As always, we ought to thank God for everything. We strive to discover things that show how God the Father, through the Lord Jesus, upholds all things by the word of His power. We know that Jesus has all power in heaven and on earth, and we feel safe knowing that by obeying Him, we are guarded and protected in every place and moment. As willing servants, we have allowed our ears to be pierced, and we wouldn't want to return to where we were when we did not know Him.
The mission of PIEI in Romania, despite the trials, remains steadfast and continues its work through missionaries who have committed to fulfilling it. We have in mind the preservation of the vision, that of "making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that the Lord Jesus has commanded us" according to the text from Matthew 28:18-19.
Certainly, any Christian organization in the true sense of the word desires to support the church, local churches, in fulfilling the mandate entrusted to them; to the apostles and transmitted from generation to generation, beginning in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. We have taken on the great commission and sought legal ways according to the scriptures and the country's laws to bring the gospel of our generation where we have been placed.
International evangelist partners have found a way to fulfill what they have said through the following models:
Working together, strengthening relationships, and supporting each other
Seeking to win Romania for Christ
Concern and care for those in need
Facilitating the involvement of short-term mission teams
External mission and assisting foreigners
Prayer thoughts and support
Thanks to all who in one way or another support the mission work in Romania!
In terms of missionary collaboration, alongside serving and equipping faithful individuals with whom they are directly connected, evangelization and winning souls for Christ are also considered. Brother Relu Rodean, somewhere in the area of Campeni, struggles to hold up the flag of faith, encouraging the churches he serves and seeking to share the gospel even on the football field with young people in the town, providing moments to discuss with them about the teachings of the Lord Jesus and their need for salvation.
In the same region of the Apuseni Mountains, in Sohodol and Ponorel, among other places, Brother Florin Botar strives to be a good worker and a witness for the Lord Jesus, working with brothers but especially paying attention to those who are seeking salvation. Through various activities, evangelistic services, or discussions on the streets and in homes, he shares the gospel of the Lord Jesus' salvation through faith and reconciliation with God.
Brother Tani Nemes, besides his pastoral work, actively involves himself in the lives of teenagers and finds it opportune to work together with Brother Florin Botar and other missionaries, especially in special needs evangelism. He always seeks to show his faith through deeds.
Bucerdea
Telna
Joldos, Emanuel is intensively involved in the lives of children, teenagers, and young people, seeking every way to present the gospel of the Lord Jesus to them and the redemptive sacrifice of Calvary as the only way of salvation for those who believe. Youth meetings, sports evangelism, and educational projects are effective tools in the life of the worker, who recently also got involved in helping a church in its shepherding, alongside missionary work carried out in PIEI.
Brother Daniel Petrut seizes every opportunity to offer a good testimony in the localities where he serves as a PIEI missionary, having connections with teachers and children in school, and finding joy and opportunities to show what the Lord Jesus can do in the lives of those who believe in Him.
Considering that certain programs can bring about major positive changes in the lives of young people and, especially, salvation, he finds it appropriate to be involved in organizing dreams both for his area of work and in places where other missionaries request his help. He has been working on preparing for the summer Bible study camp in July, and we are delighted to have a team from the United States with us.
About Cornel Fogorosiu, a brother like a young retiree, it can be said that he found a way not to withdraw from work but, on the contrary, to get involved in the lives of families, both those in the church and those who are not church members but are open to participating in church meetings and various events organized by him.
Crossing the Carpathians towards the southern part of the country, Brother Traian Chilau is still full of passion as in his younger years, a passion manifested in visiting the places where churches have been planted, in caring for brothers and the work, and especially in actively training a new generation team to carry on the work, Oiesti Disciple-Making Bible School.
Sister Florina Darvell continues to serve the Lord in Drăgănești Olt and helps the work in Beciu and Nenciulesti. She is involved in working with women and children, seeking to sow in the hearts of each participant love for the Lord and a desire to live a holy life, while also wanting to form a team to share the burden of the work and pass on the mission she received from the Lord.
Every year, on March 8th, we have sought to bring joy to the hearts of as many women as possible from the mission points where we work and to proclaim the Gospel. On this occasion, may the Lord continue to work in their hearts.
Brother Florin Sfetcu struggles in his work to remain faithful to the Lord and to present the gospel to both young and old. At the same time, he is involved in the project of constructing a house for use as a place of worship.
Brother Mihai Geabou, like the other missionaries, struggles to do the Lord's work and to do it as well as possible. He is actively involved and seeks to serve in both churches in Alexandria and Nenciulesti. Despite a complex working team, he works sacrificially both in the life of the church and in the communities where the churches are located, through developing medical evangelization programs on the street, discussions with people on various occasions, or situations managed by him, having a good collaboration with the town halls to obtain spaces to develop his work and to make the gospel known.
Good testimony of the work he does encourages people to be interested in the way of truth and to be searched in their souls. He desires to develop the work and in collaboration with churches nearby, organizes events to which people are invited, either regarding family study or medical missions, which leave a good impression on the minds of those who participate.
Brother Gabi Cuc, the man who prays, continues the work at Căciulătești, and strives to maintain and develop the work at Rotunda, but especially lately, he struggles in his prayers for each missionary, for those from PIEI Romania and those from PIEI both from the United States and from all the other countries that participate and are part of PIEI international.
As National Director of PIEI, I could say that I like and choose the mindset and lifestyle of the apostle Paul, who said that I do not value my life as if it were precious, and I only want to joyfully fulfill my course. The same man said words that apply to me; he said, "I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?" So, in every situation and my relationships with both my fellow PIEI missionaries and with those in the church, I seek to engage and help each one grow in likeness to our Lord Jesus Christ with the work that I can say God has assigned to each one.
I visit my brothers
I evangelize children and adults
I help those in need
I serve, seeking to do good, alongside all those who love the Lord!
Reaching Romania
Certainly, there are many methods to evangelize and impact Romania with authentic Christian testimony. The work of the PIEI Organization meets the needs of both missionaries and churches, providing the Lord with four locations:
The PIEI Center in Alba Iulia
The Cabin and land in Necrilesti
The location in Podari
Campsite land in Vistisoara/Victoria
PIEI Center - Alba Iulia
Priority has been given to its renovation and equipping with the necessary facilities for operation. Thus, work has been done to finish the kitchen and critical spaces, redoing part of the electrical installations, painting the walls, and connecting the building to the water, sewer, and gas networks. At the same time, the location has been offered for meetings of the brothers, conferences, or various other events.
Necrilesti
A blessed place by the Lord with complete peace and a breathtaking view. A vision that comes to life and seeks to positively affect all categories of people, from children to adults, even the elderly can enjoy this place. Currently, intensive work is being done on rehabilitating the cabin and equipping it for opening something that was scheduled for July 2024.
Podari
The third location, a gift and a tool given by the Lord, after the completion of the roof, we got involved in renovating two accommodation spaces. So we are in the process of finalizing two rooms, inside which two bathrooms are being built. The space offers the possibility of accommodation for those who will visit the southern part of the country. After completing the campsite in Necrilesti, our attention will turn to the renovation and use it and to help the missionaries in this area, the churches, and the mission teams that will come to serve.
Campsite Land Victoria/Vistisoara
Although we started working on documents and the project, we are currently waiting for some cadastral documents to be released to allow the completion of the project and the issuance of the Building Permit. However, we have managed to install internet cables, work aimed at that particular area. We continue to pray for this project, so necessary for the Lord's work in our country!
Aspects related to Christian care
This is a way to show our obedience to the Lord's commandments, who said that whenever we did these things to the least of His brothers, we did them to Him. The acts of faith, as James says, show that missionary fighters are not indifferent to the needs of those around them, so they have always been ready to help either with food, clothing, medicines, or other things to help people who are in precarious situations to fare better. We have not been able to meet all the needs, but certainly, some burdens have been lifted through the involvement of the Mission and PIEI Romania missionaries.
Short-term mission teams
So far, regarding this year, we have not enjoyed the presence and partnership of such teams. We had with us Brother Walter, the Mission Director, who visited the missionaries and the working areas in which they are located. We also had meetings with some of them in Draganesti Olt, having constructive discussions regarding the work of PIEI in Romania. We are awaiting teams that will come in the coming months, starting in July!
We were blessed by the visit of Sister Anita from the United States in January of this year! It was a blessed time!
Ukraine
Both our PIEI missionary brothers in Ukraine and their families, as well as those with whom they work, coming from the war zone, have always been in our prayers. We have not met with them this year, but we know that brothers from the United States are directly involved in supporting the work in Ukraine, which makes us, through the partnership created, still united with each other.
As National Director of PIEI, I have sought to serve Ukrainian refugees in Romania in the Sighișoara area through various donations obtained with the Lord's help, gathered by ICM from the United States. Additionally, I contributed through my service to arranging spaces for work with refugees at the Romanian Christian Center in Chernivtsi.
The work of the church in Chernivtsi with refugees.
Prayer requests:
Just as we pray daily for the PIEI mission, both those in the United States and those around the world where the mission is involved and has missionaries, we ask you to carry in prayer.
One thing we desire is to ask the Lord to open doors for us to bring the gospel and see people saved.
As we are taught, please support us in prayer for the raising up of workers to bring the pure gospel as we see it on the pages of Scripture to the next generation.
We desire to be led by the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the work to which we have been called.
Boldness to preach the Word.
Thanks:
We want to bring a few words of thanks to all of you who have in one way or another made yourselves available to the Lord for any good work. Thank you for your prayers, for your advice, for your service, for your financial support, and especially for your willingness to continue to do this work despite the obstacles that the world raises in the way of Christian ministry! For those in Romania in particular, I want to express my gratitude to Brother Jenu Stef, who, in the background, is so necessary for the work and advancement of the PIEI mission in Romania!
Timotei Stinea - PIEI National Director