When I called you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life;
You stretch out your hands against the anger of my foes,
With your right hand you save me.
Psalm 138:3,7
Merry Christmas, friends!
It's amazing to think that God in His great love chose to send His beloved Son into our dangerous world. And I'm not talking about the danger of Jesus falling down and scraping His knee. I'm referring to the danger of betrayal by one of His close friends, the danger of arrest and beating by hardened soldiers, the danger of angry men and women throwing rocks, shouting curses and condemning this innocent man with the words, “Crucify Him!” These are dangers that awaited our precious baby Jesus when He came to live among us.
I recently had an encounter with violence that reminded me just how dangerous our world is. On my way home from church, I stopped to chat with some teens who live on the streets in Galati when suddenly they were assaulted by an angry man with a huge stick. No warning, no discussion, just violence. Without thinking, I put myself between this man and his victim, 17-year-old Valentina. What ensued was a drawn out, heated interchange in which a crowd of onlookers got involved. The accusation? Theft, the equivalent of 7 dollars. But who had stolen? He wasn't even sure, but according to this angry man, it was certainly one of these “drugheads” who are all thieves anyways. And he had chosen to let out his anger on the weakest, a girl.
I was pretty shaken up after this incident, but thankful that God gave me an inner strength to overcome the physical strength of this man. What continues to weigh on me is knowing that these teens face violence all the time, I'm just not always there to defend them. Pray that God will be their Defender when there is no one there to stand in the gap.
On December 15 the Servant Team will head home to the States and I will be left without these five precious women. Although I look forward to lighter responsibilities, I will also miss their friendship and their presence. Pray for Toni, Robin, Rheanna, Katie, and Korie as they transition back to life in the USA and seek God's direction for the next step in their lives.
Street ministry with the boys in Micro 19 continues to bless and amaze me. The needs are so great, but God is greater and I can see Him working as we continue to visit the boys five days a week, rain or shine. Pray that God will open doors for Marcel to return home. Pray for Victor and Ionut to recognize their dependence on drugs as a problem and not a solution. Pray for Vasile to soften and learn that his physical strength is nothing next to the inner strength that he could have if his heart was surrendered to Jesus.
I am looking ahead to January and getting excited about a field visit to India and Nepal. Nina Sinca and I go with the desire to be an encouragement to the staff serving there, as well as to learn from them as they minister among street children, the elderly, child prostitutes and orphans. On the following page, I will introduce you to Nina who has been a vital part of our ministry in Galati since 1999. She serves as educator for the school children at the community center and also leads the program with the street boys, specializing in art therapy. In November, Nina made a commitment for at least two more years of service with Word Made Flesh. Included is an excerpt concerning her calling and how it has evolved. Please prayerfully consider supporting Nina and I through prayer and finance as we make this trip to India and Nepal .
May you be blessed this Christmas with inner strength to embrace all that the Lord Jesus has called you to, and ears to always hear His voice as He leads you.
Peace,
Rachel
rachel.simons@wordmadeflesh.com, O.P 6 C.P. 256, Galati, 800.760, Romania
*I still have not recovered all the email addresses that I lost when my computer croaked early this year. So if your are interested in hearing from me by email for special prayer requests, just drop me a note.
“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves liked locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue. Do not seek the answers, which cannot be given to you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then, gradually, live along some distant day into the answer.”
Rainer Maria Rilke
(In”When the Heart Waits” by Sue Monk Kidd)