Wow, what a month. I had hoped to write a blog or two throughout our time here, but this month was pretty busy and truthfully my mind felt a bit too cloudy to sit down and write much. So now I’m sitting at a train station about to begin my final month on the race and I’m going to do my best to put down some of my thoughts and testify to the truly amazing things God did this month. Sidenote: if you were wondering, being a month 11 racer feels super weird. Maybe in this two-day travel to Greece I’ll write some thoughts down about that. No promises:)
This past month L squad was all together in Craiova, Romania and in our last week we were joined by M squad (another world race squad that we launched with last August)!! We all got the opportunity to work with Hope Church Romania which is a church-plant in Craiova, this region of Romania has less than 3% of the population identifying as born again Christians. Pastor Raul and his family planted another church in a different city before God moved them here just before Covid hit. Before the war in Ukraine, the focus of ministry for racers was on evangelism, hosting youth groups, serving the Roma community, and other outreaches to invite the community into the church. Our squad got to serve in these ways as well, but we also did a lot of caring for the needs of the Ukrainian refugees the church has been transporting, housing, and providing for since this war began. Our days began with worship and intercessory prayer, sometimes a teaching with Pastor Raul, and then we would all scatter for the days tasks. We went to the food bank and then would unpack and distribute the food or organize it in the office over and over again. We packed the convoy cars full of food and clothing that was driven into Ukraine. We weren’t alllowed to go on these convoys, but we met some really amazing friends who came to Craiova on their own and got to be part of it! A few girls got to go with the Ukrainians being driven to Budapest to begin the next part of their journey. The church is currently renting 8 different houses – 7 host Ukrainians planning to stay in Craiova until the war ends, and 1 house is used as a transit house for the Ukrainians they are helping to get to their long-term destination. Our teams were assigned to different houses to deliver food, to get them anything they needed, and just spend time together and help them feel more comfortable in this new city. Being part of this ministry and getting to learn from their faith and the way they step out in faith and mercy each day was amazing, I have a few stories I want to share:
Within our first week or so of being in Craiova it was evident that this Church was at its capacity to house and provide for people. All the houses were full, cars and drivers for convoys and transit were scarce, but each day we had exactly what was needed. In one of our morning prayers I became so emotional about God’s provision. I started crying as I thanked Him for the manna He provided for Israel in the desert, of how He provided so faithfully for me and all of my squad mates during our fundraising, and how He is always faithful to give us what we need. I was asking for provision for the Church and all the needs of our Ukrainian friends, and then I went about my day. Towards the end of the day I was sitting in the office when Raul got a call that 300 people in Odessa wanted to come to us as soon as they were able to get out – they had been rejected by Bulgaria and had nowhere to go. He got of the phone and told us, and we all started praying. Raul told them to come without knowing where he would put them or transport them, and within the next few hours we had found connections with businesses and churches all over Romania willing to take a few here and there. We even found connections able to give anyone looking for work a job as soon as they arrived. It was absolutely amazing. I just sat in awe at Gods faithfulness and how quickly He responded to us. Since then we’ve been waiting on them to arrive; a few days after this the Odessa bridge was bombed and made it impossible for them to get to us until another route was planned – but when they come there will be spaces ready for them. God is so amazing and His generosity in provision astounds me every single time I get to experience it.
My team worked with 3 of the long-term houses, but because of some of the work I did at the office I really only spent time at one of our houses. At this house there are 3 different families and one older woman who came alone, two of the families were close friends in Ukraine and traveled together. I really loved these ladies. Two of them were hairdressers and I got someone to cut my hair without kitchen scissors for the first time in a year (she was unimpressed with how uneven I had cut it myself)! It was sweet to get to know them, to listen to their stories when they wanted to share, and just enjoy little moments together – also we got to enjoy some amazing Ukrainian cooking! One of my favorite days was when we came by and only the older ladies were home. We chatted for a bit, but it was clear they were a bit tired and we didn’t want to impose on their time so we were getting ready to leave. Before we left we got on a conversation about music and then had a mini dance party in the dining room! We jammed to Dancing queen by Abba and some Ukrainian folk music. It was such a sweet afternoon just enjoying the little joys and laughing together. There are probably other stories I could share about the houses – about taking care of sick kids and making beds for the transit house and crying in the kitchen with women who have made impossibly hard decisions to leave their homes and husbands – but I share this one because I don’t want you to read another sad story about Ukrainians and picture them as just refugees. Their status as refugee is so new – they been Ukrainian, they’ve been singers, hairdressers, mothers, and teachers for so much longer. Getting the chance to just do normal life things together like dancing in the dining room and walking through the park and cutting hair was a blessing. I think thats something I’ll treasure most from this month – learning that its the little moments of allowing people in tough circumstances to just be normal humans that really means the most.
One last story for now: every Saturday we hosted a youth event at the church and went out throughout the week to invite any youth we met to come. My squadmates Jackie and Anna-Stewart both worked in YoungLife and ran youth night every week, and they crushed it! We had so much fun! This past Saturday was our last youth group, and I was asked to share a quick little testimony at the end. It just so happened that we had 4 teenagers that had come to the transit house the day before and were leaving two days later – so they came! And they had a blast! The next day one of the boys just kept telling some of our squad mates that it was one of the best nights ever, that he had no idea church stuff could be fun, that he wanted to find a church like this once they got settled, and that what he had been thinking a lot about what I had shared. It literally gives me Holy Spirit chills and so much joy to know that just one kid loved it – its so worth it to me to have put in the energy to go crazy in the games and share parts of myself with some kids who mostly weren’t interested because it meant something to this one!! And thats Gods heart for us! He cares about each of us specifically and goes after the one. Ugh – I love Jesus!!
Theres actually one more story and lesson I want to share – but I think I’m going to write a different post to give it the space God deserves. This month was amazing, I so deeply love everyone I met at the church, at the houses, walking around the city. If you’re interested in learning more about this church and their ministry heres a link to their website: https://www.hoperomania.org/
