No News is Good News

Are you going to read news about the mission field on my blog today?  No.  No news.

Today I went to church.  It's a pretty typical thing for a Christian in our society to do on a Sunday morning.  As I sat through the song service, I became aware of a train of thought that bothered me.  Have you ever had that feeling like you haven't even a thread of faith left in you?  Well that was me.  Sometimes in church I get a little inspiration and if I pull out my sketch book I am able to develop an idea that is swirling around in my head by writing little phrases or Scriptures that concentrate on a theme or stand out to me.  It's not sermon notes, they're not neat enough to be that, but it's the closest I've ever been able to come.  Well today I wasn't inspired but I noticed something that I felt a lack of, namely faith, so I began writing Scriptures that I remember that address faith, what it is, how to gain it, etc.

I always love those times when the Holy Spirit decides to work on something in my heart by basically responding to the prayers and thoughts I have through a sermon, even the half-prayers that I never quite got around to praying.  So as I began to write these things that were on my heart, the speaking begins.  I went to Elmbrook today with my little brother and they were commisioning a new pastor, for the third time this morning, with a guest speaker - a pastor from Nairobi, Kenya.  As he began to speak, there was one theme that stood out to me, and frankly to everyone else in the audience, FAITH.  God is faithful, God is trustworthy, God is our provision, God is near and real and wants to work big things.  He was commissioning the new pastor, but I needed that message like you wouldn't believe.

This Kenyan pastor spoke about how we pray, we pray such boring prayers that are so easy for the Creator of the entire earth the fulfill he can do them in our sleep.  He asked a question: How often do you ask of God a big, hairy, audacious prayer that will make God sweat?  How often do we challenge God?  Oscar went on to speak about George Meuler who founded an orphanage not as much to care for the children who were left without caretakers as to prove to his generation the faithfulness of God.  If God can provide for a poor man to take care of children who had no connections in the world without even asking people for money, then he could show people just how faithful God really is.  George Meuler and the orphans for whom he cared would some days wake up, sit around the breakfast table, and with nothing in the pantry and no means of buying any such thing began to thank God for the food he was about to provide for them.  Every time some baker or somebody would come by and say that God had laid them on his heart and that he'd gotten up early that morning with a sense that he needed to do something for those small children.

Like I said, I needed to hear that sermon.  I was beginning to feel as though no sermons are really affecting me or that I am really hearing the voice of The Lord.  It felt like the four hundred year gap between the last prophet in Israel to the coming of John the Baptist.  What kind of a post would this be if I didn't interject here:  But God is FAITHFUL.  He knows exactly what we need to hear and when we need to hear it.

So God was faithful to me today, he provided for me a sermon about faith, and mustard seeds, and being able to throw a mountain into the sea, and I came away understanding that God has heard my thoughts this week and he decided to answer me through a guy who traveled here from Kenya to commission some guy as pastor of a church.

I was also blessed to be a part of a worship service where some people were playing music and a ton of little girls, my niece being one of them, who are learning ballet were dancing there.  Now contrary to what you might think, it wasn't weird, but was actually a very refreshing time of just being able to sing to God and to move around and dance, if so desired, without that churchy feeling of "oh gosh, everyone's staring at me."  It's strange, but I've found multiple instances where I was dealing with a mindset and a worship service of just singing to God and expressing myself to him with a group of others doing the same has been just the cure to bring me clarity of mind and to be reminded of who our God is.  Our God is awesome, amazing, huge, never ending, eternal, and he is powerful.  Not only all this but he loves each of us immensely and is a Father to us.

God is good.  All the time.

All the time, God is good.

October Update

Happy Weekend!

It's been awhile since I last posted on here.  It's been hard trying to determine what to write because I've been in such an in between place recently that I didn't feel I could say anything definite about much of anything.  So here's what's been happening:

I've been studying my coursework through MDL (Moody Distance Learning) and job hunting "because contrary to popular opinion [I] have to eat" (from Three Guys Named Mike*)  In the meantime my plans for Romania have been set slightly to the side because of the more pressing matters of turning in school assignments and finding a way to pay for school bills and groceries.

I am pleased to say that I have found work as a back waiter at Andrew's Restaurant where my sister works as a chef.  I have been asked to stick around at least till after New Years since the holiday season is so busy in the food industry.  I'm looking forward to the things I will learn from working this position.  It's a very classy restaurant and they don't do anything sloppily.  I must say that it's like a breath of fresh air compared to working in fast food.

I'm not sure when I will make it back to Romania, but if I remain persistent and diligent in fundraising and if The Lord wills, I will be returning to Romania sometime towards the beginning of 2015.

That brings me to another point.  For me it is very difficult to "put myself out there" whether in job hunting, fundraising, or selling my artwork, all of which are tasks that I have had to do at some point or another.  I would really like to request your prayers that God would give me the boldness, confidence and courage to do whatever is necessary at this time and in the times to come.  I want to be sensitive to his guidance, to be flexible and willing for his purposes, and often discerning God's direction can be a trying experience.

Another topic that God has really laid on my heart this year is Iraq.  The situations with ISIS and the persecution that the church in that area is suffering requires a lot of prayer.  So keep them in mind and ask God to continue to strengthen his people.

Your prayers are appreciated for Romania, for me, for my family (my parents, siblings and I have experienced a lot of transition in the last year), for the Outstretched Hands Team, and for anyone else you may know of who needs extra prayer.

Thank you for your prayers and for your support as friends and as partners in the work of Christ.

God bless, and take care.

Love, Rachel

(*Three Guys Named Mike is an old B&W film starring Jane Wyman.  If you ever feel like killing an hour or two with a good, old, classic movie look it up)

Photos from May-June

Some of these are photos from my trip into the mountains. Traveling to the mountains pretty much made my year, since I've been wanting to visit them for ages.

I got to tour an old castle called Bran Castle. It's famous because an author named Bram Stoker said in a book of his that this castle is where he lived. Poor Bram was mistaken, but the fame still exists. The man with the legend of Dracula, Vlad the Impaler, built part of a different castle, but was imprisoned for a time in Bran Castle.

I had thought that I was already seeing the mountains, and then a little patch of clouds moved over.

Sorry about my finger at the bottom of this shot.

Bran Castle as I was walking up to it. But seriously, the other side has a much more interesting facade.

I loved seeing poppies growing on the side of the road like a weed. 

Looking accross the courtyard in Bran.

Camping without the C is AMPING!

A fortress on top of a hill. No idea which fortress.

Some shepherds were herding their sheep up the mountain. These donkeys were carrying up some essential things for them, such as Coca-Cola

Kindergarten graduates at the Hope Center in Caramidari

First year kindergarten students are on the left. Rebecca received flowers and gave a speech all in tears. It was really a sweet moment.

More students.

My 'sister' Ana and I.

Everyone has a crazy selfie moment, right? 

Sunset over a lake on the road between Chiselet and Calarasi

Gypsy camp

Sunrise at the Zece Nivele (Ten Levels) apartments

Vica and I

A pro-life sign I designed for distribution. The text means Abortion Stops A Beating Heart

Scenery from Bran Castle. (sorry the order of my photos is kind of mixed up.)

At the Hope Center with kids from Caramidari

Eating dinner with some of my friend's classmates

Sunflowers in a field. One of my last sights of Romania

 

Back in the States with our all-American activity: camping.

Month of June

Over the month of June I had some very exciting opportunities and experiences.

The first two weeks was centered on worship and prayer.  There was a week of evening prayer meetings at Bethany Church in Calarasi and the next week was worship and work week for the Outstretched Hands team.

A very unique experience was getting to go to the graduation for some of the Caramidari kids who finished their grade level.  I helped paint faces because they were dressing up as characters from a Romanian fairy tale.

I also got to attend the kindergarten graduation at the Hope Center.  It was very adorable to see these little kids finish either one or two years of kindergarten, depending on which class they were.

It was also very nice for me getting to move into the Zece Nivele apartment with two girls from the Milwaukee area and later in June two friends of mine from Ireland joined us as our room mates.

While most days I was busy with ministry, helping at the Hope Center, or odd jobs wherever I could be made useful, there was a day that I got to go into the mountains and visit two castles, Peles [pel-esh] and Bran.  I also got to go inside of Bran castle, which pretty much made my year.  Peles is a very beautiful castle; it would have been nice to go inside, but the day we were there they weren't open for tours.  I also got to visit the Black Sea for one day which resulted in some sunburn, but I enjoyed it just the same.  I went with a busload of kids from Caramidari and we played all day in the sand and the water.

The last weekend in June for me was like a grand finale because I got to spend a lot of time with the team from Norway passing out invitations to the tent event in Chiselet and at a worship night at the Hope Center.  My last day was made extra special because it was the last day of the tent event where the Gospel was preached and many kids came to know Christ.  It was also made special because of my birthday that everyone made efforts to make special for me and by the end of it I was rather overwhelmed.

Saying goodbye to everyone was very difficult for me, but I believe I will be back to Calarasi again soon, so I have no reason to feel too sad about it.

Roseti Kids' Club, June 1st

On Sunday we had a Kids' Club for the kids in Roseti. Basically like a VBS, but this time it was just for one day. Sunday was also Children's Day here in Romania, so it was good timing to hold a kids' event.

What we did was we met the kids in the school yard and sang songs, played games, gave a Bible teaching, made a craft, and since it was Children's Day we gave them all some cake.

It was a good experience for me because I could see God working to make this event come together smoothly in several ways. First the weather here has been very rainy lately and, as forecasted, Sunday afternoon it seemed like it was going to rain again. So Elisei marched around with the kids saying "we don't want rain, we want the sun to come out." The clouds went away within five minutes, it became very sunny and even quite hot for the whole time we were in Roseti and it didn't get cloudy again till after we left.

Another way God helped us is that the girl who was going to lead the music didn't feel well and almost didn't come, but no other musician could come instead so she decided to come afterall. As soon as we got to Roseti she felt well and was able to do really well. The kids were all glad to see her too because she's been gone at Bible school for quite some time, but she knows a lot of these kids and they know her.

Lastly, I could see God working for us is in how many kids came. We were expecting probably 50-70 kids, but for sure more than 110 came. We only had two cakes with us and not enough plates and forks, so we sliced it very thin but there was enough because at the end there were three extra pieces left over.

It was really a nice time and I understood at the end that it might seem like a just a few hours with no lasting impact, but seeing how God was preparing things for us so that we could do what we came to do showed me that He really values this and that this is an opportunity for kids to hear about God who rarely or never have the chance to hear. It's the planting of a seed, and God can bring fruit from this.

Pro Life Conference Update

The last few days brought a challenge: What will l do with the issue of pro life? I can pray for the end of abortion, but what more can I do? The Pro Life conference showed me that it is necessary to be a voice for the unborn and to help people who are considering abortion, to show them we are here for them  and they aren't alone, and with God's help and provision they can raise their child.

I've been praying a lot about the conference; for a change of hearts and a powerful affect on people. I didn't really realize I was praying about myself.

I can do much more than I've done before. As much as I hate to admit it, the abortion issue becomes old hat, and dull to my ears because I've heard it my whole life. Knowing someone who is considering an abortion brings it closer to home.

Yesterday a friend told me his sister is pregnant. I know her, I think she's 19 or 20, probably unmarried, and I know multiple people in her family from church. My friend said many people think of an unborn baby in the early stage as nothing more than a piece of meat (somehow this struck me stronger than "piece of tissue") and how he told his sister the things he heard at the conference; that very early the baby already has arms, legs, nose, gender, eye color, a heartbeat, etc. Hearing these things, she said she doesn't want an abortion.

Personally this challenged me because I could be either judgmental and accusative, or I can look for a way to help her keep her child. She can experience a lot of shame if she keeps her child and I don't want to be the one making her feel ashamed. She will feel much more ashamed inwardly if she aborts. If she has done wrong, there is a mercy seat in heaven and she can approach it in repentance and receive forgiveness. I want to be someone willing and available to encourage her, help her, and support her in a decision to keep her baby.

One thing that makes me want to do more in Pro Life ministry is my name. It took my parents quite some time to choose my name and I went a month or so without a first name. Finally the name they chose was Rachel Esther. In Matthew, the book of Jeremiah is quoted at the time that Herod commands all boys two years and younger to be slaughtered. It says "A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted because they are no more." Esther was a woman who became queen over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia by marriage and discovered a plot to kill all the Jews in the kingdom. She opened her mouth for them and their lives were saved.

Please continue praying for these things, that I would know what God wants me to do with this and that I would continue to be challenged, not stagnant or complacent. Pray for the saving of unborn lives, that God would make himself present through our efforts and that he would be the one helping people and making things right in this land where 3 out of every 4 people are aborted.

Bittersweet Farewell

How much do you love your church family, your work, friends, school and everything around which your life revolves?  What if suddenly one day you picked up and left it all to begin something new on the other side of the world?  That's where I am right now.

I have been immensely privileged to have a wonderful job over the last few months taking care of a little girl whom I like to call fetitsah. I know many wonderful people at my church who have nurtured me, children there I have nurtured, and people with whom I've grown and lived for many years.  I have such lovely friends and family and the house in which I live is very beautiful.  I have been blessed to live with some other young-adult women of God all of whom I love and respect very much and consider them all my sisters, although two of them were born that way.  When leaving it all to go to another place, all these things take on a different meaningfulness.  I love the people among whom I live.

Nevertheless, I am not too sad about leaving because I know I leave on good terms, not because of altercations or bad things happening, but because I go on to something else which God has put on my heart.  I can't say that I love my native home or Romania more, but I have a great love for both places.

I said I'm not very sad about leaving. It's true, but I will still miss the people here.

To what am I going?  Well one might say I have family in Romania as well as here.  No, I didn't grow up with them, they're not the same race or bloodline as I am, my involvement with them and theirs with mine is all relatively recent, but I know such wonderful people there.  I like the way my friend Amber says it, we have the same Father.

Caramidari

Street Scene, Calarasi

Kids in Roseti

Ten Levels high rise apartments, Calarasi

Support Letter

Hello Friends,

I am writing about what God is doing in my life towards missions and Outstretched Hands of Romania, (OH). I have been studying the Romanian language over the last year and a half, and have been to Romania twice, a month in
2012 and six weeks in 2013.

Because I feel called to long term missions in Romania, I am looking for people who will commit to prayer and financial support from the home front. Prayer support is essential; pray that I will be led by God, that I will recognize His will, for the OH team that we would work in unity and out of love for God, and for the Romanians who receive this ministry. Financially, I need $700 per month; if 50 people commit to give $14 a month I will be at full support.

I have also applied for an online course in Biblical Studies through Moody Bible Institute. This would cost about $4,275 per semester if I study full time. I can earn a certificate in one year or an associates degree in two. I plan to apply for grants and scholarships. Please pray that God will provide for this as well.

I will be leaving for Romania the 5th of May and returning to the States on July 1st for my sister's wedding. After this I plan to return to Romania to stay there until God would put me elsewhere.

Financial gifts can be sent to Church of Acts 900 S. Grand Ave Waukesha, WI 53186. Checks should be made out to Acts Missions and make sure to MARK CLEARLY that it is for me.

Please contact me if you'd like to know more. Thank you in advance for your partnership with me in God's work.

God bless,
Rachel Richardson

Fishers of Men

    Last Summer in Chiselet there was a baptism. Everyone met at the church earlier than usual and we went down to a little lake on the outskirts of the village. As we went down the road, we sang the Romanian version of "No Turning Back," the same song that I remember singing at my own baptism. Some of us were riding in carutsas, a cart-like, horse-drawn wagon. The driver was shouting to people along the way things like "Come to the baptism!" and "Praise the Lord!"
    As I was photographing the baptism, I turned and saw someone fishing in the lake. It reminded me of when Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James and John. He said, "Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men."
    I was privileged to watch these six people declare that they have decided to follow Jesus and will never turn back.

Caramidari

Caramidari in acrylic

Sezer (I think)

The painting above is from a photo I took last Fall from the Hope Center in a Calarasi neighborhood called Caramidari.

Random Trivia: Caramidari is a word which means brick.

Caramidari is the poorest neighborhood in the city of Calarasi and there are a lot of problems there both physical and spiritual. The Hope Center is a building that was built by Outstretched Hands of Romania and it's used as a ministry base for humanitarian aid, bringing the good news of Jesus to the people, and teaching academics to the children there who tend not to stay in school.

The photos I've included are a few of the kids who come to the Hope Center for activities in the Summer or school work in the Fall, Winter and Spring. I've labeled the one's whose names I remember.

Most of the people in this neighborhood are Roma or Turkish and they are usually referred to by everyone, including themselves, as Gypsies.

 We've heard the phrase "poverty mindset" and it is quite prominent in this area. The poverty mindset is a term we use to refer to the "giving up" that many poor people seem to do. They give up trying to better themselves, keeping themselves and their belongings clean and in order and it just wastes away because they don't feel that they have hope to get out of their predicament.

I know many kids from this area and one of my last posts was about Iasar, Sunita and Nusa, three kids from Caramidari who were baptized. There is also a teen named Elvis who is from Caramidari and has been saved.

God is working in Caramidari and will continue to do so. You can pray for the people there and God will work through your prayers. They're very beautiful and life in Caramidari is very rough and difficult.

Roza