My heart is full tonight as I write from our 16th century hotel in Sibiu, Romania. I haven’t had a day like this in a long time, and perhaps never before. Even though I spent only a couple of hours with our TLUMC godchildren at the House of Joy in Cornatel, they captured my heart in a way that I can’t quite describe other than to say that I simply fell in love with these wonderful kids and the mission we have undertaken to support them.
We arrived in Cornatel after a long day of travel from Arad (about a 3-hour drive) and some touring of sites and ministries around Sibiu with Pastor Christian Israte, a dynamic young pastor with boundless energy and a sense of vision that I admire. Unlike Arad with its stark communist-era architecture, Sibiu is very much a classic and quaint old European city in the heart of Transylvania. The city was preserved from being plowed under because the dictator Ceausescu’s son liked the medieval vibe, and thus it is now a thriving place of culture, art, and beauty. We walked around a bit around lunch time and I began to believe that this city is one of the best kept secrets in Europe. From the cobblestone streets to the remnants of the city wall to the spacious medieval town square, walking through Sibiu is a historian’s dream.
While in the city, I got a chance to meet our godchild Emma, who just graduated from high school and was headed to her prom this evening. She would not be at the House of Hope when we got there later in the day, but she stopped by where we were having lunch and we had a wonderful chat. She is a talented artist and a shining star who is hoping to study art at a University this fall. She reminded me so much of our own Hannah and her love for painting and drawing. It was a special moment and one I will never forget.
Pastor Christi took us to his home in the city where we met with kids in the day program he and his wife Ligia have been running. We had some pizza with them (one of seemingly ten meals we had today) and then headed out to Cornatel.
The kids at the House of Joy greeted us with smiles. It was great to see them in person after seeing their faces in photos. Since Christi and Global Hope took over the orphanage (which was in such horrible condition that the local authorities asked Christi if he could do something to help), these children have grown in a powerful way. They enthusiastically showed us their rooms, sang for us, and asked all kinds of questions about me and about TLUMC. Giving them their letters from you all was an absolute joy. They received them with excitement and read every one (some with a little help with their English, which isn’t bad at all!). It was a privilege to be the bearer of these epistles of joy and when I went into one of the boy’s rooms he showed me the letters he had previously received from his godparents proudly displayed on his dresser. It’s amazing what happens to a child when they know people care about them, even people they might never meet.
One of the kids asked me to tell the group how I became a pastor, and I told them my own story of adoption and abandonment. As I did, I began to feel a special bond with them. Even though my story is nowhere near as horrific as many of theirs, we all had a sense that God had connected us. Like I said, I felt an instant love for them and can’t wait to return here again soon.
When Global Hope took over the House of Joy, they had to make a lot of improvements and those are ongoing. I talked with the staff at the house and with Christi about what kinds of mission projects we might be able to tackle both from afar with financial support and in bringing teams to serve on the ground. There are some simple things, like the fact that they burn out home style washers about every three months trying to keep up with the laundry. They could really use a commercial washer and dryer. There’s also a house they have purchased next to the property that they would like to renovate and use for additional housing for kids and for mission teams that come to visit and work. They’re also looking at expanding their farming operation to include goats, repairing greenhouses, putting in a soccer field, and a host of other projects that could be hands-on for TLUMC teams. Your monthly support has already made a tremendous difference here and a further investment by our church will make it an even greater place for kids to have a safe, loving home where Jesus Christ is present in love and power. Truth be told, I didn’t want to leave when it was time to go.
It was such a blessing to see firsthand how our church’s connection is making a difference, and I can’t wait to tell you more stories about what I experienced here. I hope that you will consider joining us on a future mission team. I guarantee you that your heart will be full, too!
Tomorrow we’re off to visit Nehemiah House and the Ukrainian refugee kids we’ve also supported. I’ll post again when we’re back in Arad tomorrow night.