And then we went to Prison...

There’s nothing like a mission’s trip that ends with going to prison. And that is what we did.

One part of Eduard’s choir ministry is with a group of ladies at the Women’s prison in Ploiesti. Many of these women have been there for many years (one lady we talked to was there for 11) and most of them have little hope of getting out. The real tragedy is that a lot of them were falsely accused, but because they were women the courts didn’t care.

So Tuesday morning, we went to the prison to the work that God is doing through Eduard there. He only sings Christian songs with the ladies, so that they are constantly confronted with the Gospel. Eduard said that most programs like this are only allowed to meet once a month, but he has been granted the permission to meet once a week. (Everyone can see God at work, there, right?) Apparently the prison guards said that they have noticed a change in the ladies and that Eduard’s program seems to really be working.

The ladies in his choir were all very nice. There were some songs we recognized from the church services on Sunday, as well as ones we sing at home, like Shout to the Lord so we were able to sing along at times.  Yet again, the fact that God transcends language amazes me. He could hear the heartfelt singing of each person seated around that table, even in different languages, and knew exactly what we were singing, and could see what was in our hearts at the time.

We, obviously, were not able to take pictures inside the prison, but it is a very nice facility for the women. Still, it is not right, nor just for the innocent to be kept there. Please pray for justice to be served where needed. Please also pray for Eduard’s ministry with the ladies, that through the messages of the songs, they would come to know Him as Savior.

That afternoon, we picked up some more friend from Boldesti, and went to an orphanage where Eduard has a children’s choir. We didn’t have much time there since we had to gather our luggage, eat dinner, and board our final train that evening. It was, however, still a great time. The kids sang a lot of songs that we knew in English so it was fun to just sing along with them. The ones we didn’t know we did our best to sight-read in Romanian. The kids around us laughed at our pronunciations, but it was so much fun to participate with them. We were able to just play with them for awhile, which is always wonderful.

Leaving places like that, however, always adds to the burden that God has placed in my heart for the least of these. I don’t understand how parents can socially orphan their children. The kids that are giving up, or kicked out, or left on the street. Their beautiful smiling faces. I don’t understand how you could abuse them, or mistreat them. The burden just grows every time I am around children such as these. Each face confirms God’s calling on my life.

We aren’t able to post pictures from our time there for the sake of keeping the children’s identities hidden, but we had such a great time there.

After the orphanage, it was go-time for us again, literally. We went to the store to get some train snacks, and then Eduard took us to his house again for dinner, before heading to the train station.

Thankful for God’s clear call in my life,

Ali