Dear Friends and Family,
As I write this letter on my first Sunday afternoon back in Romania, my room is filled with the spring chirping of birds mixed with the infamous barking of street dogs–signs of both life and death drifting by. The birds remind me of the joy I have experienced in my reunion with the Word Made Flesh community here, of the laughter of the children at play and mealtime and of the sights and smells of street vendors, the fruit and vegetable market and even crowded public transportation. The dogs, on the other hand, remind me of the things that are broken and of the things that are hard. Being confronted again with children who are forced to beg, with friends on the street who cannot leave their addictions and with families who don't see any hope for themselves has forced me to once again cry out to the God who is making all things new.
In the midst of these mixed emotions, nevertheless, I have found deep peace in my calling to serve Jesus among the poorest of the poor in Romania. Thank you for praying in this regard as God has been faithful to reassure me of where He has placed me. This week our community practiced a spiritual discipline called Lectio Divina in one of our daily morning chapel gatherings. Through this exercise, we read and mediate on a passage of Scripture together and listen for specific things that God is speaking to us as a community. The selected passage for this time was from 1 Kings 19, where God speaks to Elijah not in a powerful wind, nor earthquake, nor fire, but in a gentle whisper. And it is this gentle whisper that remains constant in my heart as I make the transition to life here and that continues to speak of unconditional love and of a Kingdom that is breaking into this world, slowly, like a mustard seed.
At Casa La Vale (The Valley House), where the children among whom we serve come daily, I have spent my first few days almost entirely with the youngest group of children. I've also had the opportunity to sit in on several music lessons with some of the children as well as to go to the streets one day to visit some of our friends who make their homes there. I am hoping in the next few days to spend some more time with the older kids as I continue to seek God's specific placement for me within the community. Obviously, there are countless places in which I could serve, so I need to quietly listen for the whisper of God as He shows me the specific place and work He has for me. Please pray for me in this time.
Several of you have asked for updates on how I am doing financially. The answer is that I am doing well and that I am so grateful for the support you have shown! The most recent update I have from the office in Omaha on my support account, dated May 5 (a bit outdated by the time you read this) says that I have raised $8180.50 (approximately 70% of the funds I need for the period of May 2008 to May 2009). Thus, I am well on my way (and probably even more so) to having what I need for this year. I am thankful for your generosity and pray that you are all deeply blessed through your participation in God's work in Romania.
Finally, I am still looking for more people to commit to being a part of my prayer support team. Some of you have done this already by writing your email address on one of the response cards that were included in previous prayer letters. I will periodically send emails (probably more than once a month) to the prayer support team with prayer requests and ways in which God is answering prayer. Because I believe that God is calling a specific group of you to this ministry and because I believe that this support team is vital to God's work in Galati, please seriously consider making a commitment to the ministry of prayer. If you would like to be included on these emails, send a quick email to me (john.koon@wordmadeflesh.com) letting me know of your interest. Remember that these emails are in addition to monthly prayer letters (like this one), so you must let me know if you wish to be included.
May you hear today the gentle whisper of the One who calls you by name.
Grace and peace to you all,
John
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1) As mentioned above, please continue to pray for my specific role within the Word Made Flesh community. There are many places and ways in which I can be serving, so ask that God would reveal His calling for me in this area as I intently discern His will.
2) Pray for the children as they finish school this month and transition to summer. Ask that God would make this a summer in which they grow to know His love more deeply and in which they are refreshed to return to school in the fall.
3) Pray for several children who are no longer coming to the Valley House for various reasons. Each of them has their own story, and while we are sad to no longer see them come on a daily basis, we continue to trust God as sovereign and as Father of all.
Some Additional Notes from Daily Life
* I was able to see one of my best friends from college during my layover at JFK on May 6. It was a blessing to be able to spend my last hours in the States catching up over the last cup of coffee I'll drink out of a paper cup in a long time.
* I arrived at the airport in Bucharest, Romania's capital, and was met by my friend Josh, who also serves with Word Made Flesh Romania. Again, it was good to catch up as we ate lunch at the train station and rode the four-hour Accelerat back to Galati.
* One of my favorite things about life in Romania is being able to shop for food at open air markets. I've enjoyed buying fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products and even honey directly from the farmers who produced them.
* Currently there is much campaigning going on for the election of the mayor of Galati. The older kids like to ask us for whom we are voting, and when those of us who are not Romanian citizens respond by telling them that we aren't allowed to vote, I enjoy their baffled and incredulous stares as they remind us that we are older than 18!
* I'm living in a house with a family of four from the U.S., the Klepacs, and a Romanian WMF staff member, Bela. Also, right around the corner are Josh and Robin, a couple also from the U.S. I feel blessed to be so close to good friends.
* See http://jwkoon.blogspot.com for more updates.
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