The Beautiful, yet abandoned Children of Romania: A sewer becomes a cathedral of worship

Our second visit to Romania.
This time I am pregnant with my fourth child
         Zachary is tucked safely away in my womb.
This time we are invited into a sewer
 
First the man-hole cover is lifted off
        revealing a gaping hole that leads to the unused sewer system of Bucharest
   
Then, one by one we follow them in
      Turning around and carefully crawling down the rusty old ladder
         
It hits our noses before we even enter
The fumes of the underbelly of this tired city
        stagnant and toxic
This little corner of the world houses children. Dear God!

At this point I'm very aware of the baby in my womb, of my new baby boy.
At the end of my first trimester, I situate myself as near as possible to the "door" that leads up to the bustling street above. Children should be protected and cared for.

Climbing into this home I see two of the them. Teenagers. Kids. They seem to have nothing but a few found trinkets and each other. Nestled together down the tunnel, tucked away in the dark. Far from the blast of cold December air that fills the night,
      staying close to keep warm.
      snuffing a bag of glue 

Then it starts.
The singing.
It was time for church
In the beautiful Romanian language
        I couldn't sing the words, but oh my soul knew.
Our translator told us, they're singing to a God who loves them….

None of this makes sense on the surface

We could argue and debate about God 

and the injustices of the world

Of which there are so many

So much wrong and broken

But these are the facts of that night.
This is the truth of their story.
We encountered Jesus in the sewers of Romania.

Yes - they were abandoned by parents, 

by a government, by a hurting society.

They were orphaned and alone.

But someone came and shared food and shoes;

gave the Abandoned Ones love, attention, dignity.

A simple sandwich. A clean pair of socks.

Someone came and told them Jesus loved them.

And they believed.
In the darkest of circumstances they chose to believe in a Savior
Because Jesus came to where they were.
Because when Light is turned on in darkness, Light makes sense

That's it about God
Not waiting for us to get it together.
He comes to us, to them.

When Jesus shows up in those darkest of places...
   transformation happens 
   a sewer becomes a cathedral of worship

Hope found on an old country road

It was January 1979.

I had a really bad car accident. By myself.

Alone, on my way to school, driving my cousin’s Celica. 

On an old country road, I crashed head on into a main power line pole, going approximately 45 miles an hour.

Somehow I pushed the door open, holding my injured, arm, neck, self.

Climbed up the slippery embankment on two pummeled knees.

There was smoke, steam coming up from the front of the demolished car.

And the heavy valley fog surrounded me.

A stranger pulled up.

I think he might have seen the accident. The timing's a blur.

He loaded me into his car. Rushed me to the hospital.

The car accident was self-inflicted, 

      immature driving skills, distraction (looking for the perfect radio station).

This wasn't a DUI.

Thank God I wasn't with anyone else, under any influence of anything but my struggling, frustrated-with-my-life self.   

I call it my wake-up call.

My kick in the pants from a God Who cares enough to kick.

I suffer today, still - physically from the broken bones, cervical fracture, smashed mouth, lost teeth.

I was Others

Others sat in darkness and gloom

— prisoners in cruel chains —

because they rebelled against God’s commands

and despised the counsel of the Most High.

He broke their spirits with hard labor;

they stumbled, and there was no one to help.

Before that day in January, quite a few "befores," I actually chose to live there. Chose to take up residence in the darkness and gloom and put on cruel chains, like that of an inmate, shackled.

In my craving for independence and freedom to do what I wanted, I despised Him.  

I rebelled against God, against His commands. 

“Not now God, give me some time to do my thing. I’ll be back. Don’t you worry."

That was a very long time ago. It was a previous chapter in this story of my life. But it is a very important one to tell.

As a 15 year old young girl, I made a very definitive decision. I remember the day, strange as that is to say. I remember choosing to slip into that dark cavernous place of rebellion. 

Oh it sure didn’t look ominous or dark or cavernous at the time. In fact, it was a simple Yes to the ongoing party that I honestly thought I'd been missing.

Darkness and gloom do that. To me, it looked like freedom, independence, the place with no boundaries, where no one says No. And everything is Yes!

Wanted to do it my way. Control the outcome. Independence. Strength, not (perceived) weakness.

But it is what it is.

Chains. Cruel, imprisoning chains. Dark incessant gloom.

The chapters may be different in each person’s story. At the very least the Reveal is often different.

A cloak of acceptance by others, no restraints, a way out, escape.

Yet it is veneer-like. A thin covering over reality.

While sitting in “the party” those chains, they start to entangle. The ropes quickly tighten. Some days a little quicker then others. Some moments or circumstances or decisions speed up the process of imprisonment. But it comes.

...

And then there’s this. 

... cried out to the Lord in (my self-inflicted) trouble; He saved (me) from (my) distress. He brought (me) out of Darkness and Gloom and broke (my) chains apart.

That car accident. 

The one that totaled my cousin’s car.

Totaled my body, effecting it for a lifetime.

35 years later the discomfort, the pain, reminds me

He has broken down the bronze gates and cut through the iron bars of my rebellious, immature, misguided heart. 

A promise not just for me but for all humanity.

This is for your daughter, your son, your mom, your dad.

This is for your neighbor, your husband, your grandchild.

This is for you

Then the promise

…they cried out to the Lord…he saved them…healed them…rescued them from the pit

That early Thursday morning I cried out.

I understood there was more to Me then the life I was living. He saved me

Hope met me there, on that old country road. 

Let them give thanks to the Lord 

for His faithful love and His wonderful works 

FOR ALL HUMANITY.

For He has broken down the bronze gates 

and cut through the iron bars.

Fools suffered affliction 

because of their rebellious ways and their sins.

They loathed all food and came near the gates of death.

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble; 

He saved them from their distress.

He sent His word and healed them;

He rescued them from the Pit.

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His faithful love 

and His wonderful works for all humanity.

Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving 

and announce His works with shouts of joy.

‭‭

Psalms‬ ‭107:10-22‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

http://bible.com/72/psa.107.10-22.hcsb

Dear Jesus, today is a hard one

Please, God, your sweet ones who don't have a Mama, or don't know where their Mama is, love them with extravagant abundance today. There are so many who have never known the life chosen to give them life.

Mother's Day is a hard one for them.

Please bring comfort to those who have loved their Moms well, but miss them terribly today. Who ache for their hugs and their voice and their conversation and their wisdom. 

Mother's Day can be so hard.

Please comfort the Mamas who have lost their little ones or big ones way too early - much too soon for our mortal hearts to grasp. A grief that only You can understand. 

I'm so grateful you understand.

Please fill the hearts of my friends with your sustaining peace, those who have longed to be called Mom but it hasn't been theirs to hear. Thank you that they love mine as their own. 

Thank you for all the amazing aunts, friends, "big sisters." Their love and commitment is not unnoticed, by me, and definitely not by You.

And Jesus, for your sweet ones who have made some very tough choices.  Who had an opportunity to be a mom and chose to not be. They need Your outpouring grace and the love of a God Who knows it all. Understands it all. Doesn't miss a thing. Heal and restore. A new beginning.

Thank you Jesus for my Mom. A woman of grace, compassion, beauty, integrity. Her grandmother's heart, her great grandma heart, a dear friend to all who know her.

Thank you for a mother in law who loves me like her own. Who swept me into a new family when I was just a young girl. A sweet Oma, one who is a gift to our family. 

Thank you for the mom of my Man. A woman who loved him dearly and raised him well. I can't wait to dance with you in heaven.

Thank you, my Savior, that you understand today. 

Thank you for Moms.

In your name Jesus,

Amen