Moldova has come and gone, but it definitely holds a special place in my heart.
This month I have had the opportunity to: Peel more potatoes than I have in my entire life
Lead prayer sessions for several different nations
Plant potatoes, carrots and onions
Attend a Moldavian birthday party
Present the Gospel to a couple in Romania
Worship, worship and more worship
Live with 2 amazing YWAM staff
Have a girls pajama party-Moldavian desert was served
Laugh so hard my stomach hurt
Study the Bible with my teammates
Have genuine conversations about what we are struggling with
Help out at a medical mission clinic and "prescribe" eye glasses
Hang out with other Americans that are not members of my squad
It has been a month of truly living and serving alongside the servants. Thank you for all your prayers and words of encouragement. We are currently in the capital of Moldova for a debrief until Thursday night. Please be praying that this would be a time of reflection on what the Lord has been doing and teaching me as well as what he has for the months to come. Also pray for us as we travel to Mozambique. It is going to be a long long long travel "day" (it will for sure be more than 24 hours)
Team Oasis will be working with a man named Tienie in Mozambique and living on some sort of base. We will be helping him to take care of it, but also working with people that are in the late stages of AIDS. We will be caring, encouraging, and praying for them. Please be praying about all of these things! Hopefully I will blog again soon, but who knows:)
Here is a video capturing some great times we had in Moldova. Enjoy!
Sewing seeds. I never thought I had much of a green thumb, but I do now. I am now a Moldavian farmer. Potatoes, carrots, onions and flowers are growing as we speak. Oasis put in a team effort to conquer this task in one day. Our contact Fanel had his mind set on finishing this task, and by golly it happened. The task at hand and eating dinner took precedence over worrying about the bus back to city of Cahul. Question: "Shouldn't we be going so we can catch the bus?" Answer: "Nah, we can just hitch hike." :) Standing on the corner was quite entertaining. After about 30 minutes of sticking our thumbs out, an unexpected bus arrived to take us away to our home sweet home. Sort of a letdown.
Sadness. Missing home. Missing family and friends. Missing hugs and laughter. Last week a Skype conversation was held with my mom, dad, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, nephews, grandma, and aunt. Who knew that seeing them all together could bring such a sadness and ache in my heart? My teammates know that the Internet is good and bad for me. I love being able to see everyone, but the emotional side of "I want to be there too!" is sometimes too much for me to handle. Peace has come and missing still remains, but the assurance that God has me where he wants me is above all else.
Snickering. Laughing. This team of girls has brought great joy to my heart. Times of laughter are common around these parts while:
-Playing a Cranium-type game in Russian translated to English, in which our translator doesn't know how to translate all the words
-Realizing all the ways in which we give away that we are Americans: being too loud when walking down the street, not wearing socks in houses, going out of the house with our hair wet, wearing hats inside of buildings, and, most importantly, sitting/sleeping on the floor, knowing it could possibly cause us to not be able to have children :)
-Figuring out the squatty potty situation
-Spilling cereal all over the kitchen floor
-Realizing I have drunk six 3-in-1 packets and two cups of tea in one day
-Waddling quickly as ducklings in a line following our mother duck, Fanel :)
-Teaching Fanel how to American smile during a photo shoot
There is probably more sewing, sadness and snickering to come, but so far it has been an amazing month. Please pray for WYAM ministry here as they have a desire to empower the youth of this country with the love and saving grace of Christ.
Multumesc-Thank you in Romanian (which is spoken in Moldova)
Dear Supporters, Recently I have felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude for all of you, so THANK YOU
Thank you for
Making it possible for me to be here
Giving, Giving, Giving,
Praying for me consistently
Celebrating what the Lord is doing all over the world with me
Commenting on my blogs
Actually reading my blogs
Always encouraging
Coming along side me through the ups and downs
All of the encouragment before I came on the field
The random e-mails and Facebook postings (they really make my day)
Moldova is full of new and exciting things.
We have swiched teams and I am now a team leader of an all girls team: Oasis.
My team members include: Abby Steverson-----www.abbysteverson.theworldrace.org
Reagan Taylor---www.reagantaylor.theworldrace.org
Suzanne Bradford---www.suzannebradford.theworldrace.org
Rachel Rush---www.rachelrush.theworldrace.org
Christina Schlabach---www.christinaschlabach.theworldrace.org
We are working alongside YWAM ministries this month doing many different things which include, but are not limited to: praying for Moldova, travelling to different villages to do outreach, teaching English, cooking meals for the team here, attending home groups, sharing our testimonies in church and possibly leading worship!
Please be praying for all of these things and also be in prayer that the Moldavian people would find their freedom in Christ and not be trapped by legalism in the church. Also be praying for my team as we are forming a new team dynamic and a new family for this season.
Again supporters, thank you for all of your prayers, encouragement, and love you have been sending my way. I am forever grateful.
I love Romania and I am not ready to leave.
It has been an amazing month,too short, but full of *Prayers being answered
*Kids clubs being started
*Community being strengthened
*English being taught
*Laughter
*Deep conversations
*Servants being served
*E-mails being written
*Clothes being sorted
*Family style meals *and so much more..here is a video that portrays a smidge of our ministry here. ENJOY!
ROAR! I feel like I am experiencing so many things and thinking so many things and feeling so many things that I really don't know where to start...so here it goes.
The Lord is doing amazing things in Romania.
Kids clubs are starting in villages that have no churches. Bibles are being handed out to those that have never heard of the Gospel.
This region is being covered in prayer daily.
God's people are being obedient in coming here and daily choosing to follow Him.
Kids club in a neighboring village
I am overwhelmed by the burden on my heart for these people. The number of Romanians who have not heard His name is endless. Why, Lord? Why are so many people's eyes blinded to your unfailing love and saving grace?
Olt county where Hope Church has been called to reach
Reason I love Romania: Teaching English is my new favorite thing. It is seriously a teacher's dream. I get to teach whatever I want to teach, and my students are excited about whatever I teach them! During this time, we pray together (in English), read Scripture (in English), and have real conversations (in English) to form deeper relationships. I teach 3 adults in the morning and a high schooler in the afternoon (small groups are my favorite).
Teaching English to Madalin
Other thoughts: My team listened to a podcast the other day on impossible things. The Lord brought to my attention that I don't pray for certain things because I fear that they won't happen and I have them marked off in my brain as impossible. Luke 1:37-"For nothing will be impossible with God." I started a list...and pray through it at least once a day...and am trusting...
What have you blocked off in your brain as impossible? Make a list and pray! Or not...whatever you want to do :).
Please pray for our mini debrief in Transylvania for two days, starting next Thursday. This is when we will find out about team changes and prepare to go to Moldova.
Still loving Romania as we are currenty playing a game of telephone pictionary. We being my team and team Monarch...Life is great, God is good, and I will forever praise Him.
Welp...we have arrived! On Monday night/Tuesday morning at 2am we arrived in Draganesti-Olt after about 36 hours of traveling. We were welcomed to a house with warm beds, hot water, a washer, full kitchen(including a coffee pot:), wifi and 12 tired World Racers.
This month we will truly be "living on a prayer". Every morning from 10-12 we have the opportunity of meeting with a member of the church to pray. During this time we get to hear their heart for their region and pray specifically for their prayer requests. I believe this month the Lord is telling me to, "Be still and know that I am God."-Psalm 46:10 Through being still, I have the opportunity of presenting all of these requests to the Lord, while knowing He hears and is faithful.
We will also be doing many kids clubs this month. Hope church, who we are partnering with this month, believes that through reaching the children, they will be able to reach their parents for Christ. I had the opportunity to help out at a kids club the other day. It was a great experience to serve alongside a missionary here from Canada. The Lord is definitely blessing this region with missionaries that have been obedient to His call and are here indefinitely. There is a couple here from Canada, Kevin and Michelle. They came here 6 years ago on a short term missions trip and the pastor of Hope church told them they were the couple the church had been praying for for the last 2 years. They heard the Lord's calling and have been here ever since.
Prayer Requests:
--PRAY for the missionaries Kevin and Michelle and Dorothy. Pray that the Lord would continue to do a mighty work in and through them. PRAY that He would continue to give them energy and strength.
--PRAY for Romania as a whole and specifically the city of Draganesti. Pray that the light of the Lord would shine brightly into the darkness and Romanians would have a new sense of hope in Christ.
--PRAY for our contact, Tavi (23, married, 7 month old baby girl) as he is in charge of all the missions groups that come to serve here, specifically World Race teams. PRAY that he would continue to see where teams need to serve and that all the needs of the Romanian people would be met.
--PRAY for my teammates Rachel, Tyler and Matt as they are contuining to raise support to make the April 1st deadline.
--PRAY for our team as a whole, that we would continue to serve one another and grow closer to one another.
--PRAY that I would look to the Lord as my Father who loves me unconditionally.
--PRAY that the kids would continue to come to the kids clubs and we would be able to reach the parents through them.
PRAISE--They speak Romanian in Romania and Moldova, so that is 2 months of the same language being spoken! Praise the Lord. Many of our contants and members of the church speak English as well, so that has been a huge blessing!
Moving blocks..Moving more blocks..moving good blocks..moving bad blocks..moving bad blocks to a different location..blocks.blocks.blocks.
My life has been filled with cinder blocks for the past 2 weeks. At our construction site, things are not always done in the most efficient order. The present problem is only thought of when creating a solution, not the problems that could arise from the solution we create.
Moving these blocks has given me lots of time to think, pray, sing, smile and laugh.
Placing these blocks into piles has caused me to think about the way the Lord has been doing a mighty work within me and the way in which I deal with conflict, frustrations and disagreements. Normally, I would let the issues build and build-- much like the way these blocks are placed into neatly formed columns. While forming these columns, I would think that I had gotten over things, only to realize that moving the problem was a disaster waiting to happen.
Letting conflict or frustrations build is not part of the world race environment. When living in constant community, (when I say constant..I mean CONSTANT-I eat with these people, I work with these people, I hang out with these people..everywhere I go I am with these people!) conflict and frustrations are not allowed to build. If I were to let them, I would be affecting the the community we are now part of. Knowing how much this can affect my teammates, the Lord has been working inside of me to deal with these conflicts in the moment, to have conversations..to use these issues to grow in my relationship with Christ and with the body as a whole.
Before the race I would deal with conflict by getting quiet and not sharing how I felt about something, saying that it didn't matter or I was already over it. I have come to realize that there can be no growth in this. If people don't know how things make me feel or my opinion, there is no room for growth.
In saying all of this, I believe that the Lord has truly placed me in a safe community where conflict is going to arise, but we have the opportunity to deal with it head on and I am looking forward to how Christ is going to grow this within me throughout the whole year.
Sunrise. Water. Rocks. Tents. Waves crashing along the beach. Construction. Joy. Quiet. Peace. Good Food. Amazing hearts for people. Sun. Heat. Church. The Body at work. Sweat. Cement. Swimming. Children yelling you, you, you. Hugs. Holding kids. Worship. Chlorine treated water. Walking to and from ministry. Blocks. Bread. Rice. Deep conversations with squadmates.
So far this is what I have encountered in Haiti. I am currently sitting in a rocking chair in our compound underneath the shacoon(pavilion) looking out at the ocean and breathing in the beauty of God’s creation.
This month we have been working with Mission of Hope International rebuilding a school that got destroyed in the earthquake. There are several different projects taking place each day in which our teams our split up and help out where needed.
The other day I got to spend the whole day plumb lining the columns for the foundation. I basically got to spend the whole day hanging off the edge of the building trying to measure things! It was awesome!
I was a little worried about the whole squad living in one place, but the Lord has definitely given me peace and it has been such a blessing. We have had time in the evenings for worship, great conversations at dinner and the opportunity to go to bed early!
We have access to the internet every 8 days when we have a “domestic” day where we stay on the compound and help prepare meals, do dishes, clean around the compound and do laundry. We also have every Monday off as a squad as our Sabbath.
Prayer Requests:
-There is a lot of work to be done on the school before the rainy season starts, so please pray that we would work hard and efficiently and the Lord would help us to finish quickly.
-Pray that we would be open to all that the Lord has here for us, whether that is doing construction or talking to people. Pray that he would open our eyes to places where we need to serve.
-Time has been going by so quickly and it is hard to not start thinking about Romania and moving on. Please pray that I would continue to be present in the moment and in Haiti, making the most of every opportunity.
-We have a squad debrief starting next Tuesday night through Friday. Please pray that it would be a time of reflecting on what the Lord has done and a time of preparing for what is to come.
-Pray that we would be intentional with the time we have left here.
-Pray for Mission of Hope International. Pray that the Lord would continue to work through this ministry and school as they build a new church/school and are continuing to pour into the lives of Haitians. Pray that the Spirit would continue to move through them and give them endurance and strength.
Ah! Only one week left in the DR! It has seriously gone by so quickly. The Lord has definitely blessed us this month with:
*An amazing contact
*Hospitality like I have never seen before
*Beautiful people
*Opportunity to love on kids
*Being able to visit and encourage each of our fellow teams within our squad
*Standing in awe of Gods creation
*Worshiping on mountains
*Baptisms in a river
*Riding in the back of pick up trucks
*Quality time with our team
*Honesty
*Feedback
*Time in the Word
*Prayer Being able to Encourage and pray for church members
*Cooking breakfast for 50 children in a small kitchen
*Quiet times
*Having grace extended
*Coffee, coffee and more coffee
*Great food
*Refrigerator
*Opportunity to teach English to children that are hungry for knowledge
*Leading a worship service that included dancing,singing and preaching
*Days off in San Juan
*No major team drama
*No theft
*Building our team dynamic as we were alone in Arroyo Cano Prayers: Pray that we will finish well in the DR
Pray that the Spirit would continue to lead us this next week
Pray for a smooth transition to Haiti
Pray for safe travel to Haiti by bus on Saturday
Pray for my SQUAD as we will be sleeping in TENTS all together on the BEACH in Haiti.
Pray that the Lord would prepare the hearts of people in Haiti, that they would be ready to hear the good news of the Lord.
Pray that my team would continue to grow closer together despite the fact that we will be living as a whole squad Pray for our specific ministry, which has not been disclosed yet, that the Lords will would be done and we would be willing servants to go and do what He wants us to do
Here a video of our life in the DR...Thank you for your continued prayers and words of encouragement as I transition into World Race life. LOVE YOU!
