Pray for BREATH to the Dry Bones in Craiova!

Here is the beautiful palace in the square! We walk past it nearly every day on our way to ministry.

“Why would you want to come to Craiova?” 

“There are many better cities than Craiova.” 

“My parents go to church but I do not.” 

“I believe in all gods and all things.” 

“The older people are the ones who kneel in the church to pray but then judge me for how I dress outside of the church.”

“The people here are rude and judgy.”

“Whatever makes people happy to believe in, I’m good with.”

“I want to leave because there is no future here.” 

“I feel… lost.”

What is the point of these quotes? You’ll see. I am not going to assign value to the above statements because I am not qualified to do so, but I will tell you of other things I have observed about the culture of this place that has become dear to me. 

As I explored the beautiful city of Craiova alongside my husband, we gaped at intricate architecture more advanced in years than most downtowns we have known. We sought out places with the best sweet stuffed pretzels (there was at least one good pastry shop on every street), spicy shawarma, and the most delectable coffee. Everything has been scrumptious!

This was one of our absolute favorite spots! I tried five different kinds of sweet stuffed pretzels from here.

There were pigeons everywhere and the city’s toddlers made me chuckle when they chased after the birds, causing all to flap and jump out of the way. Local people do not smile very much even though they were often friendly when approached. Old Orthodox churches stood tall and regal, their elegance seemed to beckon praise from their followers and onlookers. They were silent except on Sunday mornings, then we could hear the priests bellowing beautiful Latin songs from the street. We constantly felt underdressed as we watched both young and older people strut past in their choice of statement apparel, with no leggings, sweatpants, or dirty shoes in sight. 

I would be doing a disservice to my summary if I did not tell you about another portion of the city. If you drive ten minutes away from downtown, Craiova can tell a completely different tale of poverty, a group of Roma people misunderstood. Their children have bright eyes and are beautiful, only wanting to hold your hand even if your words don’t translate to their little ears. There is trash in their back yard and many of their clothes don’t fit perfectly like those of the people in the city. Their skin is a different color. They don’t know about the pastries and the pigeons in the square. But they were thrilled about the yogurt drinks we brought for them. Young and old smiled from ear to ear as they saw our host’s van pull into their village. I heard some of those in the city say that they were dangerous…I only met a few of them and haven’t been here long enough to know any of Craiova’s crime statistics, but they didn’t seem dangerous to me. In fact, a few of them broke my heart and made me love them. 

Overall it has been an amazing experience to be exposed to a place different from my home and an endearing, diverse people that, in general, value and believe differently than I. 

But my heart feels burdened. I must focus on one group for the sake of the length of this piece, so allow me to highlight the youth of this city. The ones to whom belong the quotes above. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know their interests and their stories! I have learned only a small portion about each individual person in my time; however, I have observed consistencies flash across their faces and surface within their words.  

Our group sees them walk in their stylish outfits and we feel underdressed, but I have discovered that they wish they didn’t have to dress a certain way to be accepted and respected by their community. Impressively, many of the teenagers know two or three languages and speak intelligently about many topics; yet, they express their struggle to test into the right “profile” that establishes which emphasis they can pursue at which level of university. Teenagers and young adults stroll about beautiful downtown Craiova chatting with their friends, many of them keeping their pack of cigarettes accessible at all times. I attempt to understand this but still find myself at a loss. I am thankful, though, that the young people of Craiova do not shy away from explaining to me, even the most sensitive of topics. 

To these young men and women, they are judged and scrutinized by the people that should be their neighbors who, instead of looking in on each other to support one another, peer into each other’s windows and make a mental note with permanent ink when what they see is at all questionable. This is the youth’s opinion of the culture that made them, and they are not proud of it. They are the future of their city and country but feel little in the way of affection for it… They are the ones who can attempt to right the wrongs in their country’s history but will need to process their own hurt and that of their people in order to do so. I would not be surprised if it is a weighty role to play and many are not even out of high school. 

One image I believe will stick with me is that of the moonlight illuminating a cloud of cigarette smoke that hovered around the chatting teenagers outside of our host’s church… The church that they were at, not because of the presence of Christ but because of the presence of young Americans. We are people from a place they long to go and are a demographic they wish to befriend. With insight into their opinion of their city, I need not ask why. I just pray that they feel the same pull to their own community as they grow and witness more of their world, learning the role they have been given to play in it.  

Again I ask, what is the point of this? 

…God. 

The thing is, many people here know of Jesus. They know the Bible stories in the Old Testament. But they are lost when it comes to the vibrance that they can embrace when living a life in service to their Creator, Father, Friend, etc. 

The reality of Jesus Christ as more than a savior of the general public would rock the world known to— well— Craiova’s future. If the young people knew that He died for THEIR sin and that His thoughts were on THEM as the lashes were thrashed across His entire body, I believe the lens through which they view their community would drastically shift to one of grace and brokenness and urgency. If they only knew that they are never guaranteed tomorrow and neither is the old woman who made them feel like less… That woman is also a daughter of the King of Kings who never knew the nature of her Father in Heaven. How can she reflect the ONE that is so GOOD if no one told her about the goodness He offered to her personally?! All she knows is a priest that asks her to trust that the rituals she participates in every Sunday suffice for her salvation. The reality that she knows is so distant from the intimate relationship God desired when He created man and woman in His image. 

I am passionate about these people. I am ashamed about my lack of passion prior… How did I not know…? And whose responsibility is it to tell her the GOOD NEWS that was always offered to her, the gift that has sat perfectly packaged at her feet with no one to encourage her to just look down and see it!? 

Romans 10:14 says “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

Man, I desire desperately to tell others. I have learned much and done what I believe I was asked to do, but have been far from perfect when it comes to the zeal with which I approached our mission this month. Oh, how thankful I am that our hosts remain here with a weight on their chest that won’t be released until this city has an established church that will not cease to share the Truth with its neighbors until they actually TASTE AND SEE THAT HE IS GOOD! My heart aches so much for the church in Craiova to grow and thrive and nurture its own community! I believe that a spark needs to ignite the youth for that brilliant, beautiful, blazing fire to spread! I ask that my fellow prayer warriors please, please join me in praying for this nation and its generation rising up in this way. 

Pray that they see their elderly as unknowing children who have merely done what they were told, trying to imitate a goodness that they have never been shown. 

Pray that they see the Roma community as sisters and brothers who God longs to cradle in His arms and care for, potentially through them. Pray that any amount of discomfort they experience would pale in comparison to what is at stake if those bright-eyed children are never told about Jesus Christ and how He changed their entire existence the moment He said “It is Finished.” (John 19:28-30)

Pray that they would see Christ’s grace in the warm sun on their skin and the health in their bodies and the intellect through which they see their surroundings. Pray that there would be humility and zero presence of entitlement, knowing that not one of their blessings is theirs because of anything they have done, no matter how wonderful they may be.  

Pray that they would hunger for security and finality for their souls. Pray that they would see through the many flower beds and old, preserved buildings to the terrifyingly temporary foundation they were set on. Allow them to see that even though their water is drinkable, there is still poison pumping through their city as long as witchcraft and false truth remain prevalent. 

I cannot list all the ways that we can support these beloved children of God in prayer. But the point is this: Pray that they would truly, intimately know God and that their community would be radically changed because of it. 

I believe. And what a breath of new life that will be (Ezekiel 37:1-9).

Lord, let the beauty in this city glorify you and be full of LIFE!