By Hannah Ortler
When I found out that I was going to Romania this summer I was excited and expectant to see the Lord reveal Himself in new ways and to hear His voice in a new way. I never thought that these new ways would be the Lord blessing me and truly understood what it means for God to work and show up in mysterious ways. As one of the student leaders of the team our university sent to Romania with RtC, I made a goal to be a selfless leader that put my member’s and co-lead’s experiences before my own so that they could receive the fullest experience possible. When we went to House of Hope, I waited to fill in the empty spots or to sit with the children that maybe didn’t have someone to play with. Instead of me trying to achieve my goal of being a servant I was actually served.
A young boy Alex came up to me and pulled me toward the playground and then tapped my arm and said “mutsa!” to initiate a game of tag. This was the game we played with each other every time we went to House of Hope and it not only helped me to get a great workout, but eventually we became really close friends! As Alex and I began to get to know each other, I could see so much of who Jesus is in this little boy. When I reached for my water, he would go fill it to the brim. When I sat in the shade to rest, he brought over a fan and helped me cool down. When I came through the door, he would run into my arms. This boy was serving me when I expected to serve others and showed Jesus’ grace and love that overwhelmed my heart all so I could hear the Lord’s voice and understand more about who He is! The trip began to come to an end, and I knew that sponsorships were offered through RtC and without a doubt realized that this was the resource I could use to continue my friendship with Alex. Sponsoring Alex has given me a new hope for helping children internationally as well as a joy that overpowers my sadness and remorse from when I left him behind!
-Hannah
APU Romania Team
We are so thankful for the way our team showed up to serve this summer, and love how God has used our House of Hope kids to reveal more of Himself to them. Hannah's gift every month is going to continue providing Alex with the resources he needs to continue growing strong in the Word. To all of sponsors, thank you for your continued faithfulness!