The week before our GoEncounter trips, I looked at Brennan and said "I don't want to go."
I didn't want to go to another foreign country and fall in love.
I didn't want to meet a whole new group of kids and give them my heart.
I didn't know if I could leave another piece of my heart somewhere else.
Honestly, I wanted to go to Nicaragua.
I didn't want to speak Romanian, I didn't want to be in a different place, outside of my comfort zone. I wanted to be with pastor Earl and his wife, with my family.
Then, I asked God for my light. And let me tell you, He provided.
 |
| Anna |
God provided me Anna, who is a stubborn, loving, independent fourteen year old women. She loves to smile and serve others, she loves to be the change and make an impact. She makes a mark on all those she's with. For this trip, she was my light, my stable individual, and my twin. She provided me with the calmness I needed for this trip and allowed me to be courageous. Her and I bonded immediately. I don't know what it was, but it was an unspoken calmness that each of us needed in our lives at that time.
 |
| Ghegorie |
He then sent me Ghegorie, whose smile lights up a room. He laughs and cares, he loves and jokes. He makes you feel wanted
and loves to mess with you. |
| Armenia |
He also sent me Armenia, who came to me unexpectedly at the end. Through tears we bonded, as I held her close. Her story is heartbreaking, but she's a fighter. She's strong and has a radiance about her.
God also broke my stubborn heart and opened it to a new set of people. I not only did not want to go on this trip
because I was scared of another heart break, but I did not know anyone on this trip. This year has been hard for me and I knew that I would not have anyone to take care of me like Brennan does. Well, God laughed at that. He gave me Rileigh, Grace, and Liz. Before I knew it, when we were going to our rooms at the orphanage, Rileigh tapped my arm and asked me if I wanted to be with her, Grace, and Liz. I agreed, not because I knew them well or was excited to get close to them, but because I had no other place to go.
Man, does God work in amazing ways.
God allowed me to step into the presence of three of the most caring, open-hearted people I know.
 |
| Rileigh |
Rileigh. I knew her from classes and our senior project, but living beside her and getting to see her serve was something else. She never failed to light up the room with her bright smile and contagious laughter. She was honest, loving, and was the reason I was able to be roommates with these three girls. She called me mother (which is one of my favorite names) and was the best daughter I could have.
Grace. I knew of her, and let me tell you-I always wanted to know her. On campus, I thought she was this amazing, outgoing personality that would never be friends with me. Wow, she is so much more than that. She is a kind, gentle spirit who loves with her whole being. She makes you laugh, is not afraid to be vulnerable, and listens well. I knew that Grace always had my back if I was overwhelmed or needed a place to vent. She was able to smile through the good times and cry through the hard. I am so thankful that our friendship grew throughout this trip.
 |
| Grace |
 |
| Liz and Nicu |
Liz. Again, I knew of her, and knew she could sing like no other. Through this trip, I got to experience who she was as a person and see her love for kids shine bright. Her relationship with Nicu was one of the most admirable things about her. She loved that kid with her whole being and poured every ounce of her heart into him.
Although we went to Romania to serve the kids, these three served me in ways that they do not know. They allowed me to open up, to be myself, and to enjoy my time in Romania, even though I was dreading going there.
Romania, thank you. You made me cry and you made me laugh. You gave me new friends in a different country and allowed me to grow relationships with my team
. The children there have my whole being, thank you for taking a piece of me. And thank you God, for pushing me somewhere I did not want to go, to show me that the best of friends have been right beside me all along. |
