A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF         

My name is Mihaela Petre, I’m from a village called Tufeni, in Olt county. I was born in an orthodox family although my parents were not very active in this religion. Years later, I was told that my grandmother was a believer and she invited my mom to go to church and listen to the Word of God, but she never wanted to get in touch with anybody who was a believer and she did not want to read the Scripture. After I was born, almost 2 years later, my grandmother passed away and maybe after 2-3 years my mom started to go to some kind of ‘’church’’, in different houses, because that time there was no Baptist church in our village. So, soon after these meetings, mom received Jesus in her life and she stared to go regularly to ‘’church’’. She took me and my brother at these meetings and I enjoyed a lot especially that I was able to play with other children and sing beautiful songs. During the Christmas, when I was 3-4 years old, I remember even now, that I was so happy to receive a shoe box, although it was a small shoe box. When I got home, I was happily surprised to see a very big cute pig toy, some other small toys and a bag full with candies. That time, soon after the revolution, we could not find so easily sweets or toys, and my family did not have so many financial resources.  So, besides the songs, poems and sermon, I was going to these meetings for the shoe box too. In 1997 my mom got baptized and soon after her baptism, we had our own church. Another church from a town bought a building which before was a communist office building. Once the church was open, a sister from the neighbor village started a program for children. I really liked the Sunday School program and now I can say that I was very blessed to follow continually this children program and the adults program, because I’ve learnt so many useful things and I felt God’s love in my life, I saw Him working in my heart and started to hear His calling.

MY FAMILY

I was raised in a modest family, with an alcoholic and violent father, whose love, if he had for us (me, mom and my brother), was never shown. I felt so many times unloved, alone, unprotected and sometimes I was questioning God why I was born in such family. I’ve gone through very hard times and I was very disappointed because of my father’s life, for the way our family was going on and if I would not have heard anything about God and his love for us, probably I would have done something bad to me or I would have left my home. But Jesus was the one who helped me a lot in these moments, He was all the time with me, He was standing by my side and He never let me go.

MY PAST

Even I was going to church I knew my life wasn’t totally given to the Lord and I was still doing bad things, such as lying, screaming, beating up my brother or other kids, I was disobedient to my parents, especially to my mom, sometimes I was speaking bad words, cheating at school, so I knew that a child of God should leave this behavior and be like Jesus. I tried by myself to change my life but I could not, and every time I was doing something bad I was repenting to the Lord then again I was starting all over. All these happened until one night, when I had 2 dreams. I saw what will happen if I won’t become a true repenter and if I won’t follow Jesus as I should. So, that night when I wake up I asked the Lord Jesus to forgive all my sins and become my Lord and my Savior. From that moment I knew my life will be different and started seriously to read the Bible and to walk imitating Jesus. It was not easy but step by step I could let go to each one of the sins mentioned above.

FIRST CALLING

When I was 14 years old I took the decision to be baptized and I stared to be more involved in missions, in the children ministry, I spent more time studying the Bible and wanted to know what would be the God’s plan for my life, what He wants me to do in this life. On my birthday, when I was 15 years old I received a green card on which was written ‘’Here I am, send me!’’. That time I did not really understand what that supposed to mean, only some years later I understood that was a prophecy for me, for my life.

FISRT MISSION TRIP ABROAD

When I was in high-school I understood that God called me for mission and started to get ready the way I knew that time. I had a passion for Asia and for languages and at the begging, when I had to choose the college, I thought I will have to study Korean so I can go to Korea, but this wasn’t God’s plan. He wanted me to go to India, so I had to learn Hindi. I’ve listen to Him and from the first day in college I fell in love with Hindi and India. Two years later, in 2013 I was invited to go in mission in India with YWAM. When I got this invitation I did not know what to do, because I did not have money for that trip and I did not know if I will receive visa. My friend, the one who invited me in this mission, said to me: ’’You just pray! If God wants you to go in this mission, He will provide.’’ And this is exactly what I started to do. After a few months I knew that I have to go to India and in the same time I started to raise money from different people. God was the one who truly provided and took care of everything. All of our team got the visa and I was able to see how wonderful God was working through everything. In India I had one of the most interesting and beautiful experiences, not because it was the first time I was visiting another country, but because the whole month ‘’charged’’ me with much more passion for Christ, much more faith and I really felt the presence of the Holy Spirit.

SECOND MISSION TRIP ABROAD

After that experience, this first mission abroad, I wanted to continue this calling and after 1 year I went back. From the first year in college, I started every year to apply for the scholarship to the Embassy of India, but I did not obtain it until I finished the college. I understood it wasn’t God timing. So, after I graduated, I got the scholarship and went to India for studies and in the same time for mission for 8 months. During this period of time, I’ve learnt very well Hindi and I was able to speak directly with the local people. I started making connections with a missionary family and went a few times together to the orphanages where they were serving. I was so happy to see God’s ministry and to be able to help those children. I did not have much to give them but they all looked so glad and I saw in their hearts a passion for Christ. Even now, when I am writing down these thoughts, I miss them and pray for them.

THIRD MISSSION TRIP ABROAD

One year later, in 2016 I went again to India, this time only for 2 weeks. God helped me to raise much money for this trip and even if I was working only part-time, with wisdom from the Lord I managed to save money and in the same time I paid all my bills and I had food and cloths. In this 3^rd trip I have visited again those 2 orphanages but also a school of 110 children. They were all poor children or orphans, living in humble conditions. Even if I’ve spent only a few hours with them I praised God for giving me such opportunity to meet these beautiful and smart children and in those moments I really thanked my Father for my family, for my childhood and for the free education that I received in Romania.

Through this experience, I’ve realized how blessed I was and I’ve learnt that I need to be thankful for every little or few things that I have or I receive. Most of the people/ children from India don’t have what I have so I must be more wise on how I spend my money, my time and how much value have some small things/details in my life.

GOD’S LESSON

Coming back to Romania, in 2017 I graduated and took the M.A. diploma in Translation and Interpretation specialized. That time I was living in Bucharest and I felt no joy or fulfillment within the job that I had. So, I decided to go to England for work. I thought that is God’s will but I was wrong. I stayed in England for 5 months but even if I had 2 paid jobs it was very hard for me. Probably what I loved more was the time I was a volunteer at Transform Europe Now, a missionary agency. I really enjoyed that time and I’ve learnt a couple of things.

So, due to the fact I could not grow spiritually, I did not have a good job and I was far from my home, my country, in March 2018 I left and came back to Romania to the same job. Although I had a good salary I wanted to have more and after a few months I resigned. I took a break for a month and half but very soon my money was less and less. So, I had to look for another job. I was searching every day for a month and nobody answered me. Now, when I write this down I understand that God wanted to show me that I can’t do anything without Him and I need to be humble, because I thought I have enough experience and I can easily be hired. And, after 2 and a half months I was finally hired but the salary was almost half of the previous job.

Another lesson that God taught me: I should not complain, because now I had to work even more than before and be paid less. In this time I was thinking and overthinking what kind of life I have and why I did not stick to God’s plan. I was disappointed by myself, I was unhappy and I felt guilty for the life that I was living. It was not enough to go to church, be a Sunday school teacher and sometimes help the worship group. I was very stressed with the job and was complaining that I don’t have enough time for my personal time with God. So, at the begging of January 2019, I started seriously to pray and search for God’s will.

SECOND CALLING

God has listen to me and after 2 months He started to speak to me and to show me through the Bible, through many sermons and through different people and situations that He wants me to go back to my village, after 8 years of living in Bucharest. Then, I understood that this is what I have to do and started to think in advance what I can do in my village and how I can help the ministry. So, since I received so many gifts from God, especially teaching the children, I wanted to start again the children ministry. I had all the necessary support from my local pastor Alex Ghita and at the beginning of August I moved to my village. I knew it won’t be very easy to get used with a new location, a new home, a small church, but I also knew that God is greater than anything and He will give me wisdom and strength to work in His field. I left the job and just came to walk for God. I really wanted to walk by faith not by sight. 

The E2E program was one of my prayer requests for this year (one of the 4 signs that I’ve asked from the Lord in regards with my return) and here I am, ready to improve my knowledge and my skills in the mission field and to start being a co-worker of God.