A Mission

Mission to Bals(h), May 02, 2010

Dear Friends and Family,
We want to share another ministry opportunity that we had recently, and that was to go as a church body on a "mission" to another church.
On May 2nd, we as a church body (whoever could come) went to the town of Bals (pronounced "Balsh"), a 125 kilometer, two hour plus drive away. Our purpose was to go as a relatively new church body to another new church and to spend the day together first in worshiping the Lord and teaching from His word, and then fellowshiping together. While one of the goals was to build unity within our own body through this experience together, the greater goal was that of encouraging another very young church and building unity not just within a single group of believers, but crossing those perceived "church group" barriers and simply being believers in Christ together as one group, and enjoying fellowship as one body.
The mission was a great success. After the morning worship time together, I gave a short encouragement or challenge to the people, followed by a Bible teaching by our pastor. After the morning time together, we all went to a nearby park and spent the afternoon visiting, getting to know one another, and of course, having sandwiches and drinks. It was a great time to get to know some new people, and the kids had a lot of fun playing together with new friends they made as well. New friendships were formed, and everyone from both churches was encouraged greatly.
We as a church are hopeful that this sort of thing will happen more this year, and that through it many believers will be encouraged, that unity within the church on a local level and beyond will grow, and above all that God will be glorified!
As you hear of the encouragement of your brothers and sisters on the other side of the globe in Romania, may you be blessed and encouraged as well - remember that each of us is a part of the same body, that of Christ!
"so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." Romans 12:5
May You Be Blessed!
Andrew & Geta & family

A Short Trip

Andrew, Geta, Elijah, Jeremiah, Ammishaddai, and Joseph.

April 23rd, 2010. Rachitova, Romania

It looks like spring has finally arrived here in Romania. There has been a number of weeks of good warm (and sometimes hot!) weather already. There has also been some thunderstorms, very typical spring weather here.
Thank you for your prayers for Geta's mother (see also last blog entry); she is feeling much better now. We continue to pray for God to speak to her and draw her to himself.
We (Andrew and the children) went to join Geta in Rusca Montana where she had been taking care of her mother, and after a couple days there visiting, we went to Geta's grandparents in the village of Rachitova for a visit as well. While there in that area, we had opportunity on Sunday April 25th to visit the church in Hobita which is only about twenty minutes' drive from where the grandparents live.

We take every opportunity we can when we are in that area to visit the church there. The church is very small, and mostly has only elderly people in it (and two of them have died in the last year or so). We stay all day for both services, and it is always such a blessing for us to be with the believers in Hobita, and they are always so grateful when we come - it's really overwhelming. By the grace of God, I was able to give the morning message in Romanian, with occasional help from my wonderful wife! I gave the evening message in Romanian as well, but I tend not to do so well in the evening after speaking Romanian all day long. I think my mind and tongue both start to get tired after a whole day speaking another language. But thankfully I have such a great wife, who helps me along whenever I need it!
In the end, it was a good trip, with prayers for Geta's mother answered, a wonderful visit with Geta's grandparents (both believers as well), and a blessed time of fellowship in Hobita.
Thank you for your continued prayers for us. We need them! Thank you for your faithfulness to God, and the blessing that you are to our family and ministry.
In Christ,
Andrew & Geta & family

The kids: Joseph, Ammishaddai, Elijah, Jeremiah. April 27th, 2010. Rachitova, Romania.