It’s been a week since I first set foot in Romania. Already I have an appreciation for the land, the language, and especially the people here. Already my heart goes out to Draganesti.
This is a map of Olt, the county we are in. One of the green flags is pinning Draganesti, our town.
My squad is staying together this month. We get to see each other at meals, in the evening, and on off days. Our ministry contact here in Draganesti-Olt is the pastor and missionary coordinator for Hope Church. His name is Raul Costea, and he and his wife Ana spend every day serving their community and sharing Christ.
Here's the mission house we are staying in. The 43 women on our squad squeeze in inside, and the 10 men sleep in tents in the backyard.
Our first week here was a little hectic. Everyone was excited to actually begin this long-anticipated “Race.” We all had to get used to the new time zone and culture of Romania. The World Race lifestyle of sharing meals, doing laundry the old-fashioned way, and coordinating usage of two toilets and three showers among over fifty people takes a little getting used to, as well. Our squad leaders and logistics coordinators were also still figuring out details and working out how things would work this month, so ministry wasn’t perfectly organized yet. This is the first time the Costeas have hosted this many Racers at once in their mission house. There are many opportunities for us to help and minister to others here. Now that we’ve been here for a while, we have worked out a schedule for teams and individuals. Now it is easier to know when and where to be and who can translate for us.
Every day is Laundry Day when you live with 53 people.
So far I have helped organize clothes to be donated to people in need, prayed for the community here, tried my best at street evangelism, taught English, helped my team lead worship for a youth service and a morning church service, and tutored Raul and Ana’s son in Math and English.
My teammate Logan jamming out with a local kid
I am really enjoying teaching here. There is a wide range of “students” in my English class. There are elementary-school-aged children and adults in their sixties and everything in between. There are people who know only a handful of English words and some who know enough to translate for us when we go out to speak to people on the streets. It’s a little difficult at times knowing what to teach with such varied needs, but God is gracious and so are my students. No one is impatient when I take extra time to explain or re-teach something to someone who doesn’t understand. No one gets overwhelmed when I am teaching something too advanced for them.
Here's the view of the front street from the upstairs window at the mission house.
Before I thought about going on the Race, I was searching for a teaching job in the States. It makes me smile to think God knew He had a teaching job for me here in Draganesti all along. I never would have thought to look here if God hadn’t brought me here directly. It’s encouraging to see how He really “works all things together for good.” I wonder how many things I miss out on when I’m not listening for His direction. How many good things has He wanted to bring me to but couldn’t because I wasn’t paying attention or wasn’t being obedient?
I have a feeling this year will hold a lot of “revelation moments” like this. God has so many things to show and teach me. This has been true before my Race and will still be true after, but I am thankful for the next eleven months and their lack of everyday distractions. I am excited to spend more time with the Lord than ever before – not just talking to Him, but listening to Him. What good things does He have in store for you this year?
I will try to get some pictures from my English class up soon. Please pray for the ministries the Costeas and other missionaries have started here. Please pray for boldness for me when my team and I do street evangelism. Thank you all so much!
