Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Considering the events that we all have experienced for nearly 2 years, please continue to stay strong, do not loose hope or trust in the Lord. Let's us fix our eyes on Jesus so nothing can distract us from His will for our lives.
This time, it's on my heart to share with you, as a testimony of God's work in partnership with you, part of the story of the Spero business as a mission.
The vision I received one winter evening in 2016 when I was working late in the workshop, getting a parcel ready with products that I hoped to sell, was to use the business to help 5000 people. That evening, I felt tired and discouraged, so I began to talk to the Lord as my best friend, and part of my prayer was this: Lord, just like that boy who gave 5 loaves and 2 fish, I give you not just five loaves and 2 fish but I give you my eyes, my mouth, my hands my feet ...all that I am so you can use me for Your glory in this ministry of creating jobs, so at least 5000 people should be fed as a result of this. As I was submerged in prayer I felt that the Lord i was answering back to me that this is to become my vision from Him, that this is what He is calling me to do.
I was very happy once again with new strength and vision and a profound feeling and understanding that I am on the right track.
Soon after that beautiful time with the Lord, I expected that I will have less struggles and I will have people joining in the vision. I began to look out for people who could join in the vision of creating jobs. I was very enthusiastic about the vision, searching to touch a chord in people's hearts to come and use their gifts in this ministry.
There were people over the years that joined in financially, supporting the Spero ministry so we could carry on employing people even when the sales were very low (some are still faithfully supporting us, big thank you!). There were also people who were excited at the hearing of the vision and wanted to join in but have not done so with commitment.
So, in early 2020, when the pandemic started, once again I felt tired and discouraged after so long looking for people and hoping that they will join in, and I thought that the pandemic would be the end of our business. Once again, I prayed and put everything in God's hands as I've done many times before, and I've decided to carry on with the business even if no other person will join in with his/her gifts, until the Lord says it's time to stop.
A few months later, in June 2020, the Lord directed a new business collaborator my way (Isabela, mother of three, lawyer by profession). She was designing and selling mostly merino wool clothing and was looking for a sewing workshop to manufacture her designs. The designing and selling was exactly what I was badly missing. The collaboration between us was going better each month, until this year she proposed to join forces and become associates. I knew straight away that this was from the Lord.
When I stopped relying on people and was ready to carry on regardless, the Lord brought the person He was preparing for this ministry.
These are her own words: “Up until now I was doing this business following my own ambitions but now I want to join in your vision of creating jobs for the people in that area". These words left me speechless and with tears of deep joy in my heart. They are the exact words I was trying to produce and hear from people over the years but God has had His own time and person that He was preparing for this ministry.
He makes all things beautiful in His time! Amen.
So, Hope Gate was born in September 2021, trough the association of Spero with Isabela. I lead Spero but I take no personal remuneration from it as I do the work as a missionary calling. It is a new beginning with its new challenges.
There are 5 women employed at the moment. It means a lot to hear from them that this job is a blessing.
I consider this to be a beautiful partnership between all of you that faithfully supported this ministry over the years and God's work. Thank you and congratulations for not giving up.
The good news is that the work is continuing and your support is wisely used in order to increase the work capacity and to aid the workers in various ways as you can read in some of my other letters.
The work capacity has reached its limits, so in order to employ more we must build another level so we carefully try to save what we can and also fundraising for construction.
Please remember these women in your prayers: Sonia (married, 2 daughters), Lucica (married, 1 son) Daniela (married, 3 daughters), Mirela (married, a son and a daughter), Ema, not married yet.
Daniela is a born again Christian but the other 4 have not decided yet to follow Jesus, may they all come to Jesus.
Please keep this ministry/partnership in your prayers that we will continue to grow in quantity and excellence, all for God's glory.
With love in Christ,
Florina Darvell, PIEI-Romania Missionary