Our pack split up on Saturday and went in a few different
directions; some people went to work in a field with some villagers, others
did some logistical work at the church, others ran a children’s program in
Draganesti, and four girls and I went to Stoenetz (pronounced Shtoy- en – itz)
to work with one of the missionaries there.
George and his wife live in this village with their two little girls and
we were told that we would be doing some type of children’s ministry.
directions; some people went to work in a field with some villagers, others
did some logistical work at the church, others ran a children’s program in
Draganesti, and four girls and I went to Stoenetz (pronounced Shtoy- en – itz)
to work with one of the missionaries there.
George and his wife live in this village with their two little girls and
we were told that we would be doing some type of children’s ministry.
George sat us down in the church when we got there to
explain how he envisioned the day to go.
He wanted us to walk around the village with his two daughters and they
would invite kids to the children’s club.
We would go along to pass out tracts and smile and try to talk to people
in Romanian (good joke — Romanian has been the hardest language to try to just pick up ever…it’s like a mix between Spanish and Russian. Super complicated). As he was speaking, his older
daughter Sarah ran in.
explain how he envisioned the day to go.
He wanted us to walk around the village with his two daughters and they
would invite kids to the children’s club.
We would go along to pass out tracts and smile and try to talk to people
in Romanian (good joke — Romanian has been the hardest language to try to just pick up ever…it’s like a mix between Spanish and Russian. Super complicated). As he was speaking, his older
daughter Sarah ran in.
Sarah is six. She is
beautiful. She didn’t look at anyone
else in the room — she just ran straight to her dad. George stopped mid-sentence to catch her in
his arms and kiss her, whispering something to her in Romanian. I’ve always been very close to my dad and the
whole thing was really sweet. It
instantly made me smile to see such a stoic Romanian man melt like that.
beautiful. She didn’t look at anyone
else in the room — she just ran straight to her dad. George stopped mid-sentence to catch her in
his arms and kiss her, whispering something to her in Romanian. I’ve always been very close to my dad and the
whole thing was really sweet. It
instantly made me smile to see such a stoic Romanian man melt like that.
But then another little girl ran in. Lydia is five. She has more personality than she knows what
to do with, and she followed her big sister right to their daddy. And it was the same thing over again — George
stopped yet again to sweep his second daughter onto his lap and cover her in
kisses while she just giggled and smiled at the strange Americans watching the
scene.
to do with, and she followed her big sister right to their daddy. And it was the same thing over again — George
stopped yet again to sweep his second daughter onto his lap and cover her in
kisses while she just giggled and smiled at the strange Americans watching the
scene.
I watched the girls interact with each other, leaning on
their dad while he briefed the five of us.
They were just resting their little arms across his back and hushing
each other as George talked, and suddenly, I was crying. Out of nowhere, I absolutely ached for my dad and my sister and to rest my arm across my dad’s back and to have my
sister so close to me. I thought I could
hide my tears, but George spotted me right away. “Oh no!� he exclaimed, “Your coffee is too
strong??�
their dad while he briefed the five of us.
They were just resting their little arms across his back and hushing
each other as George talked, and suddenly, I was crying. Out of nowhere, I absolutely ached for my dad and my sister and to rest my arm across my dad’s back and to have my
sister so close to me. I thought I could
hide my tears, but George spotted me right away. “Oh no!� he exclaimed, “Your coffee is too
strong??�
This first week of the Race has been really daunting for me. Saturday was only day six here in Draganesti,
and I keep thinking to myself, “How am I going to do this for 11 more months? How am I possibly going to do this?� Most of the time, I have been too busy
working in the church or dealing with team things to really think about home or
this crazy life that we’ve all signed up for over the next year, but it hit me
like bricks this weekend. I do miss my
daddy…a lot. And I miss my sister. And my mom and my brothers and my friends and
why in the world did I ever get on that plane??
and I keep thinking to myself, “How am I going to do this for 11 more months? How am I possibly going to do this?� Most of the time, I have been too busy
working in the church or dealing with team things to really think about home or
this crazy life that we’ve all signed up for over the next year, but it hit me
like bricks this weekend. I do miss my
daddy…a lot. And I miss my sister. And my mom and my brothers and my friends and
why in the world did I ever get on that plane??
Thankfully, God has me covered. He’s been re-teaching me what it is
to be His daughter — I am no longer a slave or a bondservant, but a
blood-bought daughter of Christ, which means that I have my Father with me
wherever I go. I have always thought
that my dad was the best on earth, but even he pales in comparison to my
Heavenly Father. The way that George
stopped midsentence to hold his little girls and reaffirm his love for them —
God does that for his little girls too.
The way that my dad takes care of me and makes me laugh and protects me
from any threat or danger — God does that even better than Fred can.
to be His daughter — I am no longer a slave or a bondservant, but a
blood-bought daughter of Christ, which means that I have my Father with me
wherever I go. I have always thought
that my dad was the best on earth, but even he pales in comparison to my
Heavenly Father. The way that George
stopped midsentence to hold his little girls and reaffirm his love for them —
God does that for his little girls too.
The way that my dad takes care of me and makes me laugh and protects me
from any threat or danger — God does that even better than Fred can.
As I thought about the rest of the afternoon with George’s
family, I realized that Sarah and Lydia walked around their village on their father’s
mission — they were looking for kids to bring into their house, to
play with them and to love them and to tell the Good News. They would literally go up to people’s gates
and pound on them, calling the names of the kids they knew were hiding
inside. In the same way, I’m on a
mission for my Dad. This new
neighborhood is kind of foreign and it’s pretty far from home, but I know that
I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be right now and that He is proud of me for
obeying His voice.
family, I realized that Sarah and Lydia walked around their village on their father’s
mission — they were looking for kids to bring into their house, to
play with them and to love them and to tell the Good News. They would literally go up to people’s gates
and pound on them, calling the names of the kids they knew were hiding
inside. In the same way, I’m on a
mission for my Dad. This new
neighborhood is kind of foreign and it’s pretty far from home, but I know that
I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be right now and that He is proud of me for
obeying His voice.
