All About Jesus

I’ve been sitting for the past 10 minutes, blankly staring at the computer screen. On my TO DO list for the week stands “write article for HW”….yet I have no idea where to begin. How does one summarize a month’s stay in Romania, with all the emotions and people and places and events it involved in just 800 words?!? : -)

It’s been difficult to even comprehend that I’ve been there and back! The first few days after getting home I mostly slept! But in getting back into the home routine…cooking, cleaning, school with the boys…everything experienced seemed like a dream. There are certain things that’ll trigger a memory and then it all comes back. Ryan will run around the house yelling small Romanian phrases; or I’ll look at my watch and see it still on Romanian time. (I hadn’t the heart to change times until well over a week!)

Yes, being in Romania was an awesome experience. It was also fun, stressful, exciting, sad and all other words in the English language. God taught me so much! While we didn’t have dozens of kids come to Jesus, we saw firsthand God working in the little things of their lives. And really, that can be the most encouraging aspect of ministry: to see a nugget of Truth taught and then applied in some “little” way, that will affect decisions for years to come. In a word, everything we did was about Jesus.

What memories were made! We trod all over Bucharest, Arad and Timisoara in sightseeing and shopping; we visited authentic Romanian restaurants, McDonalds : -) and street cafés. From snowball fights in the mountains, teaching the orphans REAL football, water fights while boating, or being proposed to by a gypsy, we came together and, by God’s grace, reached out with His love. Besides, who wouldn’t have fun in cramming 17 people in a 6 passenger train booth? : -)

What exactly did we do? EVERYTHING…

WEEK ONE: We arrived in Bucharest on a Friday afternoon, totally exhausted from the 16 hour flights and layovers, already bewildered at the different culture, people and food! The weekend was spent in sleeping and getting to know the Americans already ministering in the schools with Character First Education. We did take an afternoon to get a taste of the city, though the rain dampened any wild adventures. For Sunday, we split into teams with the CF people; I went to a tightly packed church building, where only a few s omanian but the spirit of God was felt mightily. We were then taken a bit more around Bucharest and tasted our first kabob – the closest I can compare is a chicken burrito with onions and pickles and french fries together. This was done in the rain also. Very memorable. : -)

WEEK TWO: The first children’s seminar! This was the reason we had come and excitement and nervousness blended into one. The total number of children registered by Saturday was near 100, so our teams fluctuated between 13-18 children, with a leader and assistant and a translator. Jonathan and I were placed together that first week, our translator being 16-year-old Andrew; he was incredibly patient with our blunders : -) and worked wonderfully with our fourteen children. Might I add that our fourteen children were mainly seven and under; I often felt like I was running a preschool! The Bucharest seminar was, for me, a week to simply love. The children responded to any type of physical affection (whether hugs or a hand grip or a pat) and it was so utterly precious to have them ramble off in Romanian to me about goodness knows what, content to have me only nod and smile. It was a difficult; only those who have worked in similar situations can even begin to understand. I would be exhausted every single night…yet as we’d walk the streets to the bus top each night, I recalled His faithfulness and felt renewed.

WEEK THREE: Ah, this was our time to relax, tour around Bucharest in detail, shop and experience Easter -- Romanian style. We took a 2 hour train ride one morning towards a little mountain town called Sinaia, there to shop for more traditional items, hike, enjoy the scenery and get to know the CF people better. Back in the city, we visited a huge outdoor market, museums on Romanian history, parks, and tasted “real life”: that is, the beggars, the gypsy women selling socks, the street players, and so much more. It really sobered me to see how little others have when I have so much. And what all do I truly need? Not nearly half for comfort – or even survival. Another highlight of this week was inviting our interpreters from the previous week and their friends to join us in , songs and conversation! It was during this week that I knew I had to return in the fall. These dear, sweet people – Christian and non – were the essence of Romania, struggling to make ends meet, surrounded by sadness and yet, for the believers, possessing the Hope that made their face shine and their hearts eager to share The Story. I gained Gabriele, Carmen, Maria, Adelina, Bianca, Gabby, Alexandra, Laura, Oana, Ci-Ci and Georgiana as close friends in that month and pray I will be allowed to see them again on this earth.

WEEK FOUR: Arad is a city in northwestern Romania, about a 10 hour train ride from Bucharest, and this was the site for our next seminar. Whereas Bucharest is more Westernized, Arad has still retained the charming European style that delighted us foreigners. : -) This week it was David and I for the leader/assistant, with 18-year-old Adi as our translator; our tally of children at the end of the week was 13, more or less being on the other four teams. Arad was awesome in so many ways that I can’t compile them coherently! Every day was a new adventure, every day held new lessons, challenges, laughs. We ventured out to orphanages or (for the guys) served a meal to the street people in the mornings/afternoons. We also caught the not-so-punctual tram lines for tours of the city, shopping and getting more stares as the group of us (girls in skirts, guys with the backpacks, all with camera bags) were somewhat abnormal tourists. For the seminar itself, our children were mostly boys so we battled their constant energy and their constant questions. The power of prayer was never more real to me. David and Adi and I made it a point to pray seriously before our children arrived, to pray as we taught, and to pray with the children; the results were amazing but in the quiet ways that affected us forever.

WEEK FIVE: Wow…could it really be our last few days were counting down? On Sunday we traveled to Timisoara , the birthplace of the revolution, and traveled back to Bucharest on Monday. Jessica and I went with one of the CF teams to a school one morning, while the rest visited a gypsy home. My taste of the main ministry that ATI has here in Romania left me excited and prayerful; if I were to return, this would be my life for a semester. I could not survive apart from God’s strength and wisdom. And Wednesday? Well, Wednesday was wild and kinda blended into Thursday, our departure day, as we never did go to sleep. : -) What all happened in those 30+ hours still isn’t clear, but I do know our tears in leaving the CF team was genuine. Our group was pretty silent those first few hours (once we got through security that is!), and even during our layover in Munich. I think – at least for me – I knew that this past month had been incredibly special; some ways we understood and others had yet to be revealed.

I’ve had friends ask why I want to return in the fall, wondering if I’m simply not still hyped up from all the fun. Yes, we did have indescribable fun that stills makes me chuckle as I look over my pictures. But the best memories, the ones that compel me to return, are the ones when we gave it all in ministry. People need Jesus there and while that’s true of any place, I pray God will continue to draw my heart towards Romania and provide the funds needed for this fall semester…and spring 2004 semester…and for all the semesters my parents can spare me. : -) This type of work isn’t “me” in the least; I dislike public speaking and speaking another language and being out of my comfort zone in general! It’ll be stressful, jarring, sometimes doing something without seeing any results. But if God calls, then it IS worth the effort. It only matters that we give our best in the moment He provides.

Would you continue to pray for me as I hopefully step out in a new venture? And will just pray for Romania? It brings a shuddering breath through me to recall the words from a Romanian pastor in Arad; with broken English, but the widest smile ever, he said, “We love you, Americans. We pray for your country. We want you in Romania. We’ve prayed 55 years for you to come…and now you are here.” Please pray that, no matter if I go or someone else, that hearts will continue to be turned to the Truth and God will send people to love them.

It’s all about Jesus – no matter where you are!

*This article appeared in Volume 54 of Hidden Wisdom.