As I sit down to write
this, I am at the little table in a rented flat in the centre of Bucharest,
Romania. It’s quiet. Strangely quiet considering we’re in the centre of a huge
city. My feet are propped up on a worn fake-leather puff thing, and as I check
the time I realize that I have been in the country less than 24 hours... and
yet my heart is overflowing with impressions and emotion for a nation I barely
know.
It’s getting late, but
I know I am too awake to sleep and so have made myself a cup of Earl Grey (with
milk) and have sat down to try to capture at least a bit of what this day has
been. As always, I write mostly for myself and the occasional other who desires
to enter into the telling of my story.
Driving from the
airport last night, and getting the first glimpse of the city and seeing
majestic buildings lit up towards the night sky, filled me with expectation. A
beautiful city filled with so much history. I came wondering. Wondering
what this nation I knew from watching the horrifying news reports back in 1989
when the revolution happened would be like.
We started the day by
taking the free walking tour of the city starting at the Unirii square. It was excellent! Our amazing guide was a well of
information yet at the same time carried such a heart for his nation. There are
so many things I could share from the tour... maybe I’ll write another anecdote
with more of the facts at another point, but here are some of the “highlights”:
- Moving churches- in communist times they started off destroying beautiful churches to make space for the apartment block and communist buildings. But then Ceausescu had an epiphany and decided to move them instead. So would go to the effort of physically being able to move entire churches to new locations; one as much as 15 meters!! It’s almost too crazy to be true, but it is. And what was built in that church’s original location- an apartment block so that the church became “hidden” (although the people continued to attend so it really is only hidden from tourists).
- The oldest church is really a church built on the oldest site of a church as it the first was destroyed in an earth quake, the second destroyed by fire, and now version number three stands in the spot.
- Bucharest was started by a shepherd called Buca. He simply came shepherding his sheep and decided to settle in what became Bucharest.
- Most of Bucharest is not old... but has been rebuilt. For instance the Old Town was built 5 years ago. And there are even some “old” ruins that were rebuilt because they wanted to have the ruins there. However a concrete roof on top of them kind of gives away that they are not really that old.
I asked the guide what
kind of relational culture the Romanian are (thinking of the more reserved
Northern European vs. the very relational Latin cultures). He shared that before
communism people shared in communities; in a village people didn’t own land but
would farm the village land and then reap the produce. But after the “forced sharing” of communism people
have embraced capitalism and it’s pretty much everyone for themselves. As our
guide shared this a sadness came over him; as if there was a longing that
things would be different and that there would be more community and value on
relationships.
In the evening we had
the privilege of visiting two projects in the city. One of them was with single
mums from different situation. A beautiful project where they learn to stand on
their own feet and provide for themselves and their children. I loved that the
project looks at what they women like doing and are good at, and then help them get
training and work in that area. My heart was so moved as one of the staff
shared with such pride about some of the girls who were graduating from high
school... such a small accomplishment in some peoples’ eyes, but a huge
conquest for them.
The next project
worked with girls rescued from trafficking... I was so moved. “We show them the
love, mercy, grace and patience of God every day. When they ask us why we love
them, we tell them that we are just giving what we have already received from
God.” Amazing. And challenging. It is that simple (and yet so complex at the
same time).
At several points my
heart really impacted. Tears escaped my eyes as I heard about both the horrendous
things that have happened, and the powerful moments of restoration in lives. I was
deeply touched by the hearts of the staff as they shared the value of each girl
and heart that they would receive the very best of care at all parts of their
journey of restoration.
I was touched by their
hope for more; the big dreams they carry, and hearing that truly God entrusts more to
those who are faithful with those He has given them... even when the more might
be so unexpected.
And in the midst of
doing something that should be honoured and recognised for what it is,
encountering a deep humility and dependency on God- with the attitude of
needing to learn more and lean more on Him.
Driving back in the
taxi, whizzing in and out of traffic, I wondered how on earth I can take in
more then I already have. It feels like my heart has been filled with a heart
for this nation after just 24 hours here. And yet I know that there are another
5 days ahead...
I look back on this
day and start to process some of the many impressions, the main thing that
stands out is that there is so much hope for this nation. Sure, there are many
challenges. The world has challenges. And yet there are people like the staff
of these projects. The true heroes of this place and people who are pillars on
which this nation can continue to overcome obstacles and be built up. People
who are willing to take the most broken of girls and love them... and continue
to love them... and continue to love them, no matter what.
And that is what hope
looks like in Romania.