Blessings to all of you. After about two months of preparation for an event related to drug prevention, the Church, through its youth, accomplished this mission. Together with the Teen Challenge organization in Cluj, which graciously accepted three young people from their ranks to come and spend about four days with us, along with the youth from the two high schools in Victoria City, the youth from several churches in the area, and implicitly with the Church I pastor, with the help of the Lord Jesus.
Their presence had a significant impact, especially because they were formerly drug users who, by God's grace, had experienced deliverance. Utilizing the work of the Teen Challenge organization, the Lord has rehabilitated many lives, restored relationships and families, and, at the same time, saved souls that now testify to the impact of the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Sharing their personal experiences had a profound effect on the participants, sparking interest and many questions related to such a lifestyle and the disturbance it causes in the lives of those who experience addiction. Over 250 people had the opportunity to be informed, to better understand what a life immersed in the empire of forbidden substances means, but more importantly, it became evident that there are underlying causes to lead to such a life, if it can be called a life.
I would mention two of them, which were extremely evident to the participants and contributed significantly to many traumas, sufferings, and a heightened risk to life.
1. Dysfunctional family environment: A high proportion of lives are destroyed because often parents do not have a good, correct relationship with their children, and vice versa. As the Holy Scripture says in the book of Malachi, a significant problem is that the hearts of parents and children are not turned towards each other. This is an extremely important reason for God to punish a nation. Today, we face a similar situation where the importance of genuine, pure, and true love gets overlooked due to various concerns of parents for a better life and achieving their dreams.
2. Bad friendships: The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians that "bad company corrupts good character." Due to the pressure of the home atmosphere and the high influence of negative peer groups, many young people, and not only them, are not prepared or taught how to handle negative influences, leading to the breakdown of their lives with evident costs for both the family and the individuals.
We pray for the Church to impact society, being salt and light in this world. May it be a place where all those in need can find comfort, help, and advice, and provide moral and material support to those going through such situations. What can ultimately save a person's life is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, in which the saving power of God is found for all who receive it, believe it, and choose to live by it.
The PIEI mission (Partners in International Evangelization) was part of this event, proving the interest in living out concrete actions that stem from the teachings of the Lord Jesus for the saved.
Prayer Requests:
Families where relationships are strained
Those living and experiencing traumas within their families
Those who have experienced deliverance remain steadfast on this path
The love of the Churches is evident in their relationship with all people
Protection from evil for all of us
Through the involvement of PIEI, many people find the Truth, the only one that brings complete freedom! Thank you all for any support you offer! Grace in all your lives!
Timotei Stinea - PIEI National Director
