We have been busy these last months working with two pastors from a couple different areas, ministering in various villages and churches. It has been a great experience for us, as well as a time of learning and growth. We have gotten to know each of the pastors and their families somewhat, and we have met many new people in the various villages and churches in which we have been blessed to be part of the ministry.
Here is a summary of what we’ve been doing the last few weeks:
March 17-18: I (Andrew) went by myself with one of the pastors to the mountain villages of Obarsia Closani and Marasesti (more information on these villages is available on our website). Only I went from our family that weekend because two of our three children were very sick, so Geta stayed home with them. The pastor and I had two services Saturday night, and two Sunday morning (one of us went to each service that morning), and two services again Sunday evening. I had no translator, so I knew it was going to be an interesting weekend. Saturday night, the pastor tried to translate for me, and he gave it a valiant try, but I found that I needed to repeat most everything (in Romanian) to get across correctly what I wanted to say. I decided that evening that I would give the rest of my messages that weekend in Romanian, as far as I was able. I was pretty nervous, but by the grace of God (a lot of grace), I was able to give 3 messages Sunday in Romanian. While it was not the full text of what I had prepared, and I had to speak relatively slowly, and carefully choose the words I wanted to use to make sure I could finish the thoughts and sentences I had started, the principal ideas, and points were clear, and the people understood what the Word had to say that day. I was blessed because a number of people told me afterwards that they understood “all” that had been said. Praise God! I definitely believe that God used that weekend to stretch me out of my comfort zone, but it was great, and I also was given more confidence in “my” abilities with the Romanian language.
March 25: By invitation we as a family went to a village not too far from where Geta grew up -- one that may be familiar to many at Bridgeport Chapel: a village called Maciova. We had been invited there by Marius, who is the pastor in that village; he is also a friend of ours, and graduate from the Bible school that Geta and I graduated from. We stayed all day, and it was a wonderful time of fellowship at the church, as well as fellowship with Marius, his wife Adriana and young son Andre. They are an inspiration to us because what they have done is much like the vision that we have: they moved into a village where there were very few (or no) believers. Through many years of struggle and God’s blessing, they have been able to build God’s church through living with the people in the village and building friendships with them. God has blessed that village and the church, which is now fairly good-sized. The band that some of the youth of Bridgeport Chapel helped teach to play instruments is going strong, and sounding great!
April 1 & 8: We went to the church in Bailesti for both Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. It was a great time of fellowship with the people there, celebrating Jesus’ royal entry into Jerusalem, and then the glorious hope that His resurrection brings. We took part in the services there morning and evening by singing and sharing the Word of God. In the afternoons, a family from the church took us to their home for lunch and rest, and that was a real blessing. We pray that we have been able to be as much of a blessing to the people in Bailesti as they have been for us. Please pray for the church in Bailesti, that God will continue to work in and bless that church!
No comments:
Post a Comment