"The roads are rugged, the precipices are steep, there may be a feeling of dizziness on the heights, gusts of wind, peals of thunder, nights of awful gloom - fear them not. There are also the joys of the sunlight, flowers such as are not in the the plain, the purest of air, restful nooks, and the stars to smile thence like the eyes of God." - Pere Didon
(Kate, Val, Sue, Me)
(Val and I)
A woman in England, knowing they were coming here, had given 100pounds ($200) b/c she felt that there might be a need. But she instructed that if there were no needs to bring back the money straight away. One of the little girls here at the center, Ginina, has started a "Good News" club in her back yard. She gathers about 9 kids and tells them stories about Jesus that she has learned here at the center. She sings them songs and pretends to play the guitar on a old tennis racket. The children take turns reading verses from the bible. Sue and Val were able to go and visit her club while they were her. Sue prayed and decided that the money should go to buy Ginina a real guitar (Ginina is learning to play here at the center). Little did she know that Ginina and her counselor had just been praying together the week before that the Lord would provide a guitar for her! OH, how Jesus answers prayer. It is even more amazing b/c the woman who gave the money in England is a music teacher who instructs in guitar! What a blessing it will be for her to know how the Lord chose for the money to be spent.
An evening last week, I was walking to the bus stop with Rachel and Anna and Magda (all WMF staff). We met some children at the corner who we know and talked to them. As we were talking two policemen came walking around the corner across the street. The children saw them and bolted and the police ran after them. We followed. They chased the children up into a stairwell of a building and we could hear yelling and crying from the street. Anna ran up into the building and the rest of us stayed and began praying before going up too. As we neared the top of the stairs I could see tear stained faces that were terrified and one of the boys was on the floor covering his face. Both officers were screaming and the children were sobbing and shouting back in defense. Anna tried calmly to reason with the officers and Magda joined her trying to at least get the children to stand up properly to talk with the police. Rachel and I prayed in the stair well believing that the last thing needed was American involvement. I was scared for the children. Never have I seen faces so frightened. As it turns out they were being threatened by the police because it is illegal to beg. They were saying things like, "We will take you to the juvenile center right now!" The children regularly are sent out by their parents to beg on the streets. We stayed with them and the children had to give the names and addresses of their parents and were eventually allowed to leave. Most of the time children beg and the police do nothing. Other times situations escalate. I was not sure how to process having been so close to this event. I was never scared, except for the children. One of the staff thought that if we had not been there the police might have beat the children. In any case, I am thankful that I was allowed to be present, to pray, to grieve for the pain these children suffer at the hands of their parents and their society just for being poor. It gives me greater compassion.
Still struggling with language. Most days I want to cry about it at some point. We are trying different tactics and study methods so hopefully some of that will help me. But please, please, please ... pray for me! Romanian is not my favorite language in all the world, no it is not.
Magda goes to a Brethren church here in Galati. She asked the Servant Team to come and present and sing a few songs at her church Sunday night. Women are not allowed to speak in the service and you must wear a head covering. I must say that my pride was indeed pricked and I found the situation of Ryan (Servant team member) speaking for all of us trying as well (only b/c I wanted to speak for myself). But ... it was yet another lesson in submission to one another and Ryan represented us well. We sang three songs for them and it was lovely to talk with people from their church. While I was singing two little girls drew a picture for me. They handed it to me while Ryan was talking. It was so cute! I was singing in a Princess Jasmine type outfit! I told Magda she needed to do a bit more work on her little "Brethren" girls since they drew me with my belly button showing! The services are very long. All together I spent almost 6 hours in church on Sunday between morning and evening services. Yikes! I was very fidgety. Nate (Servant team member) and I tried to see how many words you can make out of the letters of my name during the sermon. In case you should wonder there are more than 40 on our list. We were very naughty.
On Saturday!!! Fun fun fun! We were able to pick grapes and try to make jam! I had such a fun time getting all messy and squishing beautiful grapes with friends. None of our jam really gelled up well but it tasted so good. The kitchen was filled with people and purple and the smell of warm wine. Things do not get much better on Saturday - except I missed you all!!!
Well ... I should get some emails returned to some of you. Hope you enjoy reading. I have added a few pictures throughout the blog and moved things around so take a look see!
Love,
E.
p.s. these are the grapes that we harvested!!! taste like candy, mmmmmm, yummy.
Here I find myself without all the things I find most valuable in myself. I cannot communicate. I have no position of responsibility or leadership. I am not needed or desired for my "wise advice" or knowledge in a particular area. Just me. And I have to trust that all the souls around will accept me for that alone. My particular belovedness as God's daughter. During our first week here we read a book by Henry Nouwen called, In the Name of Jesus. This quote seems to sum up how I have felt. "I was suddenly faced with my naked self, open for affirmations and rejections, hugs and punches, smiles and tears, all dependent simply on how I was perceived at the moment." It has been good to sit still and struggle through the difficult process of being identified in a deeper way within the love of the Lord. I have not arrived. But each day, faithfully, the Lord is speaking to me about being still, His comfort, my own beauty before Him, and there being no need to know the future - He is taking care. As I describe these things do not believe that I rest fully in them yet. I am more quiet but still there are days when I would want to escape, days when I do not trust.
Last Sunday our Servant Team was able to go out to a village called Piscu for a baptismal service at a Pentecostal Church. These services are long and women sit on one side and men on the other. Women wear head coverings. The church was started by a pastor from Galati who lead the service and many of the Galati congregation came to lead music and be present. One of them spoke English and interpreted for us. Three new believers were baptized and it was encouraging to hear their stories. My favorite was an old man of 81 who declared that the Lord was His and had given kindness and patience for his many wasted years without Christ. He stated how the love of God had won his heart. It made me cry just to hear the love in his voice.
Two older ladies from Great Britain came to stay for a week with us here in Galati. Their names are Sue and Val. Sue helps to raise money for the center her and Val is here note taker as she gathers inspiring stories. Oh how I adored these women!!! I cannot explain to you how they have encouraged and inspired me with their stories and gifts. I was very sad to say goodbye to them. They were intrigued by my love of the English accent and spent some time trying to teach me phrases from the Black Country, Yorkshire, and the like. Val inspired me to like myself despite my faults since she was crawling with them but they didn't seem to bother her a bit - bossy and sometimes noisy. I learned not too worry so much about how I am being perceived. From Sue I learned the daring lessons of a woman who has made her life count for the poor. We played gambling dice games together and they would tell me how very boring I was every time I didn't want to take a chance on my increasing my score for fear of losing it all. At their departure Val gave me a card that she has always carried in her bible and inscribed verses and encouragement for me on the back. It was especially meaningful later as I realized she had left me with Psalm 18 - a particular favorite of mine that the Lord uses often in my life. Sue left me with a huge hug and prayer in her arms. Such lovely, beautiful women.
Last Sunday our Servant Team was able to go out to a village called Piscu for a baptismal service at a Pentecostal Church. These services are long and women sit on one side and men on the other. Women wear head coverings. The church was started by a pastor from Galati who lead the service and many of the Galati congregation came to lead music and be present. One of them spoke English and interpreted for us. Three new believers were baptized and it was encouraging to hear their stories. My favorite was an old man of 81 who declared that the Lord was His and had given kindness and patience for his many wasted years without Christ. He stated how the love of God had won his heart. It made me cry just to hear the love in his voice.
Two older ladies from Great Britain came to stay for a week with us here in Galati. Their names are Sue and Val. Sue helps to raise money for the center her and Val is here note taker as she gathers inspiring stories. Oh how I adored these women!!! I cannot explain to you how they have encouraged and inspired me with their stories and gifts. I was very sad to say goodbye to them. They were intrigued by my love of the English accent and spent some time trying to teach me phrases from the Black Country, Yorkshire, and the like. Val inspired me to like myself despite my faults since she was crawling with them but they didn't seem to bother her a bit - bossy and sometimes noisy. I learned not too worry so much about how I am being perceived. From Sue I learned the daring lessons of a woman who has made her life count for the poor. We played gambling dice games together and they would tell me how very boring I was every time I didn't want to take a chance on my increasing my score for fear of losing it all. At their departure Val gave me a card that she has always carried in her bible and inscribed verses and encouragement for me on the back. It was especially meaningful later as I realized she had left me with Psalm 18 - a particular favorite of mine that the Lord uses often in my life. Sue left me with a huge hug and prayer in her arms. Such lovely, beautiful women.
(Kate, Val, Sue, Me)
(Val and I)A woman in England, knowing they were coming here, had given 100pounds ($200) b/c she felt that there might be a need. But she instructed that if there were no needs to bring back the money straight away. One of the little girls here at the center, Ginina, has started a "Good News" club in her back yard. She gathers about 9 kids and tells them stories about Jesus that she has learned here at the center. She sings them songs and pretends to play the guitar on a old tennis racket. The children take turns reading verses from the bible. Sue and Val were able to go and visit her club while they were her. Sue prayed and decided that the money should go to buy Ginina a real guitar (Ginina is learning to play here at the center). Little did she know that Ginina and her counselor had just been praying together the week before that the Lord would provide a guitar for her! OH, how Jesus answers prayer. It is even more amazing b/c the woman who gave the money in England is a music teacher who instructs in guitar! What a blessing it will be for her to know how the Lord chose for the money to be spent.
An evening last week, I was walking to the bus stop with Rachel and Anna and Magda (all WMF staff). We met some children at the corner who we know and talked to them. As we were talking two policemen came walking around the corner across the street. The children saw them and bolted and the police ran after them. We followed. They chased the children up into a stairwell of a building and we could hear yelling and crying from the street. Anna ran up into the building and the rest of us stayed and began praying before going up too. As we neared the top of the stairs I could see tear stained faces that were terrified and one of the boys was on the floor covering his face. Both officers were screaming and the children were sobbing and shouting back in defense. Anna tried calmly to reason with the officers and Magda joined her trying to at least get the children to stand up properly to talk with the police. Rachel and I prayed in the stair well believing that the last thing needed was American involvement. I was scared for the children. Never have I seen faces so frightened. As it turns out they were being threatened by the police because it is illegal to beg. They were saying things like, "We will take you to the juvenile center right now!" The children regularly are sent out by their parents to beg on the streets. We stayed with them and the children had to give the names and addresses of their parents and were eventually allowed to leave. Most of the time children beg and the police do nothing. Other times situations escalate. I was not sure how to process having been so close to this event. I was never scared, except for the children. One of the staff thought that if we had not been there the police might have beat the children. In any case, I am thankful that I was allowed to be present, to pray, to grieve for the pain these children suffer at the hands of their parents and their society just for being poor. It gives me greater compassion.
Still struggling with language. Most days I want to cry about it at some point. We are trying different tactics and study methods so hopefully some of that will help me. But please, please, please ... pray for me! Romanian is not my favorite language in all the world, no it is not.
Magda goes to a Brethren church here in Galati. She asked the Servant Team to come and present and sing a few songs at her church Sunday night. Women are not allowed to speak in the service and you must wear a head covering. I must say that my pride was indeed pricked and I found the situation of Ryan (Servant team member) speaking for all of us trying as well (only b/c I wanted to speak for myself). But ... it was yet another lesson in submission to one another and Ryan represented us well. We sang three songs for them and it was lovely to talk with people from their church. While I was singing two little girls drew a picture for me. They handed it to me while Ryan was talking. It was so cute! I was singing in a Princess Jasmine type outfit! I told Magda she needed to do a bit more work on her little "Brethren" girls since they drew me with my belly button showing! The services are very long. All together I spent almost 6 hours in church on Sunday between morning and evening services. Yikes! I was very fidgety. Nate (Servant team member) and I tried to see how many words you can make out of the letters of my name during the sermon. In case you should wonder there are more than 40 on our list. We were very naughty.
On Saturday!!! Fun fun fun! We were able to pick grapes and try to make jam! I had such a fun time getting all messy and squishing beautiful grapes with friends. None of our jam really gelled up well but it tasted so good. The kitchen was filled with people and purple and the smell of warm wine. Things do not get much better on Saturday - except I missed you all!!!Well ... I should get some emails returned to some of you. Hope you enjoy reading. I have added a few pictures throughout the blog and moved things around so take a look see!
Love,
E.
p.s. these are the grapes that we harvested!!! taste like candy, mmmmmm, yummy.
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