....happened about a week after my previous post in late June 2013.
My shoulder had mostly healed up and my dear friend, Ramona (Rami) and I thought to go out and about and do some prayer walking in our neighborhood. One prayer walk went by and was somewhat fruitful and so we thought to set aside time to do it again a few days later and to go a different direction. This time we headed into the heart of Ferentari.
We walked around....praying and walking.... walking and praying....and BAM! We came upon the very buildings that Rami had seen in a vision when she had been praying for me on my previous trip to Bucuresti 6 months prior. The vision was of a group of buildings that looked like abandoned shells of the communist block apartment buildings except there were people living in them. She was somewhere between excited and nervous all at the same time... and began to jog my memory and I said "Oh yeah... I remember." I stood still for a few moments in wonder and awe taking in the moment. This was the first REAL moment of Jesus fleshing out this vague vision for months and years coming into my very sight. A moment of Jesus stilling my heart and showing me he was God.
Rami and I continued to wander throughout the streets of this neighborhood, Ferentari, praying and smiling at the children and families as we passed by. You wouldn't think that this is the very neighborhood that produces so much child human trafficking, drug addiction, and abandoned babies throughout Bucharest.... because what we saw before us was....unfathomable joy. This neighborhood may be the darkest in all of Bucharest but it also is the ripest for Jesus to impart his love.
I went home that night and emailed my friends, Emily & Tristan about it. Emily informed me that she had had dreams about those very abandoned buildings...some where children were screaming for help to be released from cages and others were grown men were holding up babies as they were being sold for a profit.
The next day Rami text messaged me the etymology for the word "Ferentari" which she informed me meant "infantry" or "foot soldiers." Immediately, Jesus reminded me of a picture that a friend had of me about 5 years prior that was of me leading an army of leaders and then a lot of marginalized and ragamuffin looking people into battle. Obviously, this battle was for the Kingdom of God to be spread.
Then that evening Rami and I had planned to go to a conference at a local Vineyard church in Bucharest. While we were there, the speaker stopped in the middle of his teaching about healing. He looked directly at Rami and I. He said to me directly that I was called to this city for at least 5 years to be used as a Prophet to the city and that I was called as a key leader there as well. Then he said to Rami and I that I was called to disciple her with all of that I had been given and that she would then do even greater things than I had done in the city. Personally, I was not too surprised but knew that Jesus was confirming something really, really big for both of us. Currently, Rami is still wrapping her brain around all of it.
The following few days we had planned to do a prayer walk in Ferentari. However, we did not get the chance to do it because Rami was dancing in her room and pulled a muscle which resulted her being in a full leg cast the next day. Ironic, we both had major freak accidents in just a 6 week span. Awesome.
I continued on a few more prayer walks in Ferentari before I left to come back Stateside. Jesus spoke clearly of the abuse and sexual exploitation and how he wanted to restore this part of the city. He highlighted a plot of land that would one day hold some sort of community center for the Roma gypsy population that live in this area. This for real is only the beginning.
The last 6 months while I have been wrestling for the right timing and way to tell the truth of this story. I know now is the best time. I have a team of 5 total individuals that are setting aside time, energy, and money to be a part of what Jesus is doing in Ferentari--a small insignificant corner in Bucharest (90,000 pop) and to pray about the next steps of what this will pragmatically look like for their lives in the longterm. One couple is 100% committed and other individuals are listening to God.
Our larger focus for the upcoming years will be to both provide human trafficking prevention and interventions awareness in Ferentari and to help Jesus bring complete wholeness to the whole neighborhood of Roma and Romanians that dwell there. This will happen by us being the church in the neighborhood and by empowering the local people groups that come alongside of us.
How can you help now?
Finances
Our team is going to Bucharest June 18--July 3 and we need about $12,500 to get there for everyone. Some of this has been saved by members going and some of it still needs to be provided for. Please see the side panel of this blog to find specific details of how to give to our cause with the first step of supporting our trip this summer. We hope to buy our flights on May 5th.
Prayer
We will need prayer for provision, unity as we serve together, and clarity for individual calling within the greater vision written above. We desire prayer for both the Roma gypsy and the Romanians that we will serve in this area. We desire prayer for the Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven in Ferentari, Bucuresti, Romania.
Community
We need the support of our family, friends, and churches wrapping their arms around us. We need you to be involved and to be intentional in our lives. We are making big decisions as we listen to Jesus.
