Through the Eyes of Youth

Hard work, perseverance, and dedication pay off, just ask Nelutu and Sezer.  They completed their school year and passed so they will be moving on to their next levels come September!  Big hand clap and praise to God and the boys for their hard work!  It was such a learning experience for me as well.  I've learned where my strengths are and my weaknesses are when being the hands and feet of Christ, especially with these two boys.  But that's for a different post on a different day (I really need to get better with prioritizing my time so I can blog more often since it's something I really enjoy and hopefully you enjoy it too!) since this post is to show you the reward these two experienced for the first time!

When I started working with these two, I asked them what they would want to do as an incentive to keep them in school, keep them honest and motivated.  They had options that ranged from a trip to Bucharest, a soccer match, a day at the Black Sea or a trip to the Carpathian Mountains.  They both very quickly agreed to the mountains, which made me especially pleased since the mountains are my "happy place".  I could not wait for them to experience something that brings me such joy.  It wasn't an easy task to get them to this trip though, we definitely hit some lows throughout the school year.  I had a "3 strikes your out" rule and both boys ended with 2 strikes...close call, but ultimately they made it.

I've been to both places before, Bran and Sinaia, but seeing them experience it for the first time is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life.  The awe and wonder of seeing some of their cultural history outside of a text book was priceless.  What seemed like a simple day trip to some was so much more to Sezer, Nelutu and me.  
When I began working with them, God really began to transform my heart.  I began to have dreams and aspirations for them outside of just completing school, a desire for them to be counter cultural and on fire for Christ.   
Seeing their reactions to what they were experiencing makes me dream bigger for them.  I dream of a day (hopefully someday soon) they can see and experience America for the first time, a place they've dreamed about and think they will probably never see.  I want them to truly know the world is bigger than the neighborhood they grew up in.  I want them to know that there's a Gospel to be preached and disciples to preach it and why not them.  
To see things through their eyes made me think of how God must feel when He sees us begin to experience our lives the way He intended for us.  The gratitude Sezer and Nelutu expressed to me every opportunity they had reminded me of the gratitude I need to have for my Savior.  I'm also grateful the Lord has entrusted me with being a Godly example to teach, love and encourage these two boys.  God's love for them, for me, for you is infinitely more than comprehension and then multiplied!  And that is a reminder that's much needed during this valley season I'm in.

Below you will see some highlights of the trip!  Enjoy!

XX,
Becky 
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If y'all could take some time to continue to pray for Sezer and Nelutu!  
Sezer was baptized on Sunday, so if you could pray that he would allow the Lord to lead and direct his life.
Pray that Nelutu would allow God into his heart and profess Jesus as his Savior.  Right now I know he's only going through the motions, but I know he has a good heart and I'm believing that God will transform him!  His mom, Mariana, was baptized on Sunday as well! :)