had my first daughter. When I was seventeen, I had my second.
I was with my husband for seven years and I was miserable, but I stayed with him for my children. Then, one day, when I was twenty-one, he hit me. He hit me for four or five hours. I decided that day I had had enough. I took my children, and I left him.
It was soon after that when I met Ivan*. I knew who he was because he was friends with my brothers and he lived in a town not far from me. He was a pastor, and he had a previous marriage that ended badly too.
He showed me who Jesus was. He showed me that life can be good. And now, we’e been married for seven years.
God provides for us in seven year time periods and now we’re waiting to see what He will have for us. God uses us to make beautiful things.
//
This morning, Evelyn taught us how to make a traditional Bulgarian breakfast before she had to leave for school. Even though she never had the opportunity to receive an education, she is attending classes and making a name for herself. She does not let her tarnished past hinder her from living the abundant life Jesus promises.
Evelyn is now one of my favorite humans on the planet, and I have learned so much from her this month even though we don’t speak the same language. She is a devoted wife, mother, friend, and worship leader. She is kind, funny, joyful, and smart. Her faith challenges us.
Seeing this tiny woman worship Jesus with every ounce of energy she has floors me. I was blown away by her passion when we first met, but now, knowing her story, I am in awe of how she loves Jesus. This woman has been through things that I, growing up a privileged American, couldn’t even dream of and yet she loves so deeply and so well. Jesus spills out of this woman.
Because of Evelyn, I want to be a better friend. A better wife and mom someday. Evelyn gives me hope and she is now more hopeful than ever because she’s right: God does use us to make beautiful things.
*Names have been changed to protect our wonderful friends 🙂
