Wednesday : Agape runs, at the orphanage for work, visiting the gypsy village

This morning while Keith, Gail, Dave, Elizabeth, and Daniel went on an agape run with the driver, Johnny, the rest of us went to the orphanage. The agape runs went to visit 3 families. What an awesome experience for the Holmes family! After two days of hard work at the medical clinic, they were truly blessed by helping these poor families who have so little. The aim of REMM is to keep these families together, so that more children are not abandoned here in Romania. REMM wants a family for every child. Even though Romania has banned international adoption, REMM’s focus is still children and putting a child with a family. Now they have many children in Romanian foster families. Johnny, our driver, told us he is now a foster family for one child. Michah and Pastor George have now adopted two Romanian children. The children still living at the orphanage are 9 girls. While some of the team played with them on the bikes and in the yard, Mike started working on electrical fixtures at the orphanage. Claire and I worked in the clothing closet, sorting the clothing we brought. Then we left to go back to the mission house for lunch. What a wonderful lunch it was …some meatballs in a red sauce, vegetable soup, and fresh tomatoes and cucumbers in the onion/garlic dressing we love. Buna Mary outdid herself!

Then Peter and Johnny drove us to the gypsy village in Petreasa. It was not far down the road. The road to the gypsy village with a dirt road than ran off of the main road. It was very rough and potted. As soon as we turned in, there were children waving to us, as if they were awaiting us, Yet they did not know we were coming. The village quickly assembled, men and women and children from every corner of the small village. They met our vans in eager anticipation. We all gathered under some shade and the leader had the ladies set up two benches with pretty cloths on them. Peter took charge and introduced us to the leader of the village. The village leader was very proud and was the “boss”, we could tell. There were about 20-25 children, a few teenagers, and very few young men and women. Peter told us the village wanted to sing a Christian song for us. We did not know what they were saying, but we did hear “Isus” in the song. They sang joyfully, happily, and boldly. After that, we sang “I’ll Fly Away” and “Jesus Loves Me” for them. Then the Holmes family presented them with a soccer ball. They were quite honored by that. David and Peter then told them a story about a drawbridge and the drawbridge operator. The operator had to close the bridge each day when a train was coming and open the bridge when a ship was coming. He told his son never to play in the space under the bridge as he would be crushed if the bridge were to close. He told him also never to play in the top of the bridge, as he would fall into the river if the bridge were to open. One day, the operator heard a train coming and a ship coming, and he knew he had no time to find his son. When he finally found his son, he saw he was playing in the space under the bridge, but it was too late to save him, because the train was coming. He had to close the bridge or people would die. He made a choice…to save the people and sacrifice his son. So he closed the bridge. Tears were streaming down his face, because he knew his son had to be sacrificed; yet he knew the people on the train did not even know what he had done for them as they went about their busy lives on the train. He cried out to God for both of these reasons. Our God has done the same for these gypsies, for Romanians, for Americans, for the world. Yet we go about our lives as if God did nothing for us; Jesus was God’s only beloved son, who was sacrificed for us. Shouldn’t we honor him and praise him and tell others about his sacrifice? After this story, Dave told another story which demonstrated passion. He told of his chance to visit a Brazilian soccer game, when the stadium went wild when the Brazilian team scored to win the game. He related this to having passion for God and putting this passion to work in our lives.

The villagers loved both stories. We prayed with them. Then Peter gave them vitamins for the children and candy for everyone. They were so excited. We took pictures and as we did, many came up and asked that we take their picture. It was very precious to see the reaction, the pleasure and excitement we brought to them over one soccer ball, some candy and stories. What little effort we have to give to bring such joy to those who need it. I am reminded of the story of the lilies of the field and the birds who God takes care of, because they cannot take care of themselves. I am also reminded how little I do daily to help others, especially those who cannot help themselves. What happiness and pure, childlike joy they had just from our simple visit. To God be the glory ; great things he has done today for the team!

Tonight we went to a BBQ for supper in the mountains. It was so lovely and cool. The Transylvania area of Romania is so beautiful. After the BBQ, Peter met with the team and told the story of the persecution in Romania during the days of Communism, his days of smuggling Bibles and being persecuted by the Communist regime and the secret police, his leaving Romania for America in 1987, Anna and Anca’s leaving Romania in 1989, and then their return to help their country in 1990. Since that time, their ministry has grown. The REMM website details the history, but there is so much more work to be done here. We hope some of you reading this blog will one day want to join us here for mission work. Believe me; you will come away with a changed perspective of the world; the things we worry about seem so trivial compared to what we have seen here. It is a joy to serve our God here in Romania.