When we arrived in Romania we made an immediate trip to a second hand store to buy long sleeve shirts, coats, hats, gloves, etc. With the stated goal of getting warm.
When we arrive home from ministry each night we are sure to stoke the fire to restore our chilled fingers and toes. With the goal of restoring us to warm.
We have received many a warm welcome into homes, warm hugs from kids and grandmas alike, and warm gratitude for our efforts.
Before today, I would have said I've been warm enough in Romania.
Walking to ministry this day I got a chill. A chivalrous teammate of mine noticed and kindly offer an extra layer. Stubborn me started to decline but I acquiesced because I was definitely shivering/chattering/etc. I was just beginning to shake the chill when a surprise over took me.
A women from I don't even know where appeared and offered me a very nice wool coat. She did not offer the group the coat but walked directly up to me and gently insisted that I put it on. There was no way to politely decline so I slipped my teammates coat off and wrapped her layer around me.
That afternoon, for the first time since we've been here, our bus did not come to pick us up from the village. As we walked home a biting wind stirred and I pulled all my layers closer around me. I chuckled to myself, "Abba, thank you for sending this coat for me to use for the day; you obviously knew I would need it."
When we arrived back to our departure point my team joined me to return the coat. There was no answer at the door so we walked down to the pub on the corner to see if they might know where the woman was or where I could return the coat. Wouldn't you know, she walked out the door as we walked up. I did a series of charades to thank her and got my second surprise of the day…
She didn't intend for me to borrow it.
She intended for me to HAVE it.
I was and am and will probably always be blown away by this gesture.
Walking the rest of the way home I found myself warm from the coat, warmer from her kindness and piping hot as I snuggled into a great big hug from my Abba.
PS: I almost forgot, she and I are not the same size but the coat fits perfect.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…James 1:17
