About 30 years ago I found myself in Victoria (a town in the south of Romania) attending an evangelistic meeting hosted by Timotei Stanea and the first church he planted there. One of the ladies that he asked to host visitors in their homes was a woman named Donna, and I had the opportunity to share the Gospel with her. After answering her questions all night, she finally accepted the Lord as her savior!
Donna now lives in Italy with her son Tommy, but God was determined to bring us together. During my stay in Victoria, which was just supposed to be for administrative work, I was reunited with Donna and Tommy as they were vacationing. Tommy expressed a desire for a godly mentor to help him with his spiritual walk, and Walter WIndsor took his contact information. What a blessing for all of us that God showed us the fruits of our labors for Him! May you also know the true joy of sharing His Gospel with those you meet.
Encouraging the Missionaries
The last 18 months have been a challenging time for the missionaries. During the pandemic heavy restrictions were put in place, and anyone found traveling if they were not an essential worker was fined. Even basic tasks, like grocery shopping, posed to be a problem for people across the country. Churches could not host meetings or even small gatherings, and many people were scared to allow missionaries to visit their houses. The missionaries found that many opportunities for ministry were closed to them, even while their own families faced the same difficulties. Furthermore, they all felt isolated, separated from the other nationals as well as their PIEI supporters in America, since there were no short-term mission trips to provide encouragement during that time.
Thank God that travel restrictions have been lifting in Romania! As soon as the borders opened this August I flew to Romania along with Walter Windsor and April Jarrett. We were nervous, since there was a possibility that the restrictions could return and we would be forced to spend our trip in quarantine, or even cancel our trip. However, God made a way for us to reach the missionaries and spend time with them and their families.
The missionaries have been thirsting for fellowship, with each other and with us. They drank in our presence like men who have wandered the dessert all this time, desperate for nourishment. We were embraced with open arms, and were able to help them establish a bond together as one family, working together to accomplish God’s purpose in Romania.
Gathering Together
One of the first things we did when we arrived in Romania was to gather all the missionaries for a 4-day conference in Alba Iulia. We spent a lot of time sharing with each other so we could understand where each of us currently stands in our faith and our mission. Our goal was to rekindle friendships and build relationships between the missionaries, so that they would be equipped to help each other grow. April Jarrett also spent time with the wives and other ladies involved in ministry, helping them to connect and revive in their own ways.
As the National Director of PIEI-Romania, Timotei Stanea talked about 3 C’s: Calling, Character, and Competence. He explored the nature of our Call to ministry, dissected the Character of a missionary, and examined the Competence in various skills that is necessary to do ministry effectively. These topics were a great way to unify the missionaries with a Biblical understanding of their roles.
The conference in Alba Iulia was not the only time we gathered with a group of missionaries! Walter, April, Timotei and I spent a good amount of our visit in the south of Romania, where we met again with Mihai Geabou, Florin Sfetcu, Florina Darvell, and Gabi Cuc. April gave a lesson about Breathing- how we must inhale the Word of God just as we breath air, because it is what gives us life. Without it, we cannot survive!
Timotei also spent some time discussing how negative words can be poison to ministry. He delved into what the Bible says about slander, and what we should do to counteract it in love. The missionaries are hopeful that they can strengthen their relationships by uplifting one another through words and deeds.
Missionary Visits
Though the conference in Alba and the gathering in the south were both intensive and fruitful, the missionaries in Romania were also grateful for the chance to invite us to each of their homes and churches. After the conference we spent a day each with Tani Nemes in Telna, Daniel Petrut in Mihalt, and Cornel Fogorosiu in Nou. Then we drove down to Draganesti-Olt and stayed with Florina Darvell and her family for 4-5 nights.
In the south we also visited the families and churches of Mihai Geabou, Florin Sfetcu, Gabi Cuc, and Traian Chilau. Florin went with us to visit some elderly folks who live at the top of a mountain without even a road to their homes: Vetuta and Dan, Dorica, Zorita and Adi. We brought them some basic supplies like flour and sugar and prayed with them. Despite their isolation on the mountain, those men and women show a love for the Lord that can only be admired! April also spent some time meeting with the very first Christians in the region of Beciu.
Before we left, Florin’s church sent greetings to all the supporter of PIEI-Romania, saying:
“The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation” -2 Samuel 22:47
Prayer Requests
Some of our missionaries do not have full financial support. With as little as 50%, some of them have to supplement their income with other jobs. Pray that they are blessed to find the support they need to accomplish the work of the Lord.
Even today I am hoping to return in October with a group of 6 people. Pray that we find tickets, and that travel remains open to us.
Pray that Donna from Italy remains close to God. Pray also that Walter is able to connect with her son Tommy and provide him with the guidance he needs.
Pray for Timotei Stanea, who has become overwhelmed with everything he is trying to juggle. In addition to his administrative duties as the National Director in Romania, he also oversees building projects for multiple church plants, attends meetings for Baptist Union, and supports each missionary. He has been feeling stretched, and needs to find balance so that he can do well in his pursuits.
