Romania. Romania is a beautiful country with beautiful people. Even though I was not able to spend much time out in the village getting to know people, I was able to get to know several people. I was able to pray for the Fracker family, occasionally with them, usually while I was upstairs listening to what was going on downstairs. I was also able to get to know a young man named Antonio, Toni. Toni is in his early 30s and recently became a proud father of a beautiful little girl. Until recently Toni was not interested in following the Lord. But God being God did not let up and continued pursuing Toni. God has an incredible calling on Toni’s life and He was not going to allow Toni to miss out. Toni and his family are gypsies. Many people in Romania, in all of Europe in fact, look down on gypsies and hold certain discriminations against them. Toni has faced this in his life as well. I was able to meet Toni my last week in Viile Tecii. He is a sweet man who is now very much in love with the Lord and willing to serve and follow Him. Toni was in a horrible car accident the night I met him. God had spared his life. God’s saving grace was poured out on Toni, his cousin Danny, and all those in the car. Toni realized this and was, is, very grateful. Our last day in Viile Tecii Toni along with 2 other amazing men of God, made a public commitment to follow Jesus Christ and were water baptized in front of their congregation and in front of all those from the village who had come to see. There is something absolutely priceless about witnessing someone’s baptism and there is something magical and breathtaking when God allows you to see someone you have grown to love commit their life and obediently be baptized and come out a new person. I am grateful for that moment. I have no idea where God is taking Toni or what his life is going to be like, but I know God is going to use him in ways he never thought possible. I know God is going to pour out His unfailing love on Toni. I know because Toni is seeking all of God, God will reveal more of Himself. I know Toni will be an even more amazing father than he already is, because now he is learning from his Eternal Father. I am excited to see and hear all the Lord does in Toni’s future.
