REACH Romania
Youth Camp 2003 (26 July 2003)
Dear Friends and Partners,
Time is flying at a very high speed - and there are already two weeks since the last day of Youth Camp! After returning home, we were "taken by the wave" - many things happened - and right now I'm in the city of Balti, Republic of Moldova, translating for the evangelistic crusade Walter Kronberg is doing here.
Let me tell you a few facts about the Youth Camp. Between June 25 -July 1st, our friends from the ministry in Iasi used the camp in Voronet for 150 children from their area. So - Tuesday and Wednesday, July 1st and 2nd, we had to pack almost everything, load it up in a truck, bring it from Voronet to Suceava and transfer to the big truck (20 tone capacity!) where we also loaded the big tent and all other materials needed for the Youth Camp. Our people finished this hard work Wednesday after 8 pm, went home and took a shower, and by midnight, we left for Piatra Craiului, the camp site.
After a whole night of driving, we got there around 7 am, and a heavy rain welcomed us! It was the beginning of a long day not without trouble - the land owner didn't prepare it as we talked (it was tall grass all over -he didn't cut it), he only allowed us to use a part of the piece of land he promised, people from mayor's office came and were unhappy because we didn't have building authorization for the camp (we were never asked anything like that before!), and they had me sign the papers for a 10,000,000 lei (about $300) penalty for setting the camp without authorization! (They came the last day of camp and canceled it, though, inviting us again in their area! PTL!)
Many of the people came there Thursday, though the camp officially started Friday night. And on the top of it all, Friday morning several people reported many of their things missing - thieves came during the night and stole things - even from the tents where people were sleeping inside!
BUT in spite of all these problems, we had a wonderful time of blessing - from the beginning to the end! Though we had a lot of rain, the participants (around 450 -500, even more during the evening services, when people from the area came to attend the services) enjoyed everything - the wonderful area, excellent praise and worship lead by our team and teams from other churches in the country, good preaching and seminars, fellowship time, and a lot of personal ministry.
We were glad to see young people coming from churches belonging to different denominations - Romanian Pentecostal Union, Assembly of God Romania, Federation of Romanian Christian Autonomous Churches, Baptist Churches and several Independent Ministries. And they all had the same needs, and they were all happy at the end for being touched by the Lord.
A special word of thanks to Bro. Carroll Thompson who helped us with the most part of the expenses, and brought with him a good ministry team - Pastor Victor Thompson who did an excellent job preaching the Word and then ministering with the team - sometimes until well after midnight! Thank you, brothers and friends, and may the Lord bless you and reward you all!
Also, our Romanian preachers - Vasile Croitor from Medgidia, Nelu Filip from Timisoara, Christopher from Constanta - those who had seminars - Carroll Thompson, Marcel and Lili Lelcu, Bogdan Ioachimciuc (our worship leader), Florin Mitra, Ovidiu and Ana Ionica who work with Turks in Medgidia - they all did a very good job. Suceava team did a good job again - and others helped us significantly this time.
So - thank the Lord for those who made a first time commitment to follow Him - several from Suceava, and we are preparing a water baptism for them, those filled with the Holy Spirit (about 50 of them), many, many delivered from different things in their lives, some physically healed, and everyone encouraged and making a new commitment to follow the Lord! It was a great joy to listen to their testimonies the last day of camp!
In spite of all the difficulties (after the first day I was almost sure this is the last camp!), we will continue, with God's help, to offer the possibility for young people to come together, get to know each other and have the chance to receive ministry. All the leaders I talked to noticed an openness they don't have in the churches - and urged us to continue organizing the camp!
SO - once again, thank the Lord and thank you all for your support in prayer before the Lord! WE DID IT TOGETHER! And together we'll make a difference in Romania for the LORD!
AND FOR EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE USED, BLESSED AND TOUCHED - TO GOD BE THE GLORY, FOR EVER - AMEN!!!
Serving in Suceava,
Nicu, Marcel and The Team
P.S. Our first children camp in Voronet starts today (July 25 - August 1st) - please pray for it, we are having some problems with the Sanitary Police. I'll write later about it.