This is a story I wrote for the pastor we worked with in Romania. He is one of the most anointed men of God I have ever met and God is blessing his ministry in crazy beautiful ways. This is part 1 of a 3 part series telling about how Raul came to Draganesti and how his ministry started. My hope is that Raul’s story will encourage and inspire you to step out in faith and really trust in Him wherever He calls you.
Laid out on the table in front of Raul Costea was a map of Romania. God had put it on his heart to pray for the village of Draganesti. He didn’t know much about this town other than it was known as a missionary graveyard. There were only a handful of pastors and churches, and very few Christians. He laid his hands on the map and started praying that God would provide missionaries to minister to these unreached people. It was the least he could do as he was living far away in Northern Romania at the time. Over the next few months Raul kept Draganesti in his prayers and then one day God answered.
Little did Raul know as he was interceding for Draganesti that God would end up sending him. One night the Holy Spirit told Raul very clearly that he was to cross the Carpathian mountains and help Draganesti. He had been called and there was no turning back. He considered himself unqualified and had never even been to this town, but God works in very mysterious ways.
If the Holy Spirit speaking to him wasn’t enough God later spoke through a person to let Raul know that this was exactly where he needed to be. When he visited a small church near Draganesti for the first time the pastor, whom had never seen Raul before, looked right at him from the pulpit and said these exact words, “Cross the Carpathians and help us.” Raul was speechless. Just as he had been told in the spiritual he was now being told in the physical.
And if that wasn’t enough God again spoke to Raul through a pastor in Raul’s home church. After preaching his sermon, the pastor told the congregation that he had a poem to read them. He had written this poem on a cold New Years Eve when the Holy Spirit impressed on him to write it down. The pastor didn’t know why, but he obeyed. The poem was meant for Raul and was prophetic for him moving to Draganesti. Sometimes God speaks in a barely audible whisper and other times, such as this, he roars like a lion.
Needless to say, Raul listened to God and was sent by his home church to Draganesti to plant churches and start a base for missionaries. Because of Raul’s obedience God has allowed this ministry to thrive and has brought many others to partner alongside him. But there are still hundreds of thousands of people across Romania who have never heard of Jesus’ love and saving grace. They are in darkness; living in physical and spiritual poverty.
Raul has been in Draganesti for almost 20 years now. There are children and youth ministries, social programs, after school activities and so much more. God’s blessings have been endless, but this town of 12,000 still needs so much prayer, workers, and support. As Jesus says in Matthew 9:37, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” Pray that more will come alongside Raul and help minister to the unreached. Ask God how you can help. Just like Raul, God is calling you to be the light in the darkness whether it is right where you live, in a different city or country, or even in the little village of Draganesti.
“I have placed you as a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the end of the earth.” -Acts 13:47
To learn more about Raul and all the amazing things that are happening in Draganesti please visit http://bisericasperanta.ro/
