The last eight months of my life I have been immersed in a beautiful and strange world different than any I’ve ever known.
Eyes wide open, I jumped into a completely unknown and unpredictable place, where I only had one familiar Hand to grab onto for stability. Ministry, friends, food, the electricity schedule, it all starts to become familiar, and then in a whirlwind of planes, trains, and automobiles – it changes again.
It’s a world where I’m led by curiosity and find something new to marvel at every day. It was here where I learned to serve out of love and explore a purpose not meant for me, but something Greater.
It’s turned into a lifestyle of travel and worship. And I love it dearly.
And for one week, my parents got to join me in this world.
Our parent’s are our encouragers, our strongest support system, they are our biggest fans and facebook commenters. They’re the one’s who lay in bed at night and pray for us, protecting us the only way they know how from a world away. And it was one of the strangest experiences to have them suddenly be a part of this crazy place I’d found myself calling my own.
If it wasn’t for the many pictures of me smiling and squeezed tightly between them, I would still think it was a dream. Even when they were here it was hard to wrap my mind around their presence and my two worlds that had merged without warning. I was confused as to how they suddenly lived in the room next to mine and I wondered whose crazy idea it was to have all of these parents come hop into our little special places and become a part of our spontaneous and strange lives.
And then I remembered it was me who invited them, and when I did, my mom said YES! and my dad said, we’ll think about it… and then all of the sudden I was standing in the airport in Bucharest, Romania, ready to meet my parents with a big hug and a little orange sign.
I have to admit, when we first had the option of asking our parents to come to PVT, I didn’t invite them right away. I was nervous of what my parents would think of my new crazy life, of the person I had grown into and the ways I had changed. I didn’t want them to be uncomfortable, and I was selfishly holding onto this experience and claiming it as my own.
And then I remembered all of the goodness I’d found the last eight months, all the special moments I was currently stashing away in my soul, and I kicked myself for not being more willing to share it with them.
And when they arrived I immediately became so, incredibly thankful that they had the chance to become a part of the collaboration of crazy events that have shaped the last leg of my life and molded a big part of my heart.
I could tell them all of my stories, try to describe my favorite children and the sometimes uncomfortable house visits and what it means to live with 45 other people – but email and facebook don’t have the power to do those moments justice – and having them experience it for themselves was so much better.
There are still stories to share, but there is now a mutual understanding of the small moments that are impossible to describe.
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While my parents were here they opened my eyes to the beautiful picture my world had become that was becoming harder and harder for me to see.
I had started to become immune to the poverty I saw every day and my compassion was running low along with my energy and motivation. But my parents were fresh – and along with the wonderful snacks, surprises and tea tree oil – they also brought me a brand-new perspective.
The second day they were here we went to visit an elderly widow. She shared her story, tears flowing from her eyes, and my mom was the one who stood up and hugged her, while I sat quietly and watched. She reminded me to bring a new heart of sensitivity to every person I visit and allow empathy to overflow into every interaction, even when I’m tired.
My parents reminded me the importance of the people on my squad. They were beyond impressed with all my new friends and their parents, starting friendships, hearing everyone’s stories, it was like kids at summer camp. And they reminded me time and time again to take advantage of the community I am surrounded by, because it’s lovely and the friendships I’ve made here are life-long if I choose them to be.
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My parents gave advice and brought much needed reminders, but in the middle of the week something changed.
It was suddenly my turn to teach them what I’d learned – and we entered something my dad liked to call the “two-way street”. Which made me laugh and tear up when he said it because it sounded like an equally responsible and mature path that I knew would happen someday, and here it was, divinely unraveling before my eyes.
We both desired to learn from one another, sharing the secrets we’ve found from the world’s we’ve been immersed in, exploring new and old wisdom,
and teaching each other in the process.
And maybe that’s why every night turned into a cry fest, because we were learning that our relationships with one another were growing up and becoming different, becoming equal.
It’s a beautiful process. And it’s scary. And it is humbling.
It’s a new type of learning experience, where I get to hold my parents hands and pray with a new kind of confidence I’ve never had before, leading the way with them into something unfamiliar for us all. I told them who the Lord was to me and where I see him and I led in conversations we’ve never had before. I shared all my dreams and goals of writing and school and future goodness. I asked questions in home visits, when there were no words to say. And I introduced my mom to a squatty potty in the back yard chicken farm of a stranger’s home.
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I absolutely loved having my parents with me in Romania.
And the next time I have an opportunity to invite someone into my world, I will not hesitate.
Because our lives are meant to be shared and it’s a wonderful gift to share what you love with someone else.
~*~
Now that I was able to share a bit of my world with my parents, I would love to share it with you, too!
In the next couple of days, if you have any questions about the trip or anything at all, send me a message or email at [email protected].
I will then compile a blog of the most popular questions and answer them the best I can.
I can’t wait to hear from you guys! 🙂
