Is there something from your past that you wish you could erase? Something you’d do anything to change? You probably know what your answer right away. We al have regrets, we’ve made mistake, hurt others, been hurt ourselves. We carry our shame and we’re forced to live in the messes we’ve made, deal with the ramifications. If you could, would you trade all that for a different story? Something beautiful?
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me… to comfort all who mourn…
t o g i v e t h e m a b e a u t i f u l h e a d d r e s s i n s t e a d o f a s h e s
the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
I s a i a h 6 1 : 1 – 3
Last week my team was in Oradea, the Bible Belt of Romania. One of the ministries that we were able to connect with during our stay is named after that passage in Isaiah- Beauty from Ashes. A declaration of the kind of work God does. He offers to make a trade with each of us: “You give me your broken life, the shame, the mess, the sorrow… and I’ll make something beautiful.” Don’t we all crave that? We all need redemption. At Beauty from Ashes they know this, and they labor to bring this truth specifically to those whose ashes take the form of a life spent in institutional orphanages.
Beauty from Ashes is a ministry of Romania Orphan Care. They open their doors to women who, at 18 years old, are forced to leave the orphanages whether they are ready to enter the real world or not. The vision of this transition center is to work with these young ladies and make them independent. These girls were never mentored or given individual attention from a parent, never taught how to function in a work environment, care for a home, or cook for themselves. In many ways the institutions that met all their basic needs (except for love and security) eventually handicapped them to only know how to receive. The staff wants to see them independent, confident, and in relationship with their Heavenly Father.
They give the young women a home, teach them to clean and cook, then invite them into responsibility and ownership of their new home by putting them on weekly chore schedules. The girls do all the menu planning, shopping, cooking, and cleaning under the loving guidance of a staff mentor.
They also receive tutoring and even some homeschooling, depending on what their needs are. Many of the girls were incorrectly labeled and put in special needs school because of their abuse- and neglect-induced behaviors. Ultimately the staff wants them to be able to self sustain, so they are found jobs or taught a skill. For instance, the women make handmade items such as cards, hair accessories, jewelry, and crocheted things to sell on an Etsy shop online.
All of this is amazing, but Ema and Andreea recognize that real restoration only happens through knowing Jesus. Girls who come to Beauty for Ashes can choose to attend whichever church they want, but they are required to regularly attend. They are also provided with a Bible reading plan and are led in a 30 min devotional each day. The staff counsel and mentor the girls, sharing their personal testimonies and pointing them to Jesus day by day. The girls see a difference in the long run, one woman noting “She prays… and God answers her!”
So many mistreated and unloved orphans grow up to be broken people without hope. Our world needs transition homes like Beauty for Ashes, especially because they are committed to leading the women to their only true hope, Jesus Christ.
Visit their website http://www.romanianorphanministries.com
Support their Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/BeautyfromashesUSA
Like their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BeautyFromAshesBoutique
Pray for the staff and the girls they minister to. Please pray for the girls’ relationship with Jesus, relationships with each other, and heart attitudes. Many of them have a long road to walk towards patience, perseverance, or hope for the future. But hallelujah, our God works miracles every day.
