14 January 2010
0345...why is my alarm clock going off? Oh yeah, need to get showered and dressed, riding to the airport at 0400. Who's idea was this?
0450...at BHX waiting for flight to Amsterdam. Thankfully Burger King is opening soon. I wonder if they have Dr Pepper?
0610...off the ground and on our way.
0800...waiting in AMS for flight to OTP. No great deals in the duty free store.
1215...in the air and cruising towards Bucharest, Romania. It is going to be a long day...but full of potential.
1345...safely in Romania, but we have a 5 hour wait until our next flight. A ride from the airport to a Lebanese restaurant is arranged, very nice.
2030...one more flight. Should be Oradea in about 2 hours. I need a hot shower and a pillow.
2315...at the hotel. Awake now for almost 17 hours. No Dr Pepper. Why am I here?
Oh yeah, because about 18 years ago four teenage guys were acting as translators for someone from the UK. This person was traveling through some of the former Soviet nations searching for opportunities to help people either start or rebuild a relationship with Jesus.
That person was Ian Green, founder of NLI, and those 4 guys are now a pastoral team. Through knowing Ian, and the training available through NLI, they now lead an independent church of about 300 members here in Oradea. The church is about 6 years old and the pastors realise they are ready for some new challenges and growth. But they have an uphill battle. Communism may have fallen, but the mentality lingers. Life is ruled, decisions are made for you. This mindset is affecting their church and they seek to bring the freedom of Christ. They want church to be something you do, not just somewhere you go. They want church to be involved in the day-to-day lives of friends, co-workers, and neighbours. They want to be the kind of church that would missed by the community if they left. They want to be the church as Jesus intended.
It gets better. Have you ever been involved in a community outreach with your church? Did it involve seeking out the lost and lonely who live in the sewers and abandoned buildings of your city? Did it involve dealing with a group of people despised and mistrusted by almost everyone? You see, after the trip to Oradea we headed back to Bucharest and reconnected with one ministry who works with teens and another who works specifically with the Roma (gypsy) peoples. Two vibrant, blessed ministries, also looking for partnership to help increase their reach, not for their own glory, but for the Kingdom.
So, to answer my first question, this was God's idea, and I'm blessed to part of the ongoing work here in Romania. Yes there are logistics and funding and travel and processes involved. Yes there are staff members both here and across the world. But it all balances on the quality and depth of relationships. We are in this together, whether you are a financial supporter, a prayer partner, or a cheerleader, you are part of this. You share in the victories and the blessings. We've said it before, and we'll say it again....we're running on faith, but we're not running alone.
Stay true,
Paul and Mary.
