Greetings to all,
After a few days of recovery, I can now write a few lines about my visit to the United States and the experiences I had there, as well as my return and the reception by those back home. I am grateful to God that I safely returned home after my visit to the United States, facilitated by the kindness and involvement of PIEI, of which I am a member.
First and foremost, I would like to thank the Lord for the opportunity and life experiences I had throughout November in the United States, along with dear brothers and sisters belonging to the PIEI organization and, more importantly, dear brothers and sisters belonging to the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.
My gratitude extends to all those who had the kindness and disposition to meet with me, creating the opportunity for me to talk about the work of the Lord, which the PIEI missionaries do in Romania. I am thankful for the time they devoted to me and to Brother Cornel Stef, for the love with which they received us, whether in churches, families, various places, or in their homes for breakfast or even dinner.
I had the experience of meeting people who were delighted to hear news about the impact of their involvement in the work of PIEI missionaries in Romania. Although it might be challenging for me to list them all now, I hope they will come across these lines. To all those I met and whose love I benefited from during our time together, I believe they will find joy in knowing that I refer to them and to everyone with whom I spent time, especially during moments in the house of the Lord during ministry and preaching the Word.
Cultural differences undoubtedly play a role, but beyond that, I have seen and experienced that the Spirit of God is the one bringing together all those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ into their lives, both as Savior and Lord! It was pleasant to know that I am within the Christian family, the family of God's children and that no matter how far I am from home, I had a pleasant experience and can say that I felt at home. Thanks for the feeling and experience of finding the same love of God manifested through you, especially those with whom I met and spent a wonderful time.
May the Lord bless you and keep you close to Him, so that nothing may separate you from Him, and may we all together be with Him forever!
The return home was full of adventures, and even more so, life lessons. Although I arrived late at night, there was prepared food and cakes waiting for me as a sign and welcome "among my own," the people of Victoria, the church I have been serving for over 33 years.
The moment of meeting with the church on Sunday was delightful and joyful. Everyone who attended the church welcomed my wife and me, embracing us and offering words of welcome. Some, jokingly, said, "Never leave again, Americans!" Everyone wanted to know how it was, how the church in the United States is, how the people are if I learned something new, and what experiences I had. So, I promised to share with them my experiences throughout December, every Thursday evening after our Bible study.
Today, I had the opportunity to meet with the PIEI Committee in Romania and discuss the strategy we aim to implement starting next year. I informed the brothers about the progress of the work in the United States, how good and pleasant my visit was, and the meetings I had, thanks to the scheduling done by Brother Cornel Ștef, Alex, Rodica, and Brother Walter.
I can't overlook the joy and pleasure of spending time in the home of Brother Mihai Iulian and his wife, Alina. He was a member of the Lord's church in Victoria. It was a blessed and efficient time, and may the Lord bless them.
Brief details about the meeting with my brothers include deciding to meet weekly online to pray and analyze our work in the light of the Word and our possibilities. Monthly, we decided to send a report of our activities, discussions, and decisions to our brothers on the PIEI Committee in the United States. We also want to express our gratitude for all those who pray for us, support the work, and want to get involved with short-term mission teams.
One notable decision we made is to always make decisions with the agreement of all those involved. We aim for unity within the Committee and want to see the same unity among our brothers in the PIEI Committee in the United States. We will never make a decision based on a vote that could lead to disagreements and division within the Committee. We pray to the Lord to help us in this work, to watch over it at all times and believe that the Spirit of God is the one who can accomplish this, and we want to be led by Him.
We desire with all our hearts to be guided by the teachings of the Scriptures in our actions, to seek the will of the Lord, and not to do anything out of a spirit of contention or vain glory. We will focus our attention on the Christian Center and its vision, which has been there since the project phase before it was built, namely to win young people for Christ. We want to pay special attention to the facilities that, once resolved, can be made available to the Lord to fulfill this vision. We decided to purchase a tent to be placed on the land behind the existing building and to be used to its full capacity in the work we have committed to.
The second project is in Podari, which requires extensive renovation, intending for it to become a tool that PIEI can use to further the Gospel work. The other two projects in Negrilești and Victoria are on the Committee's working list, and investments will be made according to the needs of each project.
Lastly, we want collaboration with the surrounding churches and even those in Alba County to be effective, supporting any church with the potential to advance the Lord's work, so people may be saved, and the church may be built.
As we approach the celebration of the Lord's birth, I would like to wish you all a blessed time, and the joy of praising the Lord in the community of believers, that is, in the Church of Christ, and also in your families. Be blessed by the Lord, and may His grace overflow abundantly upon all of you.
Timotei Stinea - PIEI National Director
