Ministry Reality

Well, no pics with this post. Hope it's OK if I just show some humanness if you will and relay a hardship of our ministry here.

Yeah, it's hard sometimes. I will admit the emmanuel center for gypsy children is one of the most difficult ministries I've ever been a part of. How are you supposed to fight against a mindset that has been ingrained in people for centuries? - that you are a beggar and that's all you'll ever be, so may as well be good at it. Don't try, don't go to school (cause then you won't be on the street making money), don't wash up (cause then you don't look pathetic enough to get money when you beg), have lots of babies and start when you're young (because it looks more pathetic and you get more sympathy when you have a dirty little precious baby at your feet or say "I have 8 kids to feed"). I will say how I feel. Just when I think I'm getting somewhere and connecting with them, they do something to remind me what a stronghold they're trapped in and can't get out of. Just when I was really feeling good about the day we had with them last week, they work as a team to distract me to get into my purse. ohhhh. Why? I honestly can't blame them. They are children. Children do as they're taught. The one girl that I really had hope for that stood out as different, has turned "bad" (as our Albanian co-worker put it) and stopped coming. Her mother and older sister are prostitutes. What is her hope? Whew. I know sometimes we like to post happier things, but I hope it's OK to show you the not so fun side. For me, the really difficult side. What makes you go on when you see absolutely no fruit and hardly anyone else wants to join with you in the ministry? When you feel like it's an absolute waste of time because there is no change or visible hope. The thing that keeps me going is this - because Jesus told us to. This is what Jesus taught us to do in word AND action, so we'll do it. We can't give up on these kids like everyone else does every day. Also, we serve the God of impossibility and hope in seemingly hopeless situations. I am so grateful for that. We can go on and perservere because of who God is. Praise Your glorious name, Jesus. Thank You for loving these kids more than anyone ever could.