REACH Romania
News from Romania... (July 2005)
Dear friends and fellow citizens of the Kingdom of God,
Greetings again! Even though what happens here in Romania does not seem interesting enough for the important media agencies it is a cruel reality for many of the Romanians! I was watching the news today they gave some numbers: 600 towns and villages flooded, more than 3,000 houses totally destroyed and they expect the number to double the next days, 21 people killed, and about 1.5 billion $ (yes, US$) damage done - especially to infrastructure roads, railroads, bridges, buildings, etc. The weather is almost normal now though there is much water left in many places yet and severe storms. Last week, Tuesday night 256 towns and villages were left in the dark due to a strong wind. Another Christian camp, in the middle of the country, was strongly hit by that people were hanging on the tent poles in order to keep it from being taken by the wind! It seems that the kitchen tent was destroyed and there were many trees uprooted that blocked the road to town but nobody was hurt, praise the Lord!
In spite of all these things and against all odds (heavy rains announced by meteorologists) we had one of the most wonderful Youth Camps! There were more than 300 brave souls who decided to come, even though for some of them it took 23 hours by train to get there! And it took some courage for all of us, because the camp site was very close to Voronet valley, where the deluge was a week before the camp started! So when they told friends they go to camp, it was like You go where? Didnt you watch TV?
We had a very good time from all points of view. Good weather with some rain, but not bad. Very good praise and worship with our team and others, from Romania and USA Pastor Victor Thompson and his team from Bethesda Church in Dallas were with us again! I preached the first night of the camp on The Kingdom of God trying to put everything that we were expecting to happen in the light of the Kingdom being extended in our lives through deliverance messages and personal ministry, deeper commitment challenges, testimonies of people who were wonderfully saved from a bad life, seminars Holy Spirit, Praise and Worship, Courtship, etc. And it was good if it kept them under the big tent from 7pm to 2 am next morning several nights in a row!(Actually we had to stop the generator in order to sent them to their tents!)
One of the very much appreciated events was the special time of knowing each other an afternoon when we had special music, drinks and snacks and a time when everyone had to meet new people.
Again we have some pictures on www.cprsuceava.lx.ro Voronet camp pictures.
As you can see we even had a wedding (no, they didnt decide to have it after the special day of knowing each other!!!) actually it was a special one, as they were dressed in blue jeans!
Also Esti and I celebrated our 20th anniversary of the official wedding (the religious wedding was on July 28) and the campers surprised us with a gift and praying for us (see pictures).
The last day of camp Friday morning we had a good time of thanking the Lord (it was very loud, with long applause to the Lord and spontaneous songs) and then testimonies again almost one hour of people coming and telling everyone how their lives were changed and affected by what happened at the camp. We were encouraged to see a lot more maturity in those who come to camp every year also a changed focus, now their focus is on waiting on the Lord! Praise the Lord He is the One WHO makes it all grow!
As we told you every summer - we do it again please, pray that what happened there wont be only a pleasant event, but something that will burn inside of them and bring fruit for the Kingdom!
The big tent was packed quickly and left right after the last service for Medgidia SE Romania, by the Black Sea where one of our first graduates works they are having a week of youth evangelism under the tent! We are glad to see it used for the salvation of souls and for the glory of God!
This week another event takes place in Cimpulung Moldovenesc about 40 miles West of Suceava the National Youth Network brought about 200 young people there and theyll do physical work in the town in the mornings cleaning, painting, visiting poor families, working with children and have Christian music concerts in the evenings. Pray for protection opposition is promised from the religious brethren and for good weather, so that the work could be done.
If I tell you about the trouble we had with sanitary police and the trouble our neighbors had its going to be too long so, later about those things and about the new building!
Blessings,
Nicu & Team