Location: In a guest room of an apartment in Oradea, Romania (26 May, just before noon)
Before I arrived in Romania, most people crinkled their eyes and turned up their noses when I said I was headed here. They do not know what they are missing! The past two days (my first two in Romania), have been some of the best of the trip so far! I have been instantly adopted into several circles of awesome friends, and in my first twenty-four hours here, I had meals from 4 different nations, not including Romania! We had Japanese food for lunch in Cluj, McDonalds when we arrived for dinner in Oradea, Malaysian rice and cake for lunch on Monday, and a Nigerian meal for dinner last night!
But let me not get ahead of myself!
I left C. in the airport in Paris and spent the rest of my 8 hours there before a brief flights to Frankfurt and Munich and finally a flight to Cluj. Included in that was a night of "sleep" in an airport (with me playing "possum" when the cleaning man swept under my bench), an extra trip through customs in Munich (I don't know why), and the opportunity to meet a Romanian American (from Georgia) woman and her baby by carrying her stroller down several flights of stairs to get to our plan. All might flights were great, and my Japanese-German neighbor and I both tried to learn Romanian together as we descended into Translyvania.
The customs agent in Cluj tried to give me a hard time when I had an American passport and said I had not been anywhere in the last ten days where the flu was prevalent, but finally I made it through to my waiting hostess, J., who was quite surprised by my two extra suitcases (which belonged to the lady from Georgia). By the way, though I had been very dubious because of my connections, my bag made it to Cluj with me, except for my MC nalgene bottle which I new I had lost as soon as I checked my bag in Paris, having forgotten to grab it out of the side pocket where it was not well secured.
J., however, had done more than everything possible to offer me a warm welcome, and we went straight from the airport to meet several of her Cluj friends whom she had not seen in nearly a year. We laughed so much that I thought the Japanese restaurant was going to kick us out, and then they walked us to the train station to send us off to Oradea. They hated to say goodbye to "Alfred," my newly named backpack who is as large and heavy as a person, and decent company when no one else is around. For instance, he took our picture at lunch, and I'll try to post it for you.
Our arrival in Oradea found J. and I fighting to keep each other awake, though we had had (in my opinion) wonderful, significant conversation during the ride. We fell into McDonald's until we could make sure my hosts were home, and then she took me to their place to introduce me to them. They are medical students from Nigeria and the U.K., and they are wonderful! I was laughing with God as I lay in my bed that first night, say, "God, how is it that I have ended up in Romania, hosted by a friend I barely know--who lives in another part of the town--staying with two guys from two different countries, whom I only met an half-hour ago!?" I love the way God works!
Yesterday morning found me failing miserably to use my Romanian in a grocery store and then receiving wayward glances as I ate some breakfast on a street curb, but I made it to my destination without getting lost or having the police called on me. My destination was the disability center where J. works three days per week, and I spent the majority of the day working and playing with children with various disabilities: most 8 or so students were confined to wheelchairs, and only a few could communicate very well, even in Romanian. Thus, I threw out all English and Romanian and just talked "kid" and we had a blast playing "Uno" and "Memory" and doing puzzles. I expect I may have the opportunity to join those kids fairly frequently--we'll have to see.
After we left the center, I got to meet J.'s Malaysian-British roommate V. and her Japanese friend M. V. fed me, so she was instantly my best friend! Then we ran a few errands while J. made a cake--we had learned that it was the birthday of the Nigerian pastor with whom I was living! I'm not sure I was officially invited, but since I was living there, I was home for the party. And when they found out that I was really Nigerian on the inside, everything was great! J. came for a little while, and she's a physical therapist, so I was the only person not in the medical field out of the dozen or so present (all the rest were med-students!). And when she left, I felt bad for my other roommate, H. from the U.K.--he was the only non-Nigerian out of all of us!
After most of my new friends left, the three of us guys who live in the apartment had some wonderful discussion about God's work in Romania. Believe it or not, none of the three of us ever planned to come to Romania, and now he has brought us together here! It is not an accident, and I fully expect to be reporting amazing things to you during this month!
I have many more things to say as the Lord has been teaching me (waiting--such as in an airport--and being in foreign places allows for an open mind that is very teachable), but neither you nor I have time for all of that for now. I will do my best to keep you updated. Oh, but you will be impressed: I sent my first-ever text message yesterday!
Thank you for your prayers; I am praying for you! Please pray for J. and her work with persons with disabilities or injuries, as well as with the other folks among whom she ministers. Please pray for I. and H. with whom I live. Though they are both upper-level medical students, I. has started a church and H. is wanting to get deeper into youth ministry. Multumesc foarte mult! (That is Romanian--without the proper accents--for thank you so very much!)
This blog is your opportunity to travel with me wherever I am in the world, during both the mundane and exciting moments of life that I humbly recognize as holy. As I bare my life to you, may your reading take you beyond my words to the Word, beyond my life to the Life, beyond the chaos to the Truth, and beyond teachings to the Teacher--the Rabboni. I promise it will be an adventure, and by the end, may you, too, truly know the Way!
A Rose From Home
My Story (As prepared for my church congregation this spring--2009)
I have a story to tell you. I am the main character, but the story is not about me. I have traveled several parts of the world, but my adventure has been closer to home. I am twenty-six years old. My story begins like many of yours…
I grew up going to church. I had been born into a family who labeled themselves “Christian,” in a country that labels itself “Christian.” Every Sunday found me attending a worship service and Sunday school in a mainline denomination church. I served as an acolyte, attended Vacation Bible School, helped my dad count and record the offering money, sang in the youth choir, was a leader in the youth group, and occasionally served as liturgist. Baptized as an infant, I was confirmed at the age of twelve, thus becoming an “official” member of the church. Then, hurt by the church, my family left to find another.
Have you ever been hurt by the Church?
After months of searching, we settled into a very large independent church. Things were different there, and I was quickly welcomed and at home among new friends that truly had a passion for Jesus. The Word of God was taught boldly from the pulpit, and I was introduced to a missions-aware lifestyle. So it was with regret that I said goodbye only a couple of years later to move with my family to another church. I purposely remained aloof, not wanting to make new friendships before I left for college a year later. Besides, I was loosing my faith—or so I thought—and I didn’t want anyone to know. I was asking scary questions like “Is there really a God?” and, if so, “Is He the Christian God?” and “Would I be Christian if I had been born in another part of the world?”
Have you ever asked yourself unsettling questions about what you believe?
So I headed into college under a cloud of confusion that only worsened for the next two years. Though I didn’t know what I believed anymore, I continued to go to church every Sunday, and to help lead worship in chapel. Most importantly, even during this questioning, I continued my morning habit of daily study of the Bible. I had begun at age twelve, reading at first a chapter per day, then ten minutes each morning, then an half-hour, and so on. So, only by the grace of the very God I doubted, I remained anchored in His Word and in His community, though I felt like a fake most of the time. Since then I have learned that “fake” is the worst insult the world can give us; that is why the label of “hypocrite” is so offensive.
Have you ever felt like a fake?
Six weeks with missionaries in South Africa followed by a year in France began to teach me what life with God is all about. I began rebuilding my faith, this time it belonged to me, in contrast to me borrowing the faith of my parents, church, or anyone else. In my parent’s basement in 2003, on either Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve, I invited Jesus to live in me; perhaps I had done so before, but I didn’t recall—but since 2003, I have never forgotten that moment. Unfortunately, nothing changed. I continued to do my best to act like a Christian, as I had done for so long.
Have you ever found yourself “doing your best” to be a good person, or to act like a Christian?
Though I did not realize it at the time, I was quenching the Spirit, even though I had welcomed Him into my life. During the next few years, the LORD continued to nurture me, and slowly things began to change. Several tough months in Idaho birthed my prayer-life. I spent three years being humbled in a job that was my informal seminary training. In 2007, a short stint in Mexico helped me to see things as they were, and not long afterward, I was baptized by immersion. No baptism of any kind can save a lost soul—only Jesus can do that. However, this baptism was an important covenant between me and God, symbolizing not only my death and resurrection with Jesus and my public profession of faith, but it also my life change, the beginning of my bearing fruit. “For each tree is known by its own fruit…”according to Luke 6:44. During the past year and a half, the LORD has provided me with an informal pastoral internship in my church, teaching me every aspect of discipleship. Simultaneously, I have been studying unceasing prayer and worship. I am now very different than I was five years ago.
In the Book of Acts (which tells the story of the earliest years of the Church) every time a person decided to follow Christ, two things took place—though not always in the same order. Each person experienced a life change, which I call the “baptism of repentance,” as well as the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which I call the “baptism of the Spirit.” Looking back, I realize that the Holy Spirit was living in me in 2003, but it wasn’t until I surrendered everything to God, as represented by my immersion, that I allowed the Spirit to have His way in me and transform my life. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now life in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20)”
Have you invited Jesus to live in you? Have you allowed the Spirit to transform your life?
I tell you this story for two reasons. First, I tell this story in order to boast in the LORD! May God our Father get all praise and glory forever! Second, I tell this story because it is relevant to you. Likely you have heard that I am leaving the country: I have let my light shine before you; please let your light shine within the Church, too! This congregation is in revival, and as each of you allows the Spirit to revive you, the entire Church will be revived and utterly transformed, to the glory of the Most High God. And for His glory is the reason He created us; the reason He sent His only Son to reveal Himself to us; the reason He became Sin for us and died for us on the cross—while we were still sinners; and the reason that He conquered death and offered us eternal life with Him.
It will cost you a lot—in fact, it will cost you everything, your very life. But if you have never surrendered your life to Christ Jesus, if you have never invited Him to send His Spirit into you and to transform your life, then do it right now. Just let go of everything to which you are desperately clinging; stop trying to do it yourself! This is the very reason you are still breathing in this physical life—God has been delaying His judgment of this sinful world because He is waiting for you—2 Peter 3:9 says He wants none to perish!
If you have already invited the Spirit into your life, then live like it! Bear fruit! Anyone and everyone who meets you or knows you or sees you or hears you should know immediately and clearly that Jesus the Christ lives in you and loves them! That is how stark the contrast should be between your life and the world around you!
Have you immersed yourself in God’s Word and in prayer in the last twenty-four hours?
If you call yourself a follower of Christ, then there is no excuse for not communing with Him daily! Anchor yourself in the Word! God has revealed Himself to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Bible is a complete and accurate record of that revelation. And prayer is humbly letting Him love us. Let Him love you! God doesn’t need us, but He wants us! God doesn’t need us to live for Him—He wants to live in and through us! Let us love and fellowship with one another, even when you disagree! Pray for each other—the names in the church directory are a great place to start! Church, we are not only the Body of Christ, but we are the Bride of Christ. We have allowed ourselves to get bedraggled and stained—now let us stand to the glory of God! Let’s let Him purify us, restore us, and love us!
My dear Brothers and Sisters, if you have ever once been blessed by God our Father at work in me, then I urge you, please, take seriously His desire to love and work in you, beyond anything you can ask or imagine! I have told you the beginning of my story—may it end in glory to the Father, in the Name of Jesus, by way of His Spirit.
Now, what is your story?