Surprised by God's Greatness and Readiness

I have come to understand that discipleship one-on-one is one of the healthiest things for the building-up and growth of a church.

This Monday morning, at 10 o’clock I met Timi in the park to study the Pilgrim’s Progress and to pray. After his departure, I remained alone to continue to pray. I had three important requests for the Lord: 1) to love Him more and to spend more time with Him; 2) for His plans for my life to be fulfilled every day; 3) to give me the opportunity to share the Gospel.

It was 12:30 when I arrived home to have lunch with my family. We had our kids visiting their grandparents, so the house was silent. No sooner were we finished with lunch than a Christian woman from another place- 10 km away from our town, called me. She told me that the mother of a sister from our church had died and the burial would start in 15 minutes.

To be honest, I didn’t want to go as I had other plans. Nevertheless, my wife encouraged me to go, reminding of me the Scripture: “Cry with those who cry and rejoice with those who rejoice”. I was speechless. I got ready and I left right then.

While I was driving, in my mind there rang a bell: Didn’t you ask for opportunities to share the gospel today? Didn’t I offer it to you? I was so surprised to realize how quickly and how great God answered my prayer. That afternoon I had the opportunity to share the gospel not to one person, but to tens.

I am so thankful to the Lord for His Spirit guidance as well. It was a special day of searching for the Lord both for me and for those who heard the Gospel.

Mihail Geabour, PIEI-Romania Missionary

Medical Team in Orbeasca

I am so thankful to the Lord for Soterius. Through him and through the volunteers with RAM, we had the privilege to know a team of people who were serious, dedicated to the Lord, mastering medicine and with a heart for the physical and spiritual needs of the people in Orbeasca.

It was a very hot day. I started to walk on the streets in Orbeasca in order to invite those who wanted to be seen by a medical doctor for free ( in this team there were medical doctors who worked with state hospitals in USA). Because of the heat, the people were inside (otherwise they use to stay outside, in front of their houses and chat with neighbors and passers-by). The streets were deserted and those whom I met seemed uninterested in my invitation. From time to time I called my wife to ask her if there came anyone at the tents (We do not have a church building in Orbeasca, but we could put up two tents in the sister Ioana’s yard- the only beliver in Orbeasca). There were only 1 woman and 3 kids that had the courage to come. I was so ashamed- how could I face those people who came from Bucharest and who made such an effort to come on that weather in Orbeasca to see that they have no one to consult, no one to help- these were my thoughts.

My certainty is that the Lord performed a miracle that very day: more and more people started to come, but not because I invited them but because the team was so well prepared for both consulting and the treatment they gave. This way, people who were seen by the team started to spread the news and to call their relatives and friends. I was speechless. There were more than 80 people on the list. We had to close the registration there as the medical team had to return to Bucharest.

We continue to pray for Orbeasca. May the Lord take care of their physical and spiritual needs. The list for salvation is still open. May the people come to know the glory of Jesus Christ and repent of their sins. We also pray for an evangelical church there, a church to hold up the Word of Life!

Mihail Geabou, PIEI-Romania Missionary

Singing Downtown

In these times we went downtown to sing together with some young people from the Brethern Church. It was dark already, but we were so glad to praise the Lord publicly outside the church building.

May God work in us the fullness of the Holy Spirit so that we are not ashamed of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who can bring joy and happiness in the lives of the people in Alexandria.

Mihail Geabou, PIEI-Romania Missionary

Downtown Alexandria

“Downtown:-that is how we call the place where we can walk in the center of our town. We are enriched by our collaboration with “Bunavestire” (Good News) Church from Bucharest. In the pictures you can see a part of a small group of their church.

We are thankful to God for their visit, for the fellowship we could have together as a church but especially for the fact that we could praise God publicly. May the Lord bless Alexandria and search the hearts of the people living here. May He bring many to salvation!

Mihail Geabou, PIEI-Romania Missionary

From Drugs to Christ

Selhio is a young man from Word of Life in Romania. He helped us with scaffolding the inter-denominational youth ministry in Alexandria. Each Friday before the pandemic, young people from Evangelical Churches in Alexandria- Baptist, Pentecostal and Brethren used to meet. 

Now Selhio is a full-time missionary, a servant of our Lord, but some time ago he was enslaved by the power of the drugs. I heard his testimony. He shared his testimony with young people in Alexandria. His experience is the living proof that Lord Jesus continues to change lives, to free souls. The Lord has worked miracles in his life, in my life; He wants and is able to bring freedom, healing and peace with God in the lives of those that get closer to Lord Jesus in faith. 

I was glad he accepted to visit us in Orbeasca. He came with his family. He shared his testimony in front of the children and teenagers in the village and afterwards we had a grill together with the young people who attended our meeting. 

We pray that the power of our resurrected Christ who made Selhio free from the claws of the drugs may bring freedom of sin in the lives of many young people in Orbeasca. And not only in them. 

-Mihai Geabou, PIEI-Romania Missionary

WHOEVER BELIEVES IS BAPTIZED!

As usual, in His grace, God exceeds the expectations of those He loves. On May 12th, Rebeca, Raluca and Tibi testified to Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. I remember with great joy and amazement the way the Spirit of the Lord worked among us. We were so glad there were guests who entered the House of the Lord for the very first time.  We are thankful for God’s message that day and for the  mysterious and wonderful way He is still working in the hearts of the people. We continue to pray for those who were baptized to be disciples who will honor the Lord, no matter where they go. May they be devoted and reliable Christians.

Mihail Geabou - PIEI Missionary

TRAINING FOR MISSION IN TELEORMAN COUNTY

Sharing the Gospel in Teleorman. We had the first meeting at The Way of the Lord Church with brother Raul Coste and other ministers in the fields of the Gospel.

Through God’s grace, the ministry in Draganești Olt spreads beyond the borders of the county. After Dolj, they help in Teleorman County now. At least three ministers in Teleorman expressed their intention to cooperate with the ministry and we are already blessed through the support of our brothers in Drăgănești Olt.

Mihail Geabou - PIEI Missionary

BEYOND THE WALLS

With a team of young people from Betel Church in Potcoava and from Bunavestire Church in Bucharest, we went to the village fair in Potcoava to sing and share the Gospel.

We are so thankful to the Lord that even though it rained, it didn’t rain so heavily and we were able to sing. We are praying for those who received „The Way of the Lord” newspaper. May they receive not only a newspaper but the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour!

Mihail Geabou - PIEI Missionary

Health... and more than that

Around 60 Romanian and American missionaries visited our church, “The Way of the Lord” Church in Alexandria. Their goal was to offer spiritual counselling, medical assistance (checking blood pressure, blood sugar and reading glasses) but also to distribute hundreds of New Testaments in Alexandria and to pray for our little town. We are so thankful to brother Raul Costea and brother Cornel Ștef, as well for the Romanian and American teams that were involved in the event!

Mihail Geabou - PIEI Missionary

„Tonight we have pizza for dinner!”

No doubt that the most important need of a person is the salvation of the soul. Unfortunately, the most felt needs of a person are those of the body. Our Lord Jesus came to save us but He didn’t neglect the pain and the earthly needs.

Due to the generosity and kindness of some people, we received a lot of pizza to distribute to others.  In a great rush, not to get defrosted, thousands of pizzas were distributed in Teleorman through „The Way of the Lord” church in Alexandria as a part of the partnership with Hope Church in Draganesti Olt. In God’s kindness, in the evening, in many homes the stoves were on and the smell of pizza announced the dinner.

This was also the time when we discoverd something else: while many didn’t have enough space in their freezers to keep the offered pizza, some didn’t have freezers at all and a family didn’t even have a stove where to cook the pizza...

We are grateful that the Lord takes care of our needs! We are grateful He uses us to help fulfill the needs of our fellows!

„The World Race” Missionaries in Alexandria

On March, 8th, we were blessed to know Gisele and Samantha, two missionaries who came in Romania through „The World Race”.

Together, we went to Orbeasca where the girls had a special lesson for the kids. Both Gisele’s Bible lesson and Samantha’s song were about the Light- Christ is the Light. Assured that whoever lives in the light doesn’t want to go back in darkness, we pray that those kids will come to know and share the Light of Christ!

In the evening we came back in Alexandria for the youth meeting. There we had an extraordary good time. The  teenagers from our group had the opportunity to hear about Gisele and Samantha’s life experience and how they came to know Lord Jesus. No doubt that the testimonies had great impact on those who haven’t chosen the Way of the Lord yet.

Both the kids from Orbeasca and the young people in Alexandria enjoyed not only the ministry of the two missionaries, but also the fact they could exercise English with natives.

God is great in puting together His servants from all over the world!

You are Precious!

Indeed, each of the 20 women who attended the special meeting is precious!

         In Romania, we celebrate Mother’s Day in March, 8th.  We have been praying for few month to have a special celebration in our church on this occasion. We wanted to be both an evangelistic and refreshing event.

         The Lord was so gracious to us and we managed to organize a small event on the 9th of March. It was the very first time we organized such an event in our church. We invited the women from our church and we challenged them to invite some other women- their friends. We were so happy that 5 non-believers responded to our invitation.

         We had 2 guests from Bucharest who encouraged us and we spent more than 2 hours in fellowship. We spent time in the Word and doing some crafts- painted flower pots in which we planted a bulb of a flower and some spring cards using some napkins and an iron. It was for the first time for many of them to be involved in such activities, but it was a time when they felt precious and had some relaxing time.

         The Lord sent us to be salt and light in this world. We have to be open to bring taste and guidance. Please pray with us this event to have been for the non-believing women a taste of how good our Lord is and a spark of His wonderful guidance to Jesus!

Emanuela Geabou

God adds and searches hearts

Each Friday we have the youth meeting with Bretherns and Pentecostals. Our church and implicitly our youth group, is small. But in fellowship with other youth the joy is greater and other young persons are willing to visit.

By God’s grace, we are so happy that four other young girls attached to our group. They come from non-believing families and they got involved in the Bible reading program and memorizing Scripture.

On January 18th, we discussed about the Holy Spirit at the meeting. I thought this would be a very difficult subject for them, but I was happy to see their emotion, curiosity and also the desire to have the Holy Spirit in their lives, to be Temples for the Spirit of the Lord.

May the Lord grant them the birth that only the Spirit of the Lord can do!

Yes, it’s your turn!

For the youth meeting in January 11th, I was apointed to have the message. We have a special material that we follow but because an innapropriate translation it was hard for me to understand the key subject. I was ready to ask somebody to have the message instead of me. I tried to understand what the Lord wanted to say to me almost the whole week and after reading the original message I felt the spirit of the Lord. There was no mistake, the Lord wanted me to have the message about accountability.

A sensitive subject, but I was there, I knew the importance of accountability. It’s true, I had to be vulnerable as there were in my life weaknesses, vices and sins, fights... like in any other’s young man’s life. That’s why I needed mentors and I had to be sincere.

That night, when speaking about those in front of the youth, I felt the presence and the work of the Holy Spirit. Even afterwards, there were testimonies that young people were suprised to hear such a vulnerable person in front of them, speaking honestly about problems that they face but are ashamed of recognizing and talking.

It is not easy to let our weaknesses and sins be known. Satan wants us to hide them and present an image of perfection in front of others. But the Lord wants us to humble and tell others about our defeats and victories in fights. This way, not only that we honour the Name of the Lord, but we also bring encouragement for those who are fighting at the moment. Thus, they understand that the Spirit of the Lord brings victory!

The taxi driver

I use to distribute „The Way of the Lord” newspaper to some taxi drivers. While doing this, I saw that one of them had a Bible several times. I thought about talking to him but I didn’t have courage as I thought I would hinder him from his work. I memorized his car number and I continued to pray for him. After some time, a sister from our church told me his name as she used to come to church with that taxi.

Last week I was praying in the morning for the tasks of the day. I had written on a piece of paper the names of the persons I wanted to reach with the newspaper that day. One of them was the taxi driver.

I went downtown around 9 o’clock in the morning and while I was walking I saw the car of the taxi driver parking. I headed towards him without hesitation. I knocked in his window. He thought I needed a ride. I handed him a newspaper and I told him: „Whenever you can, if you can, I would like to talk to you.” I was so suprised when he answered: „I also want to talk to you! We can talk right now!” So, in his car, right there, in the parking lot, we talked more than an hour. He had been visiting the Seventh Day Adventist Church and he had some questions. We also talked about the Sabbath day. We decided to talk another time as well.

I am so grateful for this young man’s availability. May the Lord bring him light, freedom from the Old covenant and may he become close to Grace, close to Christ.

Mihail Geabou - PIEI Missionary

Let’s start from the very first week

The very first week after holidays. January 5th. Freezing cold outside. People still resting at their homes. The best moment to find them. I called a friend to help me distribute “The Way of the Lord” newspaper. Unfortunately, because of the cold weather and the distance, my friend could not help me this time. I was tempted to give up, but I told myself: ”We want to distribute evangelistic newspapers each week of the new year. So I really have to go today!”

I took my backpack full of almost 200 newspapers and tens of evangelistic calendars, pen and paper to write down some details and off I went. I am so grateful that the Lord was with me and gave me courage to knock at people’s doors. I was so glad to see that some of them recognized me and received joyfully the new number of the newspaper.

Please pray with me:

• May the Lord grant us courage. We really need the presence of the Holy Spirit to ensure courage and wisdom for this ministry. Sadly, I have to admit that there were times when I took some newspapers but I had no courage nor power to distribute a single one and I came back home with them

• May those who receive the newspaper receive Christ the Lord of their hearts and lives

• For perseverance and consistency in distributing newspapers regularly.

Mihail Geabou - PIEI Missionary

Teachers and former colleagues

The Lord put on my heart the desire to share the Gospel with former teachers and colleagues from school, with those who are still living in Alexandria. While distributing the newspaper, knocking from door to door, I was so glad to meet former colleagues and even teachers. Several times, I was invited inside their homes and we were able to talk about Lord Jesus. We also went caroling to their houses and each time we print a new number of our newspaper I put aside a special time to give them one.

I continue to pray for them! May the Lord prepare their hearts to be good soils for the seed of the Gospel. One of my joys was when a collegue visited our church several times and our family as well. And one of the teachers also was available to listen more abut the Lord!

May the Lord reveals Himself to them!

Mihail Geabou - PIEI Missionary

The Newspapers are ready

By God’s grace, we managed to publish another number of the “ Way of the Lord” newspaper. 10.000 copies are waiting to arrive in the hands of those who need salvation and, being looked for by the Lord, feel the need of a Redeemer!
We are grateful for our sponsors. May the Lord reward them plentifully!
We pray that the Lord will prepare more Christian to be at God’s disposal to distribute these newspapers. May He grant them courage, boldness… in fact we all need the fulfillment of the Holy Spirit. We pray for those who receive the newspaper that the Holy Spirit will search their hearts and they will be able to realize their sinful state and their need of a Savior.

Mihail Geabou - PIEI Missionary

Childhood memories

Right after Christmas day, the team that works in Orbeasca went there to distribute some special presents to the kids. We stayed outside and we sang with them several carols we have learnt during past weeks. Their parents were invited to come, but they didn't. We still pray for the Lord to open their hearts. As those from the village didn't allow us to use their festivities hall, we used the same yard we used in summer for the VBS: sister Ioana's yard.

The pastor from BeOne Church in Vienna and his wife were with us as their church had prepared some special gifts for the children as well.

After we finished singing and the kids were gone, I remember the pastor asking sister Ioana if she doesn't find it hard to host a bunch of (sometimes messy and noisy) kids in her house. Her answer encouraged us so much to continue to evangelize those little hearts. Here is how she answered: "I wish I had known the Lord in my childhood... I would have been protected of so many consequences of my bad decisions. .. O, what a grace for this kids to hear about the Lord now! My house is not mine, it is my Lord's. I am at His disposal! "

Through God's grace, we are part of those children's memories. Only our Saviour can turn their memories into the right decision to follow Him in His time! Please pray for us to create full of grace childhood memories for these kids!

*in the picture: pastor Cristi Pană (BeOne Church of Vienna) and his wife, sister Ioana and young people who are involved in Children ministry in Orbeasca

Mihail Geabou - PIEI Missionary

Presents are here!

By God’s grace and because of the generosity of God loving people, the presents are here. This time they come from Finland.

May the Lord reward those who prepared them! May the Lord give us (those who distribute them) strength and wisdom to reach the children who need them most, the children who will delight in them.

For us as adults, as well for the kids, the Greatest Gift was and is the Gift that was send not from Finland but from above from God the Father. We didn’t receive sweets and toys but everlasting life, divine quality life through the incarnation of Jesus Christ.  I received the joy of the Lord and honestly, nobody and nothing can surpass the joy and fullfilment we have in Lord Christ.

There will be many presents shared this month. But happy ar those who receive the Gift of God- Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord!

May Jesus be your joy and happiness!

Mihail & Emanuela Geabou