"Break My Heart for what Breaks Yours"

Break my heart for what breaks Yours. These simple lyrics from the song "Hosanna" by Hillsong United came alive to me this past summer.

I spent a month this past summer living in a small village called Viile Tecii in the northern part of Romania. Before I even arrived in Romania, the words "break my heart for what breaks Yours" became my prayer. I didn't realize what I was asking God for until after I arrived.

God opened my eyes and heart to the people of Viile Tecii and the surrounding villages during that month. The main ministry of my team was to the Gypsy people in the villages. We spent time in many Gypsy villages building relationships with the people and sharing Christ's love with them.

Seeing the poverty that the Gypsies live in and the discrimination they have to endure just because they are Gypsy literally broke my heart. My heart hurt and longed to help those people in any way I could. I have never felt so much hurt and brokeness in my heart before as I did when I looked at those people.

When I had to leave, I didn't understand why God would give me so much compassion and desire to help a people group and then tear me away from them. But then God revealed to me that all He had done was given me what I asked for. It was hard, but I'm so thankful that God broke my heart because it was a learning experience

I fell in love with the Gypsy people. I understand God's broken heart for people now because I've experienced it myself. My prayer and desire is that one day, God will send me back to Romania so that I can continue to help and minister to the Gypsy people.