In every landscape, the point of astonishment is the meeting of the sky and the earth… the stars at night swoop down over the brownest, homeliest common.
The difference between landscape and landscape is small,
but there is great difference in the beholders.
…Nature cannot be surprised undressed.
Beauty breaks in everywhere.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
Apparently this little country has a reputation for “chewing up and spitting out” Americans who come here for two years with the Peace Corps, commented a professor friend who has made frequent trips to Moldova for the past 10 years. My response to this observation was twofold: 1) So I’m not crazy after all! It is really hard to live here, and 2) I hope that this aforementioned “chewing and spitting” does not happen to me!
As I wait in expectation for the trees to begin budding, suddenly the sky clouds over for another snow storm; as I wait for the glorious resurrection of Christ and His promise of new life, I am left still witnessing the suffering of His passion, the brutal cross that came before He conquered death. I see a lot of darkness here, and am frequently reminded of His cross. BUT even in this brown landscape, “beauty breaks in everywhere” – if I have the eyes to see it.
A chamber orchestra performs for a captive audience and breathless me is inspired by their precision and passion; a spontaneous gathering for round table fellowship in Adriana’s home; guests arrive and I find myself offering hospitality to strangers; Orion’s belt lights up the night sky clouded only by my frozen breathe; cathedral domes rise toward heaven; a solitary pan flute whistles a tune through the barren trees of central park; moments of forgiveness cover me in grace when I mess up yet again. These are moments of beauty and consolation during these difficult weeks.
We’ve knocked on so many doors these past two months, listened to scores of people talk about one ministry or another. Doors we thought were opening suddenly slammed shut in our face. So we kept knocking. And now, by God’s grace, a door seems to have swung wide for us to go as a team into one of the largest orphanages in this city, responsible for over 400 children grades 1-9. However, it was made clear that we are on a trial period and that the only reason we are welcome there is because we made a connection with someone has “connections” and got us a verbal recommendation from the director of the Ministry of Education. Otherwise, we’d still be staring at a closed door.
Honestly, this feels a bit like going from the frying pan into the fire… If these last two months were a challenge, without a doubt the following months will be even more challenging. But thankfully, fire is no problem for Jesus, and I even seem to recall that he was once observed hanging out with three of his friends in a huge fire in Babylon. J Please keep us in prayer as we walk into the fire. My motto is to just take one day at a time – and pray always.
I don’t normally mention finances in my letters but it’s come time to buy my next plane ticket and I’ve discovered that flying in and out of Moldova is much more expensive than flying to Romania. Tickets for round trip Moldova/Boston cost $1,400 or more. I plan to be in the Boston area for a couple weeks and then I need to purchase another ticket to attend the WMF gathering in Nebraska where North American staff meet from around the world for ten days. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
If you, like me, are experiencing a crucible in your life right now, I invite you with the words of Mother Theresa, to “remember that the passion of Christ ends always in the joy of the resurrection, so when you feel in your own heart the suffering of Christ, remember that the resurrection has to come.” The resurrection is at hand, and beauty breaks in everywhere!