Constantly learning....

from those around me and of course Jesus is a neverending process. I have learned to slow down before I speed up which has been my journey in the past couple of years in transitioning my life towards Bucuresti for a full time life. My most recent example included slipping on my dear friends stairs in London, ending up in the Emergency Room with a dislocated shoulder, and my friend Richard encouraging me that this may be what I needed to slow down and truly rest in Jesus. Thus, the first couple of weeks of this trip had been spent in a slower pace than anticipated but with good reason for my Father to remind me I am His and He is mine and that is enough. Now I have a 95% recovered shoulder and have a lot of hope already in what God wants for this city.

This trip's goal was to continue to serve at the Bucuresti Inernational Church and do more thorough research of churches that have had some success in doing social justice work in the city of Bucuresti . This being the general vision ,God has fine tuned this to a specific region of the city -- Berceni with a high amount of gypsies, poverty, and baby hospitals in this part of town. Also, this area has the highest population and least amount of evangelical churches in the city. Definitely, sounds like a place Jesus would hang out, don't you think? I have been and shall continue to set up appointments to do some interviews with people already "doing the stuff" of working with orphans, gypsies, etc in the city and learn from the people that have labored hours upon hours for the sake of God's love for the widows and orphans.

Over the past few months I have been led by the Holy Spirit to pursue teaching English in Bucuresti as a native speaker in addition to pursuing church planting and social justice work. Thus, I have been connected to some folks that can help be a part of this happening as well. I want to earn my own support as much as possible  by teaching English and use whatever resources I earn above and beyond what I need to survive to go into ministry. Most importantly, I want to empower the Romanians that will join our team to take ownership of their church and community and give to their own people group-- heart, time, energy, and money.

Most of my basic needs have been covered for this trip financially by way of working in Denver this past late winter and early spring, however, I am still wanting to raise about $1,000 to give back to the community of the Bucuresti International Church. They give so generously to the underprivileged of Bucuresti and have been so supportive of my transition here in Bucharest. I am truly grateful for Jesus putting this community in my life. Also, I am so grateful for my vast family in the States that has been a part of this journey with me. Please see this webpage for ways to give if you feel called to do so and please continue to pray for me while I am here and for this city.

I leave you with a picture of what God has recently given me and a dear pastor friend of mine here in Bucharest, a picture of a vast field of golden wheat with a gorgeous sunset at the horizon. This is Bucuresti, my friends, a harvest of the Kingdom waiting to happen.....