***Written 02/01/2023***
Current Location: Craiova, Romania
Buna Ziua! I am back in Craiova, Romania for the 3rd time in the last 1.5 years! After completing the two months here in Craiova with Gap J, I will have spent the most time internationally living in Romania. That’s crazy! We have been here for about 3 weeks so far and my team will be in this city for 1.5 more weeks before we head up north with just my team for our last 3 weeks in Romania.
Ministry in Guatemala!
REINdOm-
(Saying goodbye to our kids in Santa Marta)
The ministry that my team was partnered up with for our time in Guatemala was Reindom.
This is an incredible ministry run by mostly young Guatemalans ranging from 17-22 years old! It was powerful to see their dependency on the Lord and their love for people and their country.
The name of their ministry is a merge of the word Reino and Random. Reino in Spanish means Kingdom and their goal is to bring the Kingdom of God to all the Random parts of society and our daily lives.
The verse that defines their ministry is Matthew 6:10. “Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” // Mateo 6:10 “Venga tu reino, hágase tu voluntad en la tierra como en el cielo.
We were partnered with Reindom on Monday’s, Wednesday’s, and Saturdays. Each day looked a little bit different, but before every ministry day started, we would go up to the second floor of La Casa de Reindom where they have a room designated for prayer and worship. We would start each day with prayer, worship, and a devotional.
On Mondays and Saturdays we were in a village called Santa Marta. Here we helped with soccer programs, a feeding program, and VBS type activities with the kids in this village. There are about 90 children that come to the 3 times a week programs that Reindom puts on.
On Wednesdays, we worked in the town of Sumpango, where our ministry is located. We hosted a lunch for vulnerable people from the city. Most of the people are older women, people in need of a meal, and men who are trapped in alcoholism and who often show up intoxicated.
We start out by setting up and then walking around and inviting people to the free lunch. We decorate the tables that are located in the central park of Sumpango. Before lunch is served, Reindom puts on a mini-church service with worship, prayer, and a short teaching/ sermon for the people who come. I got the opportunity to sit at the women’s tables each week and talk to them about their families, jobs, and pray for their needs.
My team ended up living in La Casa de Reindom for about 3 weeks during our time in Guatemala. It was a privilege to be able to call these amazing, devoted followers of Jesus our friends. They are investing in so many lives by loving people, building relationships and providing for practical needs.
Our city of Sumpango where we lived with our ministry!
Birdhouse Ministry
One day a week, on Tuesdays, we worked with a ministry called Birdhouse. We drove about 45 minutes away to a village just outside of Acatenagno. In the mornings, we would spend some time in prayer and then walk around the village and visit houses to encourage and pray for people. Then in the afternoons, we would have an English club and teach a group of children English. Our theme for the classes were the days of creation, so each week we taught words associated with a new day of creation.
English Activities
Activation
On Thursdays, we spent time with the Guatemala Adventures in Missions Base. This was my first time on the race working at an AIM base and it was amazing to have the support and teachings from the staff who live in Guatemala. Every Thursday we would start out with squad worship and then go into a teaching. Activation topics included Identity, Hearing the Voice of God, Character, Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and Intercession. After the session, we would break off into our teams and have small group discussions on the topic and then go out into the community to evangelize and share what we had learned from the day. Activation days are sweet ways to see the Lord’s hand really clearly in directing us and having conversations with people in the communities.
Life as a Squad Leader–
My time on the race looks different this year because I am a squad leader and a team leader. Our squad is our group of 42 people who are our body of believers and community for the 9 months we are together. (We just started our month 6 together!!) Our squad is Gap J! From there, the squad gets broken into teams. We have 5 teams and I am the team leader for Team Kaleo. Our team name means “Called by God”. Some things that I am involved with for the squad are…
- Discipleship within my team
- Caring for the overall well being of the squad
- Casting vision for the squad
- Intercession and covering
- Leadership calls with mentors and coaches
- Preparing and facilitating debrief (We just had a debrief to end our time in Guatemala before flying to Romania).
Team KALEO at our Guatemala Debrief!
The Lord has been reminding me recently of the honor and the privilege to be in this season and have this opportunity to be with this squad and these ministries. I am so grateful for all of the ways He is growing, equipping, and stretching me in this season.
Prayer Requests:
- We are currently in Craiova, Romania which is made up of 0.05% evangelical Christians in this area. This area, and this city in particular is known for witchcraft and this is a spiritually heavier environment to be in.
- Please pray for Hope Church staff to be refreshed and encouraged.
- A few of the new believers here are in highschool and are facing pressure from peers, family, and their school. One of the boys is at risk of being kicked out of school for his belief in Jesus. Please pray for this group of students that they would be encouraged and strengthened in the Lord. (James 1:3-5)
- Please pray against strongholds of loneliness, anger, and apathy that are prevalent in this city.
- J-Squad will walk out boldly in the confidence and identity of being sons and daughters of the King and will invite others into the Hope to which they have been called.
- “I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength”. -Ephesians 1:17-19
- Squad protection and covering over the squad!
- Team Kaleo as we split from the squad for about 3 weeks and are heading up to Northern Romania.
Thank you all for your prayers! Love you all!
-Elizabeth
*Photos used with permission
