Blog Catch Up Series! (Part 1) Romania

      Hey guys, I wanted to give my supporters an update on my life on the field! It’s been an honor to have you guys support me on this journey and the Lord has done so much during these past 8 months. Life has been a rollercoaster but nevertheless, I wanted to include you guys on this growing journey between the Father and I. I will be doing a 3 part blog series on what the Lord has been doing in my life in each Country. My goal is to not only show you guys how the Lord moved through your support but to also educate and inform you guys on what the Lord is doing in the global Church as well! So let’s hop right on in:)
     The first country that I did ministry in was Craiova Romania! I spent 2 and half months there with my Squad. Romania is a country located in East-Central Europe! Being freed from a communist government a little over 20 years ago, a vast majority of adults and elders still live under a communist mentality. Romania’s population consists of two major communities, Romanians and Roma. Romanians are people who are native citizens of the country and Romas, informally known as gypsies; are people who have traveled and resided in Romania for many years. In Romania, there is a deeply rooted separation between these two communities, where segregation and racial tension arise. Because of this, Romanians and Romas are normally never found in the same room together, throughout Romania it is common to see these two major communities separated from each other throughout the region. The Country’s main religion is Christian Orthodox. Only .05% of people who live in Romania are actual believers. With this being said many people in Romania have formulated an idea of who Christ is, whether they were taught growing up in the Orthodox Church or by their school. Although many people in Romania have a form of knowledge of who Christ is, many have had a distorted view of what it means to be in a relationship with Christ and have been severely hurt by the Orthodox Church. During my time in Romania, I was partnered with an organization called Hope Church, My main form of ministry during my time in Romania was street evangelism. I had the ability to talk to people from the ages of 16-35. Through street evangelism, I was able to better know the different communities and cultures around me. Whether it was having coffee dates or talking to people in local areas. I simply got to know people, make friendships, and hear their hearts on every topic under the sun. Street evangelism grew me in ways I didn’t know were possible. It not only pushed me out of my comfort zone but allowed me to find value in talking to strangers. Sometimes people just want to be heard, have someone to confide in, or someone to just share a laugh with. I’ve learned the value of human interaction and how needed it is in the world. I’ve recognized that sometimes looking like Jesus means just looking a stranger in the eyes and allowing them to recognize they are seen.

    Throughout my time in Romania, I was able to celebrate the holidays! Thanksgiving and Christmas from home were out of my comfort zone but it was sweet to celebrate the holidays with people that felt like home for this season of my life. Throughout the holidays We went to Roma communities and gave out gift boxes to the children, sang Christmas Carols, did public flash mobs, hosted youth events, and hosted regular worship nights! Even though our days were filled, it was amazing to see how much of an importance the holidays were to Romanians. Their willingness to set time aside for their family, to carry out traditions passed on from generations, and their hard work in preparing meals days in advance before celebration made me in awe of the country.

    As I look back on my time living in Romania it was a transformative period of my life. My time in Romania wasn’t always the easiest but The Lord refined me deeply in my character and exposed many areas of my heart. He showed me how to lay down my expectations for the race and simply delight in the simplicity of being his daughter. He showed me that even through spiritual heaviness and hardships there’s joy. That it’s an honor to suffer for Christ and to endure trial because from it comes spiritual abundance. A lot of my time in Romania consisted of the Lord exposing many lies I have deemed as truth in my life and bringing freedom into areas of my life I didn’t know I needed. He began to take away foundational lies I believed since my childhood and began to pillar the way to a life of redemption, healing, and restoration. Romania was a time of pruning in my life. And I will forever be grateful for the people, community, and ministry I got to be a part of during that period of my life.

    Because of your guys’ support, my Squad and I were able to give out over 300 Bibles, host over 20 worship nights, and give out 2,000 gift boxes to Children within the community. If you would like to further support Hope Church’s Ministry and participate in what the Lord is doing in Romania you can do so by keeping them in prayer! Their ministry right now is focused on helping refugees from Ukraine that have escaped to Romania from the War. They are actively driving refugees to safe homes and shelters in nearby countries to ensure their safety and well-being. Hope Church is proactively on the front lines of ministry to help others during this time of need so please keep them in your prayers!