Mission Work in Romania

I can't believe this is happening. I've been talking to the guy in charge of mission work here on campus and yesterday, we decided that we are going to make my mission work in Romania happen. Kevin runs a non-profit organization for missionaries called Missions of Hope (http://bringhope.org/#/who-we-are/missionaries). Well, I've officially applied to be a part of his organization. I've been approved by Kevin and he's put me up on their website along with the name of my mission: Evanghelizare prin Iubire, which means "Evangelize Through Love" in Romanian.
This is my mission statement:
"Evanghelizare prin Iubire’s main mission is to reach the youth of Romania through catechesis as well as witnessing to the love of Christ in everyday life. The scar of Communism still remains on the hearts of the people and the mission wants to bring healing and hope to the youth, for they are the future of their country.  Pope Paul VI emphasized the importance of witnessing when he said, “Without repeating everything that we have already mentioned, it is appropriate first of all to emphasize the following point: for the Church, the first means of evangelization is the witness of an authentically Christian life, given over to God in a communion that nothing should destroy and at the same time given to one's neighbor with limitless zeal. As we said recently to a group of lay people, ‘Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.’” –Evangelii Nuntiandi 41."


My mission statement has been sent to the board of directors of Missions of Hope and now I'm just waiting. The fact that I have been approved by Kevin is the answer to many, many prayers. For the last 6 months, I've prayed everyday that if it's the Lord's will for me to be a missionary in Romania, then let it be. Well, I'm one step closer to that. Once I get approval from the board, it's official. Then, I begin fundraising for my life as a missionary in Romania. I'm not sure at this point how long I'd stay. At this point, 6 months to a year is what it's looking like. But, like I've said, whatever God's will is. The only way this can happen is for God to move this all forward.


I've gotten a lot of opposition from people, including my family, but you know what? I'm doing what the Lord is calling me to do. I just want to restore hope to the people of Romania. I want to show them what Christ can do. Christ heals, Christ brings hope. Late last night, I had a heart-to-heart with my friend James. He knows about my past and he knows how broken of a person I am. He asked me why I get up in the morning. At first I said, "I don't know." Then, right away, I said, "No. You know what? It's those kids in Romania. It's those children who just need to be loved. It's the fact that for the first time in my entire life, I saw Christ within others." I had no idea that one child would change my life as radically as he did.


So, please pray that my mission gets approved by the board of directors and that I am able to fund raise enough to support myself in Romania. All I want to do is bring the love of Christ to these people and that's what I'm going to do. The people of Romania are why I can get myself out of bed every morning. They are the reason that I fight to survive every day.


Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam - All for the greater glory of God!