To Romania and Beyond

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” - a common question asked to kids from age two to twenty two. On occasion, answers to that question will stay the same during the span of growing up. For 18 year old Lillyanne Vestal, this is true. 

For the last year Lillyanne, affectionately referred to as Lilly by her family, has been planning to fly across the country and spend her summer doing mission work in Romania. “I have a passion for kids, especially kids with special needs,” explains Lilly when asked why she plans to hop on a plane to Romania on May 24, only 3 days after she graduates High School. 

Armed with her passion for working with kids with special needs, Lilly began speaking with Dawn Hoffman, a family friend. Dawn currently lives in Romania as a missionary providing occupational therapy for kids with special needs kids and education to their families. Lilly spoke with Dawn about coming after graduation for eight weeks. 

“When Dawn invited her we were like, yeah this is great,” exclaimed Lilly’s mom Kimberly Vestal.“We (our family) lived over seas, so it makes a big difference in how we feel about the process. We know Dawn really well, she is a good friend of ours…then, Russia invaded Ukraine. When that happened we all just went on pause. We didn’t think she was going to get to go.” 

Romania, bordered by Ukraine on just a small corner in the north western part of the country, has received more than 700,000 refugees from Ukraine according to a various reports. “While we want to trust and have faith that everything is going to be ok, we didn’t want to be stupid and send her (Lilly) into a war zone. So, we paused and waited. I’ve been talking to Dawn every day. As I’ve talked to her she was like ‘actually, I think things are kind of normal in Romania. Unless people are working with the refugees, life is pretty much going on as normal.’ I trust Dawn that she wouldn’t tell Lilly to come if she didn’t think it was safe,” reflected Vestal on sending her daughter overseas while war rages just across the border.

The war in Ukraine not only put a pause on Lilly’s plans to head to Romania, it has also changed the scope of what she will be doing when she heads overseas. 

“Dawn is working 16 hours a day at this point. She is serving her normal families that she regularly sees. Then, anytime she isn’t with those families, she is at the Noble House. There they are bringing in 30-50 refugee families a day, sometimes with special needs children,” described Vestal of Lilly’s host Dawn and what her day looks like now in the face of the War in Ukraine.

It is likely that Lilly will spend most of her time working at the Noble House with refugees from Ukraine. “There is a language barrier, so Dawn will be able to teach Lilly what she is doing, and then Lilly can do that there. It’s a lot of respite care for the children so that parents can take a shower or other needed things,” Vestal explained. “I am learning Romanian right now, it’s hard. It’s hard to learn a new language. I think I know enough for introduction,” laughed Lilly in regards to the language barrier.

“I have a lot of peace about the war, I know I’m going to be safe. I’m nervous about being there by myself and not really knowing what to expect,” answered Lilly when asked if she was nervous. “I’ll be traveling back on my own and I am really nervous about that, but she (mom) is taking me so I’ll be learning about the travel.”

With all her paperwork ready, passports, packing plans and travel arrangements made, Lilly is excited. “I’m excited just to serve people and help. To work with the kids with special needs, because that’s a lot of trauma. I’m excited to grow.”

Most of the expenses for Lilly’s eight-week trip are covered, but she is still short of her goal. If you have any interested in making a donation you can send them via PayPal to @praisefellowshipsgf with a note to “Lilly for Romania” or you can mail a donation check to 3335 S. Scenic Springfield, MO 65807 with Lilly for Romania on the note line.