‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ Matt 22: 39
‘Sister Shirley, where is love?’ This is one of the many questions I have been asked during the third week of our mission trip. How long should I keep on loving? As long as I have breath to love with my whole heart in serving others. In James 1: 27 we read that true godliness is ‘To visit orphans and widows in their affliction…’ The word visit means much more than just calling; it is used by Zechariah in Luke 1: 78 prophesying of the coming of Christ ‘The Sunrise shall visit us from on high, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death…’ I learn from this that the word visit means to minister in love, as Jesus did, sacrificing Himself for others. Love’s greatest example, giving all He had to give. Our love must always be sincere, patient and kind; we join our hands in the bond that ‘perfect love knows no fear.’ This is my service.
As I was preparing to leave for my visits on Monday, Hamilton asked, ‘Shirley, have you enough money?’ ‘I am fine, I have 20 Lei which will be sufficient to buy some black grapes for your breakfast tomorrow morning’ (no wheaten bread in Romania). ‘Please take this 200 Lei with you, just in case of an emergency situation you may hear of.’ ‘If it pleases you, thank you.’ I hurriedly made my way down the many steps and smiled as I thought of the heart and kindness of my husband, silently praying that I would have a heart of acceptance in the place God has assigned me to serve His people, a calling to carry the lost, dying, hungry. A small ministry but assigned to me.
As I looked at the broken down entrance to the back yard where a husband and wife occupy a tiny room, my heart sank. No health, no home, no food, no hope! As I entered, I tenderly sat down on the side of the bed where ‘B’ was lying, I kissed her forehead, noticing she had fallen and had severe facial bruising. She was pale and in extreme pain and through her tears she asked me, ‘Why is no one listening, why will no one help? I do not want to leave my husband just now. I know we are poor but I am human, I am a woman and only want to know if there is hope, but no one will help me.’ This adult patient is in the advanced stages of cervical cancer. Read more
Lorena was in my heart all day yesterday, the freezing conditions in Romania, Minus 15.
Andrada (4) (affectionately known as Dada) was diagnosed with cancer 2 years ago. Then, aged only 2, this little darling faced many treatments of chemotherapy. Yesterday her mother received the news her little one has relapsed and she is devastated. Andrada needs to start chemotherapy as soon as possible but her family have no money to pay for the treatment. They are a very poor family who live in a village 40km from Oradea. She will require two rounds of chemo (each one costing 2,000 Euros). But they cannot afford or raise this vast sum of money. The people from the village are seeking to support this family but further urgent help is required. The doctor expressed Andrada has a good chance of survival, although a Bone Marrow Transplant would need to take place in Timisoara during March. These are only two of many!
As I launch ‘GIVE WITH YOUR HEART’ Appeal to run throughout 2017, my ordinary faith needs to become extraordinary, trusting the Lord, knowing that He alone will support it, increasing my faith moment by moment, day by day as I depend on Him. It is not about money or asking for money, it is sharing the passion, the desire of Tell Romania to provide the urgent needs: Monthly Food Provision; Medicines; Finance for Medical Treatments/Scans. But more importantly to share the hope of the Gospel. I ask that you stand with us that God may be glorified and the faith of His children be strengthened. The Orphan without father, mother; the Disabled, weak in mind and body; the Abandoned, crying out just to be loved; the hungry and dying… We can be instrumental in bestowing blessing to those who have no one to care.