Our dear friend Ed speaks some English, but his favorite phrase is, "Shhh, girls, be quiet." He may not know much, but loves to tell us to hush (even if we aren't even talking). Today, we heard this saying a lot. Many of us have taken it upon ourselves to start saying it back to him. So to all of you, Shhh, be quiet, while I tell you about our day.
The morning and afternoon was much like yesterday. We went into schools and taught children how to make friendship bracelets and took funny pictures, while another part of our team went to talk to the teens about healthy relationships, the problems with violence and their goals and dreams. After we were finished at the school, we were sitting in the lobby waiting on the other half of our team to return and some of the teen students who had attended the first session came up to April and Josh who had led the relationship talk and began asking them more questions. It was really encouraging for us to see that we are not just talking to these kids, but we are truly impacting their lives by sharing part of our stories and giving advice. Although we are not able to talk openly about God in these sessions (it is a public school and just like in America, religion is not allowed in school) we know that God is speaking through us into the lives of these students so that seeds are being planted and that someday they will come to understand the fullness of the Lord our God.
This afternoon we got to partake in a different activity. We went back to the Beginning of Life and got to treat some at risk teen girls to a spa day. None of these girls had ever been to a salon in their life! We set up different stations around the room and offered, hand massages and manicures, feet washing and pedicures, and facial massages. At first the girls were stand-offish, but soon they began to really love the treatment. Letting these girls partake in such a luxury was humbling to us. We truly got to serve them and treat them to what I think Jesus would see as the equivalent of a modern-day feet washing. These women had never been treated as if they were this beautiful... ever. We got to treat them like princesses and remind them that they are indeed princesses and deserve to be treated as such. We stayed so long fellowshipping with those girls that we actually got kicked out of the room where we were set up, but at the end they were asking for another time that we could hang out with them. We created true, meaningful relationships with these girls. A few of them even asked us to write them notes. We made an impact, thanks to God. I pray that we continue to be the hands and feet of God and that they are able to recognize the power within us, the power that drives us and gives us the love that is bursting from our hearts as the love and power of Christ. I pray that someday these women will look back on today and not see 11 American girls painting their nails and massaging their faces, but rather they see Jesus calling to them, "My daughter, come to me. You are my princess; you are captivating. I love you; you are worthy to be loved." I pray that is the message we left these girls with; I pray we gave them hope in themselves. I believe that seeds have been planted.
It always seems to amaze me that even though I try, God cannot be placed inside a box. He does not fit inside the boundaries of a country or a language. He is not confined to a hemisphere, continent, language or culture. He surrounds us-- all of us. All 6+billion of us. Tonight I was reminded of his majesty as we worshiped with our brothers and sisters from the Grace House and Boys2Leaders (the boy equivalent of the Grace House). Despite having different languages we sang the same songs. As they sang in Romanian and us in English, I was moved by the vast power of our God. He is so much bigger than we ever remember. We also shared some of our favorite scriptures-- them in Romanian and us in English. Even though we speak different languages and live across the world from one another, even though our struggles are different, even though we live in a completely different culture and society, we are bonded together with one heart for one purpose: to serve and love our God. Though we read in different languages, we read the same Gospel; we receive the same message and are moved by the same Spirit. Praise be to God! This reminder was so uplifting and humbling.
Praise be to God.
The morning and afternoon was much like yesterday. We went into schools and taught children how to make friendship bracelets and took funny pictures, while another part of our team went to talk to the teens about healthy relationships, the problems with violence and their goals and dreams. After we were finished at the school, we were sitting in the lobby waiting on the other half of our team to return and some of the teen students who had attended the first session came up to April and Josh who had led the relationship talk and began asking them more questions. It was really encouraging for us to see that we are not just talking to these kids, but we are truly impacting their lives by sharing part of our stories and giving advice. Although we are not able to talk openly about God in these sessions (it is a public school and just like in America, religion is not allowed in school) we know that God is speaking through us into the lives of these students so that seeds are being planted and that someday they will come to understand the fullness of the Lord our God.
This afternoon we got to partake in a different activity. We went back to the Beginning of Life and got to treat some at risk teen girls to a spa day. None of these girls had ever been to a salon in their life! We set up different stations around the room and offered, hand massages and manicures, feet washing and pedicures, and facial massages. At first the girls were stand-offish, but soon they began to really love the treatment. Letting these girls partake in such a luxury was humbling to us. We truly got to serve them and treat them to what I think Jesus would see as the equivalent of a modern-day feet washing. These women had never been treated as if they were this beautiful... ever. We got to treat them like princesses and remind them that they are indeed princesses and deserve to be treated as such. We stayed so long fellowshipping with those girls that we actually got kicked out of the room where we were set up, but at the end they were asking for another time that we could hang out with them. We created true, meaningful relationships with these girls. A few of them even asked us to write them notes. We made an impact, thanks to God. I pray that we continue to be the hands and feet of God and that they are able to recognize the power within us, the power that drives us and gives us the love that is bursting from our hearts as the love and power of Christ. I pray that someday these women will look back on today and not see 11 American girls painting their nails and massaging their faces, but rather they see Jesus calling to them, "My daughter, come to me. You are my princess; you are captivating. I love you; you are worthy to be loved." I pray that is the message we left these girls with; I pray we gave them hope in themselves. I believe that seeds have been planted.
It always seems to amaze me that even though I try, God cannot be placed inside a box. He does not fit inside the boundaries of a country or a language. He is not confined to a hemisphere, continent, language or culture. He surrounds us-- all of us. All 6+billion of us. Tonight I was reminded of his majesty as we worshiped with our brothers and sisters from the Grace House and Boys2Leaders (the boy equivalent of the Grace House). Despite having different languages we sang the same songs. As they sang in Romanian and us in English, I was moved by the vast power of our God. He is so much bigger than we ever remember. We also shared some of our favorite scriptures-- them in Romanian and us in English. Even though we speak different languages and live across the world from one another, even though our struggles are different, even though we live in a completely different culture and society, we are bonded together with one heart for one purpose: to serve and love our God. Though we read in different languages, we read the same Gospel; we receive the same message and are moved by the same Spirit. Praise be to God! This reminder was so uplifting and humbling.
Praise be to God.
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