Looking out the train window shortly after sunrise as we climb to the top of the mountain to descend into Split.
Where have we been lately? Although we lived in three different cities during our time in Romania, the majority of our ministry this past month was focused in the small gypsy village of Arcalia. We had no schedule, no aggressive plan. And yet in that freedom, we learned much about what ministering to our own team, now becoming family, looks like. And how essential family ministry is in showing others the love of Christ, and in enabling us to share and love outside our family.
During our time in Arcalia, our contact graciously moved their family out of half of their home to allow us to live with them in village! And we began to participate in simple village life with our new friends. With no running water, we drew from a community well and boiled water on a wood stove outside for bathing and hand-washing clothes. We served one another, cooking on a small stove and washing dishes in a basin outside. Every evening the cows were herded down the from the pasture to be milked, and the constant click-click of metal shoes of horses throughout the day and night pulling horse-drawn carriages regularly reminded me the slow, relaxing pace of life here. On Sunday, church took place in our backyard underneath the sun. And on other days, church happened around a campfire with kids from all over the community desperate to be hugged and played with, desperate to be loved and shown Christ! Church and sharing Christ took place in seemingly random opportunities during runs throughout the town, through prayer walks through the village, visiting homes, being invited in by strangers to drink Turkish coffee, and dozens of God-inspired opportunities throughout the day.
