It is hard to boil this mission trip down into a few sentences... it was a life changer, so please forgive my choppiness of thought :). The biggest thing I walk away with is a challenge to live out what we were teaching to others last week... the first day of the basketball conference, I remember talking at dinner about why would God continue to watch disobedience in the world- why wouldn't he just bring us all home and be glorified eternally? Tony said something profound- I'd heard it before but it resonated on me this time... God will not return until every tribe, tongue, and nation has heard... could it be that WE are delaying Christ's return because we are not holding up our end of the bargain? As intentional as Jesus was to fulfill the Old Testament prophecy to the letter, even healing the Roman Centurion's ear Peter cut off... shouldn't we be intentional to share the hope that we have so we don't delay eternity! Speaking Jesus's name brings power!
I learned that we serve the same God our brothers and sister's in Romania do... I learned short term missions are for encouragement to the hands and feet who stay there day in and day out, not to put a notch on my belt that I came in and saved the day (how shallow of me!) I learned that America's heart is hardened because of all we have (we don't see our need for a Savior and don't want to yield our lives to Him) and that Romania's heart is hardened because of a past of trials and tribulation where hope is not the norm (it is hard to see God through the eyes of Communism)... I believe that both countries are on the verge of WAKING UP if Christians stand up.
I learned about Bob's food baby and Tony's conundrums. Dara taught me lots at 2am- I will spare you all the details :)! I made friends that will last a lifetime.
I tasted mici (pronounced "meech") and pigs stomach soup!
My favorite moment was Communion with the Pastors. A beautiful symbolic night that made me love my Jesus more. A big dinner on white table cloths with new friends with a common bond of Christ, singing Amazing Grace in the restaurant, hearing Romanian messages, and praising God for saving me. I just can't put this night into words. It was the most honest communion I have ever experienced.
I also loved the Women's Conference... we got to share our testimonies, sing together and although they said we encouraged them, I think I was encouraged more!
My what do I do now- get a sonogram to Jochebed- even if it takes a year to raise the money. This is a center that was originally bought by missionaries at the church to council girls about alternatives from abortion. Romania is the #2 country in the world for number of abortions performed yearly. There are no international adoptions allowed (due to child trafficking) and they are so poor they cannot feed their children, so doctors convince women that abortions are their only choice. This center is saving lives spiritually and physically. I don't want to leave that group the same. I pray they get the resources they need to make their ministry strong and I pray lives are changed forever in that 3 room building!
The main church is trying to begin church plants in 3 villages- these are areas of extreme poverty where people are mostly Orthodox and have never heard the name of Jesus. A widow offered us coffee, Whitney and I drank it and after we left, Bryan asked if we saw where the water came from... it was a wooden bucket in the corner of this tiny kitchen, most likely from a well... it was crazy to be praying at dinner that the coffee we drank would not make us sick and cost us ministry time- just crazy!
I commit to treating missionaries that come to our church with the same love and embrace them as our hosts did for us... giving their best. Romanians can teach us a thing or two! Amen!
Some beautiful moments:
The city center in Alba Iulia- stone fortification that is in the shape of a star (check it out on google earth!)
We got to go into the mountains where they are building a camp for the youth:
The guys poured concrete floors
While the girls cooked lunch
Fresh water springs on the way up to the mountain!
We visited Brasov's Castle in Sinia (part of Transylvania) on our 7 hour trip back to the airport in Bucharest. The building was finished in 1908 and it had been all wired with electricity and even a central vacuum system. The inside was A-MAZING... and thinking that it was 100 years old just blew me away!
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.- John 10:27-28
Wow! What a mighty God we serve!
It was an unforgettable first missions trip... it is not my last :)
