Letter from Romania - weeks 3 & 4
July 26, 2008
Sorry to everyone we was expecting to hear from me last week. I did not stop back at the OM base on the weekend, so I only had a few minutes to check email at someone’s house. And even now I do not have much time as I will be leaving for the next mission in Sibiu later today. So I’ll try to keep it brief.
The week before last went well. We were to doing kids games with a bunch of children in a village just outside Sibiu. The rain that week threatened our plans, but ended up being a blessing because the school decided to let us use their building and yard. About 90 kids came the first day, and more came each day after that, so we had over 130 on the 3rd and final day. We did not get too much response to the gospel from them, but the mission was a success in that it created a relationship between the village and the local church we are working with. The door is now wide open for that church to continue to working with the kids on the weekends and building relationships in that village. Also, on the last day with the kids we used a drama to clearly present the gospel to them, and a good number or the parents where there at that time, so seeds have been planted. One afternoon we went to visit and encourage a christian man who lives in that village. He has a strong testimony in the way his life has changed since he’s been saved, and he still shows the join of the Lord, even though his body is full of cancer and he is in a lot of pain.
This past week was amazing. We were working in a poorer village outside Plitesti. The population is a mix of Romanians and Gypsies. The first day went as planned, with some people working to build a new house for one of the Christian ladies there, and another group spending time playing the talking with the children. But God had greater plans for this week. We had more than enough people for construction and for kids, so some of us broke into another group for praying and talking with the people. We only had one translator with us, so 3 people went with here, while the rest of us paired up and just prayer walked around the village. We had great opportunity to talk with the people, and they were very open and ready to hear us. In the morning one woman invited us to come back to her house to following evening to preach the gospel to her family and neighbors. In the evening another woman invited us to come and preach in the field near her house the following morning. So the next morning and group of us when to the field, and maybe about 20 people came. Stefan, and man on our team, preached clearly to them. One woman accepted Christ, and an older woman who had walked away from Christ repented. In the evening it was raining, So we all crammed into a tiny house for the preaching. About 15 village people came. After the preaching, one woman asked for prayer for her arm. She had a lump on her shoulder, it was painful and she could not lift her arm. We prayed for her, and God healed her, so that she could fully lift her arm without pain. As soon as she saw that, she hit her knees with tears and repentance. Apparently she was a believer and used to attend the local church, but had fallen away and hadn’t gone to church in quite a while. Although I was not there for it, many children also made a profession to accept Christ this past week. We had one final meeting Thursday night outside the house we were building. Over 50 people came, men, women, and children. Stefan preached again, and several people responded. Please be especially in prayer for the men of that town. They have heard the gospel, but they seem to be the more reluctant to come to Christ.
ok, That’s it for now.
This coming week we will be working at an orphanage in Sibiu, and I’m very much looking forward to it. Thanks you all for your prayers and please continue to pray.
God bless
Beth
We passed out certificates and medals to the kids in a closing ceremony at the end of the week in Poplaca. Young Tae (South Korea) and Cristi (Romania) are passing out the medals and an older man from the village is reading the names.
We visited a Christian man in Poplaca who is suffering from cancer. Here we are in his yard singing some worship songs - some in English and some in Romanian.
In the gypsy village - walking up the hill to the field to play with the children in the morning.
Working with some of the children from the gypsy village, this is just after our final evangelical meeting.
A street in the gypsy village. There were many blacksmiths there, so they always had their fires going during the day, and you could hear the ringing of the hammers and anvils all around the village.
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