“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore,
to send out workers into his harvest field.
Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.” Luke 10:2-3
rachel simons
My six-month sabbatical, for which my theme was Reflect, Rejoice and Rest, has now come to an end. I found that after an initial time to grieve and let go of the children and friends I left behind in Romania, God brought me to a place of deep rest and rejoicing as I was surrounded by the beauty of a New Hampshire autumn.
Three fruits of this sabbatical rest were hope, healing and courage. As I spent time in the Word, in nature, with family and travelling around the world visiting relatives serving in Asia, I received a deep sense of God’s faithfulness — His gentle, loving hand guiding me from the time of my birth.
I have begun to meet with a spiritual director from Biddeford, Maine, who has agreed to continue meeting with me over Skype. When I shared with her that I am worried about losing a new found sense of intimacy with Jesus as I get busy with lots of responsibility, she said, “Just think of Jesus as your Spouse. He goes with you. There’s grace for times of transition.”
So here we go, Jesus! I’m taking you with me!
And this is where we’re going: Moldova, considered the poorest country in Europe. UNICEF.org says, “At least 500,000 of Moldova’s 3.6 million people have left the country in search of work. Left behind are an estimated 150,000 to 270,000 children without either a mother or a father, and around 40,000 who are separated from both parents.”
These are the children that we desire to reach out to in Moldova. They are much more than numbers. They have names and faces and very soon will have a special place in my heart.
On December 28, I returned to Romania. On January 15, our team of five will load up a couple mini-vans and cross the border into Moldova. For the first 4-5 months I will be living in a modest apartment with a Russian-speaking widow. I will study the Russian language and help organize art, play and musical activities at an orphanage. I appreciate your prayers and financial support as I take these next steps.
Thank you for journeying with me!
With love and gratitude,
Rachel
rachel.simons@wordmadeflesh.org
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