“Heart of Compassion”
Bunaziua (Boo-na-zi-wa)…Hello from Moldova! After 2 days of traveling by plane and trains… I arrived safely and have been living in a village called
Cornesti (Cor-nesh). In the words of my fellow teammate, Tommy, in describing Cornesti… “we are in a time warp between the 1800’s and the cold war.”
Cornesti (Cor-nesh). In the words of my fellow teammate, Tommy, in describing Cornesti… “we are in a time warp between the 1800’s and the cold war.”
There is about 5,000 people in Cornesti. And the church that my fellow World Racers and I are helping and serving at is located in the center of the village.
Meet Vitalii and Irena, pastor and wife, of a church called Emmanuel (GOD with us).
Vitalii pastors, does a lot of social work, feeds the poor, provides food and shelter for about 15 orphans who live at the church, helps create skills for jobs and so many other things to reach out, to serve and to share the love of JESUS. I am very encouraged by Vitalii’s example because he is very passionate, driven and loves GOD with all his heart in every capacity of his life! It has been a privilege and a blessing to serve along side him this month!
Being here in Cornesti, Moldova this month has been exciting and fruitful. My team ERUPTION and another team called SOAR are serving together.
We all have been fairly busy since we arrived in Cornesti. Some of the things we have had the priviledge to be part of are building relationships with Emmanuel Church members, visit families within the village (evangelism), teaching one on one English and learning Romanian/Russian, help participate in church and youth services, teaching at “Fire Conference”, doing manual labor, prayer walking and encouraging pastor Vialii in whatever ways we can.
“JESUS went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
( Matthew 9:35-36 )
( Matthew 9:35-36 )
GOD is good because in the midst of all this, HE has been transforming my heart from the inside out. Thus, giving me more of HIS heart and filling it with HIS compassion and love. One of the many ways is through one of my teammates, Alexandra, who shared with me that I don’t always have to “share” scripture when trying to help or encouraged people, etc. But I can “show” or be JESUS…”in the flesh” to them in order to “show” them I care. And that I also don’t have to “hide behind scripture” to do this either. I must admit…when she shared this with me, I was hurt and I wanted to defend myself, but I knew in my heart this was true of me. So, some other ways that GOD has been transforming my heart and filling it with HIS compassion is…
When I chose/choose to hang out, talk to and laugh with Victor (who lives at the church in the shelter and has cancer), instead of doing what the rest of my team members were doing; URGENT:…Victor needs your prayers because he visited hospital and doctors shared he is not doing good. They give him 3 months to live due to the cancer! May GOD, through our prayers, bring power and complete healing (physically & spiritually) to Victor. Thank you so much! 
When I chose/choose to play with Nico, (who was an outcast) at the kid’s progam during game time, instead of playig with the older kids who were playing soccer;
“So those that have been chosen of GOD, holy and beloved, put on the heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
( Colossians 3:12 )
( Colossians 3:12 )
When I shared in a church service at Emmanuel about “Are you truly satisfied in life…only GOD satisfies” and a drunk guy named Damien comes up to the front and falls on his knees before me and wants prayer because he lost his wife, is an alcoholic and is miserable. And as a response I chose/choose to lay my hand on him (along with some other guys) to pray for him rather than me getting upset because he was interrupting my sharing time/message.
When I chose/choose to come along side pastor Vitalii to comfort him by walking up to the front where he was at, to sit down next to him, put my arm over his shoulder and to pray with him and for him…because he was pouring out his heart to GOD while he was leading worship which it brought him to tears;
When I chose/choose to give an elderly women named Marina, who’s been rejected and looked down upon, a BIG hug when I saw her while walking in the street, who I briefly met at a church service at Emmanuel. The smile on her face reflected such joy, acceptance, thankfulness and love;
“For GOD does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but HE looks at the heart.”
( 1 Samuel 16:7 )
( 1 Samuel 16:7 )
When I chose/choose to have a servant’s heart when I (along with 4 other guys) had to help move (by hand) over 300 pieces of firewood from one location to another without having a “I don’t want to attitude” or bad attitude. But allowing GOD to give me foresight to see that the wood I was moving was for the church to use to give to the needy/poor in the village and to the kids in the shelter to help them use to stay warm in order to meet their physical needs;
When I chose/choose to come along side 3 younger guys (Caleb, Tommy & Philip) within my team, that I am currently rooming with this month…to share, show and challenge them in their own relationship with GOD… to become godly men with integrity that HE desires them to be.
“Heavenly FATHER…I echo David heart’s and ask that you continue to “Create in me a clean heart, O GOD, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
( Psalm 51:10 )
( Psalm 51:10 )
Thank you for transforming my heart… giving it and filling it more with your compassion…I welcome it and ask that you continue to change me so I can continue to share it with all those that you lead me to share it with. I ask and give thanks to you in JESUS name- Amen.”
The next country that I am off to is Bucuresti (Bucharest), which is in Romania (Europe) to have squad debrief and to change teams & leaders. We will be in Bucharest for 2 days and then will find out where we will be going from there. I will let you know as soon as I can.
Thanks for all your diligent prayers…please continue to pray, especially for the people I shared with you above. They really need you to stand in the gap for them by praying for them! Be encouraged… GOD is moving, is alive and being glorified! Together we are building HIS Kingdom here on earth!!
