Love is in the H*air

Since my trip to the US in Dec., when I was asked to speak at Buhler MB about what H2H does in Romania connected to the advent theme of Love, Love has been a continual theme popping up.  It has appeared in sermons, personal devotionals, staff Bible study, and of course, with Valentine's Day being in February, it has appeared in many talks and lessons with the kids.  Love--True Love!  I've been on the mission field for quite awhile, and I thought that I had the idea of loving down--but apparently God thought that I needed a intense reminder.  Everything that I do is meaningless if not done with love.  In the reflection of that mirror, I've come to the conclusion that I have a ways to go on loving selflessly.  And as much as I wish that selfless love just came pouring out of me, I have to remind myself that love is actually a choice.
I've had countless opportunities to make the choice to love or not to love this month, but two that were pretty significant had to do with hair.  Yes, hair!  Do you realize how much time we spend with our hair?  Some more then others, but we wash it, dry it, style it, cut it, color it, put it up.  It is a daily factor in our lives.
At our last transition graduate Bible study, Robi and Alina arrived with Ruthie, our cutie pie 2 year-old grandchild.  She was bundled up, as is typical in the Romanian culture, and as I undressed her from all the layers, I untied her hat, and was shocked to see she had no hair.  They shaved all of her hair off!   I was speechless and felt like bursting into tears.  There is a Romanian wives tale that says that if you shave off a child's hair it will grow in thicker.  Not everyone does it, and since they had done it once when she was very little, I wasn't expecting it again.  Especially when her hair had gotten long enough to be really cute.  But here she sat, looking like a child with cancer or an orphan that had to have her head shaved because of lice.  I hated it!  I would like to say that I reacted with love, but honestly I had to go to my room and take a minute--or 10- to compose myself.  Ruthie and her parents look to me for my reaction and approval on their choices.  To support them as they try to do the best for Ruthie and make their family strong.  I mean it is just hair right--why did it matter so much?  The shock has worn off, and the hair is slowly growing back in, and she is still one of the cutest kids in the world!

 

I also got to take a leap of faith  with my own hair this month.  This year, in our Transition Program, we have 3 young people that are doing an apprenticeship at a hair salon.  This is a really amazing opportunity for them to learn a trade that they really like to do.  Berki,  is one of the 3 in this position. This picture below is of he and I on Valentine's Day.   Berki has done a great job with learning the basics at the salon, but he needs to develop his hair cutting skills.  He has cut men's hair but has resisted cutting women's hair.  So, finally, we convinced Berki that he was ready to cut my hair.  He said that he barely slept the night before, because he was so nervous and excited.  I went to the salon and spent 3 1/2 hours getting the full experience--wash, cut, and style.  But he did a good job and it turned out well!  I saw his excitement and confidence grow.  He also was so excited and proud when so many of you commented and liked the picture that I'd put on facebook. 

  

I guess, the reminder really was, even through little things like hair, you can show people you love.