Working and Waiting

If the Lord Jehovah makes us wait, let us do so with our whole hearts; for blessed are all they that wait for Him.  He is worth waiting for. - Charles Spurgeon In this season of transition we are often asked when we are returning to Romania.  The answer is: as soon as possible!  We are keenly aware of people, places, and opportunities we are missing.  Some of our schedule for this year is dictated by training we need to complete before we return to Romania.  The biggest hurdle to our return is the financial support required before we will receive clearance to head back to Bucharest.  This season requires us both to work and to wait, which sounds much simpler than it actually is.  However, in the working and waiting we are seeing God's hand at work in fresh ways. God is using our empty apartment... A young unmarried couple started attending our teammates' Bible study when they were convicted through their exploration of God's Word.  When they decided to stop living together one of them needed a new place to live.  Enter our apartment... We have an apartment in Bucharest where our books, clothes, wedding pictures, books, toys, and more books are stored in a bedroom, awaiting our return.  It is a two minute walk from the workplace of the young woman from Bible study.  This spring she moved in to our place to room with our new ReachGlobal teammate.  We are so thankful to have our apartment become a step of obedience to God for this young couple. Isobel in front of our apartment building God is caring for our family... When we are in Romania the thing that sometimes tugs, sometimes yanks our hearts towards home is family.  Since our return to the US we have witnessed the steady decline in the health of Joshua's father.  He is in the hospital as I write and his situation changes daily. While, many days, we wish we were able to be back in Romania already, we are so thankful to be able to be with Joshua's family for this time.  In this season of waiting on God, it is encouraging to see some of the purpose in His timing Joshua's father turning 85 last summer God is working in our absence... Meanwhile, in Romania, exciting things are taking place.  Our team is fighting human trafficking with a safe house for trafficked women.  Because of the impact of the first house, as well as Romanian laws about housing minors, a second safe house for younger victims of trafficking is being planned. Bucharest is a bustling metropolis where you can find a mix of languages and cultures.  The most diverse area of the city is a market called Dragonul Rosu {Red Dragon}.  A prayer group has begun meeting weekly to pray for the spread of the Gospel among the community there.  When Muslim friends stop by to join in, the meeting becomes a Bible study.  We look forward to meeting and praying with them at our return. Grace & Peace, Joshua & Kara Dunckel (and Noemi, Isobel & Anders, too!)