The team and I had just arrived at Arad, Romania to spend the weekend with our main contact. After we all had gotten settled in our place for the night, we decided to go to the main square and see the Christmas huts and all the little vendors. We were walking towards the square and a petite young woman walks up to us and starts to speak to us in broken English. She started to ask us frantically if we can just stop to hear her out and that she wants to ask us something. While saying this she continues to repeat over and over, “I’m not a bad person, I believe in God and I just need your help.”
She starts by telling us her name, which is Anka. Then in a rushed way, to make sure we stay around, she tells us her story. She said that she arrived to Arad on Friday, because she wanted to visit and see if she could one day live here. She continues to go on saying she had her money stolen, along with her cell phone. She went to the police station telling them that she has no way of getting home. They tell her that they can’t help her, and she goes onto saying that the police are corrupted and they don’t help anyone. She stayed at the train station and slept, for there was no other place to go. Anka starts to cry and says, “I have been hit, disgraced by men, and have asked police to help me and they just laughed.” Anka looks at me and says, “I just want to go home!”
Looking at her shaking body, I could tell that she had been raped in the past 24hrs. Looking at her tiny body and imagining the terrible things that have happened to her. The thought made me sick, and I wanted to reach out and hug her. She asked if she could get money so she could get a train ticket to go home. We asked her how much a ticket would coast and she replied 31 Lei(about $10), for a one-way ticket to Aradiea which is about 2hrs away from Arad. She also says that she has not eaten since yesterday. The first thought I had was I could give her some money for food. I had 10 lei, which in American is $3 dollars.
Kristin, our leader, asks if we could first pray for her, and at the time she has no idea that I decided to give her money (remember this!). So the seven of us held hands and Anka joined us, Kursti held her while praying. We all prayed at the same time, I prayed that God would give her strength and courage. I asked for God to take away the pain and memories of the past day and half, and I also prayed that she would get home safely. At the end of the prayer she had tears in her eyes, and Anka said, “You all our so kind to me, you don’t need to give me any money because you praying for me has given me strength and I know God is looking down on me”. Ben, one of the guys on my team, steps forward and hands her 31 Lei to pay for her train ticket. I step up and gave her 10 Lei and told her this is for you to get food. She pulls me into a hug and holds me. I say to her, “God sent us to help you in need. Never give up, even when things look at its worst.”
She looks at us and tells us thank you so much for your help. I am no longer lost in what to do, I now can go home to my family. You all are angels!
“I am so thankful that God continues to provide these divine appointments (so many times complete strangers have come to us looking for help because and they leave realizing we have something different). I will remember Anka’s face and Anka’s tears and I will continue to pray for her. Keep bringing your people to us Lord!”
