eastern european tour

While I won’t necessarily be doing a tour of Eastern Europe, by the end of my time here, I will have spent about 4 months in the region. One and a half months in Albania and two months in Romania. As COVID restrictions are ever-changing, and our leadership determines the needs in the area, we have had our time in Romania extended to two months! Our squad is excited to spend this first month altogether again! As we enter into this new season and new country, here are some things that you can be praying for myself, our squad, our partner ministry (Hope Church Romania), and for the people of Romania:

Personal

• Open hands to allow the Lord to take away what isn’t good and replace it with what is best
• Intentionality with communion with the Lord and others 
• Time away from the internet will allow for more space for relationship with the Lord and better ability to hear what He is speaking to me
• Humility and obedience
• Family experiencing distance and limited communication with me while I am away

Squad

• Health – we have had the second round of COVID in Albania, but are now experiencing the flu 
• Revival – freedom in worship and intimacy with the Lord, with each other, and in the community
• Increased clarity of identity in the Lord
• Experience purpose as we minister to the locals, missionaries, and one another

Ministry Host

• Goal for 2022: reach 1,000,000 people (kids, youth, and adults) with the gospel through personal evangelism, evangelistic events, and social media
• 100 prayer partners to devote to 5 minutes/day or 5 minutes/week of prayer for the 2022 year –> https://tinyurl.com/HCprayer2022
• Increased volunteers through short-term missions (like World Race) and long-term missionaries to serve long-term in Romania
• Endurance for the missionaries who are already working here

People of Southern Romania

• Spiritual warfare
• Build relationships and trust with believers who desires to share the gospel with them
• Nic – evangelist and preacher in a nearby town who has dream to build modern church where people can come and worship together
• More opportunities to hear and receive the gospel (area categorized as unreached with 0.5% believers)
• Increased relationship between the Roma and Romanian peoples

Thank you so much for your prayers! The longer that I am on this journey, the more that I realize how powerful prayer is, and unfortunately how detrimental the lack of prayer can be. The time in Albania was ground breaking for the Lord to begin working in some important areas of my heart. It was a tough month and a half, but I have a really great team who was patient with me through it all. From the loss of a teammate, to spending the holidays away from home, to the desire for my own personal time of rest, to difficulty having regular ministry planned, to two different instances of quarantining…it was a lot of transition and change that I did not handle with the patience and grace that I wish I had.

Knowing God works in all things, I am glad to have learned the lessons that I don’t always have to be the one caring for and pouring into others. It is good to allow others in, to share their wisdom, and pour into me. Should be an easy enough concept to grasp, but for me it’s definitely still in-process. 

We did have a beautiful view and town to call home in Polican. Along with little trips to the capital of Tirana, nearby city of Berat, and one day at a waterfall where we picnicked.

For ministry, we had the opportunity to visit with the residents of the nursing home in town, help with the kid’s ministry, and host an American Night for the teenagers in the town. I also made friends with the ladies who worked at the pizza shop and coffee bar that we frequented. The guys on our team were awesome in utilizing their love for soccer and sports to connect with the teen boys in the town! Even getting to see many of them come to the Wednesday night services at the church. 

The town is truly full of such welcoming and kind people. Unfortunately, the population is becoming older as the young leave for the cities to go to school and find work. Polican is often looked down upon and forgotten in many ways. So, please continue to pray for those living and doing ministry there. For a revival to wash through the town of Polican, and for those sharing the gospel to find strength and endurance from the Lord! 

Me helping to clear brambles at a local vineyard

The boys with our ministry host, Mimoza, going to share the gospel in a nearby town