We arrived in Draganesti Olt, Romania …
WR Romania from Kirsten Reilly on Vimeo.
… at the beginning of the month of October. Compared to Brasov, the city where we had debrief up in the mountains, Draganesti was, surprisingly, a whole lot warmer. However, a simple secondhand purchase of a sweater and boots was still needed. It was a few hour van ride from city to city, but we didn’t take advantage of any space left in the cargo van that managed to hold 18 racers and their packs. It was the first time I actually got somewhat car sick. I am thankful for prayers because, so far, it has never happened to me (unlike everyone else on my team that have been popping back dramamine every road trip), so I know that the struggle is real.
This month we were partnered up with an all girl team from our squad, Team Bellator.
Together we were introduced to Hope Church/Biserica Speranta lead by Pastor Raul Costea and his wife, Ana, along with their children, Vera, Sami, Jonaton. Hope Church carries the legacy of being known for a hub for missionaries in Romania. Throughout our stay, we met a lot of them who are stationed throughout the region in surrounding villages. There was no mistake in labeling Raul as visionary and an apostle within the first few moments of meeting him. He is deeply connected to the heart of God, passionate for his people and the lost, and an intentional disciple-maker. For our first orientation with him, he warned us to come prepared. We should have been prepared all month. He came asking questions like: what is your role in God’s Kingdom and what is your five year plan? Raul was relentless in stretching us, questioning our faith, our reasons, and our values in order build us up in believing in our fullest potential and living out our God given identity. He is trained in recruiting and equipping missionaries, so his mission this month was to understand each of us and to see if any one of us would join his team.
On our first day,
some of the guys from the church took our team to the top of a hill that over looked Draganesti Olt. To get there we had to walk through a graveyard with tombstones featuring the photos of the dead. The hill was covered in weird weeds that were hard sticks that grew up from the ground with sharp spiky balls that attached all over your clothes. Regardless, we sat amid the thorns and dry ground. During our month, our teams were invited to intercede in prayer over the church, missionaries and cities. Sitting on top of this hill, overlooking the city, hearing the sounds of a hundreds of stray dogs and horseshoes clopping from the carriages, smelling the burning garbage, and looking on at the poverty, it wasn’t unusual to feel the presence of heaviness. Praying over the city that morning, I knew that God was speaking life into the streets, into the people, and strength into his church and his missionaries. I picked up a twig-like weed plant and snapped in my hand. God spoke to my spirit, that no longer were lives going to live empty and dry in this city, but that hope is here. Life has come.
My mission this month
was to share God’s life, his hope, and to be a shining light into the lives of desperation. My team was appointed as the “Office Team” with jobs such as running different programs in the church throughout the week and supplying administrative support to Raul. I had the opportunity to film, edit and create videos that highlighted a lot of the work we were doing this month. Needless to say, it was a busy month but a month that felt like home back at the Father’s House being on the creative art team and working under tight deadlines. A fellow squad mate, Kristin and I were handed huge projects such as redesigning the church webpage, creating logos for ministries, highlighting and exposing all the work God was doing with them.
Check out the videos and links to see everything below!
On weekends, we were invited out with the missionaries into the villages. We supported them by helping run church on weekends, doing street evangelism to invite people in and running their Kids’ Club. One weekend, my two teammates, Josh and Corey, and myself met Daniel and his wife Lydia, Romanian missionaries called to Coteana, a very small rural village consisting of just a couple streets. I will never forget the day we left the Mission House one Sunday, after a long morning church service, we were unexpectedly told to be ready to meet them in a few minutes. Tired and exhausted, I wasn’t ready to go minister for the next couple of hours. First off, we had to push the manual car to get it to run. After arriving in Coteana, I was battling in my mind why I was there. It was just Daniel, Josh and Corey inviting the boys of the neighborhood into a soccer match. I could have stayed behind. I didn’t feel needed. I was tired. God, how would you use me here? Daniel tapped my shoulder and invited me to go meet with one of the neighborhood ladies. With no context, I soon learned the middle aged woman, named Maria, sitting in the dirt on the side of the road was the one I was being motioned to speak with. She was terminally sick with the same symptoms another village woman died of the day before. I sat beside her holding her hands and smiling at her. I asked how I could pray for her. After praying for healing over her body, I invited her to experience the spiritual healing that comes only from Jesus. Through broken English, and Daniel translating, she learned the Gospel, and agreed with a, “Da,” on wanting to accept salvation. We prayed and she hugged my neck and lingered with tears in her eyes. I wish I could have seen her again. After getting rushed off to leave for the next street, I couldn’t get the image of Maria out of my mind. Pray for her with me. I haven’t seen or heard about her since. I know God is holding her close. Pray that she continues to see God’s healing love for her.
I learned a lot about life and light this month.
Leading up to the end of our month, God kept reminding me personally and also his purpose for Hope Church in Draganesti to be the light of God’s resurrected life within us in the midst of darkness. I had the opportunity to preach in front of the church our last Sunday service at Hope Church. I encouraged them and hopefully now with you with this word:
2 Cor 4:7, We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
(John 12) The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going … But when we believe in the light we become sons and daughters of this light. Jesus spoke, I have come into the world as light, so that who ever believes in me may not remain in darkness. So we are equipped to shine Christ’s light here in Draganesti, in Coman and Coteana, in Stoniesti … when we trust, abide and rely on our wonderful Savior, our God.
Isaiah 52 says, “AWAKE AWAKE .. Put on strength, shake yourself from the dust … the darkness, the sin, the hurt and pain cannot hold us!”
Isaiah 60 says, “Arise! shine! For your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you .. And his glory will be seen on you!”
Isaiah 62, “for Zion’s and Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep silent, I will not be quiet.. Until righteousness goes forth as brightness and salvation as a burning torch… No longer will they be called “Forsaken,” no more will the land be termed “Desolate” … But you will be called “my delight is in her.”
The Lord delights in you! You belong to him! His light is in you! His light is overtaking the darkness. We have nothing to be afraid of to bring the light of hope to our cities! We are more than conquerors, equipped with the name of Jesus!
Catch a glimpse of our month here in Romania through these videos:
