We have been in Cluj-Napoca for two days now. The elevation is higher so it is mercifully a bit cooler during the day. Cluj is at the North western tip of what used to be considered "Transylvania" (and - no - we are not going to Vlad Dracul's castle on this trip).
Thursday we were able to visit a gypsy village and give out the book of John and Romans written in their dialect. We had two unfavorable confrontations where the people seemed very upset about some questions about the local church's feeding program that we had no answers for. We had planned to return today to visit again, but we learned that the people went to the Mayor of the city complaining that the "Americans" were not giving them what they needed (?, we aren't sure what that meant either) To protect the current church ministry (and for our own safety apparently) we stayed away from going back in.
We did give a presentation at the church's feeding program where the school picks ten gypsy's, the church picks ten gypsy's and the mayor picks ten gypsy's and they are allowed into the church to learn proper manners, hygiene, nutrition, and scripture. The program was well received by the 30 children.
We've been hosted by a church where we had a youth event on Thursday and a VBS on Friday. They killed a pig in honor of our visit and the food has been incredible! None of us have tasted food this good in many of the four star restaurants we've eaten in through our lives. Many of us are blaming our American obesity on Romanian food.
Tomorrow we are having and "off" day. We are going to the top of a mountain for a picnic (more food again) hosted by another local church and while we've spent the last week going to different churches every night we will take Saturday night to go looking for the souviniers you people at home are begging us for.
Good night
Friday, September 12, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Apa Plata
There is something strange with the bottled water here. You drink it and you still feel thirsty, it's the strangest thing. I think they are adding sodium to it. When you ask for water in Romania be sure to ask for Apa Plata (flat water) otherwise you get the carbonated mineral water that is even less refreshing.
The youth meeting went well last night. A number raised their hands during the invitation Tim gave.
Today ALL the men had their passports taken away and were sent to prison. No really. (of course we got the passports back when we left). We had a small service for the men there and handed out fruit and tracts to them. A few of us also went to the sick ward of the prison to give out fruit.
Tim took two teams out this afternoon going door to door witnessing. Tim's group had 7 pray to receive Christ.
Tonight we had a children's VBS at the same church we had the youth meeting at. A number of children indicated that they prayed to receive Christ but because of local custom they will have to wait until they are teens before they are baptized.
David ate no brains today - only fire.
The youth meeting went well last night. A number raised their hands during the invitation Tim gave.
Today ALL the men had their passports taken away and were sent to prison. No really. (of course we got the passports back when we left). We had a small service for the men there and handed out fruit and tracts to them. A few of us also went to the sick ward of the prison to give out fruit.
Tim took two teams out this afternoon going door to door witnessing. Tim's group had 7 pray to receive Christ.
Tonight we had a children's VBS at the same church we had the youth meeting at. A number of children indicated that they prayed to receive Christ but because of local custom they will have to wait until they are teens before they are baptized.
David ate no brains today - only fire.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Eating Brains and being Busted by the Police
Greetings from Timisoara! We've been busy the last two days going all over the place telling of God's incredible love!
Sunday we split into smaller teams that visited multiple small churches around Timisoara and up to 1hr away. Sunday evening the majority of the team went to Golotha Baptist where Mike Goforth preached, and a smaller group went with Tim Williams to an communitywide outreach outside the city.
Monday we visited two mission programs that help abused or pregnant women. There was a time in Romania where 80% of all pregnancies ended in abortion. It only cost $6 to have an abortion (and $1500 to have a baby). We brought donated clothes and baby blankets as well as money that some American churches have saved up for them over the past year.
The East Memorial Team took one of our translators - Ramona to dinner at a nicer restauant where David Hicks ate cowbrain and brussel sprouts. While not his favorite, David said it reminded him of Salmon. John Jordan took a bite too and said it tasted like potted meat.
After lunch the East Memorial Team handed out tracts at the Centre in Timisoara and after about 1/2 an hour and a few brief conversations with locals and a number of tracts handed out - the cops put a stop to us. They were polite, so were we. But both policemen were invited to the outreach tonight at Golgotha. We pray they will come. Perhaps the very thing they put a stop to will be the Gospel they themselves will preach later.
multzamesc (Thank you)
Sunday we split into smaller teams that visited multiple small churches around Timisoara and up to 1hr away. Sunday evening the majority of the team went to Golotha Baptist where Mike Goforth preached, and a smaller group went with Tim Williams to an communitywide outreach outside the city.
Monday we visited two mission programs that help abused or pregnant women. There was a time in Romania where 80% of all pregnancies ended in abortion. It only cost $6 to have an abortion (and $1500 to have a baby). We brought donated clothes and baby blankets as well as money that some American churches have saved up for them over the past year.
The East Memorial Team took one of our translators - Ramona to dinner at a nicer restauant where David Hicks ate cowbrain and brussel sprouts. While not his favorite, David said it reminded him of Salmon. John Jordan took a bite too and said it tasted like potted meat.
After lunch the East Memorial Team handed out tracts at the Centre in Timisoara and after about 1/2 an hour and a few brief conversations with locals and a number of tracts handed out - the cops put a stop to us. They were polite, so were we. But both policemen were invited to the outreach tonight at Golgotha. We pray they will come. Perhaps the very thing they put a stop to will be the Gospel they themselves will preach later.
multzamesc (Thank you)
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Ministry Day One
I won't go into the trip to Europe. We flew and rode a bus, no news there. Suffice it to say that it was long, and we are very glad to be in Timisoara.
Across the square from our hotel is the church where priest bolted the cathedral doors ignoring the pleas of hundreds of women and children seeking protection during the revolution in 1989. They were all massacred on the front steps of that church, gunned down by the brainwashed communist soldiers.
Today, Timisoara looks like most other Eastern European cities - graffiti covers every wall (some of it very impressive in it's complexity - others, just eyesores) , people walk by the shops & cafe's, and I am surprised not by the differences in architecture or culture but in the similarities. We have eaten in two McDonald's and seen countless Burger Kings, KFC's and other eating establishments that we see in America. While the people of course have their own national language, most people speak english well enough to communicate easily with us.
Tonight, after a hasty check in to the hotel, getting money changed and getting a "BIG MAC" (which is Romanian for "Big Mac") we traveled to Golgotha Baptist Church for a short Saturday Night VBS. The small church had seating for about 100 and about 50 of those seats were filled with children age preschool to high school. We started with a song and I (David) shared a bit through juggling, and we broke them up into three age groups for stories, games, puppet shows, and crafts. Tim ended the evening with an explaination of what EXACTLY sin is and communicated the Gospel message on the children's level. Most of the 50 children raised their hands to make some decision to Christ. The saddest story was that one girl revealed she would not be able to tell her Greek-Orthodox parents about her decision as it would cause her trouble.
Tomorrow the team of 30 will be split among 8 churches as we worship and share testimony with the people of Romania.
It's late, Pictures and video will be coming soon - Good Night
Across the square from our hotel is the church where priest bolted the cathedral doors ignoring the pleas of hundreds of women and children seeking protection during the revolution in 1989. They were all massacred on the front steps of that church, gunned down by the brainwashed communist soldiers.
Today, Timisoara looks like most other Eastern European cities - graffiti covers every wall (some of it very impressive in it's complexity - others, just eyesores) , people walk by the shops & cafe's, and I am surprised not by the differences in architecture or culture but in the similarities. We have eaten in two McDonald's and seen countless Burger Kings, KFC's and other eating establishments that we see in America. While the people of course have their own national language, most people speak english well enough to communicate easily with us.
Tonight, after a hasty check in to the hotel, getting money changed and getting a "BIG MAC" (which is Romanian for "Big Mac") we traveled to Golgotha Baptist Church for a short Saturday Night VBS. The small church had seating for about 100 and about 50 of those seats were filled with children age preschool to high school. We started with a song and I (David) shared a bit through juggling, and we broke them up into three age groups for stories, games, puppet shows, and crafts. Tim ended the evening with an explaination of what EXACTLY sin is and communicated the Gospel message on the children's level. Most of the 50 children raised their hands to make some decision to Christ. The saddest story was that one girl revealed she would not be able to tell her Greek-Orthodox parents about her decision as it would cause her trouble.
Tomorrow the team of 30 will be split among 8 churches as we worship and share testimony with the people of Romania.
It's late, Pictures and video will be coming soon - Good Night
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Exista Dumnezeu
In 1989 as the people of Romania rose up and broke free of communist dictatorship the crowds began chanting "Exista Dumnezeu, Exista Dumnezeu," - "There is a God, There is a God!" In this country where atheism ruled and christians were tortured and killed for their beliefs the light was turned on and the doors opened for the Gospel to be taken into the country and for God to be glorified in souls saved.
Please pray for us in these next few weeks that God would prepare the people of Romania, and that their eyes would be opened to His truth. Pray that God would prepare us, and break our hearts for these people and open our eyes to their need.
Romania 2008 Missionaries
Tim Williams
Teri Sanders
Kevin McCroan
Tracy McCroan
David Hicks
John Jordan
Please pray for us in these next few weeks that God would prepare the people of Romania, and that their eyes would be opened to His truth. Pray that God would prepare us, and break our hearts for these people and open our eyes to their need.
Romania 2008 Missionaries
Tim Williams
Teri Sanders
Kevin McCroan
Tracy McCroan
David Hicks
John Jordan
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