Even though we are home, our prayers and our hearts are still in Romania. As we traveled many miles in Romania, I saw many sights very similiar to our country side here in Greenville county and the mountains around us. Except for the many cattle and sheep, chickens and ducks and geese, and an occasional horse and wagon carrying hay for the livestock; the area was very much like ours. As you may see with some pictures posted later (I hope) the homes and apartments are very different.
Hope Baptist Church is beautiful inside and out. And all around the church are large apartment buildings, schools, bussiness, and stores. Many opportunities for this "House of Prayer" to share the love of Jesus to hurting people. Just like here at home they too are struggling with many of the same challenges we are.
I would like to share a comment that one of our former translators made when she came to see us from Arad (a town nearby). She said "Unlike other mission teams from America, you come back and continue our friendship. This is special to us."
I would also like to share with you a brief note from the WOMEN'S TEAM.
Both Libby and I were at the church and away from a computer, so we were not able to write about our time with the ladies of the church. We were called "THE ATTIC TEAM" because we stayed in the top floor of the church (4th floor) along with Linda. The accommodations were very nice, just very hot. Cindy was also very busy and stayed with Pastor Mihi and Irena.
We were asked to encourage and support the ladies of Hope Baptist Church and to share with them some of the ministries we have at ERBC. We were hoping to see both younger women as well as the older women. There were very few younger women because they were involved with the children's ministries and were being encouraged and mentored by Travis and the children's team at the same time. We did however have between 40 and 50 ladies both nights.
Cindy was so good at sharing about our Intercessory Prayer Ministry. She explained to them that not only do people from our church pray for specific prayer requests from our church and church families, but we also pray for them. She explained that we have a specific room ("like a closet") at our church that is devoted to 24/7 hours and days of praying. The ladies were amazed that they were being prayed for in America. We complimented them for their devotion to prayer and told them that we would post a picture of them in our prayer room so people could see their faces and know who they were praying for. It was a very special time when they prayed. They always stand for prayer and many times it may be as much as an hour at a time. Very worshipful!
Libby shared with the ladies about our women's Bible studies. She shared with them about The Amazing Collection. We were able to leave several books from that series for them to translate as they saw fit so they could begin a women's study of their own. They shared with us that now their Bible study was on Sunday mornings along with the men and Pastor Mihi (like our Sunday morning BFG'S).
Libby also shared about our Women's Touch Ministry. She explained to them how they could begin simple acts of love and encouragement for new women members and new moms.
My part was Women on Mission and Heart to Heart. They are already busy with mission projects in the villages and within their church, but we were able to add a few suggestions that might be easy to get started. Heart to Heart wasn't as easy to interpret for them. The word mentor to them represented counseling and many were very cautious about sharing their lives with anyone else. During comunism, secrets were kept, people remained very afraid to share with others for fear of their own families and much suspician was present. This ministry may come later as we work with them more on the concept and on the promise of confidentiality. We did remind them of what Titus 2: 3-5 says.
As a whole, the love and encouragement and the blessings we received back from the ladies was much more then anything any one of us had expected. Each one of us received so many hugs and kisses and many promises of prayers.
Irena (Pastor Mihi's wife) ended the time together with a promise that the ladies will begin an organized women's ministry program.
So many wonderful things occured on this trip but most of all and most importantly GOD was glorified as we were allowed to share His love and His ministry to these precious people.
To those of you who prayed and or donated time or donations we say THANK YOU. You all made the trip possible and we believe successful.
We (Cindy Libby, and myself) could not have done anything without your prayers and also the wonderful and dedicated translators who helped us. Thanks be to God who went before us, remained with us and brought us home safely.
Mult sa mesk. That's not spelled correctly, but you get the idea. That's thank you in Romanian.