With each country that we have visited on the World Race, there have been certain cultural customs and traditions that we needed to abide by to have an effective ministry. Romania is no exception. Here in the small village of Viile Tecii, the people are very conservative and orthodox in their religious beliefs as well. Here’s a taste of the should’s and should not’s in their everyday living in Romania:
1. Christians should not dance – there shouldn’t be even the slightest swaying to the music
2. Christians should not eat sugar. I have no idea why this is a rule, but, thankfully, our ministry contact likes sweetened things.
3. Christian women should wear skirts to all church services, and they must fall below the knee. This rule isn’t unique to Romania. We’ve been told this around the world.
4. A woman and a man should not be seen walking alone together unless they are married. Scandalous!
5. A married Christian woman must wear some sort of head covering when in church or visiting homes. When I first heard this, I was mortified as I pictured myself wearing a babushka throughout the month here. To my relief, a thick headband is an acceptable form of head coverage and can actually look quite cute.
6. The bowls used for eating and dish-washing should not be used for any bathing activities. You might think that should not is reasonable, but please remember that we are still on the World Race and what we would have considered unacceptable before the Race may not be so now. Sometimes, showers and clean clothes are a rarity.
7. There are gender-specific roles here and should not be challenged. For example, men should not wash the dishes because that is the woman’s job. Conversely, women should not be helping in any construction work because that is the man’s responsibility.
8. Only men are allowed to preach in the church. The women can sing, give testimonies, and even teach other women, but they cannot preach from the pulpit.
9. You cannot have your hands in your pockets when in church. I’m not sure of the logic behind this rule, but it’s proven a challenge for our pocket-lounging hands.
10. Women should greet one another with a kiss on either cheek. This is not a must, but I think it’s a nice way of saying hello and goodbye.
