Thankful.

Thankful. That word emulates this experience on several different levels. Anyone who has spent time doing missions or living in another country for more than a couple of days can attest that more likely than not, you leave changed and thankful for the luxuries that we are afforded in the States. But that only scratches the surface, in my opinion, on the thankfulness that truly sinks in to your core.

We walked into the church in Feldioara for clinic today and were met with several faces already eagerly waiting. My heart skipped a beat because I knew our day would be full on many accounts. Yes, full for the amount of patient load we would carry but also full of God's love and grace covering each section of the clinic. God has been so diligent to place us in a place with a great need physically and spiritually. For that, I'm thankful. A lot of the patients were new today but several familiar faces were present, some again for a visit to the dental clinic, some not. One thing was constant among them... they relayed how thankful they were to be out of pain and just feel better. Genuine thankfulness. I don't mean my thankfulness is genuine when I come back to the States when I say mine barely scratches the surface. But when these precious people are thankful, they make it incredibly clear just how thankful. To have a woman who I just gave several injections to and Dr. Joel just extracted teeth just minutes before, cup my face in her hands and just hold it there to look me in the eyes and express her thankfulness to God and then her thankfulness to our team is indescribable. She thanked our Almighty Father first. Think about that. How easy is it to praise man first and thank our Father anything but because we cannot see him? How precious that she did. To have a gentleman who visited with us, kiss our hands after we finished our work, is unforgettable. It overwhelms me. Although I have been called to exemplify God's love and mercy through the very talent he gave me, which is a blessing in itself, He continues to warm and bless my heart through the people of Feldioara. I am thankful to experience that kind of thanks and pray that I too can learn to act in thanks rather than just speak it with my mouth. 

God has such a way of providing during our busy days. There are times when you do get overwhelmed and a little frustrated but God continually provides a calm and peace hat only he can provide. He also had crafted each moment of these days way in advance to provide the right amount of supplies and the needed people to make it through the day. He provided April who has been vital to our team by sterilizing instruments to make sure we have clean instruments when we need them. I am so thankful for her willingness to jump right in to an area unfamiliar to her, just to help. Also, for her wit and humor to get through emotional times. Amidst many moments of  thanks today, this one really stands out: We treated a woman who actually spoke Hungarian, rather than Romanian, which made it hard for our amazing translator, Lydia, to do her job. But wouldn't you know it, a woman waiting beside her... she knew Hungarian and could be the translator for our translator?! Thankful. Just thankful that a language barrier did not keep this young lady from receiving much needed care. I am thankful for God's grace through His provisions to help maximize our work but pray also that we continue to recognize them and grow from them. 

I'm incredibly thankful for our team. They are a funny bunch that lead to van rides of unending laughter and smiles. But they are also some of the most talented and incredible people you will ever meet with kind hearts for the Lord. Tonight during devotion, Dr. Kim discussed a little girl she saw in the eye clinic that had a surgery recently that left her in dire need of a much stronger strength glasses that we could not provide without chipping in money, taking the girl to the eye clinic here, which s very expensive for Romanians, and buying them ourselves. Without hesitation our team said yes, let's do this, how much do we need and what can we do? This little girl... will be getting her much needed glasses and precious sight back. Praise God. I am thankful to be apart of such a strong team. 

God is working in my heart on a very personal level just as He did my last visit here. He keeps prodding me patiently as I wrestle with my own fears and logistical thinking but has been bringing me to a place of extreme clarity. Pray as I begin to step out and reconcile these changes in my life because they will be big. But not too big for God. I'm thankful for God's clarity as I press ahead to seek His will. 

I am thankful. So, thankful. 

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband! I love you so much! Just had to add in just another person I am thankful for!

Live. Love and Thankfulness.

Melissa