In Romania with MUServe: Day 3

Day 3: Host families and one amazing community center

All of us have the joy and privilege of staying with local Romanian families during this MUServe trip. People here are so generous and overwhelmingly joyful. We are being blessed with amazing love and hospitality from the people of Romania. Building new relationships — and sharing delicious food — with these families has been incredible.

Our time here for the next five days will involve serving with the Word Made Flesh (WMF) staff at their local Community Center in the city of Galati. This center was born out of the idea that we should listen to what the Lord is doing, and join Him in that work. The WMF Galati Community Center does exactly that. It’s a safe place where local kids and teens can come before and after school and be fed, get help with school work, and learn from believers what life is about. These kids come from deep poverty — homes where there can be no running water, no electricity, and no bathrooms. For some, school has become optional. The WMF staff does what Jesus did; they moved into the Galati neighborhood, and became flesh for the least of these.

Even when there is minimal shared language, the electricity of human relationship is abundantly evident. We had the chance to play with the children at the center and step into the curious endeavor of communicating without words. It’s a unique task that completely eradicates the comfort zone, but boy is it fun. Trying to interact with only facial expressions and hand gestures builds a unique image of a person’s character. Watching the kids have the same kind of arguments here in Galati as they do in the States brings everything full circle, and the idea of our separateness — even our differences from one another — disappears.

After a full day of digging, painting, teaching, garden-tending, playing, and sharing in each other’s lives, the team heads toward bed with full hearts and excitement in the anticipation of the coming day.

Until tomorrow,

Rich and Matt

This blog was written by Summit student Matt Zuber and Associate Dean of Spiritual Life and Calling Rich Ward.

May 3, 2018 | Outreach