I went to a honey bee farm for my first day of ministry in Romania. I’m honestly sitting in a coffee shop right now on my sabbath day smiling about this day. I’m so thankful ministry for me looks life one day I’m on a honey bee farm, the next I’m packing food for outlying villages, and the next I’m leading an after-school care program for kids with one of my very best friends here! It is such a pleasure and a privilege to be in Romania serving the God who is seeking out even those who feel like the least of these here.
Now, back to the honey bee farm. My first day of ministry in Romania was going with a missionary to visit his home in a town that was all the way down by the border of Bulgaria. This missionary’s name is Nicu and him and his wife own a honey bee farm. Nicu is a partner of the ministry we are working with here in Romania called Hope Church. Nicu and his wife have a calling on their life to share the good news of Jesus Christ amongst the community they live in. We got to visit his home, his honey bees, his neighbors, and the people in his village.
Our day with Nicu and his wife started by making an hour long drive out to his home. Nicu gave us a tour of his hive boxes and shared with us his passion for bees and how he takes care of them. He showed us where he makes his honey in the shop connected to his house and explained to us the process of bee pollination all the way to honey in the jar. Nicu’s honey is sold in markets across Romania and the profits are used to sustain his family so he can use the rest of his time doing ministry. Nicu preaches in the church right outside of his city and he has hopes to plant a church in his small town.
After touring the bees, we had the sweet (literally) privilege of trying over 20 kinds of honey. Nicu and his wife made us a delicious Romanian meal for lunch which is translated in English as “green bean food”. I would describe the meal as being similar to a vegetable soup in the states with many different kinds of green beans and some pork mixed together. Although I had not ever tried the dish before, it tasted like home.
Once we had finished eating bowls of green bean food and honey until we were swollen, we left their home to meet with neighbors and locals. We met Nicu’s next door neighbor and were able to pray over her and for healing for her sick mother. We then hopped in the car and headed to the town center to hand out seeds, Bibles, and devotional books for people we came across. Every single person that we encountered we had the opportunity to share the gospel with!! What a praise!! Just by walking around this community we shared the good news of Jesus with around 5 different families. While this may not seem like a huge number, remember that Jesus is chasing down the 1 out of the 99, also we were in a rural village with not many people. Thank you Lord for creating space to encounter and bless the 1!
Who would have thought that a day touring a honey bee farm would turn into opportunities for people to hear the name of Jesus for the first time in their lives? I have been reflecting recently on the scripture that says, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103. My prayer for this season of my life and your own is that the Lord’s word will be sweeter than honey to your lips. May we crave scripture and the truth of God more than anything else around us.
I can tell you that the dozens of honey we tried were so sweet and delicious, but the word of the Lord is even sweeter. Take some time today to delight in the Lord and taste his honey. May the honey of the rock satisfy you today! “But you would be fed with that finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” Psalm 81:16
XOXOX,
Katherine
“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24
These are Nicu’s honey bee hive boxes! He currently has 3 million+ bees on his property.
This is the machine that Nicu uses to remove the honey from the honeycomb.
So much yummy honey that we tried with fresh bread, in our tea, and even straight off the spoon.
Green bean food!
Nicu and I with a jar of his honey that I will be bringing home with me:)
