Letter from Romania - week 2

July 11, 2008

Well, I just finished my first week in Romania, and am now enjoying a day of and actually having internet access. Last week went quite well. We were in Mangalia, and smaller city right on the Black Sea. The apartment we were staying in was actually an easy walk from the beach, and only about one block from the church were working with. We ran a kids club in the mornings for children in the area. A lot of the kids that came were gypsies, and come from very rough home situations. But all things considered, they were a good bunch of kids, and many of them the church has been working with for quite a while. On Tuesday afternoon we had a tea for the women from the church, and any friends they invited. Some of the team shared their testimony and shared from the word. Wednesday afternoon we did an international prayer meeting. The pastor of the church there is from Brazil, plus the OM team I was with had members from America (of course), Canada, Mexico, and Romania. So each person had a chance to present a bit of their home culture and some prayer requests for their country, and then we all prayed together. In the evenings we had meetings for the youth. I’d say at least half of the people that come to the church youth group are unsaved. On Wednesday night, after some from our team shared their testimony, we opened it up for questions, and a couple of the young boys were very interested and were asking a lot of questions about the gospel and salvation. They listened intently as Jorge (from Mexico), laid out the gospel for them very well and very clearly. The youth hear generally seem very open to talking about the gospel and spiritual things; I’m surprise how open they are. Yet being open to listening and actually accepting Christ are two different things.

Please pray for the youth in Mangalia. Some of them seem to be very torn between the church, but not wanting to give up the lifestyle they are used to. Also pray for Pastor Gilberto and his family. They are going to be doing some traveling. They are leaving the church under the supervision of Daniel, a Romanian man who will actually be taking over the pastorship of the church when he is done with his schooling. Also, please pray for the financial needs. The back wall of the church (which is also the home for the pastor and his family) is unfinished, and so water leaks in when it rains. It’s help up so far, but some of the interior is starting to be ruined, and the wall will be expensive the finish. Pastor Gilberto also has to pay for the schooling of his two daughters, the older of which is just starting university.

This coming week I will be working with children in an villiage somewhere. Please be praying for them too, and hopfully I’ll be able to do another undate next week to let you know how it goes.

Thanks and God bless
Beth

Enjoying the black sea.

The ladies tea.

A puppet show for the children.

After the Bible story, we would break the children into small groups to discuss the story and do a craft. Monica, in the green shirt, is leading this group.

The international prayer meeting. The Brazil table is in the foreground, with Pastor Gilberto and his family. Behind them is the Romania table, with the Romanian flag and Rebecca sitting in traditional Romanian dress.

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