In Awe Yet Again
By Gianna B., on mission in Romania
I’m so happy I got to spend another Christmas on mission. I’m left standing in awe yet again, full of wonder for all I have received and for how much I still receive since I have extended my time here. It really is a gift. On Christmas day some of our friends came to share a Christmas meal together, many of whom would have otherwise spent Christmas alone. We spent all day with our beautiful friend Margareta (whom I have written a lot about), whose eyes shone with happiness; eyes big and blue and sparkling; eyes pleased and watching with a sort of motherly love. Her joy was a true gift of Christmas.
We received another Christmas miracle when a boy of 18 years from our street showed up at our door. He had grown up coming to our home every day, and had been gone in England for a few years now. He arrived a bit nervous on Christmas day, with a bag of chips in his hands and a prepared explanation of who he is and how he grew up here. I was very touched that in his loneliness on Christmas day, although technically without an invitation, he came to the place he knew he was always invited. I was also touched by this beautiful reminder of how much deeper our mission goes than what I myself have been a part of – it was my first time meeting him, but his place between us and in this house this Christmas spoke of the years and years of love and friendship that he has received here Christmases past.
A few days before Christmas, we were visiting one of our sweet grandmothers, Tanti Ioana, who had had a few very hard weeks in which she was very weak. At one moment she looked at us very lovingly like we were the smallest of all the children and began to explain in the simplest words the story of Christmas.
“The legend says that when Mary arrived at the moment of giving birth to Jesus, she couldn’t find a place, so she gave birth in the place where the animals lived…”
“They say the shepherds were the first to hear the news, the angels came and sang to them…”
“Now let’s pray together an Our Father, and then I want to sleep.”
We were inspired by sweet Tanti Ioana’s simple way of announcing the good news and took to heart the beautiful Romanian tradition of singing “Colinda” – Christmas carols. There are many many old and beautiful carols that tell in very simple yet profound ways the good news of Christ’s birth, and we were able to go to many of our friends this Christmas to sing with them, receive a piece of intricately made traditional cake and a shot of ţuica, and share in the sweetness and warmth of Christmas together.