Our Trip to Romania…
The following people will be going on the trip with FGCI (For God’s Children International)… http://www.fgci.org/ Pastor Andrew Hilla, Sally Hilla, Philip Hilla, Peter Hilla, Kath Negus, and Harry Arrick. The dates of the trip will be July 14th through July 28th, 2009.
This orphan ministry, FGCI, has been supported by our congregation for the past two years through contributions directed to Harry Arrick. Harry expressed the opportunity for us to become more involved with this ministry last year, asking us to pray about a possible trip to Romania or Moldova for a “hands on” experience with FGCI. At the time, I placed this thought on the back burner… but God has been insistent on moving it to the front burner… and so, we feel as though God is leading us to commit ourselves to this particular trip to Romania in July.
I suppose each of us has our own personal reasons for making this trip… but I can also attest that we are being prepared for what God wants us to experience on this trip. I’m sure that our hearts will be broken. I’m sure that our lives will be put in a different perspective. I’m sure that we will return changed through the experience. In a sense, we are placing our lives in the hands of the Potter… with the prayer from the words of the song we sing… Spirit of the Living God, fall a-fresh on me… Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me… Spirit of the Living God, fall a-fresh on me. I think that I can speak for each member of our group in saying that we want to be used by God to minister to the people of Romania. We want God to melt us, to mold us, to fill us, and to use us. We offer ourselves to God to use us to touch lives, to show Christ’s love, to comfort those who need to be comforted, to embrace those whom the world has forgotten – or written off as of no value to the world. We feel as though God has presented us with this opportunity… and we are merely being obedient to God by availing ourselves to be used as God desires, for His purposes and to His glory. Please keep us in your prayers during our trip.
In Christ’s love and service,
Pastor Andrew Hilla
First Presbyterian Church
Paullina, Iowa
