Saturday, June 03, 2006
Our group of 53 successfully landed in Bucharest (Romania) airport. Although there were a few flight delays and cancellations from originating cities, "re-routes" got us all here today for our 5th annual summer "Party with the Gypsies". We come from all over the USA, as well as Canada, England and South Africa. What a team the Holy Ghost has put together!
After dropping off our luggage at the hotel, we headed for our beloved Gypsy camp that Winnie found just over one year ago (for details, click HERE.) We got off the bus and walked down the long dirt road singing songs and peering throught the trees, eagerly looking for signs of our Gypsies. And then there they were, the bright shining smiling eyes that we were longing to see, all decked out in their unique and colorful clothes. Welcoming us like a huge family reunion, there were full on hugs and infamous Gypsy rasberry kisses. Our hearts were filled with lots of joy and excitement. Photos from our last small group visit were handed out by Niki and a handful of the Gypsy women sorted them out for the different families. You've got mail! They were so blessed as they excitedly pointed at each other in the photos, oohing and ahhing and giggling like children opening their gifts on Christmas morning. This was the reason for our very long journey and extreme lack of sleep... we were meeting our wonderful Jesus in the camp. Needless to say our tiredness and fatigue immediately left us.
I saw the precious Gypsy woman I met last August, who is a major intercessor, and I called out her name, "Marianna!" She grabbed me and we hugged and laughed and cried. The Gypsies were motioning us towards the back field, behind their little ramshackle homes. We followed, for who could resist their call? Come away with me, come away with me my beloved!
Mariana and I walked arm in arm past several Gypsy horses as they were eating hay from their carts, following the group into an open field where they had lovingly and proudly prepared a feast. Somehow they had gotten several boards together and made a table with 2 benches. On the table were plastic cups and pink sodas for all to drink, and on a little grill there were strips of lamb roasting. Our Bulgarian Gypsy pastors had been there earlier to help them prepare roasted lamb. (Global Celebration bought several sheep so that we could have a fatted calf celebration.)
Some of the women from our team had prepared a huge box of homemade fudge and baked a big container full of chocolate chip cookies, and all of the women got busy handing out their treats. The Gypsies were handing out bread and lamb, and the American women their sweets to the delight of all the children there. The music was playing and soon we jumped into a spontaneous circle dance with everyone shouting and rejoicing. It is amazing that we do not speak each others language, and yet everyone managed to understand that we were worshipping the Lord. Some of the people would make hand signals, clasping their hands in prayer and then pointing to the sky for "God"... it was a jubilee. It was like the freedom of children playing outside on a beautiful summer day. Faces were beaming, joy was jumping and Freedom was calling everyone into the happy dance. We were like those who dreamed dreams, and then found ourselves translated there through a Holy Ghost portal of joy. Somebody pinch me!
We took turns dancing with one another, waving flags and banners, stickering the children's faces and laughing and playing. Different women would come and ask us to visit their homes, and we did, one right after another. We prayed and blessed their children, and it was wonderful. Georgian gave a simple gospel message, with Pastor Mitko translating, and the Gypsise gathered around him listening and freely recieving. As he gave the altar call, they raised their hands and repeated after Pastor Mitko, and it was the most simple and precious, child like church service I'd ever seen. We continued to love on each other, communicating with one another through the eyes of HIS love and lots of sign language. We did a few more circle dances with Georgian in the center playing his fiddle.
As we were leaving, they were asking, "when will you return?" We explained Pastor Mitko and a small team will return in August, and they were very excited. This is a wonderful pioneering work, and the first time our large group had ever come to Romania. We simply came just for them! One day in Romania, just for this little ramshackle community that lives on the edge of nowhere, despised and rejected by society, but treasured and cherished by Jesus. Our hearts were filled with singing, and we are completely satisfied. We went back to the hotel for a quick dinner, woke up and took our bus to Bulgaria. Thank you Jesus for a marvelous first day, you do all things well!
When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men
who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. -- Psalm 126: 1-3
After dropping off our luggage at the hotel, we headed for our beloved Gypsy camp that Winnie found just over one year ago (for details, click HERE.) We got off the bus and walked down the long dirt road singing songs and peering throught the trees, eagerly looking for signs of our Gypsies. And then there they were, the bright shining smiling eyes that we were longing to see, all decked out in their unique and colorful clothes. Welcoming us like a huge family reunion, there were full on hugs and infamous Gypsy rasberry kisses. Our hearts were filled with lots of joy and excitement. Photos from our last small group visit were handed out by Niki and a handful of the Gypsy women sorted them out for the different families. You've got mail! They were so blessed as they excitedly pointed at each other in the photos, oohing and ahhing and giggling like children opening their gifts on Christmas morning. This was the reason for our very long journey and extreme lack of sleep... we were meeting our wonderful Jesus in the camp. Needless to say our tiredness and fatigue immediately left us.
I saw the precious Gypsy woman I met last August, who is a major intercessor, and I called out her name, "Marianna!" She grabbed me and we hugged and laughed and cried. The Gypsies were motioning us towards the back field, behind their little ramshackle homes. We followed, for who could resist their call? Come away with me, come away with me my beloved!
Mariana and I walked arm in arm past several Gypsy horses as they were eating hay from their carts, following the group into an open field where they had lovingly and proudly prepared a feast. Somehow they had gotten several boards together and made a table with 2 benches. On the table were plastic cups and pink sodas for all to drink, and on a little grill there were strips of lamb roasting. Our Bulgarian Gypsy pastors had been there earlier to help them prepare roasted lamb. (Global Celebration bought several sheep so that we could have a fatted calf celebration.)
Some of the women from our team had prepared a huge box of homemade fudge and baked a big container full of chocolate chip cookies, and all of the women got busy handing out their treats. The Gypsies were handing out bread and lamb, and the American women their sweets to the delight of all the children there. The music was playing and soon we jumped into a spontaneous circle dance with everyone shouting and rejoicing. It is amazing that we do not speak each others language, and yet everyone managed to understand that we were worshipping the Lord. Some of the people would make hand signals, clasping their hands in prayer and then pointing to the sky for "God"... it was a jubilee. It was like the freedom of children playing outside on a beautiful summer day. Faces were beaming, joy was jumping and Freedom was calling everyone into the happy dance. We were like those who dreamed dreams, and then found ourselves translated there through a Holy Ghost portal of joy. Somebody pinch me!
We took turns dancing with one another, waving flags and banners, stickering the children's faces and laughing and playing. Different women would come and ask us to visit their homes, and we did, one right after another. We prayed and blessed their children, and it was wonderful. Georgian gave a simple gospel message, with Pastor Mitko translating, and the Gypsise gathered around him listening and freely recieving. As he gave the altar call, they raised their hands and repeated after Pastor Mitko, and it was the most simple and precious, child like church service I'd ever seen. We continued to love on each other, communicating with one another through the eyes of HIS love and lots of sign language. We did a few more circle dances with Georgian in the center playing his fiddle.
As we were leaving, they were asking, "when will you return?" We explained Pastor Mitko and a small team will return in August, and they were very excited. This is a wonderful pioneering work, and the first time our large group had ever come to Romania. We simply came just for them! One day in Romania, just for this little ramshackle community that lives on the edge of nowhere, despised and rejected by society, but treasured and cherished by Jesus. Our hearts were filled with singing, and we are completely satisfied. We went back to the hotel for a quick dinner, woke up and took our bus to Bulgaria. Thank you Jesus for a marvelous first day, you do all things well!
When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men
who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. -- Psalm 126: 1-3
