As I was laying in bed the other day, I was reminiscing on all of the good times that I had in Romania. I was reminded off all the street evangelism that we got to do and all of the amazing people that we got to meet. It made me realize how much I actually missed doing that kind of stuff. It showed me that I really enjoyed being able to meet new people and build relationships with them.
I felt the Lord prompting me to go out into our little village of Kolentsi and walk around in hopes of meeting people. So, naturally, stubborn old me decides to argue with the Lord.
It’s cold outside. I’m cozy under my blankets and it’s supposed to snow soon.
We just got done with ministry for today and I’m tired.
None of my teammates will want to go with me. I need to keep the buddy rule!
I’m spending time with you right now! Why would you want me to go do something else?
But I don’t often win my arguments with the Lord. So I hopped out of bed and went down to the kitchen where all of my teammates were. I talked to them about how much I missed street evangelism. But they had the same arguments that I did.
It’s cold. Our ministry day is done. And I really don’t relate on the whole missing evangelism thing.
I went back upstairs, bummed out and confused. Why would the Lord ask me to go do this if He wouldn’t follow through? Why put this longing in my heart?
Fast forward to team time that night. Our squad leader, Kirsten, comes in and begins talking about what our ministry will look like the next day.
“We have Bible study at breakfast and we’re playing with the shelter kids in the afternoon. Oh! And Andrew (our ministry host) asked that we make 120 cookies to bring to the neighbors in Kolentsi. There is a group trying to start a church here and they need your help getting their foot in the door.”
My eyes grew wide as I looked around at my teammates. As I locked eyes with them, I realized that they felt the same things that I did.
The Lord heard me! He heard my cry for the street evangelism and He followed through!
The next day rolls around and I’m bouncing off the walls with excitement. The cookies are made, the prayers have been prayed, and I’m bundled in about 13 layers.
We head out and things are going great. People are receptive AND they love the cookies.
As the night winds down, we stop in one last house. A man is outside and he gives us permission to go inside to talk with his wife.
When we walk in, we see an old lady laying on her bed, covered in blankets. Through a translator, she tells me that she feels like she’s dying. She’s 80 years old and she doesn’t know how much longer she’s going to live. We get the chance to minister to her and pray for healing in her body. At the end of our time together, she ends up giving her life to Jesus. She’s so incredibly excited, but she comments that she doesn’t have a Bible. She doesn’t have any way to follow through with her commitment.
My translator and I run home to grab a Bible and I head back to her house with Kirsten. When we show up, the lady introduces me to Kirsten and she thanks us repeatedly.
“Lizabeth! Lizabeth! Lizabeth!,” she says. “Spasibo! Spasibo!”
She offers us pastries and loaves of bread as a sign of gratitude.
The Lord has shown me so many ways that he’s made me unique. Like, He made me to enjoy street evangelism?? How rad is that?! It’s been so cool being able to discover these giftings that the Lord has given me while ministering to people all around the world. AND we get to bake (and taste test) cookies while doing it!
