If you were to ask me how I felt about coming to Romania three weeks ago, you probably would have been annoyed with my answer. Three weeks ago I was waking up to the sound of the ocean waves each morning.
Three weeks ago I was proudly shoveling and carrying buckets of gravel in the warm sun, and having the sweat and dirt all over me at the end of the day to prove it.
Three weeks ago I was told Romania was experiencing its coldest winter in decades…with lots and lots of snow.
Ohhhhhh, dear.
I was not a happy camper.
And even after landing in Europe and seeing remnants of their harsh winter, part of me wanted to turn and go back.
Snow!
I know it sounds pretty silly, but it was how I was feeling, and I knew that I desperately needed the Lord to change my attitude.
Well, the good news is that He did! PTL!
After doing ministry here in Draganesti for three weeks now, it would have been near impossible for Him not to change my attitude. It’s hard to come up with the right words to explain why I’ve loved ministry and the people here, and even if I could it would probably take several blogs to say it all. It’s just been…so…so good.
Our ministry this month has been serving alongside the staff and missionaries at Hope Church – the only evangelical church in the small community of Draganesti-Olt. Each weekday we pray from 10:00-noon and then split up to do various things like:
deliver food to widows/assist at soup kitchens
help the church’s after school program
teach English
spend time with children in neighboring communities
assist with logistical and administrative duties at the church
clean and do yard work at the church and Mission House (our humble abode for the month)
and sort through clothes and other items for donation.
(Playing with Ami, the daughter of one of our contacts, as we sort clothes)
It might not sound like the glorious or glamorous type of work some assume us missionaries do, but it sure has been that way to me. The Lord continues to teach me about His love for us each day of ministry, whether its through the smiles and hugs of kids who have never met us before, or the steadfast faith of the few Christians here in Draganesti who are ridiculed for that faith, or the fervent and eager prayers of the people at Hope Church, (and speaking of prayer, when these people pray, they really pray. It’s shown me just how much I don’t pray). God’s love is so big; He’s been doing wonderful things here, and I feel so grateful for the chance to be a part of it.
Three weeks ago my attitude looked vastly different from today. It would be incredibly ironic that our shortest month of ministry, the ministry I so wish we could be a part of for several months, is also the month I was the least excited for. God is so funny like that.
(Oh, and in case you were wondering about the weather, it’s been a beautiful spring-type weather for most of the time here. Ironic much?) 🙂
